New Audax bike advice needed

farmerk

Hello all,

I am in the market for a bike. Have been doing Audax for the last few months on my Giant Contend SL1 aluminium with 105s, and while it hasn't let me down, it may not be the ideal weapon for some of the longer spins I am hoping to complete in the future. It can run a max of 25C unless I want to hear grit building up between the tyre and the fork/frame. I would like the option of some fatter tyres.

What I am hoping for includes:
- Hydraulic disc brakes
- Room for 32C tyres and full mudguards.
- Shimano 105 groupset. Open to other groupsets but I find the 105s on my Giant are better than anything I've had before.
- Bosses for rack/luggage, in case I decide in the future that these might be a good idea, and fixing point for 3 bottles (Just cos I like the idea of carrying spares in an additional bottle).
- I am hoping to get wheels built to include a hub dynamo, so I'll be making that choice later.

I have never cycled on anything other than aluminium and hear varying reports on other materials so yet to be convinced that aluminium is not the best option.

I have no objection to buying a frame and doing the build, but there is a huge array of options and it's difficult to narrow it down. Do I go for a gravel bike? or a touring bike? I am just lost in a forest of choice at the minute so any pointers would be greatly appreciated.

magicbastarder

i'm not an audax cyclist, so take this with a pinch of salt, but the bike i have which i could probably stay on all day is a steel one. doesn't meet your requirements for tyre width and mudguards though.

H.E. Pennypacker

https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mobile/ie/en/wilier-jaroon-105-adventure-road-bike-2019/rp-prod166335

Only in medium though...

MojoMaker

CX/Gravel bike with durable road tyres sounds like a good match. If you're going to spend hours and hours on it I'd hope to find something 10kgs or less, some of the gravel bikes can be a bit meaty.

saccades

Planet X tempest/space chicken/free ranger

farmerk

saccades wrote: »

Planet X tempest/space chicken/free ranger

Beautiful bikes and look like great value. Anyone have any experience dealing with Planet X? Customer service etc

mh_cork

farmerk wrote: »

Beautiful bikes and look like great value. Anyone have any experience dealing with Planet X? Customer service etc

I bought a Space Chicken a few weeks back. Got it on a deal for £1200. 1x + SRAM Rival. It wont be used much (or at all) on gravel, its my new audax bike.

PlanetX are a low-margin reseller, and therefore you really shouldnt expect much after-sales service. A quick search will bring up many customers who are unhappy with their customer service.

Equally, there are a lot of very satisfied customers. For me, a carbon gravel bike with SRAM Rival (equiv to 105) + hydraulic brakes for the price was brilliant - at that price you usually get a heavier frame, cable brakes and a lower level groupset.

I'm happy with the bike, but I've bought bikes before on the internet and in this case, I knew exactly what I was looking for with regards to geometry and fitting. Its not perfect, I dont like the handlebar. But it was great value for money.

If you're ever in Cork, send me a PM if you want to have a look.

TGD

I’m using a Trek Domaine which is a compromise with an ‘everyday road bike’, as I don’t want to get yet another ‘specialist’ bike. It’s ideal, with a soft frame and 32mm tyres. However, the regular compact chainset is too high for really long days with steep ground. So, start with the gearing - I’ve put a GRX chainset and front derailleur on the domaine - not ideal but it’s good enough. But for travelling abroad and general hacking, aluminium or steel probably gives more confidence than carbon. It’s amazing how so many ‘gravel’ bikes with steeply-sloping top tubes are touted for bikepacking and audax - not very suitable with limited luggage and bottle space.

farmerk

mh_cork wrote: »

I bought a Space Chicken a few weeks back. Got it on a deal for £1200. 1x + SRAM Rival. It wont be used much (or at all) on gravel, its my new audax bike.

PlanetX are a low-margin reseller, and therefore you really shouldnt expect much after-sales service. A quick search will bring up many customers who are unhappy with their customer service.

Equally, there are a lot of very satisfied customers. For me, a carbon gravel bike with SRAM Rival (equiv to 105) + hydraulic brakes for the price was brilliant - at that price you usually get a heavier frame, cable brakes and a lower level groupset.

I'm happy with the bike, but I've bought bikes before on the internet and in this case, I knew exactly what I was looking for with regards to geometry and fitting. Its not perfect, I dont like the handlebar. But it was great value for money.

If you're ever in Cork, send me a PM if you want to have a look.

