New bike time !

[subaqua]

http://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/radon-tcs-9.0-disc-464703/varid-464711

my faithful commuter has started to look like it is on its last legs . Not parts but Frame issues following some stupidity on my part. It didn't hurt me but could be terminal to the bike. I don't want to get involved in welding aluminium which is where it will end up.

I have had a good look at bikes and this RADON seems to be the best on offer in my price range, and ticks all the boxes i.e mudgaurds , pannier rack, dynamo , hydraulic discs , decent groupset( yes I know its not a true groupset but you know what I mean. )

thing is I have never ever heard of them. now to be fair i had never heard of BTwin before i bought one of them .

any thoughts from you sensible lot here on Radon bikes and bike discount.de.

 

[Pale Rider]

I've used Bike Discount for components and found them to be excellent.

As regards the brand, it seems to me Germany still has quite few smaller, but still decent quality, brands in the way the UK did many years ago.

The bike looks like a typical German trekking bike, well-made, good spec components and fully equipped.

Again typical of the breed, it weighs a bit, but 'robustness' and 'light' don't usually go together.

Groupset looks fine to me, at least you have Shimano hubs both ends which is where some makers cut corners by fitting 'invisible' Chinese cheese.

B&M lights are excellent, you probably won't want a lot more for the commute.

My Rose has them, and a Shimano dynohub, which has been faultless.

The wire plug is a bit of a fiddle, you need to disconnect it to remove the front wheel - an extra job when fixing a puncture.

As a Rose owner, I'm bound to suggest you have a look at their trekking bikes, but I doubt they are superior to the Radon.

 

[subaqua]

I've used Bike Discount for components and found them to be excellent.

As regards the brand, it seems to me Germany still has quite few smaller, but still decent quality, brands in the way the UK did many years ago.

The bike looks like a typical German trekking bike, well-made, good spec components and fully equipped.

Again typical of the breed, it weighs a bit, but 'robustness' and 'light' don't usually go together.

Groupset looks fine to me, at least you have Shimano hubs both ends which is where some makers cut corners by fitting 'invisible' Chinese cheese.

B&M lights are excellent, you probably won't want a lot more for the commute.

My Rose has them, and a Shimano dynohub, which has been faultless.

The wire plug is a bit of a fiddle, you need to disconnect it to remove the front wheel - an extra job when fixing a puncture.

As a Rose owner, I'm bound to suggest you have a look at their trekking bikes, but I doubt they are superior to the Radon.

Cheers for that.

my current steed is also " robust" and is not light but that's not a concern. i like shimano Hubs and again my current one has them both ends . the dynamo plug isn't that fiddly , but years of working with smaller connectors in work may well have been a factor in that. I have B&M on both ends of current bike too.

annoyed as nobody seems to sell frames any more otherwise i would transplant all the stuff off current bike to anew frame.

I am considering buying a cheap bike just for the frame and doing a transplant.

 

[Pale Rider]

I managed to rip the wires out of the plug, but managed to remake the connection by laying the wires over the contacts before refitting the plug.

While doing this, I managed to 'short' the terminals and connect them the wrong way around.

No harm done - nothing fused or blew - so the hub/lights are well-designed in that respect.

To be fair to Shimano, you can buy a new plug for a pound or two, but I lack the skill to connect it properly.

 

[Pale Rider]

A minor point - looks from the pic as if the bike has Woods valves.

That would fit because they are still quite popular in Germany.

A Woods - also known as Dunlop - valve can be inflated with a presta pump, but there's no back pressure so you cannot get an accurate reading on the pump's gauge.

You could fit a Schrader adapter, which might give you a pressure reading.

A better solution would be to change to Schrader tubes - the rim hole is that size.

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/weldtite-woods-to-schrader-type-adaptor-prod19405/

 

[subaqua]

http://www.tredz.co.uk/.Cube-Touring-SL-2016-Hybrid-Sports-Bike_84705.htm

hmmmm

 

[simon.r]

annoyed as nobody seems to sell frames any more otherwise i would transplant all the stuff off current bike to anew frame.

I am considering buying a cheap bike just for the frame and doing a transplant.

Would this workfor you? http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/FRPXKBD2/planet-x-kaffenback-2-frameset

 

[subaqua]

Would this workfor you? http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/FRPXKBD2/planet-x-kaffenback-2-frameset

nice thought.

however current bike isn't disc , and if i am getting a new one it will need to be as i might as well upgrade. if they had that in non disc i might just be tempted . I have checked- they havent !

 

[subaqua]

A minor point - looks from the pic as if the bike has Woods valves.

That would fit because they are still quite popular in Germany.

A Woods - also known as Dunlop - valve can be inflated with a presta pump, but there's no back pressure so you cannot get an accurate reading on the pump's gauge.

You could fit a Schrader adapter, which might give you a pressure reading.

A better solution would be to change to Schrader tubes - the rim hole is that size.

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/weldtite-woods-to-schrader-type-adaptor-prod19405/

hundreds of inner tubes with schraeder valves so no issues in doing that.

I saw a few nice bikes on Rose website but really don't want to spend that much- plus she would kill me

 

[vickster]

Are you wedded to discs? Genesis Equilbrium frameset in a v pretty colour

http://www.freeborn.co.uk/genesis-2...burnt-bronze?gclid=CPv-5PXi3ssCFegp0wodYK8AhQ

Or are you tall? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GENESIS-B...671788?hash=item1c615e912c:g:5rYAAOSwoydWni3J
Or small? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GENESIS-B...389166?hash=item2108ca306e:g:5rYAAOSwoydWni3J
Or in between! http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genesis-B...596310?hash=item3f5d9e5196:g:BuIAAOSwYlJW1tTZ

 

[subaqua]

now that is a nice frame .
no not wedded to discs if its a new frame.

however for a new bike dynamo lights are a must. having had them for 4 years it is just sooo easy to have them

 

[vickster]

Why can't you have tnem on those bikes?

 

[subaqua]

Why can't you have tnem on those bikes?

current wheels are not disc , they are rim brake so dynamo hub is different.

 

[vickster]

current wheels are not disc , they are rim brake so dynamo hub is different.

I meant the Dynamo, sorry. The Genesis frame isn't disc either. You'll need long drop brakes though

 

[subaqua]

this is the current steed that may need replacing

has

hydraulic rim brakes
dynamo lighting via hub
pannier racks
suspension forks
deore XT FD RD and chainset
mountain BB Hollowtech
27 gears ( and about 6 get used )
mudguards,
700 x 35 C schwalbe marathon tour.


if i can find a frame that will take all this i will jump at it.

have been trawling gumtree and fleabay for a riverside donor bike with no luck.

If i can't find a new frame then i am upgrading to disc brakes