Looking for size 60-61 touring bike with equipment

[h2gilks123]

Ideally around 1,000 euros for everything but I can happily spend less or more if needed

Sounds like a healthy budget for a used bike. Watch out for buying a moneypit because it needs a lot of parts changed due to expensive damages or a lack of maintenance.

Route: Via Francigene, starting north of Turin and ending in Rome, plan to go in October (hoping the weather is not awful!!). I get the sense that the road is a mix of everything, asphalt, gravel tracks, some dirt roads.

With a lot of luggage and travelling also on gravel and dirt tracks you'll benefit from wide tyres. 26 inch/559 wheels will give you this possibility. With 28/29 inch/622 wheels the more recent or mountainbike origin bikes will also do, while most older and more racing bike origin bikes won't be able because frame and/or fork are not made for fitting wide tyres.

Frame: I was thinking steel as my understanding is that it is the most durable. What are your thoughts on this?

A good steel frame will do the job, a good aluminium frame will also do. Sometimes a manufacturer combines materials in for example a steel fork with an aluminium frame.

Other bike parts: No preference on handle bars due to experience and on the other questions, I don't have a lot of experience but i would think derailleur and chain drive for ease of repairs.

With your budget derailleurs sure are the best choice. Regarding handle bars, trying out can help you find your personal preferences. Changing between different flatbars or different dropbars is cheap most of the time, while changing from flatbar to dropbars or from dropbars to flatbar mostly isn't.

Commuting: I don't think I would use the bike for commuting as I have a day to day bike and currently live 5 minutes from my office but i would definitely take weekend trips to explore this wonderful country

Good choice splitting this up, that'll reduce the risk of your nice touring bike getting stolen and needing a lot more maintenance in Dutch winter weather.

Do you also have any suggestion of good makes to look for? It seems there is a lot of Koga which would make sense as a Dutch company. I am looking for something robust for a 3-4 weeks journey.

Some Koga models will be perfectly capable for your trip, while others totally won't be. Look for example for a WorldTraveller, forget about the WorldTraveller-s, as these were complicated older full suspension models.

Also popular in the Netherlands are Santos bikes. Most models are also capable for a month trip with a lot of luggage, except for some fancy carbon fiber or racing specific ones.

Giant also did a good job on some model years of the Expedition, while other years of the same called model were... just not so good for travelling.

In steel you can also look at the German brand of VSF, just skip the cheap ones with Shimano internal geared hubs. Those are good commuter bikes though. Also in steel you can look for example for the Dutch brand of Avaghon or the USA origin Surly, but those are a bit more expensive most of the time.

Starting with a mountainbike without racks can also be a good start for creating your own touring bike, just make sure you'll have a good base strong enough for touring, carrying all your luggage and racks. A light and race winner designed bike most likely won't be capable

The more you will get your luggage down in weight and volume, more bikes will be suitable for this and future trips.

And as for the 60/61 size stated in the title. That can sure be the correct size for one frame from one specific brand and model, while due to geometry differences another frame can be a perfect fit for you in a 49cm size. What's your length? And what about the inner length of your legs?

Thank you for this - very helpful and great suggestions. My measurement are: height 183cm and inside leg 90cm.
Maybe 60/61 would be too large!

[Leon]

There is no easy way to tell which frame size one needs. It depends on several things including top tube sloping angle.
Here's a picture of my 61 cm Avaghon and my 52 cm VSF T-400, positioned over the bottom bracket. They are almost identical in effective size; meaning in this case: top tube length.

[h2gilks123]

There is no easy way to tell which frame size one needs. It depends on several things including top tube sloping angle.
Here's a picture of my 61 cm Avaghon and my 52 cm VSF T-400, positioned over the bottom bracket. They are almost identical in effective size; meaning in this case: top tube length.

very helpful - thanks. It seems like a test ride is a must given the variability.

[h2gilks123]

Hi guys, firstly apologies for my lack of Dutch!!! That is my next problem to solve after finding a bike.

I have recently moved to Amsterdam and I am on the hunt for a touring bike and even better, one that comes with all relevant travel equipment, racks and bags etc... or, just a bike would also do fine and I can get the travel accessories separately.

Two requests:
* firstly, if anyone has a bike for sale please let me know.
* secondly, where is best to look for a bike of this type either in a shop or online? Any guidance here would be very much appreciated.

Thank you in advance!!!

Updated specification of what I am looking for

Thank you for all comments.

Having had a bit more time to look and think, given this will be my first trip of this kind, ideally I could find something around the 500 euro mark with a good steel frame and a few decent components such as tubus racks/good leather saddle that can get me through... not perfectly but manageable. It seems like the top brands (Koga and Santos etc) will cost 1000+ so a bit out of range for now. Maybe this is an unrealistic ambition but hoping something will pop up!!

[non-fixie]

Thank you for this - very helpful and great suggestions. My measurement are: height 183cm and inside leg 90cm.
Maybe 60/61 would be too large!

If you're looking for a steel bike with conventional geometry, you might want bigger, not smaller, with those measurements.

