Ex-pat Brit wants to buy British

tomsouthall

I'm an ex-pat Brit living in the USA and have been looking at the higher end Boardman bikes on Wiggle. I'd like to buy a brand with a British connection (yes, I know they're not made there) and would be something a bit different to the norm over here in the US - no Halfords stigma here either.

The SLR 9.0 and SLR 9.2 both seem like a great deal especially as there is no VAT buying from the US. They come to about $2k for the 9.0 and $2.6k for the 9.2.

http://www.wiggle.com/boardman-slr-92/
http://www.wiggle.com/boardman-slr-90/

Any opinions on these bikes would be appreciated. They seem to be getting decent reviews. Frame sounds good - fast, great climber - just the ticket.

Difference really is the 9.2 is the full SRAM Force groupset as opposed to partial on the 9.0. 9.2 has Ksyrium Elites as opposed to Equipes and better Ritchey components. Weight is very similar though 15.9 vs 15.7. Frames are identical. Is the extra $600 worth it for the 9.2?

Also, I've never ridden SRAM before. My sis-in-law loves her Red groupset - raves about the double tap. Another friend reckons they are light and look cool but too flimsy compared to Shimano equivalents. I guess this one could be opening a can of worms.

Other options I've considered:

Ribble R872 custom build with full Ultegra, Ksyrium Elites, same Ritchey components as the SLR 9.2 - a little more expensive than the Boardman. http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/bbd/road-track-bike/ribble-r872

Or... most out-there idea... carry on riding my old carthorse for a while, buy an Enigma Esprit frame and build a bike around it slowly as I can afford it. http://www.enigmabikes.com/bike/bike-enigma-esprit.html - Never ridden Ti before but there is something attractive about a frame that basically lasts forever...

goonz

I'd gor for the 9.2. In £ its still a great bike under £2k so you are laughing.

imposter2.0

tomsouthall wrote:

I'd like to buy a brand with a British connection

In the USA, this is what you need... http://www.wyndymilla.com/latest-bikes/ ... nion-jack/

danlikesbikes

Pretty rare bike in the USA but were a team bike for US Healthcare year before last I think but might have been 2-3 years ago now.

Know quite a few people who have them & for the money they do seem very good value.

Love my Red group set but you are correct in you are opening a can of worms as some like and others don't.

proto

Beaten too it by Imposter.

I'm really impressed with Wyndy Milla, and you can have custom frame and custom paint, and Union Flags all over them. The Yanks will go mad for them

PS a mate rides for MG Maxifuel and the team rides Wyndy Milla Massive Attacks. They look brilliant and she tells me hers rides very well indeed.

giant_man

These look good, but according to the WyndyMilla web site and indeed Marcel Wüst's review, aren't these built in Italy and painted/finished over here? Correct me if I'm wrong.

I don't think you will get anything totally British tbh, which is scandalous but that's the way the market has been going for the past years. Enigma build their titanium models over here, but the tubing is from the Far East I believe. That arrangement allows them to be actually built over here, if I were the OP, that would be near enough for me, British craftmanship via Mr Reilly and company. Just my opinion.

imposter2.0

Nobody is claiming they are 'UK made' and the OP isn't looking for that anyway. A British 'connection' is what he is after...

giant_man

that's fair enough

anto164

Get a british Titanium frame, something like an enigma.

Designed and built in the UK.

jordan_217

anto164 wrote:

Get a british Titanium frame, something like an enigma.

+1. Not too expensive, decent lead time, good customer service and the coveted 'Made in Britain' badge on the frame. You can just order the frame and have complete control over your finishing spec, or have them supply a complete bike but you still have some level of control over the finishing spec to an extent.

Oh and the bikes themselves are very good indeed. I'm a very happy owner of a Ti Echo.

jordan_217

proto wrote:

Beaten too it by Imposter.

