Cycle touring bike: the best 10 in 2018 (in my opinion)
The purchase of a cycle touring bike is always a challenging step to tackle, especially because you usually travel only once or twice a year and face an expense, even challenging, for an object that remains for most of the time in winery, it's not easy. Fortunately, in recent years the concept of cycling has changed and with it the bikes have evolved, becoming products for everyday use. This allows us to make a more thoughtful choice and perhaps devote a slightly higher budget to a medium that has become multifunctional. I decided to do a short (and certainly not exhaustive) research, trying to understand which are the most popular travel bikes and those that are used with more satisfaction by cycloviaggiatori. Below I recommend the best ten models of travel bike of 2018
I have to make a premise and say that, as often happens, the choice is very subjective and depends above all on the future use that you will want to make of the medium. So to say which is the best cycling bike would be wrong and misleading. In this list I have tried to include bicycles which, in my opinion, are as multifunctional and multidisciplinary as possible. With the advent of bikepacking that even in Italy by now depopulated and with the greater availability of information on the internet, it is possible to carry out independently trips along adventurous routes, out of traffic and the usual destinations. The purchase of the best travel bike will have to take these developments into account in the way it travels. For this reason, following you will find bikes suitable for long stretches on asphalt but which, even with minor modifications, do not disdain the dirt road. They are also suitable for long-distance bikes and therefore prefer comfort and reliability to performance: for this reason most bikes have a steel frame.
This article is not intended to be a guide to explain the characteristics of a travel bike. To get a more complete view of what should lead you to prefer one model over another, you can read the advice in the Bicycle Travel Guide: how to choose the right one.
Bombtrack Beyond
This year Vero decided to take the big step and buy a travel bike after having travelled around the world with a mountain bike. His choice was the Bombtrack Beyond XPD (where XPD stands for expedition and is the complete version of luggage rack, hub dynamo and lights). A truly versatile yet elegant bike, the Bombtrack Beyond features a steel frame, mechanical disc brakes, SRAM X5 groupset, 29" wheels (27.5" in the smallest sizes), an enlarged BT bikes handlebar and a rolhoff hub cabling facility. The cost of this bike, which we would have purchased online on the Bikejamming website, is 2299 € for the XPD version and 1899 € for the basic version.
The problem? As Bombtrack is a small company, he fulfills his orders with apocalyptic timeframes and that is why Veronica also had to "hijack" his choice on the second bike that I present to you below, otherwise he would have had the medium after quite a few months. If you are not in a hurry though, this is a great bike!
Genesis Tour de Fer 20
After hesitating for a while ', as said, Vero decided to buy a bike more voted on the trip and less "aggressive" of the Beyond. The choice fell on the Genesis Tour de Fer 20. The British brand has a wide range of cycle touring bikes but we were looking for something more than just a steel frame. The Tour de Fer 20 mounts solid components without paying too much attention to weight, a little like we do on our travels. The consolidated Shimano Deore group, the hub dynamo, the steel frame, the 700c wheels, the Tubus luggage racks, the predisposition for three bottle cages and for the front rack are just some of the characteristics that made us lean for this bike. The substantial difference that made Vero think about this model rather than the Tour de Fer 30 is the flat handlebar that she prefers.
This bike seems made to last ... we will return with a specific review as soon as we have "whipped" for a few thousand kilometers! The price in this case is € 1690 while the version 30 is around € 2000.
Koga World Traveler
Another company that has made its way among the most demanding and enterprising cycloviaggiatori is the Koga that with its World Traveler depopulates among the travelers who love long distances. The flat handlebar features Ergon knobs with integrated bar-ends (like the Genesis Tour de Fer 20), ideal for holding hands in different positions and a tripod, luggage rack for the rear bags, hub dynamo and fixed padlock are already fitted. The Shimano LX gearbox is of higher quality than the previous bikes but what a little bit distorting my nose are the Magura hydraulic brakes on the rim (we had bad experiences with the mineral oil on the road but not with these brakes specifically ) and the aluminum frame, lighter and more versatile but more complicated to settle if you have problems in countries not really bike friendly (this is the only bike on this list to have an aluminum frame, the others are all steel ... I do not know if you understand that I prefer that material :)). The price is about € 2300 but the reliability of the Dutch brand is proven and if you are planning a long raid, this bike touring bike might be the one that suits you. If you want to save a little but have something less in quality, you might think about the Koga Grandtourer.
Surly Long Haul Tracker
To remain within the scope of robustness, the Surly Long Haul Tracker is another excellent and popular cycle touring bike. Steel frame, simple but comfortable geometry, shimano XT rear derailleur, still mounts Cantilever brakes, antiques in our latitudes. The company with stars and stripes has however created an excellent reputation among cycloviaggiatori and not by chance I saw it more than once under the seat of some cyclist crossed during our travels. Often the frame is assembled with different components, to adapt it to the needs of the most demanding cycloviaggiatore. Among Surly bikes, however, rather difficult to have here in Italy if you want to order online on Italian shops, the Ogre model has more suitable geometries for those who prefer to travel by bikepacking on dirt roads and paths.
