james.olsen.remote at hotmail.co.uk

Thank you 🙂

Sorry, asked about this then forgot to update here. Some Arkose 4s arrive this week. November may have been a cautious date after some delays from Shimano, we have got some but not all of the planned delivery so the rest will be towards the end of the year.

Thanks James. Just seen it’s been pushed to December now! Sad face. You say you have some in but I guess there’s no chance of getting hold of one of those at all? Direct to warehouse and all that 😉

We have a small number arrived this week, I’ve not got info on what numbers are in each container but safe to say that the first drop will sell out fast as we’ve got pre-orders on already. Don’t read too much into the dates, they’re simply a generalised guide,

no chance of getting hold of one of those at all?

a call to a shop should get more info and a deposit to secure one can always be transferred or refunded.

We have a small number arrived this week, I’ve not got info on what numbers are in each container but safe to say that the first drop will sell out fast as we’ve got pre-orders on already. Don’t read too much into the dates, they’re simply a generalised guide,

Funnily enough it seems like the site is quick at responding to that stock as you can purchase one. Ordered one so let’s hope it’s no glitch!

40C Nanos on 19mm internal rims on the bike above.

How are the Nanos? I’ve just taken delivery of one for my Salsa, wondering if it will be any cop on anything damp or slimy… Be useful to know before I order a second for the weekend!

Cheers

Nanos are good, not really a wet conditions tyre though and the tread design isn’t one for wet rocks/roots. It’s been pretty dry since I’ve had them though. On anything loamy, gravelly, average loose dirt etc they’re great.

Just ordered an XL arkose 4. Woohooooo!

D’oh! You had already answered my question on another thread, quoted for usefulness…

Got Nano Race 40s on my CX bike at the moment. A true 40mm, feel good on 19mm rims at 35-40 PSI. Great on loose dry ground, a little squirmy at speed on tarmac due to the flexy or thin raised tread design. Averagely good in the mud (what little I’ve had to ride them on this summer) but I doubt as effective as a real mud tread. A very good wide-ranger though.

Cheers!

It’s here!

Size, weight and more pics dammit! 😀

Will post more later. Sitting in the office currently.

Don’t have a decent set of scales to weigh it unfortunately 🙁 It feels pretty light using the old bicep curl technique.

It’s the XL one and it fits pretty well. I’m 6′ 2″

Colour is pretty, well done Mr Olsen, she’s beautiful!

Here we are. Some photos in Gladstone park this evening.

The reflectors are off now 😉

Weight around 10.5kg. Feels pretty nimble. As for shimano’s new hydro brakes and shifters, they’re top class. Smooth shifting like ultegra/DA and you can basically stop dead using your index fingers alone with on the hoods!

So how are the hydros?

Thanks for the pictures. It looks great.

So how are the hydros?

Exceptional from the use I’ve had of them so far. No squeaking either which has been reported on shimano’s new system.

Never tried cable discs much before so comparison is hard to judge but like I said; you can stop pretty easily while on the hoods with just your index fingers!

Nice and smooth on the commute this morning. 28mm conti 4 seasons in the post which will be going on.

What’re the clearances like? I’m tempted, not too fussed about it being and out cyclocross race bike geometry as it’s main job will be winter commuting, and summer bimbling, but I’d like to give racing a go sometime.

What’re the clearances like?

By clearances do you mean BB and tyres? BB is a decent clearance and tyres plenty of room. Dropped down to 28mm last night so loadsa space.

Which begs the question, James O. Fitting front mudguards, can you clear up what to do with the tab on an SKS set? Can you use the bolt that is fitted under the fork crown to secure it?

well i gave in, and put a deposit down on an arkose 4 this afternoon. picking it up on payday this thursday,

Did you have a look at one in the flesh, then?

What swung it for you? Weight? Equipment….snazzy blue colour? 8)

Also got a 4 – done about 100 miles on road commuting and also 50 mile ish mix road and off road in lakes last weekend.

Hydros are absolutely awesome and 11 speed is good too – for long off road rides the 32 tooth sprocket is useful for spinning up steep stuff. Uphill was no slower than most mtbs last weekend even in the rocky stuff. Downhill but slower but part of that was running small block 8s at 70psi. Clearly not as fast as an MTB though.

Not got full guards and 28mm contis on for he commute.

Cannot fault the bike at all so far – it is a great all rounder and good for a bit of anything really. Could easily do a 100 miler on road and equally reckon it could manage a trail centre red with wheels on ground. Did I mention the hydros are awesome?!

What’s it like on the road, jet26? Feel light/sluggish/racey/commutery*?

Also, this thread has a distinct lack of pictures….

*is that even a word?

Jamie will put some up!

Road wIse even with 35mm cross tyres on it’s ok – bout 1mph or less slower than the good bike on the commute.

Doing a club run on it in the am which will average 20mph ish so will report back…

The flare drop bars are surprisingly good too on the road, not sure why though!

