Thoughts on new bike build? (SPA CYCLES Elan 725 Mk2)

CasNiRas · 12-01-2026 06:29PM #1

Hi everyone, hope you all had a great weekend

I could use feedback for those who know more about bikes than I do (probably everyone here) about a bike. I'm thinking about having built it will be used for commuting to work in the spring and summer. Last time I did it. It was on hybrid that leaned more towards a mountain bike. Still, it was better than waiting two hours for a bus or sitting in work before heading to the bus stop.

Don't want to give too much away about myself but my commute is roughly 15 km and I checked Apple maps just quickly before this post and there is about 200 m or more of climbing with. I think one hill at 13% gradient.

I've decided this year, it's time for an upgrade and I want to buy a bike will last a long time. Plus, I've always loved the look of steel.

I found customer service at Spar to be really helpful and they've helped me pick out the following build which uses GRX rather than 105 as I think it will be better for commuting and the secondary purpose of the bike which may be to do a bit of touring every now and again.

The only things from the following list that I might change unless you have better ideas is switching to silver hubs and rims, as I think that might look better? If you were going for colour options. What would you choose?

	Elan 725 Mk2 11spd 105 Hydraulic	£ 1,760.00
Frame	54cm Gloss Black (142x12mm), Polished Silver Decals
Forks	Elan Mk2 Cro-Mo Steel Black (100x12mm)
Frame Number
Headset	FSA Orbit ITA Black
Bottom Bracket	Shimano BB-RS500 BSA Threaded
Chainset	Shimano GRX FC-RX600 46/30 170mm
Super Compact Option		N/A
Pedals	None
Wheelset		N/A
Handbuilt Wheel Front	Shimano DH-UR705 Centre-Lock Black/Kinlin XR-26RTS Black 32H	50
Handbuilt Wheel Rear	Bitex BX106R Centre-Lock Black/Kinlin XR-26RTS Black 32H	110
Spokes	Sapim Race/Leader Silver, Silver-Brass Nipples
Cassette	Shimano 105 CS-HG700 11-34 11spd
Cassette Super low option		N/A
Tyres	Schwalbe One HS462A 700 x 30C
Tubes/Tubeless	Schwalbe SV16 Tubes
Chain	KMC X11-93
Front Mech	Shimano GRX FD-RX810	14
Rear Mech	Shimano 105 RD-R7000 GS
Gear Shifters	N/A
Brake Levers/Shifters	Shimano 105 ST-R7020 Hydraulic
Brake Calipers	Shimano 105 BR-R7070 Hydraulic
Saddle	Brooks Cambium C17 Carved All-Weather Black	60
Seat Pin	Kalloy Uno 27.2mm Silver	-6
Collar Clamp	Spa Silver
Headset Spacers	Silver: 50mm below stem, 15mm above stem
Stem	Spa AS-007N 90mm Silver
Handlebars	FSA Wing Compact 40cm Black (measured centre-to-centre)
Bartape/Grips	Spa Cork EVA Gel Black
		N/A
Mudguards	SKS CAB 45mm Silver
Front Rack	None
Rear Rack	Tubus Cosmo Stainless	132
Front Light	B&M IQ-X Silver }	152
Rear Light	B&M Toplight Line Plus }
Bottle Cages	Spa Alloy x 2 Silver
Spacer Bell		N/A
Total		£2,272.00
Deposit (non-refundable)	£100:
Shipping (£40)	To London	£40.00
Balance		£2,312.00

I quite like the look of the bike in the picture which has a black frame with silver mudguards and everything else neatly matching the green one is nice as well, although I'm not a fan of that particular shade of green.

On a separate note they don't ship whole bikes here to Ireland any more. Your only options are to have it shipped in parts and assembly yourself, or have it sent to an address in Northern Ireland or somewhere else in the UK or finally pick it up from their shop.