Thanks MH. That is a beautiful bike, probably not what i'm looking for to be honest but I'd like to have one of those in the shed.
I would prefer if there was an aluminium version, just nervous about carbon on the roads that I tend to travel. Aluminium might be uncomfortable over longer distance but I feel confident while on the bike that it will get there in one piece - probably just my bias here though.
Thanks for the reply - food for thought

farmerk

TGD wrote: »

I’m using a Trek Domaine which is a compromise with an ‘everyday road bike’, as I don’t want to get yet another ‘specialist’ bike. It’s ideal, with a soft frame and 32mm tyres. However, the regular compact chainset is too high for really long days with steep ground. So, start with the gearing - I’ve put a GRX chainset and front derailleur on the domaine - not ideal but it’s good enough. But for travelling abroad and general hacking, aluminium or steel probably gives more confidence than carbon. It’s amazing how so many ‘gravel’ bikes with steeply-sloping top tubes are touted for bikepacking and audax - not very suitable with limited luggage and bottle space.

Doesn't seem to be a disc brake option for the AL. Would still be a nice upgrade on my Contend though, would just need to swap out the drivetrain. Carbon versions are very fancy, would feel guilty on my home roads.
Haven't had an issue with the compact on any of my Audax rides yet, and I don't avoid steep ground. Personal preference maybe, or maybe I haven't gone far enough yet.
Yeah for some of the gravel bikes use in endurance there seems to be a lot of customisation of baggage to make them work - too much thought required.

Large bottle small glass

OP I wouldn't focus at all on frame material, whatever you buy will be rugged enough (although the carbon might need more thought for where to attach your touring load but not really for audax) pick a frame for what you want, long distance riding.

30mm tyres with a decent tyre will handle any of the audax routes I've done with ease, with exception of the Long Heron. I only ride on complete ****e back roads and use 28mm.

Look at genesis, datum and equilibrium. I've put 20k km on a 2nd hand equilibrium. One year riding a 200, 5 of the 20 bikes were equilibriums.

2 of the first 5 home in 2016 on the 2000km WAWA audax were on them to. Some well suited to spirited audax riding, although the two riders on board them are animals.

I've a fair idea who you are and a compact with 30 on rear will get you around the hardest of audax events.

Check out Thorn maybe and have a look on yacf.co.uk for similar threads

AmberGold

If you’re treating yourself a nice Ti Enigma or Van Nicholas could be a bike for life.

NamelessPhil

The Celtic Knot 1000 last year was like a titanium bike convention. I have photos of most of the bikes in the base control. I'm biased because I ride a titanium Lynskey with dynamo hub, pannier rack, mudguards etc. I'm circa 62kg and female so I'm not too worried about weight.

NamelessPhil

NamelessPhil wrote: »

The Celtic Knot 1000 last year was like a titanium bike convention. I have photos of most of the bikes in the base control. I'm biased because I ride a titanium Lynskey with dynamo hub, pannier rack, mudguards etc. I'm circa 62kg and female so I'm not too worried about weight.

What tyres and rims are you running NamelessPhil?

saccades

farmerk wrote: »

Thanks MH. That is a beautiful bike, probably not what i'm looking for to be honest but I'd like to have one of those in the shed.
I would prefer if there was an aluminium version, just nervous about carbon on the roads that I tend to travel. Aluminium might be uncomfortable over longer distance but I feel confident while on the bike that it will get there in one piece - probably just my bias here though.
Thanks for the reply - food for thought

Steel and carbon frames can be repaired - aluminium, not really.

Most top end MTBs are carbon framed and live (I got a hole drilled in the downtube to fit an internal dropper post). I've 3 sets of carbon full suss forks, the oldest are from 96.

Most aluminium frames use carbon forks nowadays. I don't have a bother with carbon and I'm 100kg dripping wet..

farmerk

Large bottle small glass wrote: »

OP I wouldn't focus at all on frame material, whatever you buy will be rugged enough (although the carbon might need more thought for where to attach your touring load but not really for audax) pick a frame for what you want, long distance riding.

30mm tyres with a decent tyre will handle any of the audax routes I've done with ease, with exception of the Long Heron. I only ride on complete ****e back roads and use 28mm.

Look at genesis, datum and equilibrium. I've put 20k km on a 2nd hand equilibrium. One year riding a 200, 5 of the 20 bikes were equilibriums.

2 of the first 5 home in 2016 on the 2000km WAWA audax were on them to. Some well suited to spirited audax riding, although the two riders on board them are animals.

I've a fair idea who you are and a compact with 30 on rear will get you around the hardest of audax events.

