I have a lovely rose pro rs for fast summer days. Its worn the last 2 winters quite well but I’d like something cheaper and more comfy for longer miles –

Requirements:
– Comfy for long distances – so probably steel
– needs full mudguards, rack is a bonus
– Pretty / Colourful – bit of a tart, so not black, brown, or boring silver & white
– ideally not super heavy or expensive around the £1k mark
– I have the option of c2w but also happy to buy outright for a decent deal.

I’m currently very taken with the Genesis Equilibrium – probably the tiagra equipped £1099 in that rather fetching green and silver.

I actually really really want a cross bike like the Rose pro DX 105 but the head says whilst I’d love it for charging about on, it is not going to be a super comfortable winter century bike. And it only comes in black or white.

I have half thought about the option of a custom respray but that seems a little OTT.

Ribble steel winter/audax frame. You’ll get a build at well under your budget with this.

I’ll save you a lot of time 😉

Kinesis Racelight. Light, cheap, comfortable, quick, takes full guards and rack. My winter bike and (much more importantly) most of the “proper” roadies I know swear by them.

You can buy frame/forks off Kinesis and then get the winter build kit off CRC for £750 in total. That’s a Tiagra build but it’s only 9speed. What I did and I haven’t noticed my performance suffering through lack of a 10th gear.

What size are you looking at? My 54cm Equilibrium will be up for sale in a couple of months when I replace it with a 2015 model. It’s Ultegra 11 speed with Shimano RS61 wheels so pretty well specced and it will be reasonably priced.

Although it is the bronze colour so maybe not your taste.

Kaffenback? It is a great winter bike with disks, full guards, steel frame and quite cheap. It is black though.

Size wise I’m expecting to be around a 56 as I’m just shy of 6′, carbon bike is a 56.

The copper is nice, evans have one in the sale I’d looked at but thought it likely to be too small for me at 54.

Kaffenback is not pretty enough for me, it would need a respray!

Isn’t the kinesis racelight alloy? I would have thought that isn’t as comfy as steel?

Yep, you will be a 56cm at that height. Ah well, it was worth a mention.

Cheap steel is as bad if not worse than cheap aluminium IME for comfort. The Kinesis is a good shout if the frame sizes work for you. I’d also look at the Ribble winter bike, they are popular with the serious roadies round my way.

Ribble or Kinesis are good shouts. A cheaper Defy is nice too (surprised it’s not been said already.)

Also things like the right saddle, seatpost, 25mm rubber and some thick/gel bar tape will probably do more for comfort than the frame. Just get something that fits and has decent wheels.

Edit: Dolan Prefissio may be worth a look too. About £730 for a basic Tiagra build (or a grand for 105) then I’d choose to spec a better wheelset with whatever budget you have left over (just under a grand for Tiagra and Mavic Ksyrium Equipe S wheelset which sounds pretty good to me.)

My wife bought a 2013 Trek Madone 3.5 Carbon from Evans in the autumn for £1250- Ultegra Groupset.
Takes full mudgaurds.
Swopped the 27.2 alu seatpost for carbon post for some added comfort.

I’d also look at the Ribble winter bike, they are popular with the serious roadies round my way.

And the carbon one is good value in full build – called “Sportive 356” but quite racey yet still comfy enough and light-ish even with full SKS guards on. Bit “dead” compared to more pricey carbon though.

But maybe not aesthetically what you wanted.

PX are doing a disc-equipped winter roadie soon, I saw on here recently.

http://www.mangobikes.co.uk/product-category/18spd-road-bike/

Those mango bikes certainly are cheap, I can’t seem them being good for 8 hours in the saddle though- aren’t they just for posing round town?

I kind of want to avoid getting another carbon frame, won’t it be more or less the same as my current bike just with crapper kit on?

Been checking out ribble, dolan and kinesis. Kinesis is doing it the most for me, typically it will be the most expensive.