I'm not keen on assembling it myself as I'm not mechanically minded person. Plus I just don't have the space living in a small apartment, but perhaps does someone here know a bike shop or a trustworthy individual who I could have it shipped to and assembled, they do give a discount of £90. If you choose this option right now I'm leaning towards the option of having it sent to one of my family in London and then bringing it back through Rail and Sail (bike or not. It's a nice way to travel. If you have the time). The only thing I'm nervous about with this route is the journey back. London to Holyhead is okay as I can pretty much walk the bike with me and don't have to risk cycling on the roads, I'm not familiar with. I'm nervous about the journey from Dublin Port to one of the rail stations I've never cycled in a city before all of my bike journey so far have been small towns and rural roads.

Perhaps there is somewhere in Northern Ireland that is close to the border that I could have it shipped to and then take it out of the box and cycle it to Dundalk? Unfortunately, I don't drive, but at least if I got it onto an Irish train. I can then easily get home

https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m1b0s223p5218/SPA-CYCLES-Elan-725-Mk2-105-R7000-11spd-Double-%28Hydraulic%29

nilhg · 12-01-2026 07:45PM

The one thing that sticks out there for me is the RD, having swapped out an 11 speed 105 for an equivalent GRX on my Topstone, there's no comparison in shift quality under any sort of load. Probably not an issue if you're staying on the road but it seems the bike has clearance for tyres up to 45mm, so will be well capable of going off tarmac.

nilhg · 12-01-2026 07:49PM

If you want it built here I'm sure Lucasz in Apex Cycles in Kildare would do it for you, he's a short walk from the train station in Kildare Town, give him a shout and talk to him.

https://www.facebook.com/APEXCYCLESKILDARE

cletus · 12-01-2026 07:53PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124141759#Comment_124141759

Just wondering which you felt gave the better shifting, it reads like the GRX was superior, but I could be reading wrong 😅

nilhg · 12-01-2026 08:39PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124141793#Comment_124141793

I wasn't very clear was I? 😏

Yes the GRX RD with the clutch shifts better and works really well with my 105 11 speed shifters. Looking at both of them when I was doing the swap the GRX looks more robustly built, as you'd expect it should be

jethrothe2nd · 12-01-2026 09:13PM

whereabouts are you based? I could possibly help you out with having it delivered to the north

Large bottle small glass · 12-01-2026 09:21PM

OP there's a simple solution.

Fit 35/40mm tyres and cycle it home from London on their byways/gravel network.

She's set up for touring anyway.

Cycle.travel and select gravel route.

Download and put on your Garmin or whatever and have a blast

Londonirish72 · 13-01-2026 09:39AM

If you have a car or access to a car you could get the package shipped to a 'parcel hotel' close to the border. I am based in the UK but sold a bike to someone in Dublin a number of years ago. I had the bike shipped to a parcel hotel somewhere in Northern Ireland.

CramCycle · 13-01-2026 10:08AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058431003/thoughts-on-new-bike-build-spa-cycles-elan-725-mk2

I thought that was the Slate Blue colour but could be wrong. Spa Cycles were well regarded among the Audax community so should be a solid bike.

If it was me I would go on a bike adventure and get the sail and rail over, have them build it, you can then cycle back a bit of the way, there is some nice bike routes coming into Holyhead.

As for getting back to Dublin Port, if it was me, I would go along Tolka Road and straight to Connolly station. If you are nervous or less confident, use the greenway around the edge of the port, Alfie Byrne Road and then hop over to Clontarf train station.

ARX · 13-01-2026 01:24PM

I used these guys a year or two ago to get a bike case delivered from the UK. They're in Jonesborough, 13 km from Dundalk.

Parcel Collection Depot | Home

hesker · 13-01-2026 02:39PM

sendmybag.com look interesting and do point to point deliveries. They do bikes but the insurance side of it is hard to make out when you dive into it. Seems like insurance is only valid if you use a hard case. Haven’t used them yet but was checking them out for a potential purchase

CasNiRas · 13-01-2026 03:38PM

Thank you all for your help. Having looked into it a bit more, I don’t think the journey via rail and sale will be too bad. I didn’t realise there was a Greenway near Dublin Port, which I should be able to use to get to one of the DART stations, hopefully without having to go on the road too much.

