Touring Bike Recommendations - Custom?

[NorthDave]

Hi All

I would like to put together a touring bike with 700x32C wheels, space for paniers, flat handlebars etc. I want to use it for commuting and also to do some long (multiday) rides through France in summer. Comfort being the name of the game.

I currently ride a Ribble New Sportive Racing and love it but I want to be a bit more upright and be able to fit fatter tyres (as I am fat heavy...) and paniers.

My ideal would be to be able to spec something up on line so I can choose wheels, gears etc rather than buying something from one of the big manufacturers. Any pointers? Not too fussed by budget at the moment.

[DrMekon]

If you don't want anything complicated, there's a lot to be said for using your local framebuilder. I'd go for Dave Yates, myself. If I lived further north, maybe a Woodrup. Heard too many stories of "difficult" buying processes with Mercian, Roberts and Villiers to consider them, though I am sure the end results are lovely. Not interested in any of the more rococo new school builders such as Demon Frameworks, Donhou, Robin Mather. They are all lovely, but not my thing. If the constructeur thing is for you, I'd get an Ebisu or a Herse, myself. I suggest you hang out on Velocipede Salon if you are that way inclined. Not interested in custom Ti, either - too many failed welds. Still, I've not hear of a Burls failing, and the bikes do look really nice.

Another option to consider is to do the Dave Yates framebuilding course, and make your own. He won't let you screw it up, and some of the results are incredible. Details on here - http://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=39924.0

Dave also posts on YACF as "Bicycle Repair Man", fwiw.

[DrMekon]

BTW, if you don't actually want a custom frame, just a custom spec, Byercycles sell the same frame as the Pearson Compass and the Hewitt Cheviot for much less money, and will let you pick the spec (just call him). You also get the benefit of his awesome wheelbuilding skills.

http://www.byercycles.co.uk/Bikes%200611/005%20Ara...

I've done over 25000km on mine in 3 years, and it's been brilliant. It's a lot of bike for the money

[NorthDave]

Thank you Dr.

It was the custom bike rather than the custom frame I was interested in but will take a look at your links with interest.

Thanks again.

[rhinochopig]

For touring I'd also make sure the frame is equipped with bosses / lugs etc to make it Rohlhoff compatible and I'd probably even ask whether they could make it 'gates' belt compatible too for the ultimate fit and forget.

You might also want to spec disc - which normally I'd say was a nonsense on a road bike - mounting lugs if you're planning on carrying a lot of gear and are a heavy rider.

[neilski]

If you're in London, check out Condor Cycles in Grays Inn Road. You choose a frame and can have any spec you like added to it. I bought a Heritage from them 2 1/2 years ago and it's still going strong, despite carrying the thick end of 40kg of luggage at the moment and I've recently reached the ninth country on my tour.