Specialized AWOL adventure touring bike
£1000
We loved the look of the AWOL the minute we saw it. It just makes you want to jump on and, well, make yourself Absent Without Official Leave…
This is certainly no lightweight racer though, with its rugged Cromoly steel frame and fork built for strength and repairs anywhere in the world. It’s also positively bristling with rack and ‘guard fixing points.
Equipment is adventure-ready too, with strong TRP cable disc brakes and a load-hucking, mountain-conquering triple front chainset (50/39/30T) and nine-speed 11-32T cassette with Sora drivetrain.
And those tyres! Specialized’s own Fatboy 45mm wide tyres with fast-rolling 60TPI construction and Flak Jacket puncture resistance. These give a plush, comfortable ride that simply smooths the bumps out of even the roughest of gravel trails.
In conclusion… we love it!
Thorn Sherpa touring bike
£1299
The name Sherpa hasn’t just been plucked out the air for no reason – this bike truly is a load carrying workhorse. With 3x10 speed Shimano gearing you will be able to climb the steepest of hills, while standard spec wheels that boast 36 spokes and are shod with tough Rigida Grizzly rims should certainly see the distance without needing a lot of maintenance.
Sizing shouldn’t be an issue either, with 10 different sizes spanning different lengths of top tube to allow you to fine tune your reach for all-day comfort in the saddle. Of course the frame is finished with a multitude of rack and bottle mounts for luggage.
The name goes back over 20 years now, but it seems the Thorn Sherpa is as valid today in its Mark 3 format as it was all those years ago – it is still a bike capable of either travelling the world or spinning through your city on a daily commute.
Verenti Substance Sora Cyclocross bike
£550
The versatile Substance is built for rough-stuff fun, or light touring with a single-butted 4130 Chromoly steel frame and forks – strong, dependable and easily repaired anywhere in the world.
The relaxed geometry makes for handling to match, and there are braze-ons in all the usual places for guards or racks for lightly loaded adventures.
For running gear the Shimano Sora 9 speed groupset is impressive kit on this £550 bike, and is a reliable performer.
That said, the shifters do require a firm movement but the compact double (46/34T) allied to a 11-32 cassette gives a hill-taming range of gears. Brakes are Tektro C400 cable discs and work reassuringly well in all weather and conditions.
Budget but dependable Alex rims with plush 35c tyres and Cosine saddle, post and stem finish off this superb value bike.
Dawes Galaxy AL touring bike
£600
The Dawes Galaxy has been a stalwart of the touring community for 40 odd years, proving to be a reliable and efficient companion on many touring trips.
The Galaxy AL is, as you might guess, the 6061 aluminium framed version of this classic machine with a lighter and stiffer ride than its steel brethren. The components are budget models as you would expect at this price mark, but the 24 speed drivetrain is sensibly chosen from the Shimano brand with STI levers pushing the chain around the triple chainrings nicely.
The Galaxy comes fitted with an alloy rack, ready for adventure, and the 32C Schwalbe Marathon tyres cut a nice balance between speed, comfort and durability.
The ride, of course, is pure touring perfection; comfortable, efficient and eager to be loaded up with kit for your next country spanning adventure.
Kinesis Tripster Ace touring bike
£800
Punted as an all rounder, capable of everything from cyclocross to distance racing and adventure cycling, the Kinesis Tripster Ace has a lot to live up to.
ACE stands for Adventure, Commute, Explore and this flat barred road going machine certainly delivers on all three levels. You could also add Fun to that list too. It is fast, light and capable of handling all sorts of riding with aplomb. Disc brakes give confidence in your speed, while the flat bars give a more open stance for rougher ground and an ostensibly more relaxed riding position – though flat bars do load your weight on the saddle more.
The 6061 aluminium frame and carbon fork are beautifully finished while the Shimano Sora gearing and Tektro brakes all get down to their business without fuss or unnecessary bling. 700c wheels with 35mm rugged tyres round off a very do-it-all spec.