I'm at 1.84 with an 89cm cycling inseam and my favorite touring bikes are all in the 63-65cm range. I like a French fit.

This is my 65cm Snel Expedition:

[Little Feat]

Just browsing the forum came across your search.
Got a 90's Giant Terrago in size 24 inch. All steel frame and fork. Agree on hoogframes mentioning of a quite long Reach (41 cm) which makes a sportier way of riding.
With larger tires (> or=50 mm) on the 26' wheels you drive through anything.
Got it tweaked with tubus rear rack, recent led rear light and ergo GP5L handlebars/barends. New drive train including crank installed 2021
Made some weekend tours with it with full camping equipment, some 15 kgs. And of course lots of touring without luggage.
Looking for another bike myself (Rohloff). If you are interested let me know and maybe hoogframes got another job tweaking it to your wishes
Grtz LF

[Little Feat]

Hoy Hoy,
Didn't succeed in getting pictures in a PB.
Here is my GT bike after an evening touring yesterday.
BTW rims are rigida, tires Schwalbe marathon greenguard 50 mm wide
Grtz Little Feat.

[Jurr]

A topic full of Terragos

Choice of 3

(-:

[Little Feat]

Still going strong
Like his rider
Grtz LITTLE FEAT

[h2gilks123]

BIKE FOUND

Hi All,

Thanks for all you comments and tips - big shout out to Jurr for finding the new love of my life introducing SALLY

She is already a well seasoned tourer and has already been to many exotic places. Seems like a very good find and off an excellent buyer who tours a lot and has built the bike from scratch and maintained very well. Looks to have everything that I need and now I just can't wait to get started.

Few questions:
* What are peoples views on Hydraulic breaks? Are they overly complicated to fix when on the road?
* Are clip in shoes a must?
* What sort of lock do you guys normally take for touring? They can very heavy but at the same time I have just met Sally and I don't want to lose her but also conscious of weight!! I have an Axa but probably need something else.
* General thoughts on tires? Currently got some Schwalbe Marathon Evolution 26 inch 559.

All the best,
Henry

[Leon]

Answers, my 2 cts:
# You can fix those breaks on the road but definetely have to practice this at home.
# No, shoes with clips are only optional.
# The necessary lock depends very much on where you are. In big cities you need a very good one (better: 2) but in rural areas in France e.g. you hardly need a lock at all.
# Some people like these tires. I don't. Heavy, stiff sidewalls and makes handling of your bicycle awkward, indestructible though.

[h2gilks123]

Answers, my 2 cts:
# You can fix those breaks on the road but definetely have to practice this at home.
# No, shoes with clips are only optional.
# The necessary lock depends very much on where you are. In big cities you need a very good one (better: 2) but in rural areas in France e.g. you hardly need a lock at all.
# Some people like these tires. I don't. Heavy, stiff sidewalls and makes handling of your bicycle awkward, indestructible though.

Thanks Leon, any recommendations on the tires that would be a bit less awkward? I hear good things about Panaracer Pasela.

[hoogframe]

the tires are the marathon mondial's. these are (also) suited for use on bad roads. they are known for being not zo fast but strong.
try them!

[Jurr]

Thanks for all you comments and tips - big shout out to Jurr for finding the new love of my life introducing SALLY

You're welcome! (-:

When Henry met Sally...?

* What are peoples views on Hydraulic breaks? Are they overly complicated to fix when on the road?

If your hydraulic brake needs to be replaced during touring and you can't find a replacement hydraulic rim brake, you can replace it for V-brakes or cantilever brakes on the same mounts. Most of the time it's just replacing worn brake pads. I've used the Magura hydraulic rim brakes for lots of kilometres without faults. And lots of forum members here also (-:

* Are clip in shoes a must?

Nop, just a personal choice.

* What sort of lock do you guys normally take for touring? They can very heavy but at the same time I have just met Sally and I don't want to lose her but also conscious of weight!! I have an Axa but probably need something else.

I'm carrying a foldable Trelock lock with me, similar to an Abus Bordo. A 4-digit code version, so my key won't get lost or break within the lock.

It also allows me to lock my bike to something else, which makes it harder to carry into a van and leave with it.

* General thoughts on tires? Currently got some Schwalbe Marathon Evolution 26 inch 559.

In 26 inch 559 I like Big Apples or, if you can find some NOS or used ones, Marathon Almotions. If you move up in budget, try Compass/Rene Herse. If you hate punctures and/or planning on a round the world trip and don't mind dropping some average speed compared to other tyres, stay with your current Mondials. Mondials will last for ages if you keep an eye on the tyre pressure.

[non-fixie]

(...) I hear good things about Panaracer Pasela.

Count me among their fans. I have them on most of of my bikes, and find them to be a good comprimise between comfort, durability and looks. Decidedly less truck-like than the Schwalbe Marathons I've tried.

I have had few flats, and those were mostly down to user error. Using 40-year old NOS inner tubes is not a good idea.

I generally don't carry much luggage, but at 220 lbs and with a love for unpaved roads I don't spare them either.