Whats the realworld difference between the racelight 4s frame and the T2? Other than colour and £150?

Mister p may b interested price dependant. Email in profile if u want to discuss.

Ta

You could also look at a secondhand Genesis Aether.

They look and feel nice and come up pretty cheap. I was going to wait for one myself until I got a huge discount on the Ribble.

Revolution Audax and get some decent wheels with the spare cash?

I went for a Dolan Multi-X. Went for Force groupset and Better wheels back in 2012 and it 1250 I think. Been a great bike, run full mudguards and a rack when commuting.

Genesis Equilibrium gives a lovely ride. Well my 853 one does anyway. I would have got the standard one but frame only was only availably in cream at the time which is a rubbish colour for a winter bike.

Also in the market for something like this, wasn’t aware of the Ribble, will take a look.

Mister P, if you would like to email me with details of your equilibrium that would be great too.

Ignore the new bike itch, buy some guards, and spend the money on DA Di2 next easter.

Then use the same logic for some deep section carbon wheels the year after.

Then a bling frame.

Etc.

Lifes too short to ride bikes you dont want to.

I’ve got a Kinesis Racelight TK which is still doing me proud after 4 hard years so I can highly recommend it but if anything happened to it I’d have a serious look at a Dolan Dual

If the OP is still interested in the Equilibrium, Rutland cycling had the 2014 at a fair discount a few days ago.

A decathlon bike? cheap as chips and good reviews?

Cannondale CAAD8 Tiagra. With SKS Raceblade Long mudguards. It can take a rack (Tubus Fly) with eyelets for front and rear guards. Normal mudguards are a bit of a squeeze on the front, but they will go. Surprisingly comfortable and an excellent bike with a frame that is outstanding. The wheels are gash at this price level. A little more money, but the 105 is stunning.

+1 on Genesis Aether

I ride one. They are very comfy for alu frame, have carbon forks and take full guards. I put a carbon seat post and 28mm gatorskins on it. Easily do 100 mile rides on it.
Mine has 8 speed stuff on it (Sora/2300).
Rode it through two winters without much maintenance and it’s never given me any bother.

Pick one up second hand for about £250. Lots of budget for changing wheels if you want. I’ve not bothered – the stock ones might be a bit heavy, but they’ve never bust a spoke or gone out of true.

Rutland cycling have the base model Equilibrium (9 speed Sora) for £500 just now too

I’d agree that the caad8 is a great choice. I’ve had my caad8 105 for the last 18 months as my first and only road bike. I’ve upgraded the wheels for some Ambrosio Excellights but everything else is bog standard. Regular 50 mile rides and I haven’t got a bad word to say about it.

That Equilibrium looks a good buy though ^^^^

My ideal winter frame doesn’t exist. Mudguard and rack mounts, disc only, internal cable routing (so probably carbon, although I’d prefer alu). Surely there must be enough people that would appeal to for a manufacturer to take interest.

Dolan Prefissio may be worth a look too. About £730 for a basic Tiagra build (or a grand for 105) then I’d choose to spec a better wheelset with whatever budget you have left over (just under a grand for Tiagra and Mavic Ksyrium Equipe S wheelset which sounds pretty good to me.)

The prefissio isn’t a comfy bike, its a great frame for the money but its not built for comfort.

+1 Kinesis … Had a tk2 then a TK3 now a GF Ti …. All blinding
winter/all road steeds and despite 2 of them being alloy not harsh or
uncomfortable at all.
Bonus is that now the 4S is out the TK3 should drop in price 🙂

Very likely over budget but get a Ti frame. – Will take all the winter abuse in it’s stride and v comfy to ride.

+1 for genesis equilibrium 853. I probably do as many miles on it as my Sunday best bike so figured it was worth the extra over the standard frame. Although a grey/black the green yellow decals with green cables look great. 105 with open pro/ hope heels came to £1800 but if you could get it cheaper. It’s a great ride