What is the Mercedes of road bikes/frames?

krissovo

Hey, I am really getting into this cycle lark and its time to upgrade my cheapish 2nd hand road bike for a decent mile muncher.

I am looking for a "Mercedes" style ride from my new stead, comfy refined ride, nothing too sporty or aggressive but can keep up on a club run (leisure ride) and get me round the ROK or similar runs in a respectable time. I am a 40 something, 100kg with a decent budget and on the look out for something that will last and absorb some of the nasty roads near me. I am leaning heavily towards titanium or steel.

From my research I like the idea of these:
1, Moots, Vamoots - Costly but lifetime guarantee ticks the boxes
2, Genesis equilibrium TI or 853 - Ticks the boxes from a cost perspective
3, Velo Orange, Pass hunter - Ticks the retro boxes
4, Van Nicholas, Yukon

Anything else I should look at?

Raam

TBH any decent road bike is fine. It's the rider that keeps up and gets around a course. The bike is just what he sit on while he does it.

From the list you have given it seems like you are after a steel or titanium frame. If you state a rough budget then folk can advice better.

Edit: just read that you stated ti or steel I am blind!
CF is a great material at absorbing bumps. Don't rule it out just yet.

ford2600

A custom made steel frame in UK is an option. Frame made to fit you and your riding style and goals.

Rourke frames or similar

slap/dash

Don't really know much about those bikes, but cannondales are very comfy and pretty respectable in their design quality.

Sounds like you want to spend mad cash, but I have buddies who have sworn by surly when it comes to steel

slap/dash

Yeah what ford said. If you've got the cash and want steel, might as well get a custom frame with some nice lugs

slap/dash

http://www.circleacycles.com/bicycles_gallery.php?act=view&collection_id=016&name=steve&type=1

thebouldwhacker

Trek

Raam

thebouldwhacker wrote: »

Trek

I would say they are more like the Ford Mondeo of cycling.

thebouldwhacker

Jezz I don't know, their website says they are the best bikes in the world.

krissovo

I am liking steel and TI as they don't date in my opinion, carbon frames change every year to a different style and I tend to buy things to last, my car (Mercedes ) I have owned for 9 years now and its as smooth as the day I bought it, it should last at least 5 more years before I buy a new car.

This is a bike to last so my budget is flexible, the Rourke frame looks interesting.....

ford2600

Read it's "All about the bike" by Robert Penn a story of a bike nut building his dream bike.

The best bike book I've read and very informative on on history of bike and development of various technologies.

Think Chris King, Royce hubs, DT Swiss etc

Raam

I quite like some of the Enigma frames.

http://www.enigmabikes.com/collections/road/products/esprit

Cookie_Monster

Mercedes is the Mercedes of bikes, they produce them apparently.

Raam

Just for comparison here is a CF bike which has what I think is quite a classic look, apart from the wheels.

thebouldwhacker

ford2600 wrote: »

Read it's "All about the bike" by Robert Penn a story of a bike nut building his dream bike.

The best bike book I've read and very informative on on history of bike and development of various technologies.

Think Chris King, Royce hubs, DT Swiss etc

He made a documentary about it too, great story, bit odd though. Ended up with some bike.

lescol

Rob Penn's Ride of my life on Youtube:- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAewSYw-d3k

The bike specs are on here:- http://keithwatkinshistorian.wordpress.com/2011/06/24/a-riding-bike-for-robert-penn/

krissovo

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

Mercedes is the Mercedes of bikes, they produce them apparently.

Funny but I did ask and they only do mountain bikes now

krissovo

ford2600 wrote: »

Read it's "All about the bike" by Robert Penn a story of a bike nut building his dream bike.

The best bike book I've read and very informative on on history of bike and development of various technologies.

Think Chris King, Royce hubs, DT Swiss etc

I must get that, from looking at the spec its not far from what I have been daydreaming about....Steel frame, Campagnolo Athena

pelevin

Raam wrote: »

I quite like some of the Enigma frames.

http://www.enigmabikes.com/collections/road/products/esprit

If I could pish money I don't have away & had space I don't have to fill up, I think this bike would be one of my fleet.

wendell borton

Peugeot is the Peugeot of bikes.

endacl

This is, surely...?

