van nicholas yukon

Bruce Thornton

I'm having a test ride on a Yukon next Saturday. I'll be using it for commuting, day rides and sportive/audax rides. I'd also like to do touring but I gather i can't put front panniers on it and i can't put a different fork on. I'd be gratful for any comments on a Yukon or the fork issue. I have a Orbit at present which i can keep for touring.
Bruce

toontra

I have a Yukon and am delighted with it. I use it for light touring, audaxes and sportives. It was what I did my 6-day LEJoG on this May and it was perfect - http://6-daylejog.blogspot.com/

To be honest, you are never going to get a bike that does all this things you want well. For heavier touring I take a 26" steel-frame Orange (any other steel-frame would do). The Yukon is only able to cope with a certain weight before you loose all the advantage of the light build, and steering would become a problem.

But it's still very versatile as road bikes go (having rack mounts and a more relaxed geometry) and I've never regretted buying it for one second. Also you don't have to worry about paintwork getting chipped and it will last forever (well, sort of).

carbonfool

I also have a Yukon, very impressed with the comfort. I currently use it for commuting but will reroll it into a long distance weekend cruiser as it is too nice to be battered by everyday use.

Check out the VN Amazon as well, it has similar light frame at roughly the same price. I think it specced for slightly heavier touring than the Yukon.

dmb

I have one excellent bike, although now I would be more tempted by a Sunday September

guykk

I've got a 58cm Yukon and think it's excellent - BUT the head tube is a little short IMHO for a bike with audax/sportif aspirations (and my lack of flexibility), so I'm going to sell mine and get a custom frame (Bruce or anyone interested in mine?!), a bit fustrating after i made two 8hr return trips to fatbirds with the aim to get it properly fitted

like dmb i'm also very tempted by the Sabbath/Sunday September and am thinking of maybe getting this instead (mostly for a change!) and most likley not from fatbirds either!

red dragon

I also have a Van Nicholas Yukon - thoroughlly enjoy it.

Bruce Thornton

Thanks for the comments, one query what does guykk mean "head tube a little short IMHO"?
The shop I,m going to on Saturday also stocks Sunday September so I 'll try one of those.

Bruce

guykk

bruce, what i mean is that compared to the competitors the head tube length is a bit shorter, which is wrong (certainly for me and I think a lot of riders) in my honest opinion (IMHO) for a bike with a more relaxed and less racy intent; the 58cm van nicholas racers have a head tube of 16.5cm, and the yukon also has a HT of 16.5cm - bikes like the enigma etape and sunday september are a bit longer at 19.5/19cm respectively, the specialised roubaix is longer still at 22.5cm (although the enigma and the specilaised have integrated headsets so take off 2cm) - even so the van nicholas is 1-4cm lower at the front than the other bikes, which in my case of needing the tops of the bars level with the saddle doesn't work (without a hi-rise stem or lots of steerer spacers - both ugly and not good solutions!)

toontra

Bruce, the answer is clear. Try out the Yukon at the shop and if you love it (as I'm sure you will) make guykk an offer for his!

Bruce Thornton

Thanks for the replies Guy and Toontra, sadly a 58 is no good to me as I need a 54cm
Bruce

toontra

I honestly don't think you'll have a problem with the headtube length - the shorter it is the more flexibility you have in ride position by adjusting stem/steerer length. It's not even that short anyway - longer than most road bikes.

Let us know how you get on with your test ride.