FAO - NapD & Everyone else.

Karl2010
Karl2010 Posts: 511
edited September 2010 in Road buying advice
Alright Nap.

Ive been browsing on here for a while and ive noticed you've got/did have a Van Nicholas Euros & A Lite Speed Titanium bike.

Thinking of getting a Ti Bike with winter coming up. But dunno which one. Also want to do some racing next year and also ill be commuing on it.

So Which is better the Euros or Lite Speed?
Will the light speed take mud guards?
Is the Lite Speed any good for racing?

Probaly gonna have to sell my Ribble Gran Fondo to fund this Ti Bike.
Does anyone know if the Van Nicholas ASTRAEUS is all its cracked up to be?
I want it to be stiff for racing.
Does anyone know if the ASTRAEUS will take mud guards.

Chears dude. / Peeps

Comments

  • Scrumple
    Scrumple Posts: 2,665
    blimey

    If you are that serious, set your top price, and call the two firms and talk to them.

    All bikes will take cruds, pretty much, and certainly with 23 tyres.

    What do you want the bike for?! I thnk you'd be far better speaking to Enigma / Sabbath ? VN and discussing what you can get for your money and what you will use it for.

    Asking here will just get owners saying they liked their bikes. Pick up the phone, and talk. I did - and Greg at Sabbath listened to me , and sorted me. Why ask here when you can talk to the experts. Generally,. the more you spend the stiffer and better you get for racing (Monday's child, for example). You sound like you need a hybrid frame for a bit of everything. Try the ti bike spread in C+ and the search function here. This is the 3rd Ti thread in as many days.

    £, use, and then personal choice decide, no one else can.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    I've never owned a Van Nic...

    What Scrumple said.

    Ring/email Litespeed, Sabbath, Enigma, Van Nic, Planet X, Lynskey, ProBikeKit etc etc etc.

    My Litespeed Siena is raceable on but I found the geometry more suited for longer rides etc. It's plenty stiff enough but for me I found I couldn't get the front end low enough for racing without a silly stem. Great as a do it all bike though and it would be my one choice of bike if I could only have one. YMMV, the geometry may suit. It's my Winter/training bike with crud guards on it.
  • Karl2010
    Karl2010 Posts: 511
    Blimey Scrumple! Whats got your goat eh?
    I thought this was a 'road buying advice' forum?!?!

    pfft...!

    Personaly i find it better to ask people who have owned/rode and had experience, than just taking the shop owners word for it. Shop owners and sales clerks are there to stuff to you.

    Thanks Nap.
  • hopper1
    hopper1 Posts: 4,389
    I have a VN Yukon... great winter machine but not for racing on...
    Have a look at Qoroz bikes, they actually race on their frames, so may be worth a punt.

    Good luck. :wink:
    Start with a budget, finish with a mortgage!
  • tigerben
    tigerben Posts: 233
    Try speaking to Enigma - good range of Ti bikes and excellent customer service.

    I have an etape as my winter/ commuter. Only had it a week so cannot say too much - but so far its a big thumbs up. It is designed as all round bike - so may not fully meet your racing needs. Speak to Jim and I am sure he will be able to point you in the right direction (without any hard sell or come back if you decide not to proceed).
  • UPGRAYEDD
    UPGRAYEDD Posts: 117
    Karl, you have only had your Gran Fondo about 5 minutes - why have you gone off it so quickly?
    "A gentleman who goes by the name Upgrayedd. Which he spells thusly, with two D's, as he says, "for a double dose of this pimping."
  • Karl2010
    Karl2010 Posts: 511
    Havnt realy gone off it mate. I love the paint job on my GF & The stiffness. but......

    The forks are very heavy (for what they are). They are diffinitly an ALLOY fork. Ribble claim that they are carbon forks but mine arnt.! They have some carbon weave on to give the effect but thats it.

    Also i put a Tripple Groupo on my GF which adds to the weight!

    (my gran fondo weighs 10.3kg) Thats too heavy in my opinion for a carbon bike.

    I was thinking of a Ti bike because its an all weather bike. Dont want to feck my carbon bike up rideing in crappy conditions.
  • Stuey01
    Stuey01 Posts: 1,273
    Yeah, if only carbon fibre didn't rust in the rain... oh, wait....
    Why buy an expensive ti bike to save your cheap carbon one? very strange.
    Very much doubt your forks are carbon wrapped alloy, alloy steerer maybe.

    Why not put lighter wheels and gruppo on your granfondo and save the extra dosh?
    Not climber, not sprinter, not rouleur
  • TMR
    TMR Posts: 3,986
    Karl2010 wrote:
    Also i put a Tripple Groupo on my GF which adds to the weight!

    Instead of obsessing about bike weight, how about you stop dodging the salads fatty? A stone off you will equate to far better performance than an ounce off the bike ;)

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