Check out Thorn maybe and have a look on yacf.co.uk for similar threads

Thanks, this is what I need, tried and tested Audax equipment.
Looking at the replies below, titanium is popular also.
The price of the Equilibrium might be easier to explain to the parole officer, might have to work some magic to extend the budget to titanium.

Thanks folks, you have narrowed my search field considerably.

Mefistofelino

LBSG has most of it covered above, but another few things I'd watch out for:

1) External (gear) cabling. I have internal cabling on my audax bike and an inner wire change is a right PITA in the shed, with everything to hand. Now try and do it half way up a mountain somewhere.
In the dark.
And its raining.

2) Bottom bracket standard. Audax bikes tend to get more abuse than standard road bikes (particularly on a Ronnie Special) and can be hard on bottom bracket bearings. 68mm English threaded is probably the cheapest and quietest option. I have both pressfit and threaded - the former definitely takes a little more minding.

3) Proprietary bits. Component failures would be rare but I have seen them occurring on events. If that happens, could you hobble you way to the nearest LBS and get a replacement?. In particular, things like odd-shaped seatposts and saddle clamps? Standard is good.

Macy0161

Long term I'm planning steel (built to fit if I go that way).

But at the moment, I'm planning on a second wheelset for my Cannondale Topstone AL for Audax/ bike packing plans and ideas, as I've similar tyre clearance frustrations with my 2016 AL Defy Disc.

Topstone has plenty of bosses and tyre clearance, tubeless ready wheels (tubeless has made a big comfort difference for me off road anyway), sub compact chainset, threaded bottom bracket. I've the Tiagra, but 105 available - although both have the same fsa chainset (so far so good, but may upgrade to GRX so I can use my hollowtech II power meter at some point).

NamelessPhil

[Deleted User] wrote: »

What tyres and rims are you running NamelessPhil?

Continental GP 4 season 25mm, Mavic Open Pro 32 spoke.

PM if you want the full spec of the bike, I really do mean complete, Doozerie is rigourous in his record keeping.

iwillhtfu

Might be worth considering if you're on the tall side. It will certainly be easier on the pocket £490 sizes L/XL



https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/EBPXCXXLA1/planet-x-xla-sram-apex1-cyclocross-bike?utm_source=The+Planet+X+and+On-One+Mailing+List&utm_campaign=a3ec37574e-Sale-Picks2&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_561486488b-a3ec37574e-271437665&mc_cid=a3ec37574e&mc_eid=b835f05824

TGD

iwillhtfu wrote: »

Might be worth considering if you're on the tall side. It will certainly be easier on the pocket £490 sizes L/XL



https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/EBPXCXXLA1/planet-x-xla-sram-apex1-cyclocross-bike?utm_source=The+Planet+X+and+On-One+Mailing+List&utm_campaign=a3ec37574e-Sale-Picks2&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_561486488b-a3ec37574e-271437665&mc_cid=a3ec37574e&mc_eid=b835f05824

Without knowing anything about the specific frame angles etc, cyclocross bikes are generally quite twitchy and not that suitable for comfortable endurance riding. ,

iwillhtfu

TGD wrote: »

Without knowing anything about the specific frame angles etc, cyclocross bikes are generally quite twitchy and not that suitable for comfortable endurance riding. ,

Comfort is relative to be fair and in my head I see audax riding being generally slow and meandering, road less traveled kind of thing so I don't think any bike would be particularly twitchy. In saying that though I know nothing about this bike and wouldn't be a huge fan of planet x bikes.

Personally i'd be looking at a ribble gravel bike if I were OP.

Macy0161

iwillhtfu wrote: »

Personally i'd be looking at a ribble gravel bike if I were OP.

Always liked the look of the 725 CGR, just couldn't get me finances to work for it (without opening up the B2W minefield, again!)

benneca1

Enigma etape disc ticks a lot of boxes imho.

benneca1

benneca1 wrote: »

Enigma etape disc ticks a lot of boxes imho.

Belongs in the images of beauty thread, now if only I had a spare 4 grand!!!!!

I won't post the picture here as it's too big , link https://www.enigmabikes.com/pages/enigma-etape#close

farmerk

iwillhtfu wrote: »

Personally i'd be looking at a ribble gravel bike if I were OP.

I had a serious look at the CGR, looks capable, comfortable and fun, but there is a wait time, customer service is non-existent, and parts are unreliable (according to the twitterati).
Shame, really like that bike

BikeRacer

The Orbea Terra H30-D ticks a lot of boxes - hydro discs, aluminium frame, mud/rack mounts, clearance for 40c tyres, 68mm threaded BB etc and nice relaxed geometry.