Touring bike recommendations and suggestions

[NickGM]

Quick query, what STI-type shifters do people normally use on touring bikes if one goes the disk brake route? Can you use typical roadie shifters and then connect the brake cables to mechanical disc brakes? That seems like a bit of a hack, but are there other more standard "go-to" options that don't break the bank?

[Fat Boab]

https://bikehub.co.za/classifieds/item/gravel-and-cyclocross-bikes/404451/cotic-x-gravel-bike-for-sale

 

Worth a look. I tour on one of these. The only limitation I've found is limited places to mounts cages etc. That can be worked around...

[ChrisF]

may be of help to some of the tourers ....

 

https://bikehub.co.za/classifieds/item/saddle-bags-and-on-bike-storage/399970/bikepacking-bags

[Dusty]

may be of help to some of the tourers ....

 

https://bikehub.co.za/classifieds/item/saddle-bags-and-on-bike-storage/399970/bikepacking-bags

Very good prices. Has anyone used them?

Edited May 19, 2020 by Dusty

[NickGM]

So an update here, I've gone with a soma wolverine. Its pretty pricey, but is also the right tool for a multi day (and month) touring bike, and its bloody beautiful. So there's pretty much no choice now, the road bike has to go to help fund this! Thanks so much to Morne555, Grease_Monkey, BikepackingShop and Jewbacca for the valuable input via PM.

 

I will almost certainly be asking questions here and will happily post photos. I've picked out wheels, a stem and bars. 

 

I'm uncertain on drivetrain/groupset. Are there any fans of this groupset?

https://bikemob.co.za/collections/groupsets/products/sramapex1hydrogroupset?variant=31210841178197

 

I've always tended toward shimano (less flash but more reliable in my experience) but can't find any gravel groupsets in RSA. There was this press release:

https://community.bikehub.co.za/features/_/gear/gear-news/shimano-launches-grx-gravel-dedicated-drive-components-r7818

 

If anyone knows a decent place to source the above, please let me know.

 

Also open to other suggestions. For reliability I'm actually keen on mechanical disc as opposed to hydraulic brakes, but not sure where to start looking.

[Thug]

Maybe not necessary to purchase a complete standard groupset.

 

Ideally you want a large gear range, so have a read through this article

 

https://bikepacking.com/gear/guide-to-mullet-drivetrains/

 

And

 

https://bikepacking.com/index/wide-range-cassettes/

[Grease_Monkey]

So an update here, I've gone with a soma wolverine. Its pretty pricey, but is also the right tool for a multi day (and month) touring bike, and its bloody beautiful. So there's pretty much no choice now, the road bike has to go to help fund this! Thanks so much to Morne555, Grease_Monkey, BikepackingShop and Jewbacca for the valuable input via PM.

 

I will almost certainly be asking questions here and will happily post photos. I've picked out wheels, a stem and bars.

 

I'm uncertain on drivetrain/groupset. Are there any fans of this groupset?

https://bikemob.co.za/collections/groupsets/products/sramapex1hydrogroupset?variant=31210841178197

 

I've always tended toward shimano (less flash but more reliable in my experience) but can't find any gravel groupsets in RSA. There was this press release:

https://community.bikehub.co.za/features/_/gear/gear-news/shimano-launches-grx-gravel-dedicated-drive-components-r7818

 

If anyone knows a decent place to source the above, please let me know.

 

Also open to other suggestions. For reliability I'm actually keen on mechanical disc as opposed to hydraulic brakes, but not sure where to start looking.

Are you set on 1x?

 

If you are keen on 2x and Shimano I have a very good option for you.

[Oodles]

These are hybrid cable hydraulic disc brakes that you can use with normal STIs.

 

https://trpcycling.com/product/hyrd/

 

https://www.bikeradar.com/reviews/components/brakes/brake-calipers/trp-hy-rd-road-disc-brakes-first-ride-review/

[NickGM]

Are you set on 1x?

 

If you are keen on 2x and Shimano I have a very good option for you.

Generally I prefer 1x, but will get in touch anyway. Thanks. 

[Dusty]

Are you set on 1x?

 

If you are keen on 2x and Shimano I have a very good option for you.

That is a very good question and worth thinking about. I have done some bikepacking in some pretty mountainous places in the last couple of years. On these trips I have be running 1x, and on a couple of occassions I have missed my 2x and even 3x sytems of times gone by. I have been caught short on the ups and downs.

[NickGM]

Maybe not necessary to purchase a complete standard groupset.

 

Ideally you want a large gear range, so have a read through this article

 

https://bikepacking.com/gear/guide-to-mullet-drivetrains/

 

And

 

https://bikepacking.com/index/wide-range-cassettes/

That's great. There tends to be loads of decent 2nd hand mtb 1x sets and road shifters floating around the classifieds.

[NickGM]

Just an update here. I ordered a Soma Wolverine which has just cleared customs. I'll include pictures of the build if anyone is interested. I've sourced most of the parts; mostly new stuff but a few second hand bits and pieces.

 

And as I mentioned earlier in this thread, I'm selling my road bike to make space. So if you know anyone that's interested....

 

https://bikehub.co.za/classifieds/item/road-bikes/412679/cannondale-supersix

[dave303e]

https://qhubeka.org/our-bike/

 

there is your bike, budget and other boxes ticked. Proven track record for touring( I know people who rode them to Kilimanjaro)

[NickGM]

https://qhubeka.org/our-bike/

 

there is your bike, budget and other boxes ticked. Proven track record for touring( I know people who rode them to Kilimanjaro)

Hahaha, true it does match my checklist. It really shouldn't though and that's my fault, because i didn't mention anything about gearing in my original post.

 

I really wouldn't want to do a multi-month trip on a bike like that. I'm sure I COULD. But I COULD also do it on a BMX. It just wouldn't be that pleasant.

 

They are the right bike for mass distribution to rural africa though for sure. 

Edited July 10, 2020 by NickGM

[NickGM]

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. 

[MORNE]

snip

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

Edited September 7, 2020 by morneS555