This or that!?

[jonatan_stanczak]

At one stage one comes to the stage of panic...spending hundreds of hours an more or less all free time reading every test, review, forum etc. just to make your mind up on what bike to buy!!!

Therefore I please ask for someone to make my nights less restless, I need some advice!

I am in August embarking on a biketrip from Stockhom to Israel as part of www.thepeacecycle.org and my old sports bike has done a bit too many miles on the road. The roads through Europe'll be mostly asphalted but in Palestine there'll some rough roads and MTB work. Following this trip I'll need a bike for city biking (good speed, sidewalks etc.) and for any further longtrips (hopefully E.Europe, Russia, Central Asia and China, i.e. 30kg and bad roads, lots up and down...). I might add that I've got a bad knee (low gears needed).

What I was thinking about was either Thorn Raven Adv. Tour, Nomad or a combination recommended from a dealer here in Sweden, a Club Tour with Shimano 105 gear? I wish to add that I'm light weight (58kg) and rather short (1.68m.) and that I'm looking for a bike to last me at least 50 years!!!

What would YOU recommend?

[hoogie]

Hi there,

I know how you feel ... I was in the same spot about a year ago!!!

From what you write, I would suggest a Nomad or an eXp ... they are both sturdy built expedition bikes ...
I was agonising over the weight difference between an XTC and a Nomad, but Robin reccomended the Nomad because of what I carry and my physical size and weight [1.9m, 105kg], plus the Nomad is a much stronger bike [the tube walls are a bit thicker to withstand rougher handling/roads than the XTC, hence the slight weight difference].
I am very happy with my Nomad ...
Another list member Istanbul_Tea is building up an eXp and should have it soon, so he may care to comment on it once it arrives ...

the thorn raven looks like a very nice bike too, but a bit more expensive, with less maintenance too ...

You should also direct your question directly to Robin Thorn, he is very knowledgeable and will offer an unbiased opinion and also consult some of his other staff who are experinced cycletourists ... they are all very helpful ...
email them here: Thorn Bikes

cheers,
hoogie

ps: feel free to email me ... hoogie@xtra.co.nz

my website for more info: my website

[Chris Land]

I'm another very happy Nomad rider.  They are great for distance and comfort and easily robust enough to throw around a few rough-tracks off-road.  Should do the job perfectly, though I may be tempted if buying now with the Raven Tour just for the ease of hub-gearing, though I have not yet tried one so don't know how the range will compare to the 3x9 on my Nomad (which goes VERY low for towing child-trailer and full camping kit up hill...)

Good luck with the ride.

[jonatan_stanczak]

Thanks for understanding...
What about the Dawes super Galaxy, how does "he" stand up against the mighty Nomad?

[hoogie]

chalk and cheese really ... the dawes seems to be a mighty fine bike, but it has 700C wheels ... I personally think that 26" wheels would be better if you are going over the roads you are describing ... that is just my personal opinion ...

I also have a Trek 520 touring bike with 700C wheels ... it is nice comfortable touring bike, but i would only use on sealed raods, whereas my Nomad is more versatile and can be used anywhere and I can fit much wider tyres ...

cheers,
hoogie[]

[LycraMan]

If I was you mate, I'd save myself a whole lotta cash and pick up one of Halfords dual suspension bikes for £99.

[hoogie]

Good call, and then you be able to use the all the mone you have saved to buy bits you have broken or worn out quickly.

[jonatan_stanczak]

>Well, dont really know about the 99GBP alternative! Then I could just as well ride on a broomstick, it'll kinda be the same thing... Thanks everybody for exellent help, to be honest it tourned out to be a lowbudget excellent touring bike that didnt really match my initial expectation but in no way is a downbuy, I bought a second hand Cannondale T-1000 in excellent shape (almost like new) for about 250GBP! Check: http://home.swipnet.se/~w-69134/mina_tips.htm, for a picture...
So just a pair of short bikepants, some spareparts, coupple of new kevlar tires (either Scwalbe Marathon+ or Panaracer), a good multitool and I'm off... Again thanks, I think that if one day I'll have a lot of money I'll buy the Thorn Raven Adventure with Rohloff, or for the big adventure the trustworthy Nomad...