if you were building a commuter bike...

Lumen

lennymc wrote: »

they don't seem to have eyelets.

Ah. I also found a <$1000 Titanium frame with DT bosses. I'm just putting it here for posterity.

http://www.habcycles.com/teamissue.html

G rock

lennymc wrote: »

cantis would be fine. I think I haven't seen oldbean's velo orange.

It's In the images of beauty thread, looks well but probably not aggressive enough for you!

lennymc

oldbean's velo orange is lovely.

OldBean

This is her..



It does have canti's, but it can take callipers too - The redundant rear socket might look a little odd, but hey. There's eyelets for everything, Velo Orange make their frames to be custom built to suit whatever the rider might need, from lightweight single speeds, 8 speed alfines and 27 gear tourers, based over 3 (Soon to be 4) frames.

Canti's themselves need a bit more setting up, but work well when they are (And maintained!).

The Pass Hunter frames are really nicely built, responsive, feels nice and fast but probably not that aggressive. But then, I don't have it set up to be very aggressive. Geometry isn't a million miles from the Bobbin Scout, but you'd be looking at spending twice the amount as the Scout.

If you're based in Dublin during the week and fancy a look, let me know.

Idleater

lennymc wrote: »

they don't seem to have eyelets.

My "other" race bike is the soma smoothie. Takes shallow drop callipers and full mudguards if you run 25mm or less.
Also has second eyelets for a pannier rack if your coach wants you to suffer more !-)

D!armu!d

AmberGold wrote: »

I always liked the Soma range, what weight is the Smoothie coming in at with guards etc?

Weighs in at 12kg with veloce, khamsins & marathon plus on it

lennymc wrote: »

thanks D!armu!d. I might take you up on that.

Yeah, sure send on a pm if you want to take it out for a spin

Idleater

D!armu!d wrote: »

Weighs in at 12kg with veloce, khamsins & marathon plus on it

Really? IIRC mine is 11 with the Rival, powertap g3 wheel set and mudguards!

lennymc

anyone know anything about the ribble 525?

Seaneh

lennymc wrote: »

anyone know anything about the ribble 525?

It clocks in at about 11kg with kishma's, veloce and sks mudguards and apparently rides like a dream, haven't say on one myself though.

lennymc

how about the dolan preffisio?

Seaneh

lennymc wrote: »

how about the dolan preffisio?

The Prefissio is the same frame as the Ribble 7005/Winter Trainer (Terry Dolan used to design some of Ribble's frames), plenty of reviews for the Ribble online.

D!armu!d

Idleater wrote: »

Really? IIRC mine is 11 with the Rival, powertap g3 wheel set and mudguards!

You're right - weighed mine properly - 11kg with full length mudguards

Idleater

D!armu!d wrote: »

You're right - weighed mine properly - 11kg with full length mudguards

I got it about 9kg in race trim. In fact I'd love to race it, but it's too much effort to take off the mudguards when I have a dedicated race bike.

AmberGold

For the record my Genesis Equilibrium built with Rival, carbon seatpost and 36 spoke wheels (DA and Ambrosio) with SKS chromos, pedals and cages comes in at 10kg.

lennymc

Idleater wrote: »

I got it about 9kg in race trim. In fact I'd love to race it, but it's too much effort to take off the mudguards when I have a dedicated race bike I've retired.

Fixed your post.

longford76

lennymc wrote: »

anyone know anything about the ribble 525?

I bought a frame and fork recently but haven't used it too much yet as have another bike for commuting.

It's nice to ride, a bit heavier than I thought it would be, but comfortable.

I fitted it with 23c gatorskins and sks 35 mudguards and there isn't much clearance for larger tyres. I don't think it would take larger. I fitted a rack too but had to bodge a bit around the brake caliper.

I'll try get a photo up to give you an idea.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/22906732@N05/13965106950/

njburke

This looks like a good thread to illicit elicit some advice from.
I've accumulated the components necessary for a fast commuter /light touring bike build. (groupset, handbuilt 36H 135 OLN wheels, finishing kit, B17).

I'ld like a bike that I can commute with a rack and pannier(s) and do the odd sportive/ ROK on.
Currently I've a trek 7.5FX hybrid that I changed to dirt drops and bar ends that does the job reasonably well, or should I say I've managed to get by with for the last two years or so. I want to stick with large volume tyres, 28 s or 32s. In terms of fitness ,commute is 30K round trip but I stretch that out to 70 fairly regularly (round blessington lakes).

In the past I had a reynolds 500 Dawes Horizon, maybe its rose tinted glasses but I'ld get a new bike together with the same 'feel' the dawes had (I still have it btw but its far too big for me). I'm 95KG, so bike weight is not a huge factor.

Anyway, I've looked at all the many options within my frame budget of 600 euro which would include,
Surly , Velo Orange Pass Hunter/Campeur, Ribble 525, Genesis Equilibrium, Bob Jackson, hewitt chiltern .
at the moment I'm leaning towards the thorn Audax MK111 or Spa Audax.
I have bar end shifters and long pull brake levers as well as a pair of STIs, so cantis or deep drop road brakes are an option.
bit of an agony of choice I'm afraid.
Any advice would be appreciated, as once I choose I'm married to it for the next few years at least.



