Co-op Cycles  ADV 1.1 Bike

I have been riding pretty seriously for 12 years and am interested in touring. I have my first week long tour coming up and have been looking touring bikes for several months. I have looked at a Trek 520 and 920. A Trek Crossrip 3, a Fuji Touring bike , a Salsa Marrakesh, and Surly Long Haul trucker. I picked the ADV 1.1 because it essentially incorporates the same components as most if it competitors and has an attractive price. So far I've ridden on 50 mile rides and love it. I is responsive and comfortable. It easy to service and appears to be a quality build.

I've been in the market for a commuter/touring for a few years now and finally settled on the ADV 1.1 This bike makes sense for a number of reasons, as described by others. Since the purchase, I've been on a few 40 mile excursions and found the set up comfortable and a joy. The steel frame makes for a nice ride, even over a bumpy urban terrain. With as many gears as it has, climbing hills or coasting down straightaways is easy on the legs. I've even found the rear bike rack useful. Additionally, the price point and lead mechanic at the Troy Store, made this an easy buy.

So far a good 10 hours on the saddle, full back panniers and tent on the rack. The Deore components are solid, along with the Schwalbe Marathon tires. Only concern is the store rep. sold me a medium, and in retrospect and looking at the spec sheet here I might be a large at 5'10". I'll continue to update as the months roll by, and will probably be purchasing another for my wife in 7-8 months if the outlook is strong.

I have the 2014 Novara Randonee. I was happy to see that REI has continued to carry this bike under the new name. It is the most comfortable and stable bike I have ever ridden. I purchased the ADV 1.1 bike for my girlfriend and am pleased that she feels the same way. This bike will typically be compared with other mid-range touring bikes such as the Trek 520 and the Surly LHT. My girlfriend was previously riding a Salsa Vaya. I would recommend that you not overlook this bike just because it lacks the brand pedigree of a Surly, Trek, or Salsa. This is a highly under-rated touring bike with comparable specs. We find the geometry of this bike more comfortable than the other three models mentioned. It has a shorter effective top tube and longer head tube, providing a more upright riding position with less reach. I guess that this more relaxed geometry comes at the expense of a more aero-dynamic bike. Fine with us as it is not a bike for racing anyway. It is THE bike for long days in the saddle. We both have Brooks saddles on these bikes. I can ride all day long, day after day on trips such as RAGBRAI, or loaded touring, and I always look forward to getting back on this bike. The stability and comfort make this bike a keeper for life. So glad my girlfriend can now experience what I have been the past 3 years.

I bike from Minnesota to California with this bike, and it was great. Fast, light, solid components, and perfect for hills (30 gears). I had no flat tires and after more than 1900 hundred miles all the components are still in good shape

I have had the bike for only a month, and not used it for road touring yet, but I have been riding it on a smooth dirt/gravel path, and it performs very well. The seat is fine; no replacement needed. The reach to the handlebar is fairly short, so it is comfortable on my back, neck and shoulders. I am 6 ' 1" and got the extra-large. I don't have a lot of clearance over the top bar, so I would not use it for serious trails. I like the understated grey color. It is cheap compared to the competition. Looking forward to my first road tour on it later this year!

Sheri - you don't need disc breaks. I have ridden in the worst possible downpours in the mountains and have never ever been unable to stop or slow the bike with regular brakes. I think they are a marketing gimmick and make repairs and adjustments way.more expensive. Be happy with your Randonee. You're not missing anything.

After 15 years and 18,000 miles on my old 2002 Fuji Touring, I decided it was time for a new bike. Almost all of the miles I put on a bike are from commuting in town. Touring bikes are good for commuting mainly because of the longer wheel base and bigger tires. I've logged 1558 miles on the Co-op ADV 1.1 during the past 12 months. It has performed very well. Except for having to have the break lever band tightened, there have been no issues. Every couple of months I'll put the bike on the rack, give it a good scrubbing, re-lube the chain and do any minor adjustments if necessary. I also check the spoke tension. Even though I don't tour, the bike gets a good workout on the Tucson city streets with its rough pavement. I anticipate this bike will also serve me well for the next 15 years.

This is the first bike I've ever spent a significant amount of money on and I'm incredibly impressed. I commute and and have also taken the bike on regular rides from 15-30 miles as well. It is comfortable & durable. I've had the bike for a year now and since I ride hills in SF every single day to get home- the only thing I've gone about repairing or replacing is the chain(I'm an athletically built male). Most of the stock components that would need to be replaced eventually are well over 50-60% intact. The only thing I could even suggest changing would be the bar end shifting system. I'm not entirely sure if my seat is high or not but my knees occasionally will bump the shifters. Not a big complaint but if you're aggressively riding hills you might experience this. Otherwise- AWESOME BIKE FOR THE PRICE.

Very disappointed that I can't upgrade my old beloved Novarra Randonee with a newer and improved REI touring bike with disc brakes. Since I am 5'1" these nice new Co-op bikes are too big for me. Please bring back the smaller sizes, I now have to look elsewhere. :(.