Ready for your next adventure? The TX-800 is a lifetime, investment-grade touring bike made for the longest tours or a comfortable overnight. Whether riding from Capetown to Cairo or St Johns to Victoria, the TX-800 is at home on pavement, gravel, and the roughest of roads. Lock the front door, load up your panniers and we'll see you in a day, a month, or a year!
The Fahrradmanufaktur TX-800 is the true evolution of the touring bike. Whereas in North America the touring bike has been a low-iteration boom-and-bust artifact, the European market has seen steady growth; and with this, steady maturation. Perhaps the biggest evidence is lack of drop bars. North American touring bikes use drop bars to offer multiple hand positions - important when you're riding all day. But drop handlebars require that you 'drop' your position, great for racing bikes but not necessary for touring. European touring bikes provide multi-position on a horizontal plane rather than a vertical plane; this makes all the difference.
The TX-800 is a masterclass of geometry and parts. The long wheelbase displaces weight over a longer footprint, providing stability, and the seat and head angles prioritize comfort, control and efficiency. The top-of-the-line Shimano XT drivetrain is incredibly durable has a massive 579% gear range, letting you power fully-loaded up the steepest grades. The Shimano XT hydraulic disc brakes will slow and stop on the steepest hills on the rainiest days. Add the low-drag SP hub and super-bright 70 LUX Busch & Muller dynamo lights and you're safe those nights you arrive late (great safety as daytime running lights too). Finally, the Tubus racks - an absolute cult-like brand in the touring world - rounds out the TX-800 to a touring bike near perfection.
- Questions? Book a sales consultation with one of our Touring Bike experts
- Touring frame designed for your next big adventure
- Double butted Cromoly Steel frame is strong, lightweight and comfortable
- Full Shimano XT drivetrain with massive gear range
- Low maintenance and powerful Shimano XT hydraulic disc brakes
- Full suite of Tubus touring racks - made in Germany
- Top-end Busch & Muller lighting with 70LUX output
- Low drag and lightweight Shutter Precision dynamo hub
- Unbreakable, lightweight ChromoPlastic SKS fenders
- Ergon GP3 Multi-position grips
- Super comfy Selle Royale Seta Performa saddle - made in Italy
- Strong and lightweight double walled rims
- Schwalbe Marathon Mondial tires are fast AND puncture-resistant
- Strong side mount kick stand - made in Switzerland
- Weight: 30.6 lb
FAHRRADMANUFAKTUR TX-800 ROADSTER | |
---|---|
FRAME | 25 CrMo 4, double-butted - Powdercoated |
FORK | 25 CrMo 4, double-butted - Powdercoated |
HEADSET | Ritchey Comp Logic V2, 1-1/8” |
STEM | Ergotec Piranha 2 - 31.8 mm - made in Germany |
HANDLEBAR | Ergotec Trekking 31.8 mm - made in Germany |
GRIPS | Ergon GP3 Multiposition - made in Germany |
SEATPOST | Humpert Skalar - Made in Germany |
SEAT | Selle Royal Scientia - Made in Italy |
BRAKES | Shimano Deore XT (180 mm) Disc brake |
BRAKE LEVERS | Shimano Deore XT, 3-Finger |
SHIFTER | Shimano Deore XT |
FRONT HUB | Shutter Precision PL-8 Dynamo |
REAR HUB | Shimano Deore XT |
SPOKES | ED 2.34 (13G) Stainless Steel, 36 Spokes |
RIMS | Schürmann YAK19 Double Walled - Made in Germany |
TIRES | Schwalbe Marathon Mondial, 47-622 |
BOTTOM BRACKET | Shimano Hollowtech II |
DERAILLEURS | Shimano XT (front and rear) |
CRANKS | Shimano Deore XT, 170 mm, HT2, 48/36/26 tooth |
CHAIN | Shimano HG-54 |
COGSET | Shimano Deore XT, 11-36 tooth |
PEDALS | VP196 Trekking 9/16 |
KICKSTAND | Pletscher Comp - made in Switzerland |
FRONT LIGHT | Busch&Muller Lumotec IQ-XS, 70 LUX - made in Germany |
REAR LIGHT | Busch&Muller Line LED - made in Germany |
REAR RACK | Tubus Logo Evo - made in Germany |
FRONT RACK | Tubus Tara Lowrider - made in Germany |
FENDERS |
SKS ChromoPlastic - made in Germany |
CHAIN GUARD | N/A |
FAHRRADMANUFAKTUR TX-800 ROADSTER |
FROM | TO |
---|---|---|
52CM | 5' 6" | 5' 9" |
57CM | 5' 9" | 6' 1" |
62CM | 6' 1" | 6' 5" |
How is a Fahrradmanufaktur different from other touring bikes?
