Frame advice requested!

[Sittingduck]

Hello

I am looking to purchase an entry level road or Audax style frame for less than £200 ideally! I have been looking at the Tifosi frames - does anyone have any experience of them?

I am also slightly torn between a more agressive sports style frame and an Audax one. I have rear brake calipers in both regular and long drop variations. The forks will be carbon ones and have short drop spacing so no guards on the front (unless maybe a race blade). I have all other components but need a replacement frame as the one I "took a punt" on from eBay is a bit too small and the head tube is really small meaning I need LOADS of spacers under the stem and it just looks wriong

My current frame can be seen in this thread.

Thanks in advance
SD

p.s. sorry if this is posted in the wrong section. Wasn't sure quite where to put it!

 

[jimboalee]

Have a look at Ribble.

You get less metal for your money there.

 

[Sittingduck]

Thanks Jimboalee I had also taken a look there and saw they have their own basic road frame for a shade over £100. Plenty of choice of ones in my price bracket too. I had heard that their frames are heavier than typical competitor's models but the quality is meant to be pretty good right?

Thanks,
SD

 

[magnatom]

I'm certainly no expert, but I have a Racelight TK framed bike and I love it. You can get the model down (this is the one I was originally considering and is I believe still rated well) the Racelight T for under £200. CRC have it, but it might be cheaper elsewhere.

Don't look for my bike in the photo gallery. It might encourage you to spend more and go for the Tk.

Hope this helps.

 

[Sittingduck]

Hi Magnatom

Again, this is another one I had been looking at but noticed on the pics that the headtube looks quite small (similar to my Saracen Helix frame). What size frame have you got?

CHeers
SD

 

[magnatom]

I've got a 54cm frame (I'm about 5ft 9-10 ish), although I have short legs and a longer back, so I needed a longer stem to get a good position.

Kinesis actually sell this stating:

Both the ‘T’ and ‘Tk’ use longer headtubes for a more upright riding position

I certainly feel very comfy on it (Tk).

 

[Sittingduck]

Sounds like you have similar geomentry to me then. I am 5'9" but with short legs and a longer body. Inside leg is only around 29"

I'll have to seriously consider the Racelight

Cheers
SD

 

[Sittingduck]

OK - Update time:

Went for a Ribble Winter/Audax sloping top tube frame. Finally arrived and I got my hands on it at 9am this morning. Transfered the components across and had a lot of fiddling around to do with re-sizing cable outers etc. Still need to tune the gears but it's almost done - taken me all day

Anyway here are the before and after pics of my home-build bike with the Saracen Frame Vs the Ribble .

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Excuse the mess

 

[ianrauk]

wow, that looks so much better mate

 

[MacB]

crazy pigs!!!!!!!!!!! SD, you're getting right into it, top stuff

 

[rich p]

Looks good, SD.

Did you go up the Beacon on a double? Respeck!

 

[Sittingduck]

Thanks fellas - I much prefer this frame for both looks and comfort! Did a few laps of Clapham Common on it just now and it's nice The gears ane not 100% set up right and I need a new front gear cable so I can shift the position of the front mech a bit more. I'll probably pop down to Evans @ Lodnon Bridge later for this and might "accidentally" throw a Garmin 605 into the basket just for the hell of it

Looks good, SD.

Did you go up the Beacon on a double? Respeck!

Yeah but not a real double (only a Compact) also my cassette is a girlish 13-26... Having said that a couple of extra (shorter) gears would have been most welcome, climbing that thing!

p.s. Ian: Any word on your road bike? Go on, you know it makes sense...

 

[ianrauk]

going back to the store tomorrow to discuss.....

 

[stevevw]

Looking very nice. I hope you did not get the 605. Save some money and get a 205 or spend more and go for a 705

 

[Sittingduck]

Cheers Steve! Haven't got the Garmin yet... Too pricey I think and Evans won't give me my LCC 10% off (because it's already in the sale). I want one with maps - so it must be a 605/705 but not fussed abut the HRM or cadence so thought a 605 would be a decent compromise. Still pondering it for pay day though...

Do you have a 705?