Niall

rollingscone

njburke wrote: »

This looks like a good thread to illicit some advice from.
I've accumulated the components necessary for a fast commuter /light touring bike build. (groupset, handbuilt 36H 135 OLN wheels, finishing kit, B17).

I'ld like a bike that I can commute with a rack and pannier(s) and do the odd sportive/ ROK on.
Currently I've a trek 7.5FX hybrid that I changed to dirt drops and bar ends that does the job reasonably well, or should I say I've managed to get by with for the last two years or so. I want to stick with large volume tyres, 28 s or 32s. In terms of fitness ,commute is 30K round trip but I stretch that out to 70 fairly regularly (round blessington lakes).

In the past I had a reynolds 500 Dawes Horizon, maybe its rose tinted glasses but I'ld get a new bike together with the same 'feel' the dawes had (I still have it btw but its far too big for me). I'm 95KG, so bike weight is not a huge factor.

Anyway, I've looked at all the many options within my frame budget of 600 euro which would include,
Surly , Velo Orange Pass Hunter/Campeur, Ribble 525, Genesis Equilibrium, Bob Jackson, hewitt chiltern .
at the moment I'm leaning towards the thorn Audax MK111 or Spa Audax.
I have bar end shifters and long pull brake levers as well as a pair of STIs, so cantis or deep drop road brakes are an option.
bit of an agony of choice I'm afraid.
Any advice would be appreciated, as once I choose I'm married to it for the next few years at least.



Niall

There's a Passhunter owner on here somewhere. AFAIR he was very pleased.

njburke

Yep, I saw Oldbeans passhunter in the thread.

I called Tramore cycle services to ask for a price on the frame kits for the pass hunter and campeur, lovely looking bikes by the way.
I think a full tourer would be overkill for the load I usually carry (lunch,shower kit and work clothes) plus from what I've read the handling and ride is better on them under load, had a landrover that was just like that, ride was like a big american car when loaded.

OldBean

Are you based in Tramore, Waterford?

I'll be in Waterford with the bike soon enough if you wanted a look.

lennymc

@ njburke - i have a surly cross check, its a great bike. very versatile, will take big or small tyres, single speed, gears, 132.5 spacing so will take road or mtb wheels, lots of mounting points for racks, mudguards, and everything else. I built it up as a single speed cx bike and it really is lovely to ride. I am yet to try it as a commuter, i have put gears on it with bar end shifters, and it rides nice, but, it does seem heavy. I am comparing it to a full carbon race bike tho

I also saw on tritoncycles that they had the cross check frame from 280 sterling.

Im yet to try commuting on it but may just do so tomorrow.

njburke

@Oldbean .
Splendid looking bike you have there.
I'm in Naas, but Tramore cycles is the only velo orange dealer listed for Ireland.
I've a decent LBS nearby and they'll build up the bike for me when I get a frame sorted.

OldBean

Thank you, I'm very happy with it.

Ah ok - I didn't know there was any dealers here at all!

Freshtripe in the UK have a good stock of VO frames and parts, and I think ParcelMotel still do a month free, could be the best way of doing it. I'm based in Dublin most of the time if you wanted to have a look before deciding either ways. The guys that work for VO are incredibly friendly & knowledgable too, so if you had any queries, shoot them a mail and they get back pretty fast.

njburke

@lennymc
I had the surly crosscheck on the list too, and Triton do seem to have the best pricing on Surly frames at least.
I also have a CB Cape Wrath MTB, which I use down the canal towpath, mind you the trek manages that too, so its not really a one bike solution I need.
I'll put the trek hybrid up for sale, to leave me with an MTB and whatever steel audaxy type commuter I end up with.

cdaly_

OldBean wrote: »

Freshtripe in the UK have a good stock of VO frames and parts, and I think ParcelMotel still do a month free, could be the best way of doing it.

Beware. Parcel Motel are now charging extra for oversize parcels. They're using volumetric weight (dimensions of the parcel determine price) which will make a bike/frame quite pricey...

OldBean

That's a balls. Thanks for the heads up though!

lennymc

so, is there any reason I should not buy a preffisio/ribble winter frameset.
race(ish) geometry - check
10 spd compatible - check
full mudguards - check
pannier - check
199 pounds - bargain

Ok, its not steel, and it wont take 32mm tyres, but apart from that it seems to do everything on the list.

Seaneh

Get the Ribble reynolds? same frame but in steel? Only €200 for the frame aswell...

D!armu!d

lennymc wrote: »

so, is there any reason I should not buy a preffisio/ribble winter frameset.
race(ish) geometry - check
10 spd compatible - check
full mudguards - check
pannier - check
199 pounds - bargain

Ok, its not steel, and it wont take 32mm tyres, but apart from that it seems to do everything on the list.

My 2c:
for a winter/commuter I'd be looking for something that'd last a fair few years - a steel frame would be worth paying a bit extra for.

AmberGold

If you are a race orientated rider buy the Dolan. If you are into longer spins / Audax etc. buy the Ribble.

Fickle as I am the paint job on the Dolan would swing it for me.