streetlight

An admittedly brutally simplistic, flawed poll for complicated minds ... thank you.

Which?

Had to toss in the Salsa Marrakesh in poll choices but couldn't fit into title -- sorry!

VERY happy to read below any justifications for choices, grouses about the poll, what's not there, what is, ad nauseam -- I love it all. And again, thank you for all responses.

saddlesores

so what's the deal with brand new members signing up to start a poll as their first thread?


regardless, i did not vote. you did not offer the option of sitting in mom's basement in my aquaman underoos playing my accordion to amuse mom's wiener dog.

mstateglfr 

You have flat bar and drop bar bikes listed.

figure out which style you like then try again. They are simply too different to compare.

streetlight

I wanted a Giant in there, but it does create poll-complications -- no argument there. Still, any two things can be compared -- maybe not well, or logically, or meaningfully, but surely, it's conceivable. Yes, ToughRoad is flat bar, and yet, I would argue that it aspires, in some ways, to be among these other selections. I thought of using the ToughRoad GX dropbar -- but, I nonetheless felt that the SLR is trying more to throw its aluminum hat, at least part way, into the long-haul ring. Maybe I'm wrong. My guess would be that it doesn't get chosen much in this poll, but I still wanted to see if anyone picked it.

streetlight

I don't know whether to laugh, or wince, or hide after reading this, but yes, it's a bit brazen -- my apologies, and thanks nonetheless for your entertaining abstinence.

mstateglfr 

flat and drop cant(shouldn't) be compared because theybare fundamentally different styles of riding and those who are flat bar tourists would typically pick the flat bar bike. Conversely, those who are drop bar routers would pick a drop bar bike.

I would never choose the Giant due to it being a flat bar since i don't want that riding style. It's basically an immediate no, even if its a great bike

streetlight

I hear you. I agree it's a real outlier in this bunch, and yet, ironically, you've actually made exactly the kind of comparative comment I was hoping to see and consider ... so ... thank you. The thing about the ToughRoad SLR is that, no matter what the experts may say, Giant is clearly marketing the long-haul vibe: "Powerful disc brakes give you all-weather control, and customized front and rear racks accommodate multiple bags for long trips ... yadda yadda yadda." And there is a drop bar version, too, but that seems less aimed at touring enthusiasts for a variety of reasons. If I were to buy the "genre-bending" ToughRoad SLR, I might consider swapping the handlebars anyway, maybe?

Personally, the much more interesting question for me is whether the Disc Trucker will poll over the Sutra. Very interested to see how that may or may not play out.

thebellmont

Look, I shopped around looking for my touring bike, looked at all of these (except for the Giant not because of the model being bad just I never went to a Giant dealer).

I agree with @mstateglfr on "style" I would also look at how closely model fits to your personal riding style, the type of touring you'll be doing most, if you'll be using the bike for more than touring, and any limitations to design which down the line would limit the use case of the bike. Maybe you want something that be converted to do gravel down the line (can accommodate larger tires) or you want something for a wet commute (disc brake availability) etc… Since you are only considering new here and not used, and new bikes deflate in value fast I would want to get something which I knew I could get the most use out of and hold on the longest.

If you don’t do a ton of your own maintenance then, then I would also be shopping your local dealers. You will be interacting with them getting your ride tweaked and adjusted in the first few months and wouldn’t want be in an uncomfortable or predatory shop. This played into my last purchase as well.

I guess more important might be like what comes stock on the bikes and which one would you have to change the most to fit your needs, I considered the Four Corners but the upgrades I wanted made it not cost effective.

-- I can't vote because I don't know your plans, style or local dealers.

streetlight

I checked out a Giant ToughRoad GX tonight with drop bars, but I don't think it's for me.

I'm way more interested in your riding styles, your thinking, and your experiences with these brands and/or bikes and their evolution into 2019 than in my own bull**** anyway, to be frank. Vote, don't vote, it's all good. Poor Four Corners getting no love. I wonder if that's more from lack of experiences or bad experiences or just reasoning based on what people see on paper.

khutch

Wow, that is oddly specific. I spend more time on the TalkBass forum than here and over there this option is known as carrots. Carrots can mean anything, even serenading small canines if that is your thing. No one cares how you dress as long as you never go on stage in shorts....

alan s 

fietsbob

My local sells Trek, and can get QBP stuff, if ordered.. salsa. surly, etc.