Great question! The difference is really between North American touring bikes and European touring bikes. European touring bikes have not been subject to the same boom-and-bust cycles as the North American touring bike and have thus evolved much more carefully. Whereas North American touring bikes today try to offset the problem of drop bars using frame geometry (higher head tubes), European touring bikes realized the problem was the drop handlebar, never the frame. By recognizing that multi-position bars needn't entail a vertical drop, European touring bikes provide multi-positions across a much more comfortable horizontal plane. The other big difference between North American touring bikes and European touring bikes might be described as "trust in technology." North American touring bikes often dumb the bike down in fear that parts will fail. This provides less safety and less ergonomics, as well as an arguably false sense of confidence. European parts tend to go through much higher testing protocols, and that's why its not uncommon to see a European tourist, riding on their third continent, confidently using gearbox systems like Pinion, hydraulic rim or disc brakes, or legendary unbreakable hubs like the Rohloff Speedhub.
What’s the difference between a brand like Fahrradmanufaktur and others you carry?
We’re just going to say it: Fahrradmanufaktur are the best touring bike we’ve ever seen. Sure, it may not be as pretty as an Achielle, but it still beautiful, perhaps functionally so. And yeah, it’s functional. The frame is a rust-proof, strong and very lightweight aluminum – which is a bit disruptive to the traditional world of steel city bikes (but that’s just the point). The geometry is upright but still sporty enough to multitask city riding and longer weekend adventures. The parts are made in Europe and best-in-class: chaincovers from Hebie (Germany), kickstands from Pletscher (Switzerland), racks from Racktime (Germany), fenders from SKS (Germany), grips from Herrmans (Finland) and lights from Axa (Netherlands), Herrmans (Finland) and Busch & Muller (Germany). Durable for all weather, light enough to bring inside, great for the city, and great to bring up to the cottage too. Best of all, the prices are more than reasonable.
What does Fahrradmanufaktur mean?
It means “bike manufacturer,” because all of their bikes are literally made in Oldenburg, Germany. The company started by a group of urban retailers who were seeing the same increase in city cycling that we’ve seen here in North America, but weren’t seeing great options from the German bike industry – which is largely focused on recreational riding – or the Dutch and Scandinavian markets – which continue to produce heavier bikes for short-burst city commutes. Like North American brands like Simcoe, Fahrradmanufaktur took matters into their own hands, but unlike Simcoe, they had access to a wide breadth of well-designed European parts from purpose-built kickstands to lights to racks. Their bikes are almost… perfect.
What is dynamo lighting?
Cars come with lights and so should a city bike. Dynamo lightsets are an integrated system that generates electricity from the hub and blasts this into a bolted-on, theft-resistant light that projects more power than most battery systems so that you can see and be seen. Unlike the old days where the dynamo rubbed against the tire (slowing you down) the new systems are part of the front hub and are very low friction as well as very low maintenance. Most of the dynamo sets we carry feature a “standlight,” or capacitor which means they produce and store energy so that when you’re stopped the lights keep going.
How strong are the wheels and will I get a lot of punctures?
The Fahrradmanufaktur Touring bikes take wheels very very seriously. There's nothing worse than a broken spoke in the middle of a tour, and Fahrradmanufaktur bikes all use more spokes (36 spokes as opposed to the standard 32), that are uncommonly thick at 13g (most spokes are a much thinner 14g). These are laced to heat-treated, made-in-Germany Exal double-walled rims and hubs that are always brand-name and highly serviceable (that way, in case things do go wrong, your wheels remain serviceable, not disposable).
How do I ensure my new bike won’t get stolen?
Research shows that very few bicycle thefts are related to a bicycles value and are best defined as low-risk/low-return. A good bicycle lock is expensive to break through and takes time, thus increasing the risk and lowering the return. Estimates are that over 90% of bicycle theft is tied to cash-for-drugs and that makes every bike a target. Make sure you buy a good Abus U-lock or a chain and you’ll be fine. You can read more about bike theft here.
What’s the warranty?
Ten year warranty for manufactures defects on frame and fork, one year on parts. Does not include wear and tear.