I want to try bikepacking / touring for the first time this summer. I have been looking around online at new bikes and at secondhand ones and found this Cinelli Hobootleg secondhand for 800 euros (roughly 834 dollars). It’s 4 years old and the person selling says the bike could do with a little check-up.
So what I need from the bike: since I am a beginner I don’t see myself doing anything too crazy with it. I also live in Flanders in Belgium which is just superflat. My first few trips would be across Flanders going towards Germany, Netherlands and France. I would try and camp along the trip.
I would also like to be able to use this bike in my daily life to run errands and some more casual cycling. Is it suitable for that or is it really meant for more long-haul slower paced cycling?
I am a complete beginner at this and don’t have much of a clue about specs and brands so any advice would be greatly appreciated.
The bike I initially had my heart set on is a Kona Sutra or a Kona Rover but those are quite a bit more expensive and hard to find secondhand in my size (xs/s) and I do love the look of the Cinelli a lot too.
Maybe good to know: I’m only 5’2″ tall and not experienced with long distance as of now.
Thanks!!
Velocidal_Tendencies on
I was about to type out a huge response to this, but I figured Id just drop a link to the people who do it all the time: [bikepacking.com](http://bikepacking.com) Bikepacking 101 should point you in the right direction.
I started doing overnighters with the bike shop I work at three years ago and its been so very cool, almost everyone who has come had never bikecamped before. Its been a fun experience, not without its hitches but great learning moments.
The whole point is to have fun, so go have fun!
Terrible-Schedule-89 on
The Hobootleg is a proper touring machine, quite similar to the Sutra, and you should have no problems with it. Enjoy!
makerspark on
I’d pick something more modern. I’ve just been traveling with someone who had the cinelli, and it’s not a bad bike, but it’s heavy and basic. I’d assume as a shorter person, you’re probably pretty light, and that bike might be heavier duty than you’d need.
That bike is a touring bike, and a dedicated bike packing bike would likely cost more, but you should be able to find a disc brake gravel with an aluminum frame within your budget. Look for something with lower gearing (under 20 gear inches), tubeless compatible wheels and clearance for a 45mm tire would be a good start.
babysharkdoodood on
There’s nothing inherently wrong with the bike, it should do everything you want it to do. If you’re new to bikepacking and cycling in general it doesn’t hurt to get a cheap bike that you can learn on as well, however as mentioned by others a more modern one might be better suited for you in the future, ex. Disc brakes, wider tires, etc. what you need now is a bike that fits you and you need to find out if this is a hobby you’ll enjoy enough to invest more into.
johnmflores on
I just sold that very same bike to a young guy that’s hoping to do the Empire State Trail – a canal towpath and gravel trail – next year. The Hobootleg will be perfect for that trip. It handles fine when carrying a load and is pretty fun for a touring bike. There are several things that make it feel older than current bikes:
1 – 3×9 drivetrain. Most modern bikes use a simpler 1×10/11/12 drivetrain but a 3×9 drivetrain is proven, reliable, and easily maintained/repaired
2 – Space for tires. The Hobootleg comes with 700x38c tires, which is good for road and grave but a little narrow for rougher trails. You can probably put 40c on the rear but newer bikes support up to 50c. This is only an issue for rougher, more technical trails.
3 – Cantilever brakes. Modern bikes have disks. The cantilevers on the Hobootleg are fine if they are properly adjusted. They won’t be as good as disks in the rain.
Now here’s the thing – I’ve done all the things that this bike is not supposed to be good at – down steep hills in the rain, on rough singletrack trails, etc. You can do it but you won’t be as fast or comfortable as you might be on a newer bike. But you have to spend within your budget, right, and the colorway of the Hobootleg is awesome – I love the multi-color cable housing.
For a beginner like yourself, the Hobootleg is great. Use the money you save on a nice trip or a nice set of bags to get you started. Good luck.
6 Comments
Hi everyone!
I want to try bikepacking / touring for the first time this summer. I have been looking around online at new bikes and at secondhand ones and found this Cinelli Hobootleg secondhand for 800 euros (roughly 834 dollars). It’s 4 years old and the person selling says the bike could do with a little check-up.
So what I need from the bike: since I am a beginner I don’t see myself doing anything too crazy with it. I also live in Flanders in Belgium which is just superflat. My first few trips would be across Flanders going towards Germany, Netherlands and France. I would try and camp along the trip.
I would also like to be able to use this bike in my daily life to run errands and some more casual cycling. Is it suitable for that or is it really meant for more long-haul slower paced cycling?
I am a complete beginner at this and don’t have much of a clue about specs and brands so any advice would be greatly appreciated.
The bike I initially had my heart set on is a Kona Sutra or a Kona Rover but those are quite a bit more expensive and hard to find secondhand in my size (xs/s) and I do love the look of the Cinelli a lot too.
Maybe good to know: I’m only 5’2″ tall and not experienced with long distance as of now.
Thanks!!
I was about to type out a huge response to this, but I figured Id just drop a link to the people who do it all the time: [bikepacking.com](http://bikepacking.com) Bikepacking 101 should point you in the right direction.
I started doing overnighters with the bike shop I work at three years ago and its been so very cool, almost everyone who has come had never bikecamped before. Its been a fun experience, not without its hitches but great learning moments.
The whole point is to have fun, so go have fun!
The Hobootleg is a proper touring machine, quite similar to the Sutra, and you should have no problems with it. Enjoy!
I’d pick something more modern. I’ve just been traveling with someone who had the cinelli, and it’s not a bad bike, but it’s heavy and basic. I’d assume as a shorter person, you’re probably pretty light, and that bike might be heavier duty than you’d need.
That bike is a touring bike, and a dedicated bike packing bike would likely cost more, but you should be able to find a disc brake gravel with an aluminum frame within your budget. Look for something with lower gearing (under 20 gear inches), tubeless compatible wheels and clearance for a 45mm tire would be a good start.
There’s nothing inherently wrong with the bike, it should do everything you want it to do. If you’re new to bikepacking and cycling in general it doesn’t hurt to get a cheap bike that you can learn on as well, however as mentioned by others a more modern one might be better suited for you in the future, ex. Disc brakes, wider tires, etc. what you need now is a bike that fits you and you need to find out if this is a hobby you’ll enjoy enough to invest more into.
I just sold that very same bike to a young guy that’s hoping to do the Empire State Trail – a canal towpath and gravel trail – next year. The Hobootleg will be perfect for that trip. It handles fine when carrying a load and is pretty fun for a touring bike. There are several things that make it feel older than current bikes:
1 – 3×9 drivetrain. Most modern bikes use a simpler 1×10/11/12 drivetrain but a 3×9 drivetrain is proven, reliable, and easily maintained/repaired
2 – Space for tires. The Hobootleg comes with 700x38c tires, which is good for road and grave but a little narrow for rougher trails. You can probably put 40c on the rear but newer bikes support up to 50c. This is only an issue for rougher, more technical trails.
3 – Cantilever brakes. Modern bikes have disks. The cantilevers on the Hobootleg are fine if they are properly adjusted. They won’t be as good as disks in the rain.
Now here’s the thing – I’ve done all the things that this bike is not supposed to be good at – down steep hills in the rain, on rough singletrack trails, etc. You can do it but you won’t be as fast or comfortable as you might be on a newer bike. But you have to spend within your budget, right, and the colorway of the Hobootleg is awesome – I love the multi-color cable housing.
For a beginner like yourself, the Hobootleg is great. Use the money you save on a nice trip or a nice set of bags to get you started. Good luck.