Following on from

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/another-which-bike-thread

Having popped into Ubyk to talk MTB demos and being utterly uninspired by the thought of a new MTB, but smitten by a steel retro roadie, I am going the stereotypical MAMIL mid-lifer route of a nice road frame. Already have a carbon ‘race’ bike which I can’t think anything new would actually improve on so it’s an n+1 to sit along side it.

My drooling over this in uByk sealed the road over MTB thing (and shows my age I guess).

However I’m also looking at modern, disc braked stuff (more road than ‘gravel’ so ruling out the Shand Stooshie?). Really liking the Mason Resolution

which has fantastic attention to detail. Also had a look at Enigma and the Evoke

which they are doing as a bundle with own-brand bar, stem, carbon post and Enve fork for £2K and the lifetime warranty addresses my one issue with Ti (and why the Tripster and it’s sister the GF Ti are ruled out).

What have I missed in that approx price bracket?

I was totally uninspired by the array of mountain bikes at the Cycle Show, but was smitten by the Condor Fratello Disc. Steel, discs, 28mm tyres, full guard and rack mounts. Perfect do it all, all season road bike if you have a racey one already. Lovely people to deal with as well when I went for a fitting. Now waiting for it to arrive….

Though I saw a blinged up Mason on the Hope stand that looked amazing.

Possibly beyond your budget, but I rather like Donhou as well.

I was in the market for an all purpose road bike the Pinnacle Dolomite for £1100 from Evans would be on the list.

If you are going to ride it through the winter then something that takes a full guard and decent width tyre would be my shout. I think Enigma and Condor do frame sets. The Merckx looks great but its a summer bike in my eyes.

Not discs but I would highly recommend a Ritchey Road Logic 2.0.

Wilburt, no offence to Pinnacle but half the point of this purchase is indulgence. It’s a personal injury payout from being hit by a car and I’ve already replaced that winter/commuter too (Giant Contend).

Have looked at the Ritchey but (Merckx notwithstanding) I’m erring towards disc.

Don’t know why I’ve missed out Condor, probably spent half my time at the NEC on their stand!

Spa Elan?

Worth a demo.

From the bloke who designs the nicest road frames I’ve ever ridden.

Or how about something nice and custom in steel?

In classic recommend what you’ve got style…Bob Jackson?
Terrible website, lovely bikes – just how it should be!

If I was after fast road/steel/discs with a carbon fork –

(in all gloss black with low key decals please)

I like the external cables, it’s a thin-wall steel frame. I’d be happy with QRs on it too, thru-axles on a bike like that is a step closer to me thinking “ah F– it, may as well have a steel fork then .. and bigger tyres .. add some eyelets too”

Does not compute….realise I may be on my own though.

Skinnymalinky

Ignore that – not discs

Not discs but I would highly recommend a Ritchey Road Logic 2.0.

A big +1 from me…

Do you need discs?

Cos once you’ve ridden a Ritchey Road Logic you will reassess your priorities I can assure you.

Mine the other day… 😀

Genesis Equilibrium Disc?

mboy – Member
Cos once you’ve ridden a Ritchey Road Logic you will reassess your priorities I can assure you.

Having ridden plenty steel, my older Logic rode just the same as a £80 531 ebay special, and modern steel…I prefer carbon to ride.

I agree discs aren’t worth it on a summer bike.

Having ridden plenty steel, my older Logic rode just the same as a £80 531 ebay special, and modern steel…I prefer carbon to ride.

Which 531 Ebay special?

Condor disc frame. I like mine (sort of). Good for just grinding out the miles on over winter, isn’t super slow and laid back though. Mine is a custom geometry thing though. Would probably buy again, although the prices seems to have gone up quite a bit. Saying that, I dunno if I’d bother with discs again; currently trying to put together a light weight rim braked bike with a bit more of a “heads down, arse up” position as I miss a light bike.

The Mason’s are a classic MAMIL bike if that’s what you’re after. THose Enigmas look good, could probably get a custom geometry Shand (thats probably what I’d get), Marinoni make nice looking bikes at a reasonable price. Dunno what else there is that’s steel/road orientated/disc braked. I’d probably go for something with rim brakes TBH.

suburbanreuben – Member

Which 531 Ebay special?

Any decent 531 road frame.

Skinnymalinky

Ignore that – not discs

Don’t look at this then!

[url=https://flic.kr/p/orx31d]David’s Skinnymalinky disc[/url] by Shand, on Flickr

Beautiful

I do like the Cielo Road Racer Disc.

Expensive though

That Spa Elan looks cracking value. Friends have their steel and Ti audax bikes and really rate them.

