Which panniers to buy for touring? (and which bike to cycle!?)

nadeshade

Hi All,
I'm heading off on a week long cycle/camping trip in cork next month and i don't have panniers or a rack and really know nothing about them, so just wondering if anyone could recommend a set??
I'll be carrying my clothes and some food as well as my tent and sleeping bag.
The racks would need to fit either a giant scr3 racer or a dawes discovery 201 hybrid...

I also haven't decided what bike i'm gonna cycle.
I have a 2008 giant scr3 (racer) which is in great condition but i recently bought a 2nd hand 2007 dawes discovery 201 (hybrid) which is in alright condition. I bought the dawes with the intention of selling my giant cuz although i love the speed and lightness of the racer i found dublin roads to be terrible for pot holes etc and on the racer you feel every bump...
but now that i'm cycling the dawes i find it very heavy and slow and i'm wondering should i hang on to the giant and use it for the trip or would the dawes be better to carry a load etc...
which bike would ya'll recommend for touring?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks

petethedrummer

Ok this is my SCR setup for light touring.


Rack:
You can't really see it in the pic but because the brakes are located right next to the upper rack mounts on the seatstays its hard to get a piece of metal that can connect between the rack on the seatstay, on the left side. It will take a bit of bending. Wheelworx bodged something up for me. The right side its fine.

Panniers:
Those are Ortlieb Front Roller classics. I got them in cycleways for about €85. They only had orange and yellow ones left, I would have preferred black or grey, but I was in a rush and needed to purchase.

My only issue with them is the closing mechanism. While it is easy once you read the instructions, it takes a few seconds and if you want to get something out during the cycle its a bit annoying. If I had had the time to think about my purchase I probably would have gone for the sport packer classics.
http://www.ortliebusa.com/CartGenie/prod-27.htm


Tyres:
I went with Gatorskins, 25C on the back and 23C on the front. It was fine for the small load I had (no punctures) but next time I'd put a 28C on the back and 25C on the front. Just for the reassurance.

Wheels:
I'm gettting stronger wheels built at the moment so I can take heavier loads with confidence.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?threadid=2055939816

petethedrummer

Hmm my brain just processed that you want to carry a tent, sleeping bag along with the clothes. I wouldn't have confidence in the AlexRim/Giant wheels to take all that load. I broke alot of spokes on my original wheels with no extra weight. You'd probably be fine though. If you could weigh yourself and all your luggage it would tell you if you were wildly over the weight limit for the wheels.

nadeshade

Thanks pete! Thats great. Yea i'm really having trouble warming to the dawes hybrid, so i'm thinking would it be possible to put some slightly fatter and "grippier" wheels on the giant to make my commuting a bit smoother and safer, or maybe a seat post with some suspension or more give?
Excuse my technical ignorance... but basically i'd like to keep the light giant frame and components but make it less rough and rigid and slippy to ride.

Also re panniers i'm thinking of buying these if the rack will fit my bike...??

http://www.adverts.ie/240988

Thanks again

petethedrummer

Those panniers look in good nick. They're bigger than the ones i have. Mine are Front Rollers, those are Rear Rollers. I'm not sure that rack will attach properly on the left seatstay first time. It may take a big of bending. The right hand side should be fine. The only way to be sure that it fits would be to try it on your bike before parting with any cash.

I know the SCR will take a 28C tyre but I don't know what the upper limit is before clearance becomes an issue and it rubs off the frame. Also 28C, is probably the largest recommend size for your rims.

I wouldn't personally bother with a suspension seatpost, just get a saddle that suits you.

blorg

I think a suspension seat post is a great idea, but then I am selling one

USE SX Suspension Seatpost €25
27.2mm

DualFrontDiscs

blorg wrote: »

I think a suspension seat post is a great idea, but then I am selling one

USE SX Suspension Seatpost €25
27.2mm

I too like suspension seatposts. Any side to side 'yaw/ play' in the post?

DFD.

blorg

DualFrontDiscs wrote: »

I too like suspension seatposts. Any side to side 'yaw/ play' in the post?

DFD.

No, it's fine that way.

IM0

take the dawes, isnt it built for touring well with a name like that it should be :pac:, they should change the names of the dawes galaxy to dawes discovery...or just a dawes galaxy discovery er how cool of a touring bike would that be

I know they have a 20 year rep with the name..but so what! :rolleyes:

panniers I use Ortlieb, class in all weathers, water runs off so they dont get heavier when it rains, and a great fit and design, they are best selling for a reason. Agu are also class, but I got a set of Ortliebs after the Agu, if you tour alot and can justify/afford it they are worth it.

petethedrummer

Yeah since you have the dawes and, as me@ucd says, its more suited for touring, why not use it? You could put some slick tyres on it if you feel its a bit slow. But you're gonna be slow anyway with a load of stuff on your bike.

Maybe for your first tour its the better option and with what you learn from the trip you could adapt the SCR to suit for your next trip.

DualFrontDiscs

Discussion here on lightweight touring.

DFD.

nadeshade

Thanks guys,
I think i'm gonna go with the scr. The dawes hybrid hasn't been cycling the best around dublin, so i'm definitely not gonna take it beyond the pale.
So i'm gonna invest in a lovely, sadle (maybe a brooks) and better tyres. Oh and a rack and panniers.

ktz84

nadeshade wrote: »

Thanks guys,
I think i'm gonna go with the scr. The dawes hybrid hasn't been cycling the best around dublin, so i'm definitely not gonna take it beyond the pale.
So i'm gonna invest in a lovely, sadle (maybe a brooks) and better tyres. Oh and a rack and panniers.

One month isn't enough time to break in a brooks saddle IMHO and taking it on a touring trip would be a big risk :eek: