How hard is it to BUILD a touring bike?

datakoll wrote:


requires mechanical curiosity finding out what to replace. replace
what wears out or gives problems. with what? MONEY! abt $4-500. like I
wrote: new tubes, saddle mods, new saddle. racks. theres a rack site
but ply over a good rack is best.
test-EG load rack on new TT and slalom. does the rack snap?
buy a Safari

I wish I cold understand your posts

For $600 you can get a decent touring bike with free shipping and very
minor assembly

http://bikesdirect.com/products/windsor/tourist.htm

This may be exactly what you need. Supposedly this is the same as the
Fuji touring and is coparable to the Trek touring both of whih cost
more $$$

On Apr 4, 7:18*pm, wrote:
Guys I'm unemployed and between jobs.... so went back
to school full time

Therefore money IS tight

BUT... I went out and bought a Novara Randonee for this
summer

I'm having second thoughts and may return it... not
only for the reason that money is tight.... but that
I'm wondering if I can build *bike cheaper or if not
cheaper that is better somehow.

I know the frame is the heart and soul of a bike.... if
I bought a GOOD frame could I populate it with low
grade components for use this summer and upgrade when
back to work? *I was even thinking I could use
components form a yard sale bike for now.

advice? *how to get a good bike but do it in *fashion
that makes sense given my financial constraints

I don't mind spending some money as gasoline is so high
right now I'm pretty set on bike riding EVEYWHERE this
summer.... besides just touring and for fun

wrote:

For $600 you can get a decent touring bike with free shipping and very
minor assembly

http://bikesdirect.com/products/windsor/tourist.htm

This may be exactly what you need. Supposedly this is the same as the
Fuji touring and is coparable to the Trek touring both of whih cost
more $$$

That is a pretty good deal. I've looked at it in the
past.

At $600 it even includes free shipping to 48 states....
not bad at all

I paid $770 for the Novara Randonee...... plus abt $20
gas to drive to get it. So I guess the Windsor would
have saved me $200 I could have spent on gear and
clothing. Hmmm....

Still.... I keep thinking I could cabbage some thing
together with the $25 Ross MTB frame I have.... and
have more money for shoes, tent, gear

Choices choices.... especially hard when money is low

On Apr 5, 7:21*am, wrote:
datakoll wrote:

requires mechanical curiosity finding out what to replace. replace
what wears out or gives problems. with what? MONEY! abt $4-500. like I
wrote: new tubes, saddle mods, new saddle. racks. theres a rack site
but ply over a good rack is best.
test-EG load rack on new TT and slalom. does the rack snap?
buy a Safari

I wish I cold understand your posts

The oracle was quite clear in that post. Open your mind to the truth!

A Ross bike is pretty much a POS even when new. For a beater in a
city it would work but for real riding I would choose the Windsor Tour
or such. The frame is the heart of a bike so it is better to get a
decent frame and repalce bits as they wear or money warrants. EBAY
has some Cannondale touring bikes right now and they will serve you
for a lifetime of use.

On Apr 5, 10:21*am, wrote:
wrote:
For $600 you can get a decent touring bike with free shipping and very
minor assembly

http://bikesdirect.com/products/windsor/tourist.htm

This may be exactly what you need. *Supposedly this is the same as the
Fuji touring and is coparable to the Trek touring both of whih cost
more $$$

That is a pretty good deal. I've looked at it in the
past.

At $600 it even includes free shipping to 48 states....
not bad at all

I paid $770 for the Novara Randonee...... plus abt $20
gas to drive to get it. So I guess the Windsor would
have saved me $200 I could have spent on gear and
clothing. Hmmm....

Still.... I keep thinking I could cabbage some thing
together with the $25 Ross MTB frame I have.... and
have more money for shoes, tent, gear

Choices choices.... especially hard when money is low

an economic downturn is upon us, bike prices are going down down down

there are several misconpcetions herein:

OLD USED FRAMES nothing changed ? au contare Kent. Surly you jest?

most older frames are in the sports-tourer category. chain stays are
long enough but forks give a too sharp steering response for long
distance riding: jiggler jigggle jiggle all day and State Park is
another 3 miles down the road. It's tiring fighting the wheel.

you can moderate the steering adding wider tires ahhh but the frame
doesn't take wider tires does it? bring your metric ruler.

the brakes are no good. replace with sidepulls. replacement requires
mechanical skills.

27" TOURING TIRES ARE EXTINCT. NADA. NOMORE. replace with double
chamber 700c and deore hubs. while there replace the brakes. and brake
pads.

The Surly prices are good. Is this SURLYWEEK?

NEVER BUY A CHEAP BIKE WITHOUT DEORE HUBS.