If you’re gonna spend big dollar; have a browse through the builders threads on here for some inspiration. Think you’ll need an account to view alot of the pics though http://www.velocipedesalon.com/forum/f11/?s=1aef90b1156604b6dbda91356eacba32

I am currently lusting after a Bowman’s Layman’s stainless.
Getting into custom bike pricing though!
Crashtestmonkey:
Is there warranty issues with Kinesis titanium frames?
I own a ti Gran Fondo myself.
Max

Is there warranty issues with Kinesis titanium frames

440mm chainstays should rule out the Kinesis Tripster IMO.

Which 531 Ebay special?

Yes quite!

More than a little bit of a bold statement. I’ve ridden quite a few steel road bikes and none that I’ve ridden compare in the slightest to the Road Logic! Wouldn’t mind a go on a Condor Super Acciaio mind…

I prefer carbon to ride.

I’ve got a very nice carbon bike too… Carbon has its merits, as does steel. The ride is quite different in many respects, but in some respects the Ritchey is definitely nicer to ride. And I’m not riding some £1200 Planet X special, I’m on a high zoot Wilier Zero 7 blinged up to the nines! And to be honest… Unless I’m riding at 10/10ths, I’d rather be on the Ritchey as it’s a nicer ride, and it’s only about 1kg heavier (quite a high spec build on the Ritchey too to be fair).

Which model Condor is yours DT? My GF has been eyeing up all sorts of options for a winter road bike, she’s decided she definitely wants steel and discs…

Which model Condor is yours DT? My GF has been eyeing up all sorts of options for a winter road bike, she’s decided she definitely wants steel and discs…

It’s something custom based on one of these

Condor Fratello Disc Frameset | Our signature steel all-rounder with disc brakes

I changed the dimensions quite a bit from the above. The price seems to have gone up £150 since I bought one. Although that was 2 years ago….
It’s a shame it doesn’t come with a carbon steerer tube on the fork; that’s my only issue with it. THe dropouts are also an “acquired taste”……

I have a steel (Columbus spirit) Pegoretti and a chesini bit if I wanted another steel bike I would look at Casati, I visited the factory last year in Milan, they do some lovely things with steel and carbon.
Comtat on the south coast do them along with Tomassini.

Do you need discs?

No-one “needs” them, but they’re certainly nice to have.

Anyway, just buy the Mason: they’re lush and the owner’s a top fella.

Since you’ve not suggested a budget you should look at:
Rob English

Cherubim

Crashtestmonkey:
Is there warranty issues with Kinesis titanium frames?

yeah, it appears to be only 2 years. On a ~£2K frame built out of a “bike for life”-hyped material (without going off on a huge tangent despite being a bit of a Ti fanboi I reckon it has the highest failure rate of any frame material and would only buy Ti new and with a long warranty). And the Tripster thread proves they do break.

I said “erring towards” discs, so not ruling rim brake out. And I kind of specified a budget with the £2K Enigma frame+fork, but it is flexible 🙂 .

Thanks for all the replies, loads of interesting stuff. I did seriously covet the Cielo at Rouleur Classic, but not sure just how flexible the budget is yet.

Does not compute….realise I may be on my own though.

I already own 7 bikes, my “pride and joy” is a lightweight carbon road bike with a choice of superlight or aero carbon wheels 8) or 😳 depending on your outlook. I can’t get excited by a new mountain bike (which puts me in the minority on this MTB forum!), and like the idea of something a little bit special and small-production-run for that pride-of-ownership glow which will put a silver lining on spending a month this summer laid up off the bike and off work.

If you want small production run, then there might be time left to get a preorder in for the Slim Chance that Fat Chance are releasing.

FYI I have had a Planet X (Shudder) Ti Pro Road for the past 5 years or so I guess now (built by Van Nichols) and it hasn’t broken yet 🙂 But if it were to, I currently expect to go straight out and buy an Enigma to replace it.

Waltworks custom and go for a holiday in the US?

That Cherubium is fit.

I’d get a Pegoretti, because, well, Pegoretti. Non-disc, because it would only ever be out in the sunshine.

Another ‘recommend what you own’: Genesis Volare; either 853 (which I have – lovely to ride), or the team 953 if you can stretch that far.

crisped, I nearly bought a Volare 853 last year (in fact I pointed oldgit of this parish to the last one in my size reduced at Paul Milnes…)

Dragon, I see from his website Walt is now in Utah; he used to live next door to an ex-pat friend of ours in Boulder!

dragon – or a holiday in Australia looking at the pic.

Yea not going to lie,I didn’t really look if you’d set a budget! I just wanted an excuse to look at bikes I’m not going to own for a few/many years!

turnerfan, liking that Bowmans.

Only one builder for me, mainly because they have cool adonizing on their frames – Firefly – one day I will own one with my name adonmized in purple on the seat post

Most lovely metal bike ever. Baum Coretto.