Kona Sutra
A model of success in the field of cycling tourism is definitely the one proposed by the American company Kona. The Sutra is a bike that has been innovated over the years without being distorted. Steel frame, Shimano mixed frame and Hayes disc brakes make this bike an excellent compromise, also considering the competitive price (around 1500 €), between innovation and strength. The model in question does not have a hub dynamo, it has mechanical disc brakes and 28 "wheels. The same company offers the Sutra LTD on the market at around € 2300, with a much more slooping chassis and set-up closer to the MTB (and for this is more suitable for those who love off-road travel, perhaps in bikepacking).
Fuji Touring
A well-known brand that comes from the Far East and that has successfully dedicated itself to the production of a highly respected cycle touring bike, the Fuji Touring Disc. I prefer to talk about the bike with disc brakes but there is also the model with rim brakes. The bike in question is of a lower level than those presented so far but also the price is much more competitive (about € 1200). The frame is made of steel, there are eyelets to mount the rear rack (already present on the bike) and the front as well as three positions for bottle holders. The wheels are 28 "but there is no hub dynamo, you can choose if you want good quality at a good price.
Thorn Nomad
The Thorn travel bikes are an institution in Great Britain but we are practically unobtainable ... problem now surmountable thanks to the presence of the internet! It starts from Thorn Sherpa (£ 1300) to get to the Thorn Mercury 700c, via Thorn Raven and Thorn Nomad (£ 2413). The bike that I have chosen, even if the whole range is dedicated to the journey and makes the strength of its workhorse, it is the latter. The Rohloff system (no front derailleur, rear cassette gearbox) protects the gearbox, a more delicate part, especially when traveling.
The 26 "wheels guarantee the availability of spare parts in almost every country in the world and the steel frame is synonymous with solidity One day I would really like to try one of these bikes!
Attention, however, are bikes that must be ordered and take at least a month to be shipped.
Specialized Awol
A few years ago the Californian colossus has also started producing bikes and components for cycling, even though in Italy it does not matter yet the Specialized Awol Expert (you can buy it in the United States at 2500 $ but then there is the customs to pass!) , the beautiful flagship of the group dedicated to travel. For now we must settle for the Awol (the Sequoia is definitely too "corsaiola" for my taste) that is still a good bike with steel frame, Shimano Sora gear, drop handlebar, 28 "wheels and mechanical disc brakes. The geometry is rather slooping and suitable for both travel on asphalt and dirt roads not too pushed.The price is around € 1100. On the Italian site at the moment is not the model Awol and to admire them you have to access the American one.
Marrakesh sauce
Salsa bikes have made space for adventure lovers and the Fargo, Vaya and Marrakesh models are among the most loved in Italy. For this list I chose the Marrakesh, the most versatile of the three, suitable for big trips or trips out of town, both on asphalt and offroad. The Salsa Marrakesh travel bike is available in both the flat handlebar and the drop handlebar version (and the frame geometry adapts to this change). The frame is made of steel as well as the fork, the group is Shimano Deore, the wheels are 28 ", the brakes are mechanical discs and the dynamo on the hub is not lost.The most curious feature of this bike is the rear dropout that it is screwed on the frame and can be adapted to your load needs by moving it or it can be replaced according to the transmission (for example if you decide to mount the Rolhoff box a special dropout is available) .The list price in Italy, in my opinion , is a bit 'high (€ 90) but you can find good offers online.
Cinelli Hobootleg
I kept it last because it is the only Italian on the list and because it is the only one I have direct experience with. Actually the bike with which we have faced the trip to South Africa and Lesotho is the Cinelli Hobootleg Geo, more offroad version of the most famous and famous Hobootleg. The Hobo Geo is a bike released in 2015 and there have been no developments since then, which makes me fear an abandonment of the project, but this is a personal and unconfirmed opinion that will be evaluated over time. Personally I found myself well: it has a steel frame (logically Columbus pipes), mechanical disc brakes Avid, a geometry rather slooping (compared to the Hobootleg which is more classic and designed for more classic travel), flat handlebar and a lot of other small details that I let you discover in the full review of Cinelli Hobogeo, also available in video by scrolling down the dedicated page. The price is good (€ 1490) even if it is not as complete as the first bikes described here (missing hub dynamo, luggage rack, lights, bottle cages ...).
These are, in my opinion, the best bicycle touring bikes of 2018 but the list could be extended considerably. Among other things, there are excellent artisans, also and especially in Italy, which produce bespoke bikes of great quality.