Off the peg audax bike with triple

[SilverSurfer]

What happened to these?

Very hard to find anything with a triple these day; much preferable to those damnable compacts (50/34 - where's the middle ring then?).

I notice that anything that I am after is much more pricey than the standard racing fayre. £999 gets you a super-dooper racer with Ultegra and Dura-Ace, but would only get you something with Tiagra in the Audax world.

I'm not after retro stuff, just something with guard and light luggage capabilities, more upright position and a lovely cluster of close-ratio gears from 30" to 105".

 

[yello]

They are there but you're right in as much as they're not as common as the latest carbon-fibre dream.

Have a look at Condor Cycles. Their Fratello is a good bike, though I have to admit I don't know current prices.

Whereabouts in the country are you? I'm sure people here can direct you in the direction of local(ish) suppliers; shops like Hewitt, or Byers etc.

How about Dawes? Have you looked at them?

 

[craigwend]

dawes have 20% of at SPA cycles

http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b1s21p0

However your right about the compact or tiagra/sora level comps...

 

[Norm]

I rather like my Secteur.

 

[jimboalee]

I rather like my Secteur.

That is a splendid bike for Audax.

Clearance for full mudguards but you'll have to use plastic straps for eyelets.

 

[SilverSurfer]

Thanks Norm - that looks just the ticket!

Not too fussed over lack of guard mounts as the £25 Crud things would probably be more in keeping anyway.

 

[GrasB]

On a side note, the reason that triples are fading out is with 10sp cassettes the extra shifting complexity just isn't worth the hassle for most riders. Consider that a 12-28 cassette matted to a 30/42/52 trip' gives you 14 progressive gears ranging from 27.5" to 116" with a 32-11 10sp cassette & a compact chainset you get 26" to 121" with 14 or 15 gears (depending on your POV for a 1" gear difference).

 

[ianrauk]

oi.. that's my one... thought you had the WHITE Sport?

I rather like my Secteur.

 

[MajorMantra]

What about a Ribble winter bike? If you size it apppropriately it needn't be too aggressive in position and you can choose exactly what kit you want on it. They also have proper guard eyelets. I think a 105 triple build would be around £850 but you can pick and choose to change that.

Matthew

 

[Jonathan M]

What about a Ribble winter bike? If you size it apppropriately it needn't be too aggressive in position and you can choose exactly what kit you want on it. They also have proper guard eyelets. I think a 105 triple build would be around £850 but you can pick and choose to change that.

Matthew

+1, however last time I reccomended the Ribbles as a triple option someone pointed out that the Bikebuilder website no longer gives triple options. Speaking to a human might give more options.
Be aware sizing is slightly odd, long top tubes for the seat tube size.
If you can make arrangements to get to the shjop then you'd get advice on sizing.

 

[SilverSurfer]

Thanks all. I don't need convincing about compacts over triples as I have had triples in the past and now have a compact.

I even changed the rings to 46/34 with an 11-25 which I think is the best range that you are going to get out of a compact (without massive jumps between rings).

I still think that a triple is best if you want a wide range of close ratio gears.

 

[SilverSurfer]

The last poster raises an interesting point also - why do Taiwanese frames always seem to be 1cm longer than they should be?

 

[MajorMantra]

+1, however last time I reccomended the Ribbles as a triple option someone pointed out that the Bikebuilder website no longer gives triple options. Speaking to a human might give more options.
Be aware sizing is slightly odd, long top tubes for the seat tube size.
If you can make arrangements to get to the shjop then you'd get advice on sizing.

I've just checked and Ribble do now let you spec a triple in the bike builder. You can't get one of the cheaper fixed spec builds with one though.

The last poster raises an interesting point also - why do Taiwanese frames always seem to be 1cm longer than they should be?

I don't think they are, it's just that some companies still list their frames by seat tube length even though they're compact or semi-compact which confuses things. If you compare equivalent TT length you should be ok. Ribble for example have geometry diagrams for all their frames IIRC.

Matthew

 

[Norm]

Not too fussed over lack of guard mounts as the £25 Crud things would probably be more in keeping anyway.

I just tried fitting a pair of Crud's race thingies to mine this afternoon. 2 hours in and things are not looking good at the moment. Back to the LBS tomorrow.

oi.. that's my one... thought you had the WHITE Sport?

Indeed I do but, given Silver's budget and wish to avoid Tiagra, I thought the Elite would be spot on.

 

[neil3072]

have a look at wiggle- they have a Tifosi sora triple audax bike complete with mudguards

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Tifosi_CK7_Winter~Audax_Bike_2009/5360040551/