footloose crow
Veteran
- Location
- Cornwall. UK
I know these threads come up all the time but I am genuinely interested in anyone who has owned or used these bikes and can give me some insights. If you don't get bored reading this ......
Currently I have an aluminium Cube Attain. It's fine. It goes uphill and down and along but I have some cash from an investment and I would like another bike. I know its shallow and here I am with a developed world problem instead of fretting about the environment or politics or world hunger. I also know (Buddhist stuff) that wanting something simply creates suffering and the best way not to suffer is to not 'want'.
But I do want another bike. For hilly back lanes in Cornwall, NCN tracks, gravel roads, Audax and maybe light touring. 90/10 roads to tracks and nothing too muddy or steep. Just tracks that get me to the next bit of road. I like to do between 50 and 100k on a ride. Audax 200-400k.
I don't want to go slowly. I can't go fast cos I am old but something that can cover the ground and doesn't make me feel useless going uphill. So under 10kg and closer to 9kg would be good. Comfort, all day comfort, ability to cover the ground, stability rather than flightiness but not numb or boring to ride. Reliabilty is important, I am hard on bikes - tend to fall off them. I like to run tyres about 30-32mm. I cycle all year. I like discs. I will destroy a carbon bike quite quickly and I don't like the way they look. Sorry.
I guess if this bike existed, it would already sell in huge numbers. This is what all the old guys want isn't it? So its a compromise.
I will probably buy a frame, use my existing Mavic Allroads and specify carbon bar and seat post and Ultegra with maybe 48/32 chainring. LBS will build it.
Initial thoughts and concerns:
Croix de Fer Ti . Is it too heavy? Is it too gravel oriented? Will I curse it going uphill and watching my Strava times get longer (yes I am that shallow/competitive) ?
Etape. Old design now, still current? Cope with trails? Not too boring? There are far fewer opinions and reviews on it. Faster bike?
Resolution. It looks lovely... will I ruin it? Chip the paint? Too good for winter roads? Reviewers love it (Road;CC, Bike radar etc) but what do real people think?
Test rides! I know, I know...I need to ride them and make up my mind. I find that hard. Nowhere locally has a Ti CdF I can try but I have had 15 minutes on the only steel CdF in Cornwall or Devon. It seemed alright, planted, steady, well built..didn't get a hill to try it out on though. We have to visit relatives in Sussex later this month so I have booked test rides with Mason and Enigma. I have always found testing cars that I can't get enough out of test rides but maybe this time I will.
Mainly I don't want to be slower than my Cube is now, I want to be comfortable all day and I want to be able to cycle carelessly without fearing catastrophe.
The Cube is already looking old after a year. The LBS says it isn't really the right bike for me after they repacked the wheel bearings for the second time, replaced the derailleur hanger for the second time and straightened the original wheels again - and pointed towards the CdF.
So what do you collectively know about these bikes? ( have also considered Kinesis Tripster and GTD ( can't find anywhere within a 150 miles with a demo) , Fairlight Strael (no test rides possible right now) and Reilly Spectre/ Gradient. Not impressed with Spa Ti bikes and geometry wrong for me on Sabbaths. Don't like Ribble Ti either. Alpkit Colibri looks OK but can't test ride it. I don't have good reasons for these prejudices...I like my shortlist and I don't want to start a lot of cross threads about other bikes. Just these ones).
Thank you in advance....if anyone has got this far. Be gentle with me.
Currently I have an aluminium Cube Attain. It's fine. It goes uphill and down and along but I have some cash from an investment and I would like another bike. I know its shallow and here I am with a developed world problem instead of fretting about the environment or politics or world hunger. I also know (Buddhist stuff) that wanting something simply creates suffering and the best way not to suffer is to not 'want'.
But I do want another bike. For hilly back lanes in Cornwall, NCN tracks, gravel roads, Audax and maybe light touring. 90/10 roads to tracks and nothing too muddy or steep. Just tracks that get me to the next bit of road. I like to do between 50 and 100k on a ride. Audax 200-400k.
I don't want to go slowly. I can't go fast cos I am old but something that can cover the ground and doesn't make me feel useless going uphill. So under 10kg and closer to 9kg would be good. Comfort, all day comfort, ability to cover the ground, stability rather than flightiness but not numb or boring to ride. Reliabilty is important, I am hard on bikes - tend to fall off them. I like to run tyres about 30-32mm. I cycle all year. I like discs. I will destroy a carbon bike quite quickly and I don't like the way they look. Sorry.
I guess if this bike existed, it would already sell in huge numbers. This is what all the old guys want isn't it? So its a compromise.
I will probably buy a frame, use my existing Mavic Allroads and specify carbon bar and seat post and Ultegra with maybe 48/32 chainring. LBS will build it.
Initial thoughts and concerns:
Croix de Fer Ti . Is it too heavy? Is it too gravel oriented? Will I curse it going uphill and watching my Strava times get longer (yes I am that shallow/competitive) ?
Etape. Old design now, still current? Cope with trails? Not too boring? There are far fewer opinions and reviews on it. Faster bike?
Resolution. It looks lovely... will I ruin it? Chip the paint? Too good for winter roads? Reviewers love it (Road;CC, Bike radar etc) but what do real people think?
Test rides! I know, I know...I need to ride them and make up my mind. I find that hard. Nowhere locally has a Ti CdF I can try but I have had 15 minutes on the only steel CdF in Cornwall or Devon. It seemed alright, planted, steady, well built..didn't get a hill to try it out on though. We have to visit relatives in Sussex later this month so I have booked test rides with Mason and Enigma. I have always found testing cars that I can't get enough out of test rides but maybe this time I will.
Mainly I don't want to be slower than my Cube is now, I want to be comfortable all day and I want to be able to cycle carelessly without fearing catastrophe.
The Cube is already looking old after a year. The LBS says it isn't really the right bike for me after they repacked the wheel bearings for the second time, replaced the derailleur hanger for the second time and straightened the original wheels again - and pointed towards the CdF.
So what do you collectively know about these bikes? ( have also considered Kinesis Tripster and GTD ( can't find anywhere within a 150 miles with a demo) , Fairlight Strael (no test rides possible right now) and Reilly Spectre/ Gradient. Not impressed with Spa Ti bikes and geometry wrong for me on Sabbaths. Don't like Ribble Ti either. Alpkit Colibri looks OK but can't test ride it. I don't have good reasons for these prejudices...I like my shortlist and I don't want to start a lot of cross threads about other bikes. Just these ones).
Thank you in advance....if anyone has got this far. Be gentle with me.