My first build - with climbing in mind!

Gatis

Hello all!
My first post here ! Great forum you have guys! I have been a reading guest for a while, but today few questions come!

I live in Paris now and mainly flat road here, but this summer I'm moving to Grenoble with lot of Alpine climbs ! As well for my last two road bikes I bought them complete but found myself changing over years almost all parts except frame.
And finally ... with annual bonus around the corner I have more than enough reasons to go for my first build !

My target where I want to arrive with my build is stiff, reliable climbing bike with good quality, but still tolerable on longer flat days and easy touring I do sometimes with friends.
Some amateur race or sportive later probably when I will get better with climbing.
Well ... kind of everything, huh !

Starting with frame obviously and that is my question of the day - What would you suggest:
- Frame budget 1800 quid max
- Quality and usability for my application is key!
- No real preference on where its made or name on tubes. Fancy Italian "exotica" for sure has some sweet spot, but performance is my target!
- Ultegra Di2 will be the groupset

For now I have two frames on my radar - Trigon RQC-29 and Dedacciai Super Scuro RC

What would you suggest or comment?
I'm in an absolutely early stage now and plan to start sourcing and building in few months. Frames are just ideas for now. Any other frame you would go yourself in build and budget like this are welcome.

Best sourcing suggestions - welcome!

Uff ... long as always, apologies for that! Any comment - highly, highly appreciated !

Wirral_paul

Cant really offer much in the way of advice re frame but one thing that strikes me is that there is another huge consideration that will affect your bike build - and that is wheels. Given that you will be doing long climbs and high speed descents, then i'd personally think that you will be looking at wanting some very nice lightweight wheels - but some that will also be laterally stiff for climbing and handling.

You may already have wheels in mind but maybe worth considering a budget for frame and wheels combined - rather than a really nice frame and leaving yourself short for wheels that may likely have a bigger effect than the frame.

anto164

I agree with Wirral_Paul. No point getting an expensive frame if you're going to throw some cheap heavy wheels on it.

For a bike that can climb well, i'd recomment spending at least £500 on some decent climbing wheels (Such as Shimano DA C24s)

Gatis

Hi Guys!
This is what happens when I have all in my head, but fail to write down!
I already have C24 clinchers. Have not ridden them yet, need to decide on cassette and rubber.

And its funny anto164 you mention exactly those wheels with all those many wheel choices around.

Still .. comments on frames?

Grill

As long as it's in your size this is the frame you should buy: http://www.westbrookcycles.co.uk/frames-c6/road-frames-c112/scott-foil-premium-hmx-aero-road-frameset-di2-only-2012-p213573

Anonymous

Spesh S-Works SL4 would be my other suggestion?

Grill

Good bike, but look at the price of that Foil!

Anonymous

One day....I am lusting after a pure climbing bike, my 1st thought was to square peg the round hole with a Venge (I dont know why, I just desperately wanted one), now thinking Sl4, but all the recent raving about the Foil has me thinking again of the Foil.
Mind you, I am a year or 2 off realising this!

anto164

Gatis wrote:

Hi Guys!
This is what happens when I have all in my head, but fail to write down!
I already have C24 clinchers. Have not ridden them yet, need to decide on cassette and rubber.

And its funny anto164 you mention exactly those wheels with all those many wheel choices around.

Still .. comments on frames?

Hah, i only recommended them as i own a set too! Paired with GP4000s tyres they're a winning combination.

As for frames, what are you looking for? Do you mind about the brand? I'm pretty sure you may be able to get a cannondale supersix evo hi-mod for £1800.

Gabbo

Grill wrote:

As long as it's in your size this is the frame you should buy: http://www.westbrookcycles.co.uk/frames-c6/road-frames-c112/scott-foil-premium-hmx-aero-road-frameset-di2-only-2012-p213573

Grill,

I am also interested in a Scott foil and will most likely be building from scratch. What is the ride quality actually like? From a review I read in a magazine, it's apparently very harsh.

Unlike to OP, I'm not after Di2.

Gabbo

anto164 wrote:

Gatis wrote:

Hi Guys!
This is what happens when I have all in my head, but fail to write down!
I already have C24 clinchers. Have not ridden them yet, need to decide on cassette and rubber.

And its funny anto164 you mention exactly those wheels with all those many wheel choices around.

Still .. comments on frames?

Hah, i only recommended them as i own a set too! Paired with GP4000s tyres they're a winning combination.

As for frames, what are you looking for? Do you mind about the brand? I'm pretty sure you may be able to get a cannondale supersix evo hi-mod for £1800.

