Choosing the right touring bike wasn’t easy. After hours of research, and countless discussions we ended up buying something completely different from what we expected. Two Avaghon steel touring bicycles, ready to hit some sturdy roads.

How to choose a Touring bicycle

When you say touring bike, most people think of Surly and their disc trucker. Surly makes cool bikes, but was not very easily available in our area. As the bike motion was coming up, a huge annual bike fair, we decided to shop around a bit more. We took a look at the Kona Sutra and the Salsa Marrakesh, Santos, Specialized and Bombtrack. All the different brands and their bikes were making our heads spin.

Avaghon touring bicycle

So we promised to stop by the shop in Rotterdam where we could take a test spin on the Avaghons. It’s a fairly unknown brand which they make themselves.

We looked at the Avaghon Racert and the X29, their most recent models. Especially the X29 felt like an incredible smooth ride. The frame geometry leans towards a 29-er mountain bike and it has great tire clearance.

Avaghon X29

The other model we tested is a more traditional touring bike, the Avaghon S28. A neat bicycle that responds fast and still provides a sturdy ride.

Avaghon S28

Support your local bike shop

The crew at Bike4travel helped us tremendously, and it was great to have them close by for any last minute services on the bike. It’s also nice to know the people who made the bike, especially considering they built it from their extensive personal touring experience. So if you’re in the market for a new bike, go check out your local quality bike shop. That personal service can’t be found online.

A detailed look at our new Avaghon’s