Best Bicycle for Long Distance ?

[George Edward]

Well I hope you all might be fine here . I am concerned about the fitness and what i think is cycling a best exercise for the same purpose . So i think that the best way is to go for long distance cycling . I have yet to buy the new bicycle but unable to decide which brand is best which can help me without any problem . Your ideas would be appreciable .

[Danneaux]

Hi George!

You ask a very good question that has no universal answer!

Put simply, the very "best" bicycle is the one that is best for you, and best suited for a particular purpose or the way you intend to ride most often.  There's no single correct answer for everyone! Each bicycle is a compromise to a degree, but it is possible to select one that is nearly perfect if you choose carefully. Of course, there is a whole universe of bicycle brands and models to choose from. Many are good, even outstanding for any number of reasons. Getting the "right" one for you can take a little care in selection.

This being the Thorn Cycles Forum, you'll overwhelmingly receive the answer "Thorn is the best brand!" simply because we have that interest -- and brand -- in common. Thorn make a variety of bicycles to fit any number of needs. If you haven't yet visited, I suggest you take a look at Thorn's models home page, here: http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/models.html

Each model in the current Thorn lineup has its own downloadable/viewable brochure, and Andy Blance (Thorn's designer) has really gone all-out in carefully describing the advantages of each as well as indicating their suitability for purpose.

Surely, with such a grand selection, you'll find something that appeals. A Thorn bicycle is the "perfect" bicycle for many of the Forum members here!

You are already doing the "other" important thing in making a selection -- asking others for their opinions. Among the Forum members, you'll find the entire Thorn range well-represented, and the helpful membership will no doubt weigh in with their own recommendations based on personal experience.

Now, you can help us help you by telling us a bit more about what you're seeking...

= What kind of riding will you do the majority of your use?
= Do you like to tour? If so, how big will your loads be, and how far/frequent your tours? Mostly on-road, or on tow paths, old railroad lines, into the rough-stuff, or truly off-road? Perhaps a mix of all these?
= Will you commute daily on your new bicycle?
= Are you a fast rider, or do you like to poke around and enjoy the scenery more than making distance at speed?
= What kind of bicycle do you own now, and how is it lacking? What features or capabilities do you wish it had?

All these things will help you better define your needs and help us help you with suggestions and ideas. Thorn make models from fast, lightweight randonneurs (the Audax) to traditional tourers (Club Tour), touring/camping bikes (Sherpa and Raven), and heavy expedition tourers (Nomad). There's a derailleur-based MTB in the lineup (Ripio), a tandem, even a triplet. There's choices between drop handlebars and some variety of straight handlebar, and there's two different drivetrains -- derailleurs or Rohloff internally-geared hubs -- with frames optimized for each of these.

A thumbnail sketch of the entire line is available here: http://www.sjscycles.com/thornpdf/ThornModelOverviewHiRes.pdf

At this point, I'd suggest downloading and reading each of the brochures, and also spending a little time looking at Thorn's setup guide to get an idea what positions are possible; a copy is available here: http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/models.html

Hopefully, something in the above will help you find what you're seeking.

Best,

Dan.

[Andybg]

The decision on which is the best bike depends a lot on how much weight you are wanting to carry, how heavy you are, what kind of roads, trails you want to ride on and how carefull you are as a cyclist.

Thorn make a good range of bikes from light and fast to heavy and bombproof.

There are lots of other makes of bikes out there which are very good but I thnk in terms of durability and comfort Thorn pretty much lead the way.

If you can let us know some more details I am sure there will be lots of advice from other members on what ould suit you best

Cheers

Andy

[Andybg]

As usual Dan you beat me to it with a much more articulate reply!!!

Cheers

Andy

[Danneaux]

Good morning, Andy!

You did a fine job with fewer words than I!

All the best,

Dan.

[NZPeterG]

Well how far is long distance?
For Me it's 12,000 km's from top of Africa to the Bottom!
Here is the Best bike for Me to do this trip (that I started this year) with "Tour d'Afrique"
Just got to find some more money (save up again) to go back.
And it's the Best colour too!

Pete....
 

[Relayer]

Hi George

I'm not sure the answer you need is about brand of bike, I think style of bike is more important.

If you are new to long distance cycling then my advice would be to get the most comfortable bike you can find.  Mudguards are an essential for long distance comfort, and a means of carrying some luggage (tools, waterproof clothing, spare tubes, food, etc) is also very highly desirable.

Audax bikes, by definition, are designed with long distance in mind; touring bikes are also in this mould although they tend to be a little bit heavier in order to carry heavier loads.  Either will take mudguards and racks.