£1500 at Pauls cycles

Grill

Gabbo wrote:

Grill wrote:

As long as it's in your size this is the frame you should buy: http://www.westbrookcycles.co.uk/frames-c6/road-frames-c112/scott-foil-premium-hmx-aero-road-frameset-di2-only-2012-p213573

Grill,

I am also interested in a Scott foil and will most likely be building from scratch. What is the ride quality actually like? From a review I read in a magazine, it's apparently very harsh.

Unlike to OP, I'm not after Di2.

I have no problem with the ride. Done a 12hr TT, several 200k audaxes, and many other centuries with no problem (all with 23c tyres at 110psi with almost zero padded full carbon saddle). It's no magic carpet, but I find it quite comfortable.

Scrumple

Everyone always recommends their bike...

Buy the bike YOU like and feel drawn to - they are all good over a grand!

Monty Dog

FWIW, Trigon makes Deda's frames. The Scuro has the reputation for a firm ride though - so choice is really down to geometry and a ride tuned for your weight and style of riding. At your price point, it's almost certain that the frame will be made from Taiwan/China - regardless of what the stickers on the frame say, so I wouldn't get too hung-up on brand. As you're looking for something to climb, be sure that if you go for a light frame, make sure it's got a stiff enough fork and front end as there's nothing worse that a chattery fork that prevents you from carving those turns on the downhills you've worked hard for.

nunowoolmez

Sorry to be a bit obvious & bland, but a Spesh Roubaix are terrific bikes (i am biased as i have one), but they tick all the OP's boxes. Great value for money too & will just go on forever. Otherwise a decent Titanium frame would do just as well as anything else & also ticks all the OPs boxes.

letap73

Scrumple wrote:

Everyone always recommends their bike...

Buy the bike YOU like and feel drawn to - they are all good over a grand!

I have the supersix evo (hi mod frame) and it is fantastic, however, I am going to recomend the Trigon -OP suggested from cycle division:

http://www.cycledivision.co.uk/product- ... id177.html

It is a ridiculous bargain for less than £800 and as good as the other frames mentioned. Spend the money you save on a good set of light wheels.

meesterbond

Ok, so everyone recommends their own bike, but for a pure climbing frame (so to speak) I'd try and see whether there are any of those half price Cervelo R5s knocking about... pretty much define climbing.

anto164

meesterbond wrote:

Ok, so everyone recommends their own bike, but for a pure climbing frame (so to speak) I'd try and see whether there are any of those half price Cervelo R5s knocking about... pretty much define climbing.

Merlin cycles have 54, 56, and 58cm sizes in stock. at £2k each, they're 45% off!

Eaglehighcycling

If you're looking for some sweet climbing wheels try American Classic's MAG 300 wheels. Aluminum clinchers that are incredibly light, and I saw them under a pro tour rider on one of the galleries in bikeradar so they must be stiff enough...and you don't have to worry about issues like with carbon clinchers.

Gatis

Amazing inputs from you guys!
This is what I call a proper forum ! Thanks so much for your comments!

Now I have at least 3-4 more frames to consider. Will read in depth and have a look for sizing charts.

letap73 - RQC29 from Cycle division is steal for that price! Couldn't agree more.
I have been coming back to it and reconsidering for a few months already, but blue or green is something I can not really accept bike being painted in.
This is my only mental topic in cycling outside technical preferences. I know its silly, but that's how it goes since I was a boy. Maybe I'm not alone as this frame at that price is there for a while already!

But great comments and discussions, keep them coming!

meesterbond

Eaglehighcycling wrote:

If you're looking for some sweet climbing wheels try American Classic's MAG 300 wheels. Aluminum clinchers that are incredibly light, and I saw them under a pro tour rider on one of the galleries in bikeradar so they must be stiff enough...and you don't have to worry about issues like with carbon clinchers.

They're magnesium rather than aluminium and apparently very delicate... perfect for a hilly TT perhaps but not something for everyday riding, particularly if you're over 150lbs!

If someone does find the perfect climbing wheel, lightweight, stiff and brakes actually work for the way down for under £1k then please let me know...

philbar72

canyoun ultimate cf slx. quality frame....

abondncfc

Just built my first bike - Cervelo R3 Team - 6.5Kg inc all the bits (bottles/spares excluded) with DA 9000 = fanstastic going up and really stable going down. Very comfortable as well - perfect Sportive bike - 250K since Friday so far. The R5 deal at Merlin looks a bargain. You can pick up a DA 9000 group set with a DA 24CL wheelset for about the same price at Merlin also.

Also ride a Focus Izalco Ergoride - also very comfortable but not so stable at speed - particularly on faster descents, probably geometry a bit too upright - longer head tube may be the reason. Not a problem for the daily commute though.

A minute faster on the R3 Team for a lap around Richmond Park earlier today compared to my best lap on the Focus -nice warm day probably accounted for half the improvement rather than just the better climbing/descending attributes/more racy position of the R3 to be fair.