Returning to the topic of bike styles, which of the following do you think looks best: one with black hubs and silver spokes, or one with black rims, silver spokes, and silver rims?

vintcerf · 13-01-2026 03:39PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124143535#Comment_124143535

used this guy twice for bikes albeit about 4/5 years ago. first time i got too excited and drove up from Dublin to pick the bike up from their warehouse. second time I used their forwarding service - i think it was 15 euro to get the bike forwarded so something like 30 quid in total each time - great service.

CramCycle · 13-01-2026 04:25PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124143966#Comment_124143966

Slate Blue with Silver Rims or Grey with black rims, the grey being the most versatile in changing the look of the bike easily with handlebar tape in the future for a fresh look
Green with Black Rims
Black with either

Black, in my opinion is the least visually appealing of the available colour schemes

CasNiRas · 14-01-2026 12:34AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124144092#Comment_124144092

I can definitely see why blue is nice.

However for me black just has that more classic look.

Still, I love the aesthetic of steel.

CramCycle · 14-01-2026 12:46AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124145602#Comment_124145602

Always buy the one you like the look of, you will ride it more.

fat bloke · 14-01-2026 02:51PM

Blue for me.

Edit - ooh, actually, after looking at the site, the Lichen Green is lovely!

2011abc · 16-01-2026 09:14PM

Sorry to play devil's advocate but Id point out a few issues (admittedly with 'old 1980s roadie /steel rim bikes forever' etc bias-but I also rode well into carbon era ).This is a SERIOUS amount of cash to drop for a sloooow heavy steel 'touring' bike .I once invested in a brand new steel bike for a similar purpose and it was soul destroyingly slow .I think I traded it in in a matter of months .Maybe it will feel faster than your hybrid but it will be glacially slow compared with an old 80s/90s steel road bike picked up used for a quarter of the price or something of a similar spec in carbon or aluminium .Can you not avail of Bike To Work here at least ?(Halves price if on good salary otherwise subtracts about a quarter)And if youre only using it in dry good weather all the more reason not to get something so , eh, rugged ?Do you actually need the carrier to get started ?Would a backpack do ?Also the 15km a day presumably each way ie 30km will soon become a chore .Id start at 2-3 days a week and work up from over the weeks/months .You dont give your height although 54cm slopped suggests youre taller than average (certainly for a lady) Theres a Viking 725 for 375 euro on adverts.I dont think the mods will object to the reference I believe the seller is very much of this parish :-) Disc brakes may (may?) stop better in the wet but Id far sooner be changing rim brake pads . Just take your time and consider other options .Oh and if planning to park outdoors dont bargain on having it for the trip home :-(

magicbastarder · 16-01-2026 11:04PM

funny, i had been riding a 725 framed equilibrium for a couple of years and when i bought a carbon framed merckx, i was disappointed it wasn't much faster…

i much prefer the disc brakes on my equilibrium, to the rim brakes on my merckx, and that's even with the disc brakes being hybrid rather than actual hydraulic. i did have to occasionally decontaminate the pads, which was a result of commuting on dirty oily roads on it, but out around the countryside i did not have that issue.

i'd prefer to decontaminate the pads than do what i've had to do a few times with the rim brake blocks, which is to pick out the grit which was ripping the aluminium off the braking surface on the wheels.

CramCycle · 17-01-2026 10:36AM

It's 725, so its not like its 500 series Reynolds tubing, it is stronger and therefore, if built right, lighter than a typical steel bike. A quick google, with no messing about, you are looking at about 10.5kg. Yes it will be slower but not by much considering the OP has not mentioned racing, it is likely to be more comfy on a long ride, the OP likes the look. I think a decent rider will tip along nicely on that at 30kmph without much issue. I know several long distance riders who would happily tip around a long audax on that without complaint.