Trek gives longstanding dealers rotating credit , QBP is all prepaid..

PedalingWalrus

Shamusftw 

I'm not entirely sold on the new 520 from trek, sora STI's, fairly basic components, and an alloy fork? Not a huge fan myself. Though the paint scheme on the new one looks siiiiiiiiiiick, about had to order a frame just for that, still might. I personally like the DT the most between those options. Though it depends what you want to do with it I guess.

Saitama

Have only owned Marin Four Corners and Toughroad SLR2.

For me, the Marin is very good. Very comfortable, no sore/numb hands, 6 pairs of bottle cage eyelets, most versatile of the road bike Shimano drivetrains for uphill touring,really seemed like a complete package for the price- besides stem and saddle changes, it had everything- good drivetrain, good brakes,which I could later add cross top brake levers, hands were comfortable, high quality paintwork. Only downsides were it's heavy weight- I weighed it at 13.8kg- even other rigid fork steel bikes can be lighter, and the gearing may not be low enough, despite being the best ratio for current road bike drivetrains. For the money, and at least in my city, there is no other bike which provides so much value. Sadly I had to sell it for money reasons. Even made $20 profit.

I then bought a used Medium size Toughroad SLR 2 this year for USD$ 350ish . Despite being my frame size, I've yet to find a truely comfortable fitting, the same way I have with my previous 3 medium frame bikes. I've tried 3 stems, moved the saddle, and now waiting for a stem raiser to be delivered. Other changes- I threw out the Maxxis MTB tyres, used G-one 700x38's from my other bike, and now have Marathon GT Tour 700 x 47's on it. Also have changed handlebar to a vintage styled one for a swept angle to alleviate right wrist pain. I have hub dynamo stuff, but am not keen to install it because I don't think I'll keep the TR that long- it seems to be just that much too long for me to be comfortable. Also have changed rear derailleur to 9 speed Deore and cassette to 12-36. The only advantage of this over the Marin are the gearing ratios.

Another downside to the Giant is the thick rigid carbon fork doesn't have a forward facing centre eyelet- it's on the back for fenders. Not having the forward facing one is a big hassle- no easy mount for front racks or mounting the dynamo front light. I have SKS Anywhere's so I can mount it, but it's a hassle. Also the seatpost is a "D" shape, so my seatpost racks can't fit.

Honestly, I'd sell the Giant, but money is an issue.

DropBarFan

I voted for Trucker but forgot about the unfortunate 10-sp switch. Sutra & Marrakesh have the sensible 3x9 bar-end setup which gives much more versatility for upgrading/swapping components. Sora brifters have gear cables that stick out sideways & can interfere with handlebar bag/luggage.

I bought DT frame & built up myself with 9-sp Deore/bar-end etc nice stuff & it wasn't too much more than buying the complete bike. Current DT frame is about $500 & complete bike is ~$1,500.

AlanK

While I think the Sutra, Marrakesh, and DLHT are all great options, I went with Sutra. A great argument can be made for any of them depending on intended usage. I like the Sutra because it seems for versatile than the other two. It's more nimble than the others (shorter wheelbase, higher bottom-bracket), so it's also efficient for commuting and can handle gravel and dirt roads fairly well. Since I don't want a large stable of bikes, this versatility is important.

If I were interested in more of a dedicated touring bike I'd go with the Marrakesh. It's ultra-stable and can carry a ton, but it's heavy and sluggish for general riding. The same is true of the DLHT, but the Marrakesh is spec'd better.

I have a question for those who vote for the 520: Why? Seriously, why? It's just seems like an overpriced, mediocre touring bike to me. Am I missing something?

1-track-mind

What are the MSRP's for each bike ?

MyAimlessWander

Not being a fan of underoos, I voted. (BTW 3 out of 4 wiener dogs prefer to chase Trek 520s.)

DropBarFan

520 voters might be voting for the previous model? AFAIK Trucker long ago replaced 520 as the US top-selling tourer so I think Trek is repositioning 520 more for newbie tourists who are willing to pay the price premium for a popular & trusted brand. New 520 frameset is also high-priced at $700.

volvostephen

Voted for a Four Corners because I have an older one (2016) that I picked up cheap at a thrift store. Once fixed up - seemed pretty good to me. Promax brakes on mine are annoying though.