Koga WorldTraveller29 touring bike
£1699
In 2008 Mark Beaumont broke the world record for riding around the world, and he did it on a Koga. So this is a company with a definite pedigree for long distance touring and adventure bikes.
The WorldTraveller29 is just that: made from triple hardened 6069 aluminium with a carbon fork to reduce trail buzz, and capable of accepting lowrider panniers. 29 inch wheels help reduce rolling resistance offroad with 47mm puncture resistant tyres, while a 3x10 gearing setup means there’s no excuse for being in the wrong ratio.
Reliable and bombproof Shimano SLX gearing keeps the bike moving while Magura rim brakes stop everything just as quick. Yes, rim brakes are old school, but in this case they have been specced to be reliable and easy to repair.
This bike has already proved it can take you round the world.
Eastway Zener D3 (Tiagra 2016) road bike
£1000
On-line retailer Wiggle’s impressive reputation for value is evident in their new own-brand Eastway range, of which the Zener is the entry-level model with disc brakes and Tiagra drivetrain.
The ride is instantly comfortable, despite the super-efficient carbon frame and full-carbon fork. The well-balanced ride is no-doubt thanks to the big, stiff, box-section down-tube, tempered by thin, tapered seat-stays and a fairly relaxed geometry – not to mention the 28C Continental tyres.
Internal cable routing, disc brakes and Tiagra double chain ring make for a great weather and muck-resistant set up, plus there is plenty of clearance for fat tyres – and claggy mud for that matter.
The only let down was the brakes, which you have to pull hard on to slow down.
Otherwise this bike represents excellent value for money.
Mango Point AR Flat Bar hybrid road bike
£520
The point AR (All road) is Mango’s first bike aimed at those who want to venture off the black stuff – with the main difference being fatter tyres and enough extra tyre clearance to fit up to 42mm tyres.
As standard the Point AR comes with a 32mm Vee Tire Co Baldy cut-slick that copes with most surfaces.
An aluminium frame is matched to a carbon fork and fixing points on the seat stays mean you can fit mudguards and a rack, and as with all Mango bikes the looks are clean and cool, with a choice of funky colours.
Disc brakes are Shimano’s confidence-inspiring Avid stoppers, and the drivetrain is a mix of Shimano and FSA. Wheels are solid if not super-light WTB i19 rims.
If you want a fun road bike that will also take canal towpaths, gentle forest tracks and the odd light tour, the Point AR is a fun, affordable choice.
Oxford Bike Works Expedition Lite touring bike
£1599
the ‘lite’ in this bike’s name means built with a more affordable spec. This means a fully-loaded touring capable 44-32-22 triple Shimano crankset with a 9-speed cassette and solid Shimano V-brakes, as well as carefully chosen finishing kit for loaded touring.
But underneath all this carefully chosen kit you get the same hand-built Reynolds 525 frameset and hand-built wheels as on the company’s top range £2120 Expedition Bike.
The resulting ride is simply a joy, and the fact that it comes together so well is not just testament to the care with which the components have been matched and chosen but to the build quality and care.
In fact, that is where the value in the Expedition Lite really resides: every bike includes a bespoke speccing and fitting service that means you get a bike that doesn’t just fit you but your planned adventure.
Santos Travel Master 2.6 touring bike
£1725
Coming from the home of utility cycling, The Netherlands, the Santos Travel Master 2.6 is a no nonsense machine straight out the box. Santos reckon the standard aluminium frame and steel fork can carry up to 55kg of luggage – and if you want more than that they think you need a serious word in your ear.
With clearance for up to 60mm tyres you should be able to keep the road buzz to a minimum but, if you want a smoother ride, Santos have tweaked the geometry to allow suspension forks. Which all adds up to a very comfortable and capable long distance touring bike.
Finally, if you are so inclined, you can also get the Travel Master 2.6 with added zing – they also come with the Swiss GO e-bike motor as an option. In fact your only problem might be choosing between the myriad of options available, then there is the problem of which of the 29 colours and 50 logo colours to finish it all with...
