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

[bikecanada]

I am looking at this bike to use as a road bike/light touring perhaps. It has ultegra rear derailleurs, tiagra in the front, cassette is HG50 9s 13-25T, crankset= FSA vero Powerdrive 50/34T, tiagra front and back shifters, tektro r310 duaal pivot with adjustable angle brakes.
I would probably be carrying 20lbs if I was to go touring on it, and it has eyelets. Would it be okay though in the mountains with 20lbs attached (the cassette)?

Or should I spend a bit more and get the Silverstone Sl4?


Thanks!

[Grog]

It really depends on the size of the mountain and the size of the engine (your ability as a climber). And are you really going to be just carrying 20 lbs?

If you're going to have any kind of long climbs (more than a few kilometers), in my humble opinion, you should get a triple chainring (AND a cassette that goes to 27). I consider myself a decent climber and I really like to have my triple when I go climb hills in North Vancouver (the Cypress hill climb is 11 km long but I use the triple a lot more than just there). Your legs and especially your knees will thank you for being able to spin, especially on multi-day trips.

[bikecanada]

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.

[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!