Enigma Extensor & Condor Acciaio?

venntim
venntim Posts: 3
edited February 2011 in Road buying advice
Been looking for a new road bike for a while and somehow I seem to be attracted with the steel ones. My old bike is a Donohue 853 so I'm well aware of the virtues of steel. As a race bike I used to have a aluminium/carbon Cinelli Aliante, but that's long gone.

Would really appreciate if you have experience on the Enigma/Condor rigs, the ups and downs.

Comments

  • giant_man
    giant_man Posts: 6,878
    Enigma Extensor ........oooooh ....... drool

    Rides beautifully, great feel out of the saddle, finished beautifully and a great company to deal with. Probably give you a better buying experience than Condor.

    Or you cold wait for the upcoming Enigma Exage, xcr with lugs.
  • gazablanca
    gazablanca Posts: 2
    Hi OP,

    No experience of the Enigma, but I've been riding a 2010 Acciaio just about every day for almost a year and I love it. Apart from the paintjob, the 2011 is identical. I bought it to be a 'do everything' machine and it completely fits that bill. It eats up my 30 miles-a-day commute and is as comfortable as you could hope for over the crater-filled disaster area that we call roads. The steel frame and carbon forks combo really seems to take the bumps and dampen the buzz. Handling is sharp when you want it to be but always feels solid on fast descents. At the weekend I'll throw on a nicer set of wheels and hit the Surrey hills and I've done a few sportives and one over-nighter on it. The geometry is definitely built for long days in the saddle - it falls into the sportive geometry category if you believe in such a notion! Longish head tube basically. I found Condor guys to be really helpful. Fitting was good and got to try out lots of different saddles, bars, etc. before buying. Only frustration was having to wait about 6 weeks from purchase for it to be built, but well worth the wait in the end. Hope that helps...
  • TMR
    TMR Posts: 3,986
    giant mancp wrote:
    Enigma Extensor ........oooooh ....... drool

    Rides beautifully, great feel out of the saddle, finished beautifully and a great company to deal with. Probably give you a better buying experience than Condor.

    Or you cold wait for the upcoming Enigma Exage, xcr with lugs.

    This.

    I've ridden the same bike as Giant Mancp and he's spot on.
  • Hoopdriver
    Hoopdriver Posts: 2,023
    I've not ridden an Extensor but I am having a bespoke tourer built from Enigma's Excellence bespoke range and I have to say they are one of the classiest companies - of any sort - that I've ever dealt with. Friendly, helpful, and most importantly extremely knowledgeable and keen to get things right and see their clients happy. And I sure have been.
    http://www.My-Bicycle-and-I.com
  • bigpikle
    bigpikle Posts: 1,690
    I have an Ethos, with a slightly more relaxed geometry, which I did about 2000 miles on last year and loved to bits.

    At the time of buying I test rode an XCR Extensor that was beyond my budget, but I can honestly say it was THE best bike I've ridden. Rode the test route with the biggest smile ever all the way!

    Yesterday I bought an Elite frame to build my dream summer bike with, as the XCR was still beyond my budget and the Spirit has a little more comfort built in to it compared to the XCR. Its a touch heavier as well but will still build a 16.5lb bike all in with some quality components on it :D
    Your Past is Not Your Potential...
  • venntim
    venntim Posts: 3
    Many thanks for insights! I gather that there's a devoted following for the Enigmas... And I have to admit that I'd like to join that gang.

    However, there's a *slight* monetary issue. But on the other hand, I've been riding my previous high end purchase for more than 10 years, so that levels things a bit. But who am I to say that Condor wouldn't deliver more or less the same? For my budget, a Condor could also be built up with a slightly higher spec gruppo.

    The geometries are a bit different. In Enigmas, I'm a bit between the sizes, the 57 being slightly low in the head tube and the 59 being slightly long in the top tube (but that's what the custom is for, right?). Condor's 58 would be almost spot on if the head set won't add to the stack height significantly.

    I'm an overseas customer so customer service in situ wouldn't play any role. However, from my experience with Mr D., I know that there are (or were) people in the business that suck at it.

    Still pretty much undecided, but I have a soft spot for British racing bikes and in that sense Enigma would be more British I guess?
  • giant_man
    giant_man Posts: 6,878
    Shame you can't visit both establishments and try said bikes cos for me it's all in the ride.

    British? Well Condor I think have their frames built in Italy, hope someone will confirm that for me, but Enigma build theirs in East Sussex, UK, with tubing supplied (in the Extensor's case) from Columbus in Italy, top stuff.

    There's no reason why you can't speak to both companies on the phone and order, if your wallet points you in that direction, from discussions with both. Enigma are more for the custom route geometry wise , which in your position I would go for. Condor more stock size oriented.

    Ooh and lastly the Condor uses Dedacciai Zero Replica tubing, the Enigma superior XCr ....

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