Saleh

Hi
I am searching for efficient tour bike model 2018. My final comparison reached to three models:
1. Jamis Renegade Escapade - 2018
2. Trek 920 - 2018
3. Kona 2018 Rove LTD

My height is 174 cm, weight is 122 and would like to buy a touring bike for on and offroad that can take heavy weight and packing.

It is important also that the bike does need a lot of maintenance. If you have other option please let me know.

You advice is highly appreciated.

Please let me the reason of your selection also. Money should not be the factor but efficiency.

Regards

Marcus_Ti

None are really perfect, all miss the mark in some glaring manner in stock config IMHO...and would still require some aftermarket work to nail it:

1) Jamis Renegade. No racks, but has points for them. However the gearing is way too high. If you're fully bagging it a 50/34 double is overgeared. Also the geometry is a bit aggressive for a tourist, although maybe you'll like it.

2) Trek 920....it ticks the gearing box, it even comes with $500 worth of racks you'd otherwise have to buy for any of the rest of your list. Nice stable geo for stability and probably the clearance for the largest tires of the group....but 28 spoke wheels on both front and back? On a tourist? WTF, you can get away maybe with 28 in the front, but 28 in the back is foolish. Also some people love bar end shifters--I don't YMMV.

3) Kona. No racks...but more glaringly no front rack mounts it looks like-so nope. 1x. I'd say hell no. It has a rangey cassette to do the job (sub 1:1 gearing is what you want available), but for touring I'd never find an optimal gear with those gaps in that wide cassette. I honestly don't even like the gaps in my 46/30-11/32. Also aggressive geo for a tourer.


I built my own rig for such duties...because I'm very choosey, and because I could. Using any of the above I'd be rebuilding it quite a bit (either cranks and racks, or shifters and wheels, or I don't know what I'd do with the Kona). Usually the best tourist bikes aren't stock retail but pieced together. IMHO.

Tim_Iowa

If you:
* weigh 122 kilos,
* want to carry a heavy load, and
* want a bike that doesn't need a lot of maintenance,
then I believe you should be looking at "true" touring bikes with steel frames, instead of adventure/gravel/etc bikes with aluminum frames.

Some examples, from the same manufacturers you've listed:
1) Jamis Aurora
2) Trek 520
3) Kona Sutra
And lots of other options.

Please understand that I weigh that much and I own and ride bikes of all types of frame materials. I can do light touring on many of my bikes, but the ones I use for fully loaded trips have steel frames with lots of rack eyelets.

I agree with Marcus_Ti's suggestions as well.

ph0rk

What does "efficiency" mean, exactly? How do you plan to tour credit cards or full camping gear?

Saleh

Marcus_Ti & Tim_Iowa, thank you for your informative reply. Marcus, I understand that your processes need time and experience but may be the best way.

ph0rk, Well i mean by efficiency, first is the best option for long heavy touring in terms of the performance of its sum components, It is reliable and thus require minimum maintenance that will safe time and efforts and in some cases money.

Taking into consideration Marcus_Ti comments, i have started reviewing other bikes:
1. Koga worldtraveller S signature
2. VSF TX 1200
3. The Thorn Nomad

I hope you have some ideas about the above choices.

Regards

Saleh

dim

Surly Long Haul trucker

ph0rk

LHT/disc trucker, Salsa Marrakesh - something beefy like that.

If it were me I'd pick based on what my favorite LBS sold; there are lots of options for a fully loaded tourer these days.

Saleh

Thank you dim, This is one of the good bikes. I have reviewed the bike previously but did not included it in my list probably due to some cosmetic issues. I also liked the idea to have a bike that has usb connection and can generate its own energy for the mobile and lights. I know this is not necessary, but if it is available, it will save a lot of time.

I think also Thorn Nomad much better and more reliable.

Saleh

I have tired to design my own bike using the Koga design option.
The specification is provided in the attached pdf file. What do you think, does it worth?

Saleh

I have been in contact with Mr. Aloys Hanekamp (Koga - Product Manager Signature) who was kind and supportive in providing some information relevant to my requirements. But he mentioned something interesting to me that is about the weight, he stated that : "KOGA Signature frames easily pass the official tests of 130kg total weight. Since there is no official test that exceeds this weight we don’t have an official approval (I don’t think any bike-brand has as it simply doesn’t exist)".

And based on this, he advised me to to take measurements (such as choose the WorldTraveller-S with 27.5 wheels and 62mm tires, choose discbrakes to provide me with sufficient stopping-power...etc.

Than I went to check VSF, and what i like about it is the use of Pinion P1.18, 18-Gang Getriebe.

Regards

Saleh

Dim, I noticed that you have used Koga before (Koga Miyata Full Pro), so what do you think of Koga in comparison to VSF and thorn Nomad or even Santos (Travelmaster 3+)

dim

the full pro is a different sort of bike .... it's a race bike and not a tourer

Tim_Iowa

@Saleh-

I like that you're doing tons of research, and that you're looking at "true" touring bikes from trusted manufacturers.

However, I would recommend that you buy a "very good" production touring bike and then go tour on it. You will figure things out about the bike (and yourself) that you didn't realize before. Use those realizations to then buy a "perfect" custom touring bike.

I'm suggesting that if you attempt to buy a "perfect" custom touring bike now, you will still find some things wrong with it. And custom bikes are much harder to sell than production bikes.

Tim_Iowa

I'm also suggesting that the Touring forum is probably the best place for this thread.

simmonsgc

Tim's advice quoted above is very, very wise, and you'll save time, aggravation, and regret if you follow it. Whatever bike you start out on, I wish you very many happy and healthy miles!

dim

also, do your research properly

a few years ago, I bought a Surly LHT. I'm normally a size 52/53cm but I bought a 50cm because many people stated that on the Surly LHT bikes, you should go 1 size smaller if you intend to tour with it fully loaded (front and rear pannier bags)

I took their advice, needed a slightly longer stem, and the bike fitted me like a glove

I sold the bike (for more than what I paid and after riding several thousand km's, as I had really good accesories, Gilles Berthoud Aravis saddle, Son 28 dynamo plus lights, etc etc which I bought 2nd hand off ebay) ....

I really liked that bike and am sad that I sold it ... it was super comfortable