What bike would fit this use?

rob13

I currently have a 'Dale Supersix and a Kinesis Racelight as my winter bike. The racelight is nice, but i've never really gelled with it for some reason, maybe because of its rather stretched out position. I'm considering selling it but want something that can tick a few boxes.


I go away in the summer a lot to Lakes, Scotland, France with wife and my 3 year old daughter. Usually as the missus takes a Hardrock, I take my MTB and hook the trailer on the back to carry my daughter. Shes generally happy for 15 mile rides but shes getting older and I'm wondering whether she'll be better on the back of me in a seat. Stuff we do is usually bridleways, dedicated trails etc.

Thing is, whilst there I'd also like to get out by myself for a couple of hours just to enjoy the area as a roadie. We travel in a VW camper which is usually fully loaded so only enough space for the 2 adult bikes on the back meaning I can only take one bike.

I've tried taking the trailer on the Kinesis and it just feels unstable. I think the geometry doesnt work and the tyres (28s) are too narrow. I need something with wider tyres, but which is still relatively sprightly and fun and will keep up on a club run through the winter (yes I know thats largely down to me!). If I think my daughter will take to a seat over the trailer, I'll need to attach a rack to take it. I've considered CaadX, Genesis CDF, Kinesis Crosslight Pro6 amongst others but not sure if a CX bb is too high and the gearing too low with a CX Chainset?

hsiaolc

I have the Kinesis Racelight Ti Disc. If you think racelight is stretched out then I can't imagine any other bikes that's not stretched out for you. Probably your steer is cut too low? Try shorter Stem? Angle your handle bar higher? Many ways to getting the right position for you as long as you have the right size bike for you in the first place.

I have a son at 3yr 8 months and he just learned how to ride two wheels and pedal so I take him on family trails in swinley forest and eh can do the whole cycle of the park. Train your daughter to ride because by next summer if she can ride on her own then you don't have to worry about putting any trailer on any road bikes.

I've made mistake of going from balance back to stabilisers. To teach to ride without stabilisers is a nightmare so stick with balance bike and make direct transition to full pedal bike when you think she is ready.

It is hard to feel stable on a road bike with a 20KG weight at the back and probably moving around too.

I just don't really think you know what you want or what you really need.

rob13

Something with slightly slacker geometry. The racelight is probably racier than the Supersix. Some of these newer adventure styled road bikes seem to be fairly slack, i.e the Diverge is somewhere between a road and MTB.

She already rides a balance bike and has done since last February, but shes still too small for the smallest of pedal bikes (small genes). Once she gets going i'm sure she will be fine, but I'm looking at 15-20 mile rides, something a 3 year old isn't going to do. Taking her on her bike is a totally different type of ride (usually a walk/run for me).

rob13

Tagalong is an option, but I still want to leave the MTB behind at home and take a road orientated bike which will handle the extra weight and stability. Disc brakes wouldnt go amiss either. She will still take her balance bike with her for riding when I'm walking/running and shes just playing around the campsites.

bungalballs

What about a Fairlight Faran?

I'm keen for somebody to buy one and let me know what its like...

http://fairlightcycles.com/faran/?v=79cba1185463

rob13

Looks like a Croix de fer may be a good option. It's got a relaxed enough geometry for trails and yet still a good option for some solo road work in holiday and a good winter bike. Anything else similar/better? The only thing that puts me off slightly is that it's pretty heavy.

We are going back to the Alps this year and I don't want to miss out on the opportunity to ride some of the cols.

w00dster

The Croix is a very good option. I used to have the cheaper version, the CDF.
My current winter bike might fit your use, its a Trek Domane ALR, has 105 and Hydraulic Brakes, can take approx 40m tyres. At the moment I have 33m Bontrager Cross Tyres, nice and grippy. The riding position is relaxed, since fitting decent tyres I've found it to be a blast on off road rides. I use it on bridleways and wooded trails.
With regards to weight, my CDF was just over 12kgs and my Domane is just over 9kgs. I don't notice the weight difference to be honest. My starva times has me no slower on hilly rides or on my off road rides.
For simplicity I have two sets of wheels, one with Cross Tyres and one with road. I just swap them over depending on the ride I am doing.

bobmcstuff

+1 for the Croix de Fer. Really solid all rounder.

That Fairlight Faran looks really nice as well though, similar concept to the Croix de Fer so probably worth considering.

Eddy Spaghetti

w00dster wrote:

My current winter bike might fit your use, its a Trek Domane ALR, has 105 and Hydraulic Brakes, can take approx 40m tyres. At the moment I have 33m Bontrager Cross Tyres, nice and grippy. The riding position is relaxed, since fitting decent tyres I've found it to be a blast on off road rides. I use it on bridleways and wooded trails.

Hi there!