Frame materials is also important in terms of long distance comfort, it is generally accepted that steel frames are very comfortable, but read one of the Thorn brochures under 'Steel is Real' for a fuller explanation.  All Thorn frames are made of steel.

All Thorn models are available with flat or straight handlebars, you need to decide what style you prefer. Drops are generally preferable in that they provide more varied hand positions which reduces hand/arm fatigue, straight bars give better control over rough ground, and generally better braking with wider tyres.  I would suggest making an appointment with Thorn to have them measure you up, and also to have a test ride on some of their models.  Thorn would then build your preferred model to provide an ideal fit for you and your preferred style of riding.  You then have 100 days to decide if that is the bike for you!

If you decide on some other brand of bike, I would still recommend some sort of 'bike fitting' as a useful investment prior to making a major purchase in bike terms for the first time.  Bike fitting being sat on a frame jig in various positions then measuring precisely to match your preference.  Then, depending on your budget you could opt for a full custom build designed to your precise personal dimensions/preferences, but for a smaller outlay you could also get an off the peg bike that would fit you very well.

Finally, try a Brooks leather saddle if you haven't tried one before, for many they are the ultimate in comfort for long distance cycling.

Have fun with your research, and let us know how you get on.

Regards.

Jim

P.S.  Having said all that, you don't actually need an expensive bike to do long distance or touring, but you did ask about "best".

[Cambirder]

As others have said a bit more info is required. Could you be a bit more precise by what you mean by "long distance". For some people this might mean 50 km for others its means 1000km plus.

[JWestland]

In the end however, after you decided on your style of riding, don't overcomplicate things too much as there's so many options it's dazzling! (bars, size, material, suspension forks, gears...)

I DO second the steel, aluminium either flexes like mad or it's way too harsh and too compensate you then need a suspension fork or seatpost and all other kind of add-ons that add to price and can break.

Keep it simple and stupid

Are there budget concerns? I've done a fair bit of e-bay hunting so I can give you some indications if you decide to go second hand.

[jags]

george over the years i guess i've ridden all kinds of bikes top end Steel/ TI/ and Carbon all fantastic bikes  but for all day comfort it would be hard to beat the Thorn Sherpa, and a really good set of hanbuilt wheels and your away in a hack :
but taste and try before you buy. have fun.

[Andre Jute]

George, rather than assuming that you're already a mad cyclist,  just taking a step back, do you have a bike now, what sort, and how often do you ride it?

A Thorn is a good, economical choice of you're going to use it a lot and hard. It's an outright waste of money to buy an expensive bike and then discover you don't really like cycling all that much. Depending on your cycling experience, it might be smarter to buy a well-fitted but inexpensive mountain bike, even second hand, and go for a few rides, and service it, and think what you can do to improve it. That'll prepare you well to understand what we say, and when you're ready to make an informed choice among the variously purposed Thorns. At the very least it will give you a lifetime hatred of derailleurs, and make you more receptive to paying half the price of a good bike for its Rohloff gearbox!

Andre Jute

[JWestland]

Now now Andre, I changed from hub gears to a Thorn derailleur and very happy with it

However, for rocky and very muddy conditions or roads that are covered in salt/grit in winter, or very snow heavy or frost with damp hub gears will be the better choice if you want to avoid repairs.

[Andre Jute]

Heh-heh.

My down on derailleurs is not only because in the long term, which could arrive pretty soon for a long distance rider like George wants to become, they cost more than a hub gearbox. I also have in mind that unless you grew up with derailleurs (in short, unless you're Dutch or a practiced roadie), derailleurs have probably put more people off cycling than even the cold and wet and other discomforts. That makes cycling more expensive for the rest of us, because it denies us economies of scale in components. Couple of years ago on one day I went from the factory of a guy who does rectification for local PC makers to a motor factor and hence to an LBS. The prices of computer components are in pennies, the prices of automobile components are in single figures, the prices of bicycle components are obscene. And I blame the derailleur.

The way I see it, the first item in the specification of a longdistance bike is coccyx/lower back comfort (meaning a relatively upright riding position with North Road or ergo bars or drops no narrower than your shoulders if you insist on drops, and tyres 47mm or fatter, preferably low pressure, and one of the wider Brooks than the B17); and then a hub gearbox for longdistance reliability and endurance and transmission economy and for reducing fatigue on long days in the saddle and on difficult terrain. Everything else follows from posture comfort and transmission stress reduction.

Andre Jute

[Andybg]

I think that is a valid point about the derauiler putting people off cycling. The hub gearbox is certainly an easier and more intuative thing to use.

[jags]

hobbes is only saying that because he has  the rohloff hub 
nothing wrong with derauilers

(go easy on me now Andre)