I'm really impressed with Wyndy Milla, and you can have custom frame and custom paint, and Union Flags all over them. The Yanks will go mad for them

PS a mate rides for MG Maxifuel and the team rides Wyndy Milla Massive Attacks. They look brilliant and she tells me hers rides very well indeed.

One of their riders sometimes joins us on our club runs, he brought this bike out last time the sun was shining. I usually don't like the Wyndy Milla colours/decals but this one looks quite nice in the flesh. Apparently a very nice bike too.

markos1963

What about Mercian? I know they are a bit 'trad' but they seem to be very popular over in the US

simonhead

Try Pearson, they are older than most of the US.

freddiegrubb

Remember whatever you buy you're only buying a frame. if it's fitted with xyz. this will be same outcome as when fitted to any other frame. Boardman is a tenuous link to the UK. & the frame will be made in tiawan/china or wherever,like most things these days. However I really enjoy riding mine, I've changed a few bits due to wear & tear but I wish I could find a comfortable saddle.

tomsouthall

Thanks for all the replies so far. Lots to mull over before I get my wallet out. Glad to hear the Boardmans are indeed as decent as I'd hoped.

WyndyMilla is new to me. The paint jobs are nuts - although perversely I kind of like the Union Flag one. I'll do some more reading on them.

I'd obviously have to save for a lot longer for an Enigma or a WyndyMilla than the Boardman. Then if it's the Enigma that spawns the whole Ti vs Carbon thing - another can of worms.

northpole

If I were overseas with a craving for a bike having a link to the motherland, I'd be checking out Condor who are just round the corner from my office.
I'm sure you could source one of their frames and carry out the build over in the States more economically than having it built here and shipped out.
http://www.condorcycles.com/

Peter

Bar Shaker

I've had my SLR about six weeks now.

I have a 9.2S with compact Force cogs, rather than Ultegra. The 2013 Force is 2012 Red and is right up there in terms of spec and looks. The chainring set up is very light and very stiff, as is the whole SLR frame. I have just ordered some Red calipers. With the saving for using Force compact and the caliper weight saving (300g over Ultegra calipers), the bike, ex pedals, will now be 6.5kg (weighed, not guessed).

Don't think that something that light will be flexy and a comfy ride. It isn't. The SLR frame is very stiff and a true race machine.

The frames are the same throughout the range, so the 9.0 uses the same 9.8 frame, which is probably why it won Cycling Plus 2013 Bike of the Year.

mjbennett

Get a handbuilt Rourke frame with Hope wheeels

cal_stewart

There is only one choice

http://www.englishcycles.com/

js14

My vote goes with Condor as well: one of the last bike shops in Britain still designing and selling its own bikes. I believe some/most of their frames are made in Italy, so there is still a goodly part of the selling price staying in the European economy. Condor bikes have kudos (Mick Jagger and Eric Clapton famously own Condor bikes) and the Condor racing team supports up and coming British riders (former riders on Condor bikes include Tom Simpson and Bradley Wiggins). http://www.condorcycles.com/our-bikes

londoncommuter

Ignoring the fact it's as French as a baguette, you could try one of these:

http://www.lookcycle.com/en/uk/route/ga ... l?color=73

Off topic as well but I've got a lowly Boardman Team Carbon and it's been a great bike.

Bar Shaker

I loved my Team Carbon. I put some Elites on it and it became a real flying machine. I had it for 3 years and a cycling mate has just ripped my arm off to give me £1k for it.

tomsouthall

londoncommuter wrote:

Ignoring the fact it's as French as a baguette, you could try one of these:

http://www.lookcycle.com/en/uk/route/ga ... l?color=73

Off topic as well but I've got a lowly Boardman Team Carbon and it's been a great bike.

A tad more than I can stretch too - unfortunately.

tomsouthall

Very interesting news. I have discovered that Boardman is due to launch in the USA with its own network of dealers on 1st May.

So maybe they won't be so rare here soon.