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1  Forums / Question and Answer / Re: Where to buy a bike in Europe? (Amsterdam) on: June 10, 2016, 02:39:47 PM
Here's a quick update on this thread.  To make a long story short, Amsterdam is a difficult place to shop for a good bikepacking bike on a budget.  This is a quick list of some of the bike shops I visited:

De Vakantiefietser
Kaptein Tweewielers
Cor Mantel 2wielers
Beterfietsen
Fietspiraat
Tromm Tweewielers
Lohman Fietsspecialisten
Giant Store (Hans Struijk Fietsen)

Among these, De Vakantiefietser was the most well equipped for bikepacking bikes and equipment.  However, they do not offer any second hand bikes, and their cheapest bikes start at around 2000 euros (including a Salsa Fargo for 1899 euros).  They carry all kinds of camping equipment, and even stock Revelate bikepacking bags.  However, the Revelate frame bag I wished to purchase cost 230 euros, which I found hard to accept given the bags sell for 160 USD on Revelate's website.

Tromm Tweewielers had a large selection of new and used bikes with a variety of prices, and seemed to be the most friendly and professional bike shop I visited.

In the end, I ended up buying the Giant Toughroad SLR 2 new from the Giant store.  It was the only bike I could find under 1000 euros with fully rigid frame/fork, which is what I wanted for my long distance on/off road travel.

I found some decent looking options on marktplaats, and looked at one bike from there, but many of the best looking bikes posted were located outside Amsterdam and would have taken too much time for visits.

Thanks for everyone's help and advice!
2  Forums / Question and Answer / Re: Where to buy a bike in Europe? on: May 27, 2016, 08:52:41 AM
Great advice, thanks so much!   I will definitely try these Smiley


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3  Forums / Question and Answer / Re: Where to buy a bike in Europe? on: May 25, 2016, 10:30:29 AM
Excellent!  I will definitely try to visit this store.  But I notice their bikes start at around 1500 euros. 

Are there any good places to find something secondhand?


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4  Forums / Question and Answer / Re: Where to buy a bike in Europe? on: May 25, 2016, 03:41:38 AM
Ok, I have booked my ticket and will be flying to Amsterdam in a few days.

Does anyone have advice on where to find a good bikepacking bike in Amsterdam?

I can consider both new and used, but need something solid and comfortable as I plan to tour much of the continent with it.




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5  Forums / Question and Answer / Re: Where to buy a bike in Europe? on: May 16, 2016, 07:16:10 AM
Thanks for the encouraging reply!
6  Forums / Question and Answer / Where to buy a bike in Europe? on: May 16, 2016, 12:57:08 AM
I will be flying from Bangkok to Europe in early-mid June to begin an open ended bikepacking tour of the continent.  I will need to buy a bike when I arrive, and I hope to get something nice secondhand.  The cheapest tickets from Bangkok to Europe are to Cologne, Germany.  Will I be able to find a good bikepacking bike there?

From my online research it seems that salsa and surly are the best.  Will I be able to find these or a good European alternative in Cologne?  Or is it worthwhile to fly into another city such as London where there might be more options?

Any advice on this will be greatly appreciated!
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