dirt roads and fast touring

[Chris.A.]

I live in rural Tasmania and I've been getting mildly obsessed with your website,but obviously it's not easy to pop into the shop for a chat.
I cover a fair amount of distance,a round trip into "town" is a little over a hundred K, which happens a couple of times a week.
Every trip involves some dirt road riding as most of the minor roads are unsealed. There are many degrees of "dirt" round here but plenty of them are reasonably smooth.I have 700c riding friends who assure me a 28 tyre is plenty cushioning and grippy enough,I'm not entierly convinced.Though I must say I'm much more complacent about belting down steep gravel rods than I was a few years ago when I left the lanes of Dartmoor for this windy island.
I mostly ride a steel framed 'Orange ' mtb,modified a bit to increase road speed.I'm looking to replace it with something a bit quicker that is still comfortable hauling moderate kit.
So the xtc(what does that mean) and the club tour keep coming up favourites and sometimes the Brevet with the 28 tyres on it.
Fortunately I will be in the U.K. in your summer and I hope to pick up a bike then,but I would be happy to hear any thoughts on the  subject in the meantime. Chris.

[Robin Thorn]

Hi Chris
It's best to pose questions to us directly, not via the forum, as there's no guarantee we'll read them! Usually, a kind soul points questions out to us! AndyB Who is our designer and test pilot, has the most experince of Tasmania, so i expet he'll reply, possibly off list. Regards Robin

[Andrew]

Hi Chris,

Our designer Andy B has sent emailed you.

Andrew

[woodpecker]

Hi Chris,
I too have an orange (or two) one being a steel framed P7 which I really like. I don't have an xtc but have very recently bought a Raven with the intention of replacing the P7.
Now a lot depends on how you use the bike but my P7 does about 75% off road on long day trips. I have done three similar rides on the Raven and it is definitly not the bike for this type of work. In comparing the two, the P7 is very quick handling and great in the rough but it is also good on long road bits. But it does not have all the braze ons etc of the Raven. Now the Raven is a brilliant bike but not on the off road stuff I do. The forks are are too "laid back" and I do not feel confident getting out of ruts and the like. But once on nice rough or smooth track it does come into its own and feels a very comfy ride.

In conclusion I would say if your tracks are level as against rutted then look at the SJSC range but if you have very rough tracks then make sure you ride the alternative bike on similar tracks. The Orange range are definitely off road bikes which can go touring but not without re kitting and changing stem etc. My Raven definitly feels like it would be good on tours (for which it was designed) but is not an off road bike in the way I understand the term. I love both but each for its own purpose.
Anyway its worth going to see SJSC - but you wont see a normal bike shop (the front entrance containing 2 desks a photocopier, small counter and till with two token bikes if you look carefully!) but you will see a whole buch of committed nutters who love cycling and you will see well equiped workshops and samples of there work - definitly recommended if you like bikes.

[Chris.A.]

Thanks for the replies.I don't think I defined dirt roads well enough, if I go real backcountry on the old logging roads I'm definately on my mountain bike.But a lot of country roads are "unsealed", a few corrugations now and again,a few mild ruts and potholes but generally  o.k. My Orange is a trusty old 'Clockwork'  with the Tange cromoly frame.

[hoogie]

Hi there Chris,

For the roughstuff I would choose a Nomad ... same geometery dimensions as an XTC but the frame is a bit beefier/sturdier.

I have a Trek 520 with 700C wheels, and it does feel quite skittery on the gravel roads ... whereas my Nomad with its 26" wheels just fly along on the same gravel roads ... maybe its a confidence thing, I dunno, but it certainly feels better to me.

cheers,
hoogie
timaru/oamaru, new zealand
http://cycletouring.iscool.net