Bike for Cycle Tour MTB or Road Bike

[Stevie G]

Hi All

 

Just need some advice wrt choosing on cycle tour bike and upgrading existing bike.

 

I currently own a GT Zaskar 26er small bike and bike needs some attention to the brakes thats squeaking when braking and just feels like i tires me. My height is 1.65m and not sure the correct size for my height. Since i'm also doing my first cycle tour and wanting to enjoy it, i am in 2 minds, either upgrade my MTB or get a decent road bike for the cycle tour and experience a better ride.

My budget is start from 6k up to 12k max for something decent. which size is a proper for on a mtb and a road bike. there is lots of good deals on road bikes in the 54cm range, but unsure if it will be too big for me. i have heard that different brands have different sizes in terms of a small medium or big medium.

Would appreciate your advice on correct size and minimum decent spec components. enjoying the ride is more important to me then being an out an out racer. Maybe looking at selling or trading my mtb for a raod bike or a better spec mtb or keep my mtb an get a decent raod bike.

Suggestion....

[Grease_Monkey]

I can’t make suggestions on suitable bike but I can tell you a 54cm is too big for you. I am 1.78m and a 54cm is my size...

[Nico van Loggerenberg]

I would recommend an older aluminium bike like a Cannondale or any of the big brands like Trek, Giant etc. Shouldn't cost more than R5k. You'll be absolutely fine on something like that. Probably around a 52cm would be the right size. 

[zeshanafzal85@yahoo.com]

I think, you should not take any kind of risk and get a new road bike along with a bike helmet in budget. 

[Wayne pudding Mol]

2 hours ago, zeshanafzal85@yahoo.com said:

I think, you should not take any kind of risk and get a new road bike along with a bike helmet in budget. 

You get better bang for your buck on a road bike

But ask yourself which bike you are most likely to ride after the race - get what you’ll use the most not what’s best for one ride 

good luck 

[Wayne pudding Mol]

5 minutes ago, Wayne pudding Mol said:

You get better bang for your buck on a road bike

But ask yourself which bike you are most likely to ride after the race - get what you’ll use the most not what’s best for one ride 

good luck 

If road bike is your choice there are 2 nice Bianchis in your price range in the classifieds 

[DJR]

You can buy a very nice road bike with many years of life left in it for R5000. I agree, an aluminium frame from Cannondale (Caad) with Shimano 105 components will be a lovely ride and make your CTCT a lot more fun. The rest of the money I'll put towards a smaller Mtb later.

[Yyyy]

Get a road bike. You will get decent road bike at that budget.

As for size, i dont know how your leverages are compare to mine but I am of similar height and would suggest a 48cm to 50cm bike.

[Stevie G]

Thanks for all your comments, much appreciated, I'll invest in a decent road bike then. Maybe sell the MTB and save up later for a decent MTB down the line. 

So Cannondale, Trek and giant with 105 Shimano or Ultegra as minimum 

 

[Duane_Bosch]

You live in the best part of SA to do a bit of road riding. And you can definitely get a good 2nd hander in your budget. Just check the model year against the google images of the bike model as some people are not always honest about what you are buying. Road bike don't get hammered like Mountain Bikes so whatever you get will most likely be in good condition

 

Or you could go sparkly and new and get this.

https://www.giantdurbanville.co.za/za/contend-3-2021

 

I'm 172 on a good day and I'm on a 54 which is too big for me. So a 54 would be far too big for you. I'm guessing something in the 50-52 range.

 

Some other advice.

Just commit and get bibs. 

[Stevie G]

2 hours ago, Duane_Bosch said:

You live in the best part of SA to do a bit of road riding. And you can definitely get a good 2nd hander in your budget. Just check the model year against the google images of the bike model as some people are not always honest about what you are buying. Road bike don't get hammered like Mountain Bikes so whatever you get will most likely be in good condition

 

Or you could go sparkly and new and get this.

https://www.giantdurbanville.co.za/za/contend-3-2021

 

I'm 172 on a good day and I'm on a 54 which is too big for me. So a 54 would be far too big for you. I'm guessing something in the 50-52 range.

 

Some other advice.

Just commit and get bibs. 

That's a good price, is 11-34 11 speed?

I don't know what speed it is. The good thing is that it's new

Is it worth it?

[Jewbacca]

I have a small disc brake steel  Planet x kaffenback 2 in black which will fit you like a glove.

SRAM 10 speed shifters and cable/hydro juin tech calipers. 172.5mm crank arms with removable spaider. I have 53/39 chainrings on at the moment but you replace the spider if you want to run 50/34. I can also put on a new 11/36 cassette to give you good range re gears.

If you want pictures PM me.

I can offer it to you somewhere in the budget

[Duane_Bosch]

54 minutes ago, Stevie G said:

That's a good price, is 11-34 11 speed?

I don't know what speed it is. The good thing is that it's new

Is it worth it?

Claris is Shimano's bottom of the range groupset. It's 8 speed but don't let that put you off. My other half rode up Monte Grappa  on the 2015 version of that bike. without complaint. Ok there was quite a lot of complaining but that wasn't any fault of the bike. 

 

105 is the "entry level" 11 speed road groupset. Shimano SLX would be it's MTB equivalent. For 12k you might get a 2nd hander with 105 and a carbon fork. Like a Merida 903. Cannondale Caad. But the 105 you get might not be 11 speed. It might be an older gen which would be 10 speed.

Edited May 27, 2021 by Duane_Bosch

[Stevie G]

what about this

https://bikehub.co.za/classifieds/item/road-bikes/476407/khs-10-speed-bicycle

[Stevie G]

and this https://bikehub.co.za/classifieds/item/road-bikes/476602/giant-tcr-c1

will 46cm fit 1,65m on giant tcr