Malawi................Best bike ??

[Mad Mitch]

Advise please guys. No bike at the mo but am riding next year in a charity challenge in Africa. A mixture of some tamac/dirt tracks plus a couple of days on mountain tracks.............I am having conflicting reports.I obviously want to train on the bike i will be taking ( The ride is approx 450km over 7 riding days.) So. Hybrid or mountain bike???? plus suggestions on makes. Cheers. Oh and within reason budget isnt a huge issue.

Steve.

[vteclimey]

tarmac is likely to be potholed in places so you need something tough.

unless there has been rain, dirt tracks are likely to be very firm. if there has been rain, mud could be a very real challenge.

I would suggest a hybrid is the best bet.

However: I have just checked with my brother who is much more of a cyclist than myself and he was without question a mountain bike recomender. His reasoning was that mountain bike derailers tend to be much more robust than hybrids.

So I guess thats your answer then :-)

[Sarkmeister]

If the dirt tracks arent too bad I'd go for a cyclocross bike, something like the following:

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/specialized/tr...

They generally have thicker tyres, and are a bit sturdy.

[Mad Mitch]

Cheers so far guys..........I guessed that the mountain bike would be deemed tougher and in some respects it would be my choice. On a negative would a more road orientated bike be better for training on roads at home ??..... The Hybrid seems a good option as does the cyclcross which i had never thought about....mmmm, decisions decisions ??

[WildCards]

Look for a Mark Beaumont-esque touchened road bike with an Rohloff hub or similiar. Pricey but when reliablity is needed it makes sense.

[anonymous-user]

definately a mtb. cyclocross bike would die a slow and horrible death.

[Bonefish Blues]

Mad Mitch said:

Advise please guys. No bike at the mo but am riding next year in a charity challenge in Africa. A mixture of some tamac/dirt tracks plus a couple of days on mountain tracks.............I am having conflicting reports.I obviously want to train on the bike i will be taking ( The ride is approx 450km over 7 riding days.) So. Hybrid or mountain bike???? plus suggestions on makes. Cheers. Oh and within reason budget isnt a huge issue.

Steve.

Have a word with the guys at Thorn Cycles in Bridgewater - although their prices seem to have taken a hike due to recent exchange rates.

They're used to sending people around the world so this should be up their street. No affiliation BTW, just impressed with the integrity of their product.

[Incredible Sulk]

I haven't been to Malawi, but I have been to other places on the continent. Even tarmac roads are ste. I'd go for a cheap MTB, on the basis that it's probably going to get stolen..................

[vwsurfbum]

a decent 29er?

[Mad Mitch]

Thanks for the replies guys..... Just had e mail from the trip organiser in Malawi. He is adamant that a mountain bike is what is needed and he runs the trip so...........Hard tail mb 1k max.... What do you recomend please and where from.

Mitch.

[Incredible Sulk]

Mad Mitch said:

Thanks for the replies guys..... Just had e mail from the trip organiser in Malawi. He is adamant that a mountain bike is what is needed and he runs the trip so...........Hard tail mb 1k max.... What do you recomend please and where from.

Mitch.

I've just bought a Boardman Pro for £999.99. I'd recommend that, with the proviso that you need to find out what the spares situation is going to be. Reason I say that is the Boardman has discs. If anything went wrong with them in Africa, you might not be able to get bits, so something with V brakes might be better. Someone in an earlier reply suggested a 29er, and I'd say the same thing about those. You need to be sure that you will be able to get tyres, tubes, wheels, and anything else that is liable to get bust.

[Mr E]

MTB with semi-slicks I think.

Mad Mitch said:

Thanks for the replies guys..... Just had e mail from the trip organiser in Malawi. He is adamant that a mountain bike is what is needed and he runs the trip so...........Hard tail mb 1k max.... What do you recomend please and where from.

Mitch.

Not a lot wrong with an Orange P7 - although a Boardman is probably better value.