The big deal is top tube size. The knees must roll over the CR circle
and not push straight down on the pedals while inside thighs clear
saddle sides.

The price list is accurate but double+ the tires and tubes then add
$100 for a saddle. Racks? rack lugs? if you spot a $10 carbon steel
frame with lugs, buy it for the lugs alone. use new and correctly
toothed hacksaw carefully from a filed start.

need bags? see Peter White Cycles for designs then sew urown thru
Seattle Fabrics. talk abt saving $$$ !!! buy duffels from
Campmor.com, cover when wet with Seattle Fabrics.

adding ply sides to a rack allows duffels et al to net and shock cord
against the ply-eliminating fancy hardware wet dreams.

buy solid axles from Wheels MFG/Jenson-longer than stock.

looks like if REI sells Rad and Safari's with deore hubs then itsa
battle otherwise... the Surly is rackless. does the Rad and Safari
sport rack lugs?

buying the used $25 crome-moly lugged 27" 'touring frame'?
so what you get is mechanical self reapir knowledge
and Surly/Rad frame savings - $25
and all first class low cost components - nooooooooo 'cost savers'

that is a GOOD DEAL.

i ride one, a RAMPART now 700c

cheep asian import as Shedlon called it

the frame began USA life in Oregon in '87 then to SF then to Fort
Myers FL where I bought it after a candiate stole muh Mom's redone
Raleigh.

wrote:
Guys I'm unemployed and between jobs.... so went back
to school full time

Therefore money IS tight

BUT... I went out and bought a Novara Randonee for this
summer

I'm having second thoughts and may return it... not
only for the reason that money is tight.... but that
I'm wondering if I can build bike cheaper or if not
cheaper that is better somehow.


Well first you would have to say what is "better".
The price tag of the parts indicating which is better, I am not
convinced. More money usually buys less weight, but not much beyond that
once you get a couple levels above the lowest-end part.

----

A touring bike... is a bike with racks. There is a geometry difference
with say a road or tri bike, but it's not that great really.

If ultimate comfort is the goal, then get a recumbent. You'll wonder how
you ever put up with riding an upright.

----

And don't expect to buy any nice bike and then leave it locked up around
town, get a yard-sale dog for that, and stick some cheap Wal-mart rack
on it. It doesn't need to be perfect, you won't take long rides on it
anyway.
~

In a post below you mention owning a bicycle right now. So if you
start touring with it, you will have a touring bike. You mention
having no job, yet you are thinking up ways to spend money on a bike.
What an odd world. On the internet you can likely find various ways
of hauling what you need to haul with your current bike. Or it will
dictate that you trim down what you actually haul. Start with short
tours and fgure it out.



On Apr 4, 6:18*pm, wrote:
Guys I'm unemployed and between jobs.... so went back
to school full time

Therefore money IS tight

BUT... I went out and bought a Novara Randonee for this
summer

I'm having second thoughts and may return it... not
only for the reason that money is tight.... but that
I'm wondering if I can build *bike cheaper or if not
cheaper that is better somehow.

I know the frame is the heart and soul of a bike.... if
I bought a GOOD frame could I populate it with low
grade components for use this summer and upgrade when
back to work? *I was even thinking I could use
components form a yard sale bike for now.

advice? *how to get a good bike but do it in *fashion
that makes sense given my financial constraints

I don't mind spending some money as gasoline is so high
right now I'm pretty set on bike riding EVEYWHERE this
summer.... besides just touring and for fun

On Apr 4, 6:18 pm, wrote:
Guys I'm unemployed and between jobs.... so went back
to school full time

Therefore money IS tight

BUT... I went out and bought a Novara Randonee for this
summer

I'm having second thoughts and may return it... not
only for the reason that money is tight.... but that
I'm wondering if I can build bike cheaper or if not
cheaper that is better somehow.

I know the frame is the heart and soul of a bike.... if
I bought a GOOD frame could I populate it with low
grade components for use this summer and upgrade when
back to work? I was even thinking I could use
components form a yard sale bike for now.

advice? how to get a good bike but do it in fashion
that makes sense given my financial constraints

I don't mind spending some money as gasoline is so high
right now I'm pretty set on bike riding EVEYWHERE this
summer.... besides just touring and for fun

One thing you should probably consider in touring bike is
ergonomics. You do not want to ride long distances on bike
that does not fit. I do not think that saving 170 bucks
getting that Windsor is worth it. But - if you really dislike
Randonee then I guess that is good enough reason to keep looking.
I thing that perhaps keeping it for few months and searching on
ctaigs is a better tactic than getting something that has worse
components and costs couple hundred less.