Mycroft H

To be honest, I'd go custom. May as well if your going fancy steel. Reynolds has a new tube set out too, might be worth looking at them.


You've got a myriad of frame builders across the sea; Mercian, Bob Jackson, Hewitt,
Yeats, Hetchins, etc.


Expect to pay big money though. However, if I wasnt going the custom route, I'd go with a burnt orange genesis equilibrium with a brooks b17n.

I can only dream ha.

Lumen

IMO if you want a "magic carpet" ride from a frame you should be looking at certain carbon frames, not ti or steel.

I sold my carbon bikes and now ride steel, ti and alu bikes, but I don't think the ride quality is better than the comfiest carbon frames.

Or if you're sticking with metal and want a softer ride, buy something that will take 28mm tyres. The new GP 4000SII come in 28mm.

Also, the "Mercedes of bikes" thing just doesn't work. Bikes are not cars, and the analogy tends to get stretched and confusing.

Idleater

Lumen wrote: »

Also, the "Mercedes of bikes" thing just doesn't work. Bikes are not cars, and the analogy tends to get stretched and confusing.

Indeed, I wouldn't rate Mercedes very highly and have had my opinion swayed by reports of poor reliability, poor finishing and poor service.

Therefore, I would send the op to Halfords

ednwireland

RonanCFD

Mycroft H wrote: »

To be honest, I'd go custom. May as well if your going fancy steel. Reynolds has a new tube set out too, might be worth looking at them.


You've got a myriad of frame builders across the sea; Mercian, Bob Jackson, Hewitt,
Yeats, Hetchins, etc.


Expect to pay big money though. However, if I wasnt going the custom route, I'd go with a burnt orange genesis equilibrium with a brooks b17n.

I can only dream ha.

You mean like this one (minus the brooks of course)



I'd agree 100% about getting something custom made if you can afford it - the Genesis is lovely, but it would be amazing to commission something just the way you want it.

joxerjohn

ford2600 wrote: »

Read it's "All about the bike" by Robert Penn a story of a bike nut building his dream bike.

The best bike book I've read and very informative on on history of bike and development of various technologies.

Think Chris King, Royce hubs, DT Swiss etc

This book suggestion also occurred to me when reading this thread. Penn (a bike nut in a good sense) in the end he went for a custom build steel frame having considered TI and CF etc. His requirements sound similar to what you are after, i.e comfort, longevity, and built to last. There are frame makers here in Ireland, one in Kildare I came across recently would could assist you. Maybe that's what you want recommendations on custom framebuilders.

ghogie91

Dogma... cant go wrong with it

krissovo

joxerjohn wrote: »

This book suggestion also occurred to me when reading this thread. Penn (a bike nut in a good sense) in the end he went for a custom build steel frame having considered TI and CF etc. His requirements sound similar to what you are after, i.e comfort, longevity, and built to last. There are frame makers here in Ireland, one in Kildare I came across recently would could assist you. Maybe that's what you want recommendations on custom framebuilders.

I watched the documentary last night and yes I do want very similar from a bike, I will reach out to some custom builders and see where we go. An Irish builder would be great, are there any?

ford2600

If your serious about spending that kind of money on a bike do yourself a favour and buy decent shorts, shoes and gloves, bar tape.

No point having a custom made bike with cheap Aldi gear at contact points!

i_surge

Do you want comfort and performance?

Steel is very very comfortable but is heavy and lacks stiffness compared to carbon. It doesn't have that stiff rocketship performance boost you get from a light carbon race bike.

If I only had one bike and wanted comfort and fun I'd go with custom carbon from Parlee and wider rims/tyres.

krissovo

I have some very nice santini gear, I do have trouble sizing the "posh gear" and most I have ordered has had to go back I am between l and 6xl for some of the Italian brands. Plus right now my weight is in transition, I have dropped around 30kg the last year with about 15 to go so Aldi stuff is perfect for now.

krissovo

i_surge wrote: »

Do you want comfort and performance?

