Groupset For Touring

TinyExplosions

Good ol lazyweb, tell me what gruppo I should get to put on my touring bike!

The plan will be to use it around Ireland/The UK and France/Spain sort of way, so only really on paved roads, and probably nothing crazy steep or off road.

I'm thinking of SRAM Apex at the moment, as I like the integrated shifters, and the 11-32 cassette on the back of a compact double should get me up most slopes!

The other option is around a Deore XT groupset (9 speed triple) with either downtube or bar end shifters. This gives me smaller gears, and the potential of better replacement parts, but doesn't have integrated shifters.

Budget is around 600, which rules out 105 triple, so what else is there -I'll listen to any suggestions/wisdom!:)

thebouldwhacker

I have Deore on my flat bar with thumb shifters and it worked a treat fully loaded on routes around Ireland and Wales, 25kg+ load, big gradients.

I have Tragra triple with Deore rear 9 speed on my cyclo cross tourer and its great, only out once so far, 5 days, 740km with all kinds of hills and no issues.

Thats all I got... so long as the cogs are the right size for climbing and flat the rest is up to you. Check out crazyguyonabike, full spec lists on most blogs....

TinyExplosions

thebouldwhacker wrote: »

I have Deore on my flat bar with thumb shifters and it worked a treat fully loaded on routes around Ireland and Wales, 25kg+ load, big gradients.

I have Tragra triple with Deore rear 9 speed on my cyclo cross tourer and its great, only out once so far, 5 days, 740km with all kinds of hills and no issues.

Thats all I got... so long as the cogs are the right size for climbing and flat the rest is up to you. Check out crazyguyonabike, full spec lists on most blogs....

Oh yeah, I should point out that the bike will have drops, so thumb shifters are out

Have looked a lot through crazyguyonabike, yacf and a whole load of other sites, and the main consensus seems to be "use whatever!", hence the confusion

Holyboy

I know this sounds crazy but you could go Deore XT but with Micro shift drop bar integrated shifters, they are compatible with the Deore cassette on the rear but have micro shift on the front, like Ergo shifters, so will work with either road or MTB chainsets and front mechs, I know that Micro shift haven't seemed great in the past but they have a really great new range and seem to be making a real effort to break into the road scene, I've worked on bikes with the shifters and they seem really nice but I haven't ridden with them yet.
Any way just another option for you, oh and they are very well priced!

Hmm, just looked at their website, they only have 2010 products up and they have double/triple versions but I'm positive that the ones I've worked on are micro shift, maybe I'm going crazy in the head!!!

AstraMonti

TinyExplosions wrote: »

Budget is around 600, which rules out 105 triple, so what else is there -I'll listen to any suggestions/wisdom!:)

Why? 105 triple is 480e in Shinybikes. A triple with 29 on the back will make you climb vertical walls!

Tonyandthewhale

I like bar end shifters, they're cool and add to the touring aesthetic, having said that I don't like actually using them so integrated shifers win on pratical grounds.
I think I'd go for the sram apex, on the road a mountain bike triple and rear end is probably over-kill if you're an anyway decent climber unless you're planning on carrying absolutely massive loads. I know I hardly ever use the granny ring on my tourer (a raleigh royal which weighs a tonne even unloaded) and when I do use it's only because I have the option, could do without it.

I've got old 8-speed sora shifters and an old deore (upgraded from crappy altus) rear mech on my tourer and it works grand for me. Normally I don't like the gappiness of an 8-speed cassette but I'm generally less concerned with constant cadence and uninterupted power out-put when I'm touring so maybe that's an option to consider although if I had the choice now I'd go for apex.

jefferson73

Ultegra - 599

XT - 475

Tonyandthewhale

That's ultegra for flats, he's looking for something for drops.

Holyboy

Yup I was right,I don't know why I doubt myself:D
Seriously, I think you should consider Micro shift, it's cheap and it works well, that's if you really want integrated shifters, otherwise I am a big fan of bar end shifters, but Felt amongst others are now fitting Micro shift components to their bikes, it may seem I'm a Micro shift share holder at this stage, haha.

TinyExplosions

AstraMonti wrote: »

Why? 105 triple is 480e in Shinybikes. A triple with 29 on the back will make you climb vertical walls!

Damnit, I hadn't seen it so cheap, it's definatly got to be added to the mix now, particularly as (as you say) a 29 on the back would let me climb anything

Holyboy wrote: »

Yup I was right,I don't know why I doubt myself:D
Seriously, I think you should consider Micro shift, it's cheap and it works well, that's if you really want integrated shifters, otherwise I am a big fan of bar end shifters, but Felt amongst others are now fitting Micro shift components to their bikes, it may seem I'm a Micro shift share holder at this stage, haha.