How would you rate the Domane ALR onroad performance? I'm considering the Domane ALR as my one bike (my rides are 80-90% tarmac - the rest unpaved). I do like the idea of a slight more relaxed geometry but I do have to battle lots of headwind over here so it has to be possible to be aeodynamic. Will the Trek Domane ALR be my bike to do so?

hsiaolc

Rob13 wrote:

Tagalong is an option, but I still want to leave the MTB behind at home and take a road orientated bike which will handle the extra weight and stability. Disc brakes wouldnt go amiss either. She will still take her balance bike with her for riding when I'm walking/running and shes just playing around the campsites.

I really don't think road bike is more stable than MTB.

I definitely don't find it so. When my son was 2 we had one of those seat on the back of my wife's mountain bike and it is extremely stable.

w00dster

Hi Eddy,
The domane alr is pretty good for on road, that is once you switch out the R1 Bontrager Tyres that come as standard. At the moment for on road i have 28m Bontrager AW tyres, huge improvement. My primary riding is on road with a fast club pace in the winter. I also try and do at least one off road ride on it per week (nothing crazy, bridleways and steady single track).I'll try and upload photos this evening. My stem is lowered (not quite slammed yet, nor cut the steerer, still working on finding my ideal position).
My summer bike is an emonda SLR in H1 fit, the domane is obviously not as low and aggressive, but mine has still got a nice drop from saddle to bars and is comfortable allowing me to work hard in the drops.
If you get to test ride one make sure you play with the bar height as the shops tend to have a stack of spacers and the bike almost sit up and beg style.
One positive for me is the narrow bars and the 105 hydraulic shifters, I love the position it allows me to ride in, I can alternate between the drops and arms resting on the bars with wrists hanging over the shifters. This helps me keep low and out of the wind which may be useful for you.
As mentioned though the stock tyres are just awful. They may be wide (32m), but they are lifeless and for me just felt like I was putting in more effort than I was being rewarded for. Swapped out for different tyres just to confirm it was the tyres and it made a world of difference. Most of my rides I leave my cross tyres on because they are so comfy and grippy, but for faster rides i swap wheels (and tyres).
Hope this is useful.

Cheers.
Paul

Eddy Spaghetti

w00dster wrote:

Hi Eddy,
The domane alr is pretty good for on road, that is once you switch out the R1 Bontrager Tyres that come as standard. At the moment for on road i have 28m Bontrager AW tyres, huge improvement. My primary riding is on road with a fast club pace in the winter. I also try and do at least one off road ride on it per week (nothing crazy, bridleways and steady single track).I'll try and upload photos this evening. My stem is lowered (not quite slammed yet, nor cut the steerer, still working on finding my ideal position).
My summer bike is an emonda SLR in H1 fit, the domane is obviously not as low and aggressive, but mine has still got a nice drop from saddle to bars and is comfortable allowing me to work hard in the drops.
If you get to test ride one make sure you play with the bar height as the shops tend to have a stack of spacers and the bike almost sit up and beg style.
One positive for me is the narrow bars and the 105 hydraulic shifters, I love the position it allows me to ride in, I can alternate between the drops and arms resting on the bars with wrists hanging over the shifters. This helps me keep low and out of the wind which may be useful for you.
As mentioned though the stock tyres are just awful. They may be wide (32m), but they are lifeless and for me just felt like I was putting in more effort than I was being rewarded for. Swapped out for different tyres just to confirm it was the tyres and it made a world of difference. Most of my rides I leave my cross tyres on because they are so comfy and grippy, but for faster rides i swap wheels (and tyres).
Hope this is useful.

Cheers.
Paul

Hi Paul! This is very useful, thank you very much for your extensive information!
I already planned to switch the tires for Schwalbe S-one/G-One Speed tires but thanks for the comfirmation that I got that one right.

My apologies to Rob13 for hijacking this thread. I hope this information will be useful for others as well.

rob13

No problem, happy to hear about other similar options. Had a look at a Croix de Fer today and the only thing to overcome is the weight. I rode it a short distance and was pleasantly surprised with the comfort and the geometry of it. Maybe a set of better wheels/tyres might make it a bit zippier. Im considering a frameset and building it myself at the moment.

I like the look of the GT Grade too and the price is good for the spec, but it doesnt quite have the clearance of the CDF.

w00dster

Hi Rob ,
Have a look at cosine wheels from wiggle. I bought a set for approx £180, pretty sure I saved close to 750 grams from the stock Alex Rims my cdf came with.
I honestly didn't notice the weight, my summer bike is a 6.5kg Trek Emonda SLR, so almost half the weight. My times on local climbs were faster on the Trek but the CDF wasn't massively behind. The advantages out weigh the negatives in my view.
With the Croix I would just recommend ensuring you go full hydraulic, I've have too many hours spent trying to get mech disc brakes working as good as they should. Ifor building the frame up I'd also look at flared bars for your riding, may offer more stability.

rob13

Been spending a bit of time trying to spec up a Croix de Fer and getting it on budget (It was £1k but I couldnt stick to it)
Croix de Fer Frