Would the Devinci Silverstone Sl 3 be an okay touring bike (credit card touring)?

[Grog]

So would the silverstone 4 be adequate for longer hills? It has shimano 105 5600 10 speed 12-25t for a cassette and crankset is fsa gossamer mega exo 50/34t.

I hope it doesn't sound rude, but being "adequate for longer hills" doesn't have very much to do with the make and model of the bike or the luxuriousness of the componentry (105 in this case), and your question cannot be answered by a yes or no.

It has everything to do with:
1) The type of hill (what is a "long hill" for me might not be one for you and vice versa), i.e. how long and how steep;
2) The engine (YOU, your strength, relative to the load you're going to be carrying, how comfortable you are on hills, your experience)
3) The gearing (in this case the 12-25 cassette and the 50/34 chainring).

In my previous message, I suggested you get a triple chainring (so NOT a compact double 50/34) and a cassette that goes up to 27 (not a 12-25) in the back. That is based on what I would do if I was going to go touring on a road bike. I consider myself fairly fit and a pretty good hill climber, and I carry no extra weight on my body (and rarely any weight on my road bike). But I like to spin. And I know that over many days one can be hurt by having to pedal gears too big.

I know a few people that do with a compact double (such as the 50/34 you mention) for long climbs (crossing of the Alps, without any luggage) but they are all men and also pretty strong cyclists.

So, to try to answer your question: is it adequate for long hills?

IF:
- you are very fit, and can keep up with the strongest men on 5 km + hills (5% grade and more), and have knees of steel, and will not go on trips of more than 3-5 days, and will never ever carry more than 15-20 pounds (including the rack, the weight of the panniers, and the content of the panniers), then it is possible that the components on that bike will be adequate.

- you are reasonably fit but not necessarily capable of leaving the strong men in the dust, and there is a remote possibility that you will carry more than 20 lbs of weight and go for more than three days, then I would recommend that you get a bike with a triple chainring (50/40/30 sort of thing) and a cassette that goes to at least 27 in the back.

Of course this is also relative to the other uses you intend to make of that bike. If you want to do only one touring trip a year and want to race the rest of the time, the triple would be inadequate.

**

If this sounds jibberish jargon to you, perhaps you should visit the late and revered Sheldon Brown's web site for further information before you buy the bike (this section will get you started: http://sheldonbrown.com/gearing/index.html). The chainring and cassette are not parts that are inexpensively changed on bikes (especially the cranks and chainrings) so it's important to make an informed decision... I am giving you some advice here but you should really be making your own mind. Also note that men in bike shops sometimes tend to sell women bikes with too big gears (a regular double, such as a 52/39, and a 11-23 cassette), so informing yourself will be a good way to make a better decision and one that you will not regret. But of course every bike one buys is a learning experience...

[buddha_bellies]

I agree with Grog. I just got my road bike with a compact a few months back. The compact crank might be good if you're going up some shorter hills. But I am having problems going on longer hills. And that's me and my bike! No packs or racks. And I like to think I'm a pretty good at hills since I live in Vancouver and have been commuting on my mtn. bike for the last 12 odd years. But I do wish that I have a triple sometimes just so I can keep up with the boys on those long rides. I can't spin up the hill with the lowest gear (34 front and 28 back). So imagine if you have weight too.

One thing you might want is to try out a triple and a compact with some extra weight (backpack??). Try some hills (long and gentle and some short and steep). See which one you think you would like more.

Good Luck! Let us know what you end up getting.

[Grog]

Just to make sure things are clear:

Crank sets / Chaingings for road bikes
Compact double = 50/34 or similar (can be 50/35, for example)
Regular double = 52/39 or similar (can be 53/40 but I can't imagine the uses for that!)
Regular road triple = something like 50/40/30

For mountain bikes and hybrids all the numbers would be lower.

Touring bikes usually have a triple, and sometimes even a "mountain-style" triple if it's for loaded touring on long distance. (Not applicable to you probably.)


Further information:
Weight of a pair of pretty average panniers, empty: 1.6 kg or about 3 pounds
Weight of a fairly light rack, NOT heavy-duty: 500 g or about 1 pound



Yes, please keep us posted about what you end up doing!

[bikecanada]

Okay. Thanks for information. It should help a lot! I've been also looking at the 09 Giants (Defy), because that has a triple I believe on it. I was just looking at the Devinci too because it's the 08 and marked down...but I guess it might not work as well if I want to do some light touring with it later on.

[bikecanada]

But I don't see myself touring with it a lot. I actually would like to do a tour in Europe, in Tuscany Italy, in a couple of years, and that's the only one that I am planning to do.

[Grog]

But I don't see myself touring with it a lot. I actually would like to do a tour in Europe, in Tuscany Italy, in a couple of years, and that's the only one that I am planning to do.

My sweet partner and I are going to go ride in the Alps next summer, and we're taking our own bikes, but we're also going to have a car. Neither of us has a bike that's appropriate for touring, in my opinion. (He has a carbon fiber racing Trek and I have a small road bike on which I doubt I could fit a rack and panniers anyway.) All I will be carrying on the bike is a Carradice Nelson saddle bag (7 litres capacity) for a light lunch, downhill clothes, and tools. I have a triple and expect to need all the lower gears.

Think hard before rejecting the Silverstone, especially if it fits you well: if your touring plans are only very distant and foggy, you might be better off with a bike that will fit your needs right now.

[bikecanada]

Okay. Thanks for the advice. I guess I could also upgrade the bike to a triple later on. However, the Silverstone is only $150 or so less than the Giant Defy 1 or WSD Avail 1, which has pretty similar components. So I'm not sure which bike to go with yet... but your info definitely helps!
I heard the alps are definitely harder than Tuscany to ride. It sounds like a lot of fun though! My husband and I want to do a tour of Tuscany, but I think it'll be a couple of years because of school right now.