Whyte gravel bikes

[vickster]

Had a good chat with helpful chap at Balfe’s.
They can get the Friston in for a 25% refundable deposit for me to look at and try available around end September). Need to really sell a couple of bikes to make room, listed on eBay

 

[T4tomo]

There is the Cream Egg colour scheme yes... but I didn't go for that one:

View attachment 607208

There is a red and black version too which is quieter still.

@vickster I suspect as you say Ti might be a bit of of a stretch for a 2k budget. Actually, would be good to find out what the cheapest Titanium bike out there is

If I were looking at a new gravel bike then the freeranger would be up there (not in cream egg, but the brown above and the red/black look good. Also the Ti Tempest looks cracking value, but would need blinging up with some coloured bar tape and bolts / seat collars etc

 

[vickster]

If I were looking at a new gravel bike then the freeranger would be up there (not in cream egg, but the brown above and the red/black look good. Also the Ti Tempest looks cracking value, but would need blinging up with some coloured bar tape and bolts / seat collars etc

Except I don’t want carbon or Ti…
Tempest unavailable in my size and not going to be according to the stock alert email received.
I’m also very happy to buy from my LBS rather than blind by mail order

 

[vickster]

Finally found a 54cm Friston to sit on…and it was too big!!
So I now need to seek out a 52

 

[bonzobanana]

I know frame isn't everything but Giant and Merida are actual manufacturers and manufacture their own frames and forks and for that sort of money you would probably get a 6011 based Giant frame and Merida would offer 6066 or 6069 (I can't remember which is their high end aluminium). These are more advanced aluminium frames which typically you won't see on Giant and Merida OEM frames for other brands until much higher price points. Love Whyte bikes though but in value terms they always have to be behind in either bike technology or pricing because like most European and US brands they do not manufacture themselves they either buy from other factories or just assemble bikes from other factories parts. So there are always more parties that have to make a profit and more complex logistics. However I realise for some its more about the bike being exactly right rather than striving for best value. I personally would look at the two Taiwanese giants though to see what they are offering though just in case. I've just realised my last statement could be confusing as Giant is a manufacturing giant.

 

[vickster]

I don’t want a Giant or Merida though
The Whyte is similar money to anything else actually available, has the SRAM 1x group set I would like (and not Shimano) and it’s a lovely colour

 

[bonzobanana]

I don’t want a Giant or Merida though
The Whyte is similar money to anything else actually available, has the SRAM 1x group set I would like (and not Shimano) and it’s a lovely colour

Well you may still get one because last I heard Whyte were still having their bikes made in Taiwan so its quite possible the bike is manufactured by Giant or Merida.

 

[vickster]

Well you may still get one because last I heard Whyte were still having their bikes made in Taiwan so its quite possible the bike is manufactured by Giant or Merida.

The frame maybe, but I don’t want a model sold with Giant or Merida decals and Shimano groupset. I’m Sram brifters only
I’d consider Di2 maybe but I’m not in that market this year

 

[bonzobanana]

The frame maybe, but I don’t want a model sold with Giant or Merida decals and Shimano groupset. I’m Sram brifters only
I’d consider Di2 maybe but I’m not in that market this year

What's the issue with Giant or Merida decals?

 

[T4tomo]

What's the issue with Giant or Merida decals?

give it rest lad, its not 20 questions!

@vickster The Friston looks nice and a cracking colour - good luck hunting down a 52. are you going to order on on basis of the 54 was a bit big, or are you trying to find on to sit on first

 

[vickster]

What's the issue with Giant or Merida decals?

They aren’t brands I want to own. If you like them, all power to you!

 

[vickster]

give it rest lad, its not 20 questions!

@vickster The Friston looks nice and a cracking colour - good luck hunting down a 52. are you going to order on on basis of the 54 was a bit big, or are you trying to find on to sit on first

LBS can get from their warehouse with a refundable deposit. I need to sell a couple of bikes first to make space though

 

[bonzobanana]

They aren’t brands I want to own. If you like them, all power to you!

What makes them brands you don't want to own? Paintwork, being Taiwanese or some other issue?

 

[bonzobanana]

give it rest lad, its not 20 questions!

@vickster The Friston looks nice and a cracking colour - good luck hunting down a 52. are you going to order on on basis of the 54 was a bit big, or are you trying to find on to sit on first

Very simple question no reason to post such a strange remark.

 

[ColinJ]

I did like the SRAM kit (I know you love it) and it was very intuitive, made more sense to me than Shimano tbh, but I think the bigger gear spacings would have taken me some getting used to. Although I am pretty sure I would have got there so to speak. Maybe the bigger jumps were initially more problematic for me as I tried the beast on a very hilly circuit.

I am used to riding a 3x10 on my road bike so I thought that it would take me some time to get used to the 1x11 on the bike I bought recently from @Venod's son. It actually only took me about 10 minutes!

It could be that I am more flexible in my cadence now after doing a lot of riding on singlespeed where there is no option but to change cadence as required.

I have tackled everything on the bike from fast downhills to 25% Devon ramps.