Would 30 gears be a mistake?
- Thread starter Brock
- Start date
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John the Monkey
Frivolous Cyclist
- Location
- Crewe
Maybe you could buy it, get the arse with it, and send it to me in a fit of picque. I reckon that would be the best way to tackle the whole business, really.Brock said:well I thought it was nice.. But jimbo has pointed out that they aren't a 'real' bike manufacturer so now I'm not so sure.
Alf
Guru
- Location
- Penicuik, Midlothian
Brock said:
I'm with you on that. A randoneur is not a tourer and I never use the lower gears either. Actually, not quite never - I used a 32" gear on the Fred Whitton but then not many rides have Hardknott near the end. And, I would have been just as quick walking up it! How slow do you want to go? My first tour of Wales was on a 3-speed Sturmey Archer hub. I thought I was in the super-tech league when I got a 5-speed derailleur (with single chain ring and a 14-24 freewheel). I don't remember walking up any hills, but I might have strayed a bit from the 80-100 rpm ideal cadence now and again on longer rides.
Looks a great bike to me. I would go for the 10-speed and see how it goes.
Incidentally, Shimano don't give it a lot of publicity but a 10 speed shifter works on a 9-speed cassette. You just have to route the cable the other side of the clamp on the rear derailleur. My 9 speed dura-ace bar-end shifter actually says on it that it is compatible with 8 or 9 speed. The reason is that routing the cable the other side of the clamp alters the leverage and they have cunningly designed it so that it makes the difference between either 10 and 9-speed spaces, or between 9 and 8. You couldn't use 10-speed shifters on an 8-speed cassette, though. I just throw that in in case your were ever thinking of 'downgrading' in the future.
Alf
- Location
- The TerrorVortex
Lordy, Alf, I'd never heard of that one! That's useful.
In fact, that's so useful I'll probably get it set up on my carbon bike. I don't need 20 gears, but having the option of a MTB cassette would be very handy...
Edit. Did a search for the source for this. I should have known.
Sheldonbrown.com. Guy's still a legend.
In fact, that's so useful I'll probably get it set up on my carbon bike. I don't need 20 gears, but having the option of a MTB cassette would be very handy...
Edit. Did a search for the source for this. I should have known.
Sheldonbrown.com. Guy's still a legend.
Have another good look at the bike.
It's a shame the website doesn't give details of the frame geometry.
The chainstay length is typical of tourers. The head angle is typical of tourers. The rear wheel / seattube clearance is typical of tourers. The front wheel / toe clearance is typical of tourers. It's got V Brakes on fork bosses.
There's no way in the world a framebuilder would call it a 'sports' or 'Audax' frame.
It's a 'tourer' frame with a 'Sports' gearset for a bike 5 - 6 lb lighter.
Purchase it if you wish. But remember,,, It's 13.5 kg ( 30lb ) and it has 'touring' geometry.
It's a shame the website doesn't give details of the frame geometry.
The chainstay length is typical of tourers. The head angle is typical of tourers. The rear wheel / seattube clearance is typical of tourers. The front wheel / toe clearance is typical of tourers. It's got V Brakes on fork bosses.
There's no way in the world a framebuilder would call it a 'sports' or 'Audax' frame.
It's a 'tourer' frame with a 'Sports' gearset for a bike 5 - 6 lb lighter.
Purchase it if you wish. But remember,,, It's 13.5 kg ( 30lb ) and it has 'touring' geometry.
Well I could be wrong but I think it's exactly what I'm looking for.. A comfortable bike that's capable of carrying my stuff around during the week, whilst giving me a relatively speedy ride at the weekend. Should the time arise when I tour fully loaded again, I believe it would be upto that too, I'd just have to swap racks and change the gearing.
It has cross brakes which I want for cycling in traffic, it has hub dynamo and good lights. I can swap the dynamo hubbed wheel for one of my Hewitt wheels at the weekend and during the summer, bringing the overall weight down a bit...
It seems like a capable compromise between speed and utility to me. I only have space for one bike, I have no car, but I feel I deserve something just a little bit sporty.
Could you suggest something more suited?
It has cross brakes which I want for cycling in traffic, it has hub dynamo and good lights. I can swap the dynamo hubbed wheel for one of my Hewitt wheels at the weekend and during the summer, bringing the overall weight down a bit...
It seems like a capable compromise between speed and utility to me. I only have space for one bike, I have no car, but I feel I deserve something just a little bit sporty.
Could you suggest something more suited?
Well I endured the 2 hour train journey to London town and had a go on it.. Hadn't intended to but I ended up bringing it home with me. Hooray, an end to head scratching and uncertainty.
Thanks to my superduper partner for releasing a large chunk of fund from her very own account to pay for it.
Couldn't stop looking at it strapped into the wheelchair bay next to the toilet on the train home. It's been ages since I got an actual brand new bike!
Thanks all for the advice.
Thanks to my superduper partner for releasing a large chunk of fund from her very own account to pay for it.
Couldn't stop looking at it strapped into the wheelchair bay next to the toilet on the train home. It's been ages since I got an actual brand new bike!
Thanks all for the advice.
GrasB
Veteran
- Location
- Nr Cambridge
Nice one! Now you've got it home, it's time to start enjoying it 
John the Monkey
Frivolous Cyclist
- Location
- Crewe
Good work that man, it is a nice bike.
(Although you may need to revisit all those calculations earlier in the thread to mathematically prove that to yourself).
(Although you may need to revisit all those calculations earlier in the thread to mathematically prove that to yourself).
I was up and out early this morning with dynamo lights ablaze and took the long way to work via the local mountains (low hillocks) and made it up them ok, despite being fully laden with my roast pheasant and damson chutney sarnies on the rack.
Enjoyed it greatly. Will probably put narrower tyres on when I've worn the 700x35 marathon 'racers' out, I'm used to 28s. Apart from that everything seemed sweet. Just need to get used to drops and STIs.
Enjoyed it greatly. Will probably put narrower tyres on when I've worn the 700x35 marathon 'racers' out, I'm used to 28s. Apart from that everything seemed sweet. Just need to get used to drops and STIs.
What you need to do with a new bike Pt I.
Get the rear mech cable unhitched, completely remove the cable tension adjuster and give it a splash of Waxoil before putting it back in.
Apply Waxoil to all other gear and brake adjuster threads.
Squirt the Waxoil on your fingers and massage it around every spoke nipple, covering the thread AND pushing it between nipple and rim eyelet.
Smear Waxoil on EVERY cable. These go rusty V quickly with no protection. Push the Waxoil up the cable outers.
Place a dab of Waxoil on other threaded parts like clamp bolts, V brake Hex heads, Brake springs etc.
Get the rear mech cable unhitched, completely remove the cable tension adjuster and give it a splash of Waxoil before putting it back in.
Apply Waxoil to all other gear and brake adjuster threads.
Squirt the Waxoil on your fingers and massage it around every spoke nipple, covering the thread AND pushing it between nipple and rim eyelet.
Smear Waxoil on EVERY cable. These go rusty V quickly with no protection. Push the Waxoil up the cable outers.
Place a dab of Waxoil on other threaded parts like clamp bolts, V brake Hex heads, Brake springs etc.
