I'm looking at this touring bike with keen interest -- anyone have one or similar or know anything about it?
http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/products/revolution-country-traveller-15
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Stuff
Edinburgh Bike Coop Revolution Country Traveller '15
(26 posts)-
Posted 9 years ago #
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I'm sure there was a very similar question asked a few weeks back but I can't for the life of me find the thread.
On that other thread, various other recommendations for alternative low priced and also a link to this (pdf) review in Cycle magazine comparing the Traveller to a Raliegh Royal.
I have a 2007 (I think) model bought in the end of year sale for £299. For the price I think it's pretty good, but I've had a life of riding about on pretty mediocre bikes so I'm probably not the best judge of these kind of things.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Thanks for the link to the review, I note it is from 2012, so they might have upgraded some of the components that fall short in the review. I'll ask when I go in.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Found the link to the other thread - thanks again, all good stuff!
http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14087&page=5#post-200688
Posted 9 years ago # -
I've bought a couple of Revolution brand bikes - a Courier and a Continental. Although they both had good specs for the price they were heavy so check the weight in the shop. EBC tend to hide cost savings in components that are easily overlooked - budget wheels and tyres, pressed steel chainrings and heavy finishing kit.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Depending on what you want it for, it could be a great bike. Having a quick look at the spec, the only thing that jumps out at me as potentially a bit of a cost compromise are the wheels. 36 spoke would be the standard for heavy duty use e.g. touring, not 32. But if you really wanted to do some fully loaded touring on it, or on rougher, gravelly trails a good set of handbuilt 36 spoke wheels on some double rimmed/double eyelet rims won't sent you back too much.
For touring I really don't think it matters so much if it's lower spec Shimano components (e.g. not 9 speed Tiagra and/or Deore XT which the higher-end touring bikes might mix), you're more than likely to get the same overall range of gearing with just 3-or-so less potential intermediate options. There's no need to be a weight weenie on a touring bike on the light stuff like groupset, the only real savings in the grand scheme of things come from packing less kit!
Posted 9 years ago # -
isn't this what Andrew Burns rides? you could ask him ;)
Posted 9 years ago # -
It weighs 30lbs. That's as heavy as a mountain bike. It's a shame the weather in this country forces us onto expedition weight bikes when riders on the continent are credit card touring. But do you need an expedition weight bike when you're not touring? I've ridden heavy bikes and light bikes and the light ones were much more enjoyable.
Posted 9 years ago # -
With a full compliment of racks, Brooks saddle, bottle cages, pump, etc. my steel tourer is 14.5kg or 32lbs. Fully loaded it's closer to 45kg so the relative lumpen-ness of the bike isn't noticeable unless you're regularly using it unloaded.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I know someone else who is interested in that bike. They are tall
Posted 9 years ago # -
Kaputnik, you really carry >30Kg on tour? That's quite unusual, isn't it? I'm thinking it's either a lot of beer or a very impressive tent! Trailer maybe?
Posted 9 years ago # -
@gkgk
If you're properly autonomous and dislike camping sober then the
weightmass of rations quickly accumulates. I've never dared toweighmeasure the mass of my trailer bag fully laden, but it's easily 25kg.Posted 9 years ago # -
I've been using the Revolution Country Premier - an upgrade of the Traveller - for the past 16 months and done around 8,000 miles with it, touring and commuting. This is my first touring bike, so I can't really make a comparison with other tourers, but in short, I love it.
It's steel frame is quite heavy, but it has taken a right battering during that time and aside from the usual wear and tear, I think it has stood up well to the demands I've put on it.
Posted 9 years ago # -
@gkgk,
If you're going a bit off grid, even carrying a few litres of drinkable water and a few days of food quickly forms ~10-15% of that 30kg load. As does a spare cannister of camping gas (although I since moved to liquid fuel)
I also religiously over-prepare for all weather eventualities, such is Scotland in the summer... A full set of waterproof gear for walking to the pub, etc.
Posted 9 years ago # -
@kaputnik
You don't forage for artisanal water?
Posted 9 years ago # -
@IWRATS I'm never that happy taking water out a burn near the end of the watercourse that's wound it's merry way through active farmland.
I'll happily load up with an extra 2 or 3kg rather than run the risk of an attack of the s***s far from the comfort of my own bathroom! Also it's a bit of a waste of fuel if you have to boil all your drinking water only to cool it down again.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I still vividly recall those 'life cycle of the sheep liver fluke' diagrams we did in Geography ...
Posted 9 years ago # -
a nanometer filter is the way to go, physically removes the contaminants including viruses from the water. I've got an older style filter in a bottle (a lifesaver bottle) which is quite heavy but there will be better ones one out by now.
Posted 9 years ago # -
@kaputnik
Ah yes, farmland's another matter. My camping's mostly done on barren ground.
@sallyhinch
Fluke shmuke. You'll be telling me you cook meat next.
Posted 9 years ago # -
It's not cheap but it might just save your knees.
Posted 9 years ago # -
If you don't want it for cooking then this is probably ideal. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Drinksafe-Waterstraw-litre-Personal-filter/dp/B003L7YV4A
Posted 9 years ago # -
Update on the bike: nipped around to EBC today to have a look, and they only have the 58cm left, far too big for me. And they are discontinuing the line.
I will be moving office next week and I'll be closer to both Evans and Biketrax so will be visiting their premises in the near future to see what they have on offer.
I also am keen to get a test ride on any bike I buy, the last one I bought was online and to be honest I probably wouldn't have bought it if I'd test-driven first. But it's not bad enough to get rid of -- yet.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I got a revolution country explorer 15 last Saturday , like a traveller but with a 525 frame and disc brakes. I Cycled it to Galashields yesterday using the quiet route map from my house past Edinburgh about 60 miles.
It seems very comfortable even by Galashields I was not sore, just a tad cold from the strong winds from Heriot to Innerleithen
Posted 9 years ago # -
I was struck by how few tourers EBC had on the floor the other day, compared to Evans. I imagine EBC is working on a cobble + canal commuter tourer (aka gravel bike).
Paul, worth looking at these. Drop bars, strong, disc brakes, big tyres, relaxed frame angles. Might tick a lot of yr boxes.
Resonance FM Bike Show had quite an enjoyable podcast about gravel bikes this month, here.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Just weighed my tourer/bike about town.
23kg unladen
Admittedly that includes a small wooden box that I probably wouldn't take on tour, but the bike still feels sprightly enough.
Posted 9 years ago # -
From link from link -
"
They say elevator, we say lift. They say gravel bike, we say, er, ‘adventure road’? The arrival of what appears to be American-style gravel bikes on the British market has been regarded as suspicious by those who fear it’s just another ruse by devious marketing departments.
"
http://www.cyclist.co.uk/pinnacle/arkose/392/pinnacle-arkose-2-review
Posted 9 years ago #
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