I haven’t posted up any bicycles lately, but Christmas is coming up so it’s about time.
What do you think of the Port Townsend from Raleigh?
Reynolds 520 butted cro-mo tubes should offer a smooth ride, while 9 speed Sora derailleurs with DuraAce bar end shifters, cantilever brakes, Tektro levers and Weimman box rims give reasonable performance while keeping the price under $1000 retail. Raleigh positions the Port Townsend as an entry level touring bike, but the fenders and front rack make this a nice commuter as well.
Raleigh offers some really nice mid range bikes that while I haven’t tested any, I’ve recommended them to people looking for something of that price range. I’d hesitate to call this one a touring bike, given that the wheelbase appears a little shorter than what most tourers are looking for (and that it doesn’t have racks), but I’m sure it could work fine, especially for light loads. Without looking at the details, it looks like a short top tube though, with a long stem, which is rather pointless and just causes toe-overlap. I’ve been admiring the tall stack stems (threadless with no spacers) for a little while now, but haven’t found one yet that would fit for my bike.
I’ve been eyeing the Port Townsend myself. Looks like a good value for functional, sporty, pretty well-equipped steel bike. The mini rack for a classic front handlebar bag is a nice touch. Appears to have eyelets for racks front and rear, but I agree with Andy that it’s probably not optimal for more than light touring. Like many well-intentioned OEM fenders seen these days, the front one on the PT is too short to deflect front wheel spray away from feet and drivetrain, though a long mudflap would help.