Yes you could get a carbon low level racer for the same, it would be lighter and faster but not by much, and if its not the look the OP likes, and also with the internal routing vs external, this is far more appropriate if someone wants to start servicing themselves and quicker in a bike shop. If weight is an issue, to put it in perspective, it is like having two bags of sugar in your backpack on your commute, most will not notice. Also it can be lowered in a few years with a fresh set of wheels.

CasNiRas · 20-01-2026 08:06PM

Sorry, I meant to reply sooner, but I was away for a few days. Thank you all for your input. I've put the deposit through. I've made a few changes to the specifications that I want. I've decided to go for a silver stem, seat post and mudguards, and the wheels will be black apart from the silver spokes. They were doing discounts on Tubus racks, so I got one of those as well. They didn't seem to have a big selection of road tyres, so I got the Schwalbe 365, which seems to offer a good balance of low rolling resistance and puncture protection.

I should mention that I've done the journey a few times on my touring bike, which, although it is made of aluminium, still weighs 17kg and has Marathon tyres. Although these do offer good puncture protection, they definitely aren't the fastest rolling. Before this, I had two road bikes. The first was a carbon fibre rim brake Canyon Endurace 7. I think it weighed around 7.5 kg. It was a good bike; I just found the drops to be uncomfortable, probably because it had quite a low stack height. The second bike was a KTM. I can't remember the model, but I didn't like the drops. Plus, both bikes were limited to 25C tyres.

At this stage in my life, I'm looking for something more comfortable, even if that means getting a heavier bike. Not that this is going to be that heavy; I think it will weigh around 12 to 13kg in total. It's not that bad when you consider that it has a rack, a steel fork, a dynamo set-up with lights and mudguards.

The next thing I should probably buy is a decent helmet. I've never been a fan of road-style helmets, but I'll take a look at mountain bike-style helmets, as I like the look of them more. Does anyone here use a helmet from Berm Peak?

CramCycle · 21-01-2026 10:21AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124165550#Comment_124165550

Sounds like you made the right call. Tyres are always a personal choice, I rode Marathons for ages but would only realise later the issues with my shoulders were them rather than me. For commuting, they look reasonable. Personally I go for the GP5000 but I have an addiction to cornering at speed and they just have amazing grip but for a commuter, those will serve you well, and have presumably far better puncture protection. I can't tell if those wheels are tubeless or not but to be honest, for my commuter, I prefer tubes, just because while something is more likely to flat, I can sort with greater ease if it does go flat. Lots of others would be of the opinion go tubeless so the chance of a flat are miniscule but there is the whole cleaning and refilling every few months, i just wouldn't remember.

Make sure to stick up photos when you get it.

As for the helmets, again, get what suits you. for commuting I would say it is inconsequential which type you use as its very different to MTB and road racing. Most of the time I forget mine altogether and never run back into the house for it so do what what you are most comfortable with and Berm Peak are as reputable as any other.

loyatemu · 21-01-2026 10:26AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124165550#Comment_124165550

there was a bargain alert on Nutcase helmets posted recently, if you're looking for something more "urban", various different designs. I ordered one and it's just arrived this morning (took a week to get here).

https://www.bike-discount.de/en/nutcase-street-mips-bicycle-helmet-27

Seaswimmer · 21-01-2026 01:25PM

I have a Mercian frame I got handbuilt about 10 years ago. I use it for light touring. It is built in 725 "oversize tubing". It was recommended at the time by Mercian as being a little bit stronger and more comfortable. It only cost a small amount extra and I cant say for sure if it is more comfortable or stronger than standard but It is a lovely frame to ride. Bike looks much the same. I think the down tube and top tube are ever so slightly bigger..Worth asking the shop/framebuilder?

Thoughts on new bike build? (SPA CYCLES Elan 725 Mk2)

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