No, not interested in performance that much. I am in my 40's so I have to keep it real;), something to keep pace in a club run and some of the sportif events.

joxerjohn

Here a link to the Kildare based guy I came across recently. I don't have any personal experience of the services provided but he may be worth checking out.

http://www.bicycledesigncentre.com

Seweryn

krissovo wrote: »

No, not interested in performance that much. I am in my 40's so I have to keep it real;), something to keep pace in a club run and some of the sportif events.

Did you test ride this bike? It is light, stiff, handmade and there is no other bike on the market that is as comfortable to ride. Worth considering IMO.

dermabrasion

I'd go carbon all the way, (it cuts the road shudder), and probably German (if you like Teutonic stuff): Canyon, Stevens, Stork. Well engineered, well designed.

macbane66

joxerjohn wrote: »

Here a link to the Kildare based guy I came across recently. I don't have any personal experience of the services provided but he may be worth checking out.

http://www.bicycledesigncentre.com

good guy, id highly recommend.

macbane66

joxerjohn wrote: »

Here a link to the Kildare based guy I came across recently. I don't have any personal experience of the services provided but he may be worth checking out.

http://www.bicycledesigncentre.com

good guy, id highly recommend.

ford2600

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=16946546

Discussion on lifespan of cf frames

davgtrek

Saw one of those enigma titanium bikes outside a cafe in Cork last summer. have to say that they are a little rough around the edges. The joints are not that smooth / weld and i was disappointed as I have a hankering for a Titanium frame.

For OP why not just get a decent stock aluminium or steel frame and put on good wheels to take rough roads etc.
At 100kg if you get into cycling I reckon the kg's will fall off you and in a year or two's time when you are at 80kg your view/opinion on a nice bike might be radically different as you attack hills with more speed etc.etc

Move the good components/wheels over to your dream bike then !

Lumen

davgtrek wrote: »

Saw one of those enigma titanium bikes outside a cafe in Cork last summer. have to say that they are a little rough around the edges. The joints are not that smooth / weld and i was disappointed as I have a hankering for a Titanium frame.

Here are a couple of welds on mine.

Is my weld hot or not?

http://i856.photobucket.com/albums/ab129/lumen_boards_ie/Travel%20bike/P1000509.jpg

DK man

When I was a kid Raleigh were the king of bikes and the chopper was a machine to die for. I still haven't forgiven my parents for getting me a triumph 20 a kind of Peugeot 205 of bike would do man or woman an a to b kind of basic design. Oh I still wish I had a chopper - I wonder can u get them in carbon!

Raam

Lumen wrote: »

Here are a couple of welds on mine.

Is my weld hot or not?

http://i856.photobucket.com/albums/ab129/lumen_boards_ie/Travel%20bike/P1000509.jpg

Your bike looks like a gate.

Lumen

Raam wrote: »

Your bike looks like a gate.

A bike's as good as a gate to a tramp.

ROK ON

Lumen wrote: »

A bike's as good as a gate to a tramp.

Love yoour brakes - what are they?
Do they work well?

Lusk_Doyle

Lumen wrote: »

A bike's as good as a gate to a tramp.

How? He can hardly open a bike to get to a gate now, can he?

Lumen

ROK ON wrote: »

Love yoour brakes - what are they?
Do they work well?

Planet X ultralight. They worked fine for a couple of years until the grub screws seized up and now they live happily in landfill.

But they were very light and very red, which is all that matters really.

davgtrek

lumen
what are those notched rings on the crossbar and downtube ????
Its a nice looking bike but they throw me a little bit ......

whats the weight like in comparison to alum/carbon ?

Lumen

davgtrek wrote: »

lumen
what are those notched rings on the crossbar and downtube ????
Its a nice looking bike but they throw me a little bit ......

whats the weight like in comparison to alum/carbon ?

They're titanium S&S couplers - it's a travel bike. It weighed about 7.2kg with that SRAM on it, now it's about 7.4kg with Chorus and different wheels.

Raam

Lumen wrote: »

They're titanium S&S couplers - it's a travel bike.

In other words, they open the gate.

davgtrek

wow thats a gas setup. that explains the box and the bike.... good stuff nice setup and good idea.