Did you have a look at one in the flesh, then?

What swung it for you? Weight? Equipment….snazzy blue colour?

yeah, my local evans (manchester chill factor) had a small one in stock so i went over and had a quick test, and it just felt right for me.
i’d say the colour is even nicer in the flesh than in photos too, and yes the spec is pretty decent. i’d more or less already decided anyway, as i’d narrowed my options down to this or a crosslight pro6 which would have been 200 quid more.

now, anyone wanna buy a singlespeed flat bar RoadRat?!

@xherbivorex.

As you went for a small, do you mind if I ask your dimensions…Height/inseam.

5’6″. 29″ leg. small feels pretty spot on for me. slightly more relaxed/upright than the roadrat, but that’s fine cos if anything i sometimes felt a tiny bit too stretched out on the rr.

Which begs the question,

Either trim off the upright and drill through the metal plate left, or carefully remove both rivets and use one on those holes to fix the guard. Don’t go crazy with the drill as the heat can distort the chromoplastic and use a rubber or leather washer ideally. Someone did suggest something like bending the upright 90 fwd and bolting through that but access to the bolt would be tricky, a small spanner would get in there perhaps.
Basically, fitting is like this – http://veloweb.ca/garage/how-to-install-honjo-fenders/

5’6″. 29″ leg. small feels pretty spot on for me. slightly more relaxed/upright than the roadrat, but that’s fine cos if anything i sometimes felt a tiny bit too stretched out on the rr.

Interesting. I had myself pegged for a small at 5’7/8-ish with 31″ inside leg going off the geo. Looking like I might have to get a small and a medium ordered in to try….which I was hoping to avoid, as bit of a trek to my nearest Evans.

yeah i think it’d probably be worth you trying them both out as a small may just be a touch too small for you. i suppose it depends on whether you want to chuck it around like a mountain bike or not.

Assuming those forks are straight steerer, how and when could I buy them?

Bit of feedback from today’s ride – cant fault the 4. Managed 62 miles all up at 18.5 ave on a bunch ride. Some were out on carbon best bikes still and on the short sharp climbs when everyone was smashing it it was hard to hang on. Rest of the time was fine though.

Bike very comfortable running 28mm tyres and massive amounts of clearance under the guards (fitted P45 chromoplastics as they also clear 35 cross tyres for off-road commute).

In short can’t fault it – the 11 speed is good and the hydros are awesome. The main benefit (to me) is they are totally consistent and predictable and you can scrub speed quickly and easily with one finger on each lever.

It works well as a road or off road bike – clearly it isn’t perfect at both as there have to be compromises but it is a very good all rounder.

Can’t comment on the size small as mine is an xl!

yeah i think it’d probably be worth you trying them both out as a small may just be a touch too small for you. i suppose it depends on whether you want to chuck it around like a mountain bike or not.

Going off the geo, 555 ETT on the medium would be too long, so reckon a small is still the right choice. Just a matter of double checking. Just means a big ol’ drive to do so, as nearest Evans is an hour away.

well I picked mine up last night, and commuted in on it in typical Manchester rain this morning for the first time. It’s ace! sizing is just right for me, feels much more comfortable than the Roadrat and tbh it’s not much slower even with the small block 8s on. I’m looking forward to getting a bit of a longer ride on it this weekend too. no photos yet, it was too dark last night and this morning!

How much difference is there between the mens and womens geometry on the Arkose?

Toying with the thought of one of these
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/pinnacle/arkose-one-2015-womens-adventure-road-bike-ec071311

Annebr- from what I could tell when I eventually found the women’s geometry charts the women’s medium is a men’s small and the women’s large is a men’s medium.

I really like the look of these, I am torn between these and the Norco Threshold. The Pinnacles seem to command £100 extra over the Norco for the same spec. Anyone any idea why? Which do we reckon is best?

£800 with Tiagra 10spd

£700 with Sora 9spd.

the women’s medium is a men’s small and the women’s large is a men’s medium

as far as height ranges go yes, approx. The geometry is a little different between mens and womens but not hugely so, the main difference is bar width, saddle etc.

Having seen this thread its definetly narrowed my short shortlist to the arkose 4 or the whyte suffolk.

Will have a look in evans at the arksoe this evening.

Jameso – sorry, being a pest and hijacking you on this thread again…will the WTB Nanos fit in the 2014 Arkose 3? Looks like they should but wasn’t sure if you had increased the clearances to fit it for this year given you seem quite fond of the tyre.

Nanos are a fraction less clearance on the 2014 fork from memory, the frame’s the same clearance (loads) but the new fork has a little more room above. You’d not get much more in based on clearance at the sides though.

Jameso the Singlespeed Arkose delivery seems to have pushed out a bit? My local branch is showing delivery on 23rd November now and only for Khaki. Is that the same for all branches stock? And will there still be a singlespeed in Orange please?