Hmmm... they don't look too bad, but I'm having problems finding prices for the shifters, you happen to have any links?

thebouldwhacker

Not sure how far you are into your build but I cant wait to read about you dilemmas when it comes to saddle, bar tape, front rack yes or no, rear rack; make & weight, bags, handlebar bag, lights etc

Lemag

Holyboy wrote: »

Yup I was right,I don't know why I doubt myself
Seriously, I think you should consider Micro shift, it's cheap and it works well, that's if you really want integrated shifters, otherwise I am a big fan of bar end shifters, but Felt amongst others are now fitting Micro shift components to their bikes, it may seem I'm a Micro shift share holder at this stage, haha.

Are you talking about these awesome yokes? *shameless plug*

Holyboy

Lemag wrote: »

Are you talking about these awesome yokes? *shameless plug*

Yup, I sure am, I think I've just started a Micro shift mission!!!
Are you selling those? And if so why???

Lemag

Holyboy wrote: »

Are you selling those? And if so why???

Yup! Sram red.

Holyboy

Hmmm... they don't look too bad, but I'm having problems finding prices for the shifters, you happen to have any links?[/QUOTE]
I don't have links as not very many people sell them, but I could get you prices tomorrow if you want, they are available to me but would take about a week to get into the country, I'll find out what they cost but I know for sure they're much cheaper than Shimano!

blorg

I have 30-28 as my lowest gear and I often find it inadaquate going up a steep/extended mountain. Apex will only give you similar. I also very rarely use my big ring (a 52) on longer tours. I can get to ~40km/h in the 39 and really there is no need on tour to ever go even that fast never mind faster.

I think if I was starting from scratch I would go with a MTB crankset and a 12-27 road cassette. This gives you the easier gears while not getting too gappy either. MTB cranks will work with STI shifters (I met guys in Tehran with 105 shifters and XT cranks) although there may be issues you need to research. I think you need to use a road triple FD. I would aim for a 24T granny, at least, and whatever that allows you on the top end (which really doesn't matter anyway.) If 22T would work I would be tempted by that.

A road triple makes sense if this is your one multi-purpose bike you will use loaded and unloaded, but if you already have a road bike I don't see the need for a big front ring on a tourer.

I wouldn't see 10 speed as particularly essential- it is what I have but 9 speed is less finicky and easier to find outside Europe. The only issue then is you are limited to Tiagra for the shifters if you want STI, or something older- but modern Tiagra is probably fine, and cheaper too. I prefer STI but on the other hand non-integrated shifters wouldn't be as big an issue on a tourer as on a road bike.

It is harder with the load, you get tired after several back to back days and outside Ireland there are bigger mountains. You may also be cycling with someone slower than you. All of this suggests low gearing- take that as the start point and then figure out what is possible. "What group" doesn't really matter as long as it works together and can give you what you want.

ROK ON

Tiny

I have an Ultegra Triple sitting on a shelf in my shed.
It's not for sale so to speak so I haven't put on on the sale section.
If you want I can't cut you a good deal on it.

TinyExplosions

thebouldwhacker wrote: »

Not sure how far you are into your build but I cant wait to read about you dilemmas when it comes to saddle, bar tape, front rack yes or no, rear rack; make & weight, bags, handlebar bag, lights etc

I'm mostly there with it to be honest (the bike is all build up fixed at the moment for winter commuting etc etc, and I'll be getting a groupset to allow me to take it touring)

Saddle will be Brooks, my Swallow if it's not to far gone, or a new Swift
Bar tape will be Fizik, with the gel inserts underneath
Front rack is a yes, but it's a randonneur style one, not low riders (so will help support a bar bag, and I can strap a tent/sleeping mat to it
Rear rack is a Surly Nice Rack
Bags will be Ortileib to start, as they're lying around, and possibly get Carradice etc in the future
Lights will be a mix of deal extreme and Fenix, until I have the cash for a nice dynamo hub

The only big question on the bike front is therefore the groupset! (though don't get me started on tents/sleeping bags/mats/cookers etc etc etc

ROK ON wrote: »

Tiny

I have an Ultegra Triple sitting on a shelf in my shed.
It's not for sale so to speak so I haven't put on on the sale section.
If you want I can't cut you a good deal on it.

Hmmmmm, this also sounds like a good option, I may PM you when I've thought some more. (is it the new version with the hidden cabling?

@Blorg, I could change the chainrings on a road triple to get me down to 24 for the granny ring, or go for 48 - 38 - 26 (Peter White sells matched sets), which makes a mtb chainring only marginally better (and I doubt I'll be doing huge amounts of climbing on this bike).

Likewise with the whole 10 speed or less, it's getting harder to find good components at 8 or 9, and I don't plan on going too far afield, so should be safe enough with 10 speed

Vélo

I still have the 9 speed Tiagra triple sti shifters if you're interested?

You can PM me if you're interested.

Moreofthatjazz

i went with a campag veloce compact 13-29 on the touring yoke... works grand on anything, as a french colleague pointed out it would climb trees in the 34-29 ratio... only concern is that on extended tours that if aught goes wrong campag is harder to lay my hands on, though it's unlikely i will be anywhere but eurozone for the time being... also i pack a spare downtube shifter in case...