Novara Safari..opinions of ownership

[MVDan]

Just curious to know what opinions/experiences people have had with the Safari by Novara.
Has anyone used one also for just general riding such as training even charity event riding.

Thank you for your thoughts.

[TwoWheeledExplorer]

I have only had mine for three weeks and it has over 100 miles on it already. I love it! (Not quite as much as my Volpe, but close.) I have been using it for exercise, and may use it for a big ride at month's end. Only complaint so far is it's hard to find a front rack to fit over the disc brakes.

Stay tuned!
Hans

National Mountain Bike Patrol-MN
www.trailpatrol.org

[MVDan]

Thank you!!
The only other bike I'm seriously considering IS the Volpe.
I'm doing the Charity ride and training events. Like to get into light touring too.
Love to know your opinion of the pros and cons of each. like the trekking bar on the Safari. Do you like it, dislike it, etc.
Ride quality, comfort, etc..anything you can tell me to contrast those two bikes will be VERY much appreciated.
Thanks so much.

Dan

[roadrunner]

I've had a Safari for a couple of years and, like Trailpatrol, love it.  I used it on a 1,200 mile self-supported tour of about half pavement/half trails this past fall; it performed wonderfully.  It's also great for general riding.  The treking bar look a bit goofy, and I had to add a stem-riser to get it high enough for a comfortable riding position, but it's very comfortable for riding.  It provides a half-dozen hand positions, including a semi-aero mode with forearms on the back part of the bar.  The small Cannondale handlebar bag fits on the bar (by slightly flexing the sides of the bag).  I like the treking bar so much, I'm considering putting one on my BLT.

[TwoWheeledExplorer]

I did ride the Safari on that 31 mile ride, the MN Ironman Bike Ride, with my medic bag on the back. It is fast, agile and very comfortable. The gearing is great on hills and I scored a new personal fastest ever time (35.7 MPH downhill) with it. I kind of switch back and forth between the Safari and the Volpe now...can't really say which I like best. They are both really great bikes!

Ride safe,
Hans

[Scovilleater]

Unlike most other things, I must respectfully disagree with Hans on one point.
I picked the Safari for touring partially because of its stability. I would not use the word agile. Maybe the geometry has changed a bit, but my 2012 Safari is as nimble as a pregnate cow. Hence I have been quite happy to take the mighty "Brown Bess" anywhere. On road or off, uphill or down, fully loaded or not, she is by far the most reliable bike I own.

The moment you're born you start dying, so you might as well have fun. - Cake

[TwoWheeledExplorer]

The geometry changed substantially with the 2009 model. Anyhow, I sold mine to make room for a new mountain bike...and keep my place in the bedroom.

Ride safe,
Hans

[Itinerant Harper]

I had a Safari for years (proof here: Safari Gallery) and while in the main I think it's a pretty great bicycle I had some issues with it. Of course mine was so old that some of these issues might have been resolved. There were basically three primary problems I had with it. One it's hard to get a real good fit on it. Mine was probably a size too small, but I think I would have been to stretched out when in the "hooks" with the next size up.  Like others I also had to use a stem riser to get the bars higher and could have gone with them being even higher.  The next issue for me was that I really came to dislike the twist shifters.  I looked around for other options and I think I could have gotten thumb shifters working, so that is an option. For the record I came to dislike grip shifters while on a tour in the San Juan and Gulf Islands where it rained for 9 days in a row. I found my hands constantly slipped on the grip shifters in this scenario which on the super steep hills in these islands is a serious downside.  I also came to not like that the brakes are on the most upright position on the trekking bars.  I found this somewhat unstable when you'd be braking at speed under load. It'd be better if they were on the "hooks" which perhaps you could do. Finally I came to not really like the aluminum frame. It does indeed have that brittleness that so many have noted and I certainly prefer steel.

So anyway I think if one was going to check one out definitely try going at least a size up from what REI will put you on. I probably could have worked around all the issue with the h'bars but the fit was in the end a deal breaker for me. I'm just not entirely sure that most people can dial in a perfect fit on that frames limited sizes.