Touring bike recommendations and suggestions

[NickGM]

sweeet bike nick. Now that you are the only (active) member left on here with a Soma bike, i bestow on you the duty of promoting this fine beast into oblivion lol

Thanks man. Ya sorry I could have been a bit more sensitive with my timing. Thanks for the recommendation though honestly I love this bike. Oh and while I'm being insensitive.... ahem, they also come in blue. And I have some unused spares parts I'd donate.  

[Jewbacca]

Thanks man. Ya sorry I could have been a bit more sensitive with my timing. Thanks for the recommendation though honestly I love this bike. Oh and while I'm being insensitive.... ahem, they also come in blue. And I have some unused spares parts I'd donate.  

I also have some bits I can throw in the pot!

 

Nick, that is beautiful! 

[Wayne pudding Mol]

Thought I'd post a pic of the final build. The frame got lost by customs for a couple of months, but it gave me the time to source all the parts. I splashed out on a few items, like the Thompson seatpost and brooks saddle. Also the Yokozuna breaks are amazing, but I got those at a special price that pretty much made them impossible to ignore. The matching brooks bar tape was essentially a gift. A couple of things were sourced second hand. I got the Chris King Headset here on the hub. Then a bunch of things from Rapide.

 

I've got a GRX 2x10 groupset with Tiagra shifters - I need those to talk to the cable disc brakes. This 30t:36t gear ratio gives me 24 gear inches, which seems like its the lowest bailout gear ratio I can get with road shifters and no fancy tricks (like a wolftooth tanpan or similar).

 

A lot of people don't like the stacked-up stem but the whole point was comfort. I started to get back pain on my road bike so wanted to set this up so that I'd be comfortable to ride 6 hour days. This is the most comfortable bike I've ever ridden.

 

Now I need to source some carrying stuff and do some overnighters in the Karoo and cederberg.

 

Thanks for all the advice and suggestions along the way.

That bike makes me want to go adventuring

[Stretched@Birth]

Thought I'd post a pic of the final build. The frame got lost by customs for a couple of months, but it gave me the time to source all the parts. I splashed out on a few items, like the Thompson seatpost and brooks saddle. Also the Yokozuna breaks are amazing, but I got those at a special price that pretty much made them impossible to ignore. The matching brooks bar tape was essentially a gift. A couple of things were sourced second hand. I got the Chris King Headset here on the hub. Then a bunch of things from Rapide.

 

I've got a GRX 2x10 groupset with Tiagra shifters - I need those to talk to the cable disc brakes. This 30t:36t gear ratio gives me 24 gear inches, which seems like its the lowest bailout gear ratio I can get with road shifters and no fancy tricks (like a wolftooth tanpan or similar).

 

A lot of people don't like the stacked-up stem but the whole point was comfort. I started to get back pain on my road bike so wanted to set this up so that I'd be comfortable to ride 6 hour days. This is the most comfortable bike I've ever ridden.

 

Now I need to source some carrying stuff and do some overnighters in the Karoo and cederberg.

 

Thanks for all the advice and suggestions along the way.

Nice bike, wishing you many happy miles. Now, about that carrying stuff, go and have a look here...

 

 

https://gravelandtour.co.za

[Slowbee]

Chaps, would any of you consider a carbon bike as a tourer ?

[Dusty]

Chaps, would any of you consider a carbon bike as a tourer ?

I have gone that route as I figure that like steel, a cracked carbon frame can be repaired just about anywhere with some resin and matting. Alu not so much. I do wrap the frame at the contact points with my bags, with tape, to protect it.

Edited January 15, 2021 by Dusty

[Slowbee]

The type of touring I am considering is 3 or 4 days, not these month long stints.

 

But I have been FIRMLY told (and had my man card threatened with scissors) that n+1 no longer applies.

 

I am trying to find the best compromise between a road bike, gravel grinder and (mini) tourer.

 

So far it seems like a spez diverge is the way to go. The new frames do allow for 3 bottles, they have holes for panniers on the rear and they also have a little suspension up front for that physiological advantage for those with back problems.

[PhilipV]

The type of touring I am considering is 3 or 4 days, not these month long stints.

 

But I have been FIRMLY told (and had my man card threatened with scissors) that n+1 no longer applies.

 

I am trying to find the best compromise between a road bike, gravel grinder and (mini) tourer.

 

So far it seems like a spez diverge is the way to go. The new frames do allow for 3 bottles, they have holes for panniers on the rear and they also have a little suspension up front for that physiological advantage for those with back problems.

I distinctly remember you being told to buy the damn bike....

But that was before you bought a bus. May have burned a bridge there.

 

For what you want to do, any bike will do. So pick a comfy, fun bike to ride.

[Pure Savage]

I got a whole bunch of bags for touring. Wife wants to know where I am planning on going and when and with who... did not think this all the way through.

[NC_lurker]

I got a whole bunch of bags for touring. Wife wants to know where I am planning on going and when and with who... did not think this all the way through.

Did she seem excited by the idea? ????

[Wayne pudding Mol]

This seemed like the right place to show off this kit a friend gave me, mahala

 

Slowbee the diverge is exactly what you need and I’m

Just about the furthest from a Spaz fanboy anyone could be - it’s a great bike

[andyrtmorgan]

Here’s my tourer. She’s a Momsen STR Steel frame with a Bontrager XC carbon fork. 1X11 setup with a 42T ring up front and an 11-42 Casette. Shimano 105 Hydraulic shifters I got off eBay plumbed into mtb calipers. Saddle is a Fizik Gobi that I recovered. Rapide bars up on an X-Zakt riser stem to bring the bars up a bit for those long days. Gets some odd looks from roadies!

 

Absolutely love this bike.

[NC_lurker]

Steel frame Specialized Sequoia fully loaded doing the Cederberg circuit.

 

(Edit: no idea why the image quality is so poor)

Edited January 17, 2021 by NC_lurker

[NC_lurker]

Bush sleeps or campsites? Nice setup. Enjoy the journey.

Campsites, hence the home-made fork bags carrying a tent & sleeping bag. I normally take shelter under my credit card, much easier! Got persuaded by the friends I rode with that you have to camp in the Cederberg..

[NC_lurker]

Campsites, hence the home-made fork bags carrying a tent & sleeping bag. I normally take shelter under my credit card, much easier! Got persuaded by the friends I rode with that you have to camp in the Cederberg..

Advantage of riding a L frame is I can still fit 2 water bottles in the triangle even with a frame bag.

[NixM]

Campsites, hence the home-made fork bags carrying a tent & sleeping bag. I normally take shelter under my credit card, much easier! Got persuaded by the friends I rode with that you have to camp in the Cederberg..

Clever friends you have! (sorry Algeria camp was so freezing cold ????). Warm sleeping bags are worth the extra space/ weight, they do however take up valuable red wine space. Edited January 17, 2021 by NixM