road or tourer

Burts Bee

Hi guys
Just wanted your feedback. I got a road bike last year on the bike to work. I've paid that off now and am in a bit of a dilemma. I haven't used it very much at all, I suppose due to the winter (I know) and my feeling a bit insecure on it! I find it very bumpy and unsafe feeling!
On the other hand, I can go fast and far! I live in the countryside and the smaller roads around me aren't great.
I had used a liv alight for a few sportives and loved it but when it came to buying time I went for a road bike as I thought the alight would be below what I would want in a bike long term.
Now it's coming into biking time again and I really want to do some greenway and touring here and possibly in the UK. I also head out with the kids on routes, which aren't always paved or tarmac.
So I'm wondering if anyone would know what I would get for a liv avail sl2, barely used, and if I should stick with it or sell and buy a tourer? I defo can't spend more on a new bike than what I'll make from selling the old one so if you have any advice on good tourers I'd appreciate that too!
Thanks for any feedback.
Ruth

smacl

For the bumpy unsafe feeling, the two things I'd look at on your existing road bike is wider tyres at a lower pressure, e.g. 28mm if the bike will take them, and getting used to using the drops a bit more, possibly also getting slightly wider compact or touring bars. You can often do quite a lot to change an existing bike to be more about comfort than speed.

Burts Bee

Thanks, thing is I don't have very much at all to play around with. How much would I be looking for new tyres and handlebars?

Alanstrainor

How much have you used the bike as it stands? Perhaps you need time to get comfortable on it. And then in terms of tyre pressures perhaps going from 120psi to 100psi would be worth a shot. Wider tyres is an option too, but you definitely need to make sure the bike will take them. I know my Giant won't take larger than 25 wide as it's very tight.

Burts Bee

Alanstrainor wrote: »

How much have you used the bike as it stands? Perhaps you need time to get comfortable on it. And then in terms of tyre pressures perhaps going from 120psi to 100psi would be worth a shot. Wider tyres is an option too, but you definitely need to make sure the bike will take them. I know my Giant won't take larger than 25 wide as it's very tight.

Yes, maybe you're right! Maybe I need to just commit to it for another month or two. To my shame I've only been out on it about 5 times and I was so gung ho about it before I bought it!

Alanstrainor

Burts Bee wrote: »

Yes, maybe you're right! Maybe I need to just commit to it for another month or two. To my shame I've only been out on it about 5 times and I was so gung ho about it before I bought it!

Sure you have the bike, so you may as well give it a go now. It'll cost nothing to take it out and enjoy the nice weather. You can reduce your tyre pressure for now and see if that helps. But a road bike will take a decent bit of getting used to coming from a hybrid style bike.

Burts Bee

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Sure you have the bike, so you may as well give it a go now. It'll cost nothing to take it out and enjoy the nice weather. You can reduce your tyre pressure for now and see if that helps. But a road bike will take a decent bit of getting used to coming from a hybrid style bike.

That's true, poor bike is just looking at me in the spare room! Sure I'll give it a go, Thanks a mill for the pep talk!

Macy0161

Stock tyres on the 2018 model were 28. Might be worth seeing will it take wider again. I'm running 32mm on my Giant Defy, but it wouldn't comfortably take 32mm knobbly cx tyres when I tried.

tomasrojo

I got a Dawes Horizon about ten years ago, and I still have it. I got it primarily as a utility bike, and it's great for that, and it would be very good for touring too; at least that's what the reviews said at the time I bought it, but since I haven't used it for such, I can't really comment. It came with 700x32 tyres, but I put 700x28 on it, because I was used to them. It was about the cheapest touring bike I could get at the time. In fact, at the time I was trying to buy, there really wasn't a massive choice of tourers in the bike shops around the parts of Dublin I frequented.

It's pretty much a superior hybrid with drop bars, and a superior rear carrier. You might not like the cantilever brakes, as the stopping isn't as good as v-style brakes (which I assume you'd have had on a hybrid).

cdaly_

I see the spec for the Liv Avail sl2 mentions 28mm tubeless tyres and caliper brakes so you probably have the widest tyre that will fit. A tyre pressure chart suggests pressure based on both tyre width and rider weight. If you are really running tubeless tyres, you can go for even lower pressure as you're not at risk of pinch flats.

If you're average female weight (~70kg) you could use about 85psi, running tubeless you could probably get away with 70psi. Will be much more comfortable...

smacl

Burts Bee wrote: »

Now it's coming into biking time again and I really want to do some greenway and touring here and possibly in the UK.

For greenways and light off road, and crappy paved road surfaces, tyres would also be a major consideration. Slick tyres don't play well if it is muddy or on grass, though you can get away with more than you'd think. First thing I'd check in your case is tyre clearance using a ruler, and allow a few mm for tyre bulging and wheel not being 100% true. Something like 28mm Zaffiro pro running at a slightly lower pressure could be good for these conditions.

For mixed road and off-road options gravel and CX bikes are also worth a look and offer a decent compromise. I went this route for my last bike and I really love it as a bike to go exploring on. I run 32mm slick tyres on most of the time and occasionally switch to 42mm CX tyres if I know I'm going to into rougher ground.