Anyone have any experience of these? £129.99 seems decent value for a frame.

I’m looking to swap all the stuff over from my road bike to make something for commuting and gravel track possibilities.

Obviously I would have to pick up some disk calipers and disk wheels but should be an easy swap.

Any reason to avoid?

I’ve got one that I bought as the full build with hydro discs etc. I love it, but haven’t had anything else in the road or cross segment to compare it too.

I use it for commuting, the occasional road ride and I’ve had 2 week-long tours loaded up with camping gear in rear panniers and a front bar bag.

I do get some pretty bad toe overlap so it’s worth comparing lengths if that bothers you.

Is a kaffenback frame and fork for 150 not a better deal?

Like the charge but once you add a fork is it such a good deal?

[/url]2016-02-12_07-57-30 by james shepherd, on Flickr[/img]

I had the Charge Filter which is the same frame.

It was an excellent commuter bike. I used it on road and fire roads.

Just a tad small for me.

^^ as above can’t find decent priced forks to make it a go-er

170mm head tube on the xl

There was a load of dawes galaxy forks on the bay for around £30.

Disc and rack mounts.

Planet x are selling their kaffenback disc only fork for 30 quid.

EDIT – 20 quid

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/FOPXKV2/planet-x-kaffenback-2011-fork

Same seller selling the tange fork which might be the one chrage use?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TANGE-700c-RIGID-BIKE-FORK-CRO-MO-DISC-COMPATIBLE-SILVER-NEW-/272124422222?hash=item3f5be1284e:g:qhsAAOSwnLdWs4By

Kaffenback is not disc. Want disc front if having disc rear.

Tange forks are 195mm steerer. Need 230ish with a 170mm steerer

Kaffenback is disc! According to the website

Edit coomber, you were taking about the fork?

Sorry yes sas talking about the forks linked if going for the charge plug frame.

Kaffenback frameset for 149 pounds looks a better deal on that basis

The 20 quid kaff forks I linked to are disc. The picture isn’t but the one they are selling off at 20 is listed as the disc version. Px made that fork in different versions and had several different pics in the original listing.

I do get some pretty bad toe overlap so it’s worth comparing lengths if that bothers you.

I wanted to avoid this if possible, size 10 feet on a medium (5’9ish) would probably be a toe overlap issue.

Typical on one listing! Thanks chap. Forks bought… considering the frame… must resist

Only the orange forks in stock, not sure how they would look with the frame

Anything goes with a black frame!

I’ve got the plug 3, which is the same geometry but using the lower spec tange infinity rather than the tange prestige used on the plug 5.

I got it as a replacement for a Triban 3, which was a bit too big for me. This is the only experience I have with drop bar bikes.

The plug is heavy, about 1.5 kgs more than the triban with stock predals, reflector and bell, but it does seem more comfortable, probably due to the steel and larger tyres. It’s noticeably slower, but rides well enough, is more versatile and is a nicer ride over the broken road surfaces around here. It’s great for my 34 mile mixed surface commute when I can be bothered to ride in.

If you build it up with better components and lighter wheels it could make for a nice bike, just expect something potentially slower than an all out road bike.

Cheers drewd

Do you experience and toe overlap?

I’ve bit the bullet. It’s black and I have a black road bike so hoping Mrs c doesn’t notice!

I think the overlap is a bit of a Charge feature. Its dreadful ony Mixer, made worse by mudguards.

Cheers drewd

Do you experience and toe overlap?

No worries. I do experience toe overlap, but I have a size small, and have experienced toe overlap with every bike I fit full length guards to. It’s not terrible though.

I have took the plunge as well. Just upgraded my commuter and realised I have a complete set of components to build one up. The charge is lighter than my current frame (genesis cdf) so probably end up swapping the good components to the charge frame and build my old components back on my current frame.

Any reason why those silver tange forks wouldn’t fit the medium frame?

I’m not certain but I think they would fit. 1 1/8th inch steer tube, 195mm steer tube length, and I think the medium frame has a 150mm head tube. 45mm should be be long enough for a stem and a few spacers shouldn’t it?

The axle to crown is 395mm on the forks, and that’s what the frame was designed for.

1 1/8th inch steer tube, 195mm steer tube length, and I think the medium frame has a 150mm head tube. 45mm should be be long enough for a stem and a few spacers shouldn’t it?

Don’t forget to account for the headset as well.

Don’t forget to account for the headset as well.

Good point. Just had a quick look on mine, although I didn’t disassemble it, I roughly measured from the top of the fork crown/ bottom of headset to the top of the stem. Mine is about 195 – 200mm, with 3 spacers which I think are 5mm each.

I’ve just double checked the geometry for the 2014 version which here I think this frame is. The head tube on the medium is listed at 140mm, and the small is my small is 125mm. The forks might fit, but it will be quite a close call, and the stem will probably be slammed.

Anyone have an idea of the ETT, reach and headtube length of these please?

The link in my post above has the geometry information in the sizing tab. It doesn’t mention reach but does have the ETT and headtube length for each size.

I’m quite excited about mine arriving

Missed that drewd, many thanks

Anyone received the frame yet?

scandal42 – Member

Anyone received the frame yet?

Yeah, mine arrived yesterday, ordered it on Saturday morning. Really well packaged inside the box – always good to see when you open it up.

Not had a change to look it over properly but seems really nice and is surprisingly light. It has good quality welds that I can see.

Forks from PlanetX also arrived – they look really good. THink the orange/black will go well.

Nice one, quite tempted to copy now 🙂

After looking at inspiring photos on instagram I may have purchased a frame, I may also be about to copy coomber with the px fork.

Now, how to tie in the fork with the rest of the build, maybe a tan saddle?

First steel frame and first road bike build, looking forward to the hours of swearing in prospect.

Coomber, is yours an XL? Any chance you could weigh the frame before building it up?

Thanks, Tom

Yeah it is. I’ll try and weigh it tomorrow.

tomtomr – Member

Coomber, is yours an XL? Any chance you could weigh the frame before building it up?

Thanks, Tom

Weighed it on the scales at work. I’d say they were 95% accurate.

Comes in at 2250g – that’s 5lb. Tange prestige, i would imagine that is about accurate/what i’d expect. It’s certainly pretty light.

Thanks Coomber

Got mine on Monday, just had a chance to have a proper look. It is very skinny and the walls are thin. Definitely a lot lighter than the Genesis CDF frame that it is going to replace. Also got the PX forks but I just cannot stand the frame and forks being a different colour.

Got myself a can of rust-oleum matt black peel coat from the local Halfords and will probably attack the PX forks and see how it goes. Good thing is I can just peel it off if it goes wrong. Lucky the frame is matt black so should in theory match quite well.