Spa Elan 725

[geocycle]

There’s a fair number of elan owners on this site. I have the Ti version as per this thread:
Thread 'New Spa Ti Elan'
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/new-spa-ti-elan.293765/

They are a very well thought out frame that can be set up for light touring, gravel, or generally pootling bout. Mine is mainly a wet weather day bike which is great on bridleways and rubbish roads. I have a 54 cm and I’m 1.75m. It feels like a solid touring bike, very smooth, very predictable on 38 mm tubeless gravel tyres. The hydraulic disks and Grx gears are great if chunky.

Now we have some drier weather I’m using my Spa Ti audax which is quicker and more responsive. It’s better up hills and feels lighter, perhaps more fun to ride. The narrower tyres are probably the biggest difference.

 

[vickster]

The Sabbath Ti (I chose over the Elan due to finishing) is set up as a gravel bike essentially so that box is ticked

 

[Jenkins]

Did you try one of the TI Elans for size when you went to Spa for the Sabbath? The 725 Elan apparently uses the same geometry as the TI versions.

 

[vickster]

Did you try one of the TI Elans for size when you went to Spa for the Sabbath? The 725 Elan apparently uses the same geometry as the TI versions.

About 8 years ago! I seem to recall it was a medium but they size in cms so maybe not

 

[Jenkins]

About 8 years ago! I seem to recall it was a medium but they size in cms so maybe not

My TI is a 56 which is a large size, so the 54 would be the Medium I'd have thought. Sounds like you need another short break in Yorkshire to check

 

[vickster]

My TI is a 56 which is a large size, so the 54 would be the Medium I'd have thought. Sounds like you need another short break in Yorkshire to check

Or I could just make a phone call 😁

 

[IanSmithCSE]

Good morning,

The big question is....

What colour bar tape?

Lime green?

I'd be happy to donate a couple of rolls.
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/whats-the-postie-brought-you-today.194640/page-164#post-7051320

I was looking at a SPA titanium frame a while back and ran into the Elan and there were a couple of things that would have been important to me but maybe not to others.

There is a carbon fibre or steel fork option, fine, but the steel forks appear to be unbranded cr-mo, presumably non heat treated 4130 as nothing is specified and they weigh around 1.18kg. Nothing wrong with this but a long way from what my 753 forks, the tubing 725 is advertised as replacing, weigh, although they don't have disc mountings.

Stays material is again not specified, which doesn't mean that they are not 725 though. Back in the days when Reynolds "only" sold 501, 531 and 753 they were very keen for the customer to know which tubes were made from their tubing. They has stickers that said frame tubes or tubes forks and stays, along with a forks sticker and they have/had stickers that said 725 butted frame set and 725 butted frame tubes.

Raleigh and Dawes and probably many others used to make frames with the main tubes (top, seat, down and head) from 501/531 and then use carbon steel or unbranded cr-mo for the forks and stays depending upon the price. This allowed the marketing friendly 531 sticker to be applied to lower priced frames.

I know that I would be disappointed to have paid the premium for a Reynolds 725 frame only to find that the forks and stays were other materials.

Bye

Ian

 

[vickster]

My 725 Genesis Eq has carbon forks, as do both of my Ti bikes, my Alu bike and of course my carbon bike. I’m perfectly happy with this. Lighter than steel so am also glad the Spa bike is available with such too

 

[clockworksimon]

I’ve had my Elan for almost a year. Lovely bike. Mine’s a twin chainset with a super low bottom gear and hydraulic brakes. The pearlescent purple looks fab in the sun. I meant to get black but changed my mind after my test ride session in Harrogate (highly recommended). I have used it for general riding round the lanes and mixed gravel/road rides. I sometimes switch between 30mm smooth and 35mm gravel tyres. Here’s a pic

 

[vickster]

Discussions with Spa ongoing

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

I have just been out on my Spa Aubisque, which is similar to the MK1 Elan, apart from the shorter head tube and steel fork on my bike.

It (the Aubisque) is not a lightweight and not racy, but I find it comfortable and very stable; great for longer rides as well as short ones. I imagine the Elan would be similar, but around 1kg lighter. If it was stolen I wouldn't hesitate to buy an Elan now they come in nice colours.

I hope that's some help.

I have the 'biscuit' too, as my work-bike

 

[All uphill]

I have the 'biscuit' too, as my work-bike

How do you find it?

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

How do you find it?

A stable ride, fairly absorbant of road-shock, takes '28' section tyres with ease, thoughr it could probably take a '37' section?
I know I built mine by 'cannibalising' my (previous) CGR for most componants (I had a seat-pin in the shed)
Plus, the Dyna-Tech that's hanging in the garage, donated its front derailleur & the downtube cable-stops

https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/rebuild-onto-a-new-frame.286752/

 

[vickster]

Still dithering about this!
Having exchanged some emails with Spa which has been helpful, I'm not sure on sizing - 52 or 54cm frame. So considering a dash up there for the day by train in November for test rides as it would be a big mistake to make too, I might also hate the ride!
(I'll make sure I have tea and a fat rascal at Betty's too!)

 

[Jenkins]

Still dithering about this!
Having exchanged some emails with Spa which has been helpful, I'm not sure on sizing - 52 or 54cm frame. So considering a dash up there for the day by train in November for test rides as it would be a big mistake to make too, I might also hate the ride!
(I'll make sure I have tea and a fat rascal at Betty's too!)

Go on - you know you want to.

I keep looking at the Elan 725 as well, but have so far resisted as I've already got the Ti version.