Stainless or Ti for Audax
964cup
Posts: 1,362
So, assuming I ever get well again, I'm planning on some longer, slower rides to mix with the club ride mayhem and occasional racing. If nothing else, it's an excuse to buy another bike. The gentle end of Audax - 200 to 300k; I suppose PBP or LEL is somewhere in the back of my mind eventually. So it's all about comfort and durability. Weight is a factor, but only in the sense that I'd like to come in under 10kg with pedals, before adding guards, racks, lights, paniers and so on.
I'm currently thinking Lynskey Sportive or Genesis Volare 953 [Edit: or Equilibrium Stainless, I suppose]. I also can't decide on rim or disc brakes; I'm tending to rim for ease of wheel swapping; I'll build the wheels myself, so occasional rim replacement isn't a problem, but disc also appeals for long winter rides in the wet. Either way I'll want clearance for 25mm tyres on wide rims (probably Pacenti SL25 on CK45). Big frame, fairly upright position, mechanical groupset - probably Campag Record (not sure I see the point of Super Record for this application - and hopefully I can get an older crankset with the five-arm spider - the new one is gopping, however light and stiff it may be).
Money is sort of an issue in that I don't want to spend unnecessarily (I do enough of that already) but I do want to get long-lasting quality and decent ride comfort. The more money than sense version of this would be a Condor Gran Fondo (which looks to me much like a Sportive, but with rather lovely etched graphics) or an Acciaio Stainless (I have a Super Acciaio of which I'm rather fond) - but Condor's pricing is, erm, bold when compared to the competition. There's also Enigma, Van Nicholas and Wittson to consider on the Ti side (and I suppose loads of other new entrants) and whoever's out there that will build in stainless and doesn't have a 5-year waiting list.
WWYD?
I'm currently thinking Lynskey Sportive or Genesis Volare 953 [Edit: or Equilibrium Stainless, I suppose]. I also can't decide on rim or disc brakes; I'm tending to rim for ease of wheel swapping; I'll build the wheels myself, so occasional rim replacement isn't a problem, but disc also appeals for long winter rides in the wet. Either way I'll want clearance for 25mm tyres on wide rims (probably Pacenti SL25 on CK45). Big frame, fairly upright position, mechanical groupset - probably Campag Record (not sure I see the point of Super Record for this application - and hopefully I can get an older crankset with the five-arm spider - the new one is gopping, however light and stiff it may be).
Money is sort of an issue in that I don't want to spend unnecessarily (I do enough of that already) but I do want to get long-lasting quality and decent ride comfort. The more money than sense version of this would be a Condor Gran Fondo (which looks to me much like a Sportive, but with rather lovely etched graphics) or an Acciaio Stainless (I have a Super Acciaio of which I'm rather fond) - but Condor's pricing is, erm, bold when compared to the competition. There's also Enigma, Van Nicholas and Wittson to consider on the Ti side (and I suppose loads of other new entrants) and whoever's out there that will build in stainless and doesn't have a 5-year waiting list.
WWYD?
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Comments
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WWYD?
Ride what you have and then work it out from there. 200km is achievable on just about any bike, so I would start with what you've got and see what hurts and decide how you want to ride Audax events (do you want guards, how to carry luggage etc., to an extent how fast you want to ride (though at both ends of the field, you will see hefty steel and flash carbon!)).
You'll see anything and everything on Audax events, even the 1000km+ ones. There's plenty of carbon these days (I suspect my next distance bike will be carbon) and still plenty of steel and ti.
Doesn't really matter what it's made of. It's how comfy it is and that it's possible to have comfy or uncomfy in most materials. Biggest difference IMHO is can you fit a bigger tyre in it. Most Audax riders are on either 25s or 28s.
I might be making a sweeping generalisation, but I get the impression that most of the stainless tubing out there is pretty unforgiving (I know that goes against what I just said, but I really do not see much stainless out there on long rides).
I really wouldn't rush out and buy a new bike (I know you want n+1 though!). 200 and 300km is a day ride in summer, ride what you have and work out whether you could/would ride that on a winter's day and whether you could/would sit on it for 4-5 days of 350-400km a day etc.0 -
WWYD?
Ride what you have and then work it out from there. 200km is achievable on just about any bike, so I would start with what you've got and see what hurts and decide how you want to ride Audax events (do you want guards, how to carry luggage etc., to an extent how fast you want to ride (though at both ends of the field, you will see hefty steel and flash carbon!)).
You'll see anything and everything on Audax events, even the 1000km+ ones. There's plenty of carbon these days (I suspect my next distance bike will be carbon) and still plenty of steel and ti.
Doesn't really matter what it's made of. It's how comfy it is and that it's possible to have comfy or uncomfy in most materials. Biggest difference IMHO is can you fit a bigger tyre in it. Most Audax riders are on either 25s or 28s.
I might be making a sweeping generalisation, but I get the impression that most of the stainless tubing out there is pretty unforgiving (I know that goes against what I just said, but I really do not see much stainless out there on long rides).
I've done 300k on carbon; it was fine, but you can't really fit guards and panniers on an R5Ca. I also ride a fairly aggressive position (11cm saddle to bar drop and a long reach), which trades comfort for speed, so I was looking to build something with a more relaxed position. Yes, I could use a shorter stem and flip it, but it's still a bit square-peg/round-hole. Same answer for my steel road bike, which while very comfortable is on the small side for distance riding - to give you an idea, I'm 6'1", and ride a nominal 56 frame with a setback post (or setback seattube in the case of the R5Ca) and a 120mm stem. For Audax I'm looking at something more like a 58cm ETT, inline post, 100mm stem, tall headtube; 8cm saddle to bar, reach 2cm shorter. I'm on 25s on all my bikes; I don't presently see the need to go bigger, and this'll be tubeless so I can run quite low pressures without worry about pinch flats.0 -
Does it have to be stainless? For a lot less you could get a fully custom built frame in a decent non-stainless steel like Reynolds 853. I've nothing against stainless but it's a relatively expensive option. A decent steel frame won't rust unless you strip off all the paint and leave it outside in the rain and with a bit of TLC will probably outlive you- just look at all the old steel bikes still in daily use for proof of the longevity of steel.0
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It's an N+1 thing. I already have two steel bikes (both Columbus of varying grades), and five carbon. I don't have a Ti or a stainless. I also have distinct weight-weenie leanings, and stainless is lighter - it's nothing really to do with rust-resistance, since none of my bikes live outside.Does it have to be stainless? For a lot less you could get a fully custom built frame in a decent non-stainless steel like Reynolds 853. I've nothing against stainless but it's a relatively expensive option. A decent steel frame won't rust unless you strip off all the paint and leave it outside in the rain and with a bit of TLC will probably outlive you- just look at all the old steel bikes still in daily use for proof of the longevity of steel.0 -
Whatever you decide you really need full mudguards if you plan on riding a lot of Audax. Your fellow riders will thank you for it and you wont be messin about with guards made for racing bikes.0
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Lynskey Cooper CX will take mudguards, panniers and tires up to 35mm iirc. Relaxed, fairly light and won't rust. Frame, of crashed, can be repaired reliably in a specialist shop. Can be had in disc or cantilever varieties. PMP seatposts look cool on these, you could even check out their hubs.
Woosh i sound like a paid shill so will disclaim i don't have one.
One more thing to consider - i find Chorus more durable than both Records, if a bit heavier. Action is just as good.0
