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

[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.

[ginny]

I just toured in Austria with my road bike (that has a triple). I consider myself very fit, and I walked her a few times. Those panniers make a huge difference. I would tour again on my bike if I had to, but the first thing I did when I got home was buy a real touring bike (also used for commuting and as a general 'townie').

Grog: for your trip, be sure to look into Lufthansa. When I flew, I was able to take my bike for free if I only checked one other piece of luggage. I was able to pick up a bike case on craig's list for less than half of what it cost new. Too bad you don't live closer, I would lend you mine...

[bikecanada]

Ginny, did you credit card tour? How long were you there for?
I am considering the triple right now, just because I might need it if I do load it up with a couple of panniers. However, it's not too hilly where I live. Do people go with compact cranks just because it looks better?

By the way, I was looking at the Giant bikes and there's a difference between the xs and small women's frames in top tube. Would a jump to 51cm from 52.5cm make a big difference? The shop I went to only has a small and would have to special order a xsmall (but then I have to put a payment down). I was thinking of the men's xsmall (ttube=51.5) but then I like the women's short reach shifters on the Avail1.
I am going to test the bikes again tomorrow and I will let you know if I like the Devinci that much more than the triple crank Giants

[Grog]

Grog: for your trip, be sure to look into Lufthansa. When I flew, I was able to take my bike for free if I only checked one other piece of luggage. I was able to pick up a bike case on craig's list for less than half of what it cost new. Too bad you don't live closer, I would lend you mine...

Thanks ginny, that's a kind would-have-been offer We're going to France from Canada with Air Canada, on points. (Actually I don't think Lufthansa flies to Canada because it's a member of the same alliance as Air Canada, and going to Frankfurt would be a significant detour!) We already have soft bike bags - for this trip hard cases are not an option because there would be nowhere to put them for us. We're going to roll them and try to convince a Paris friend to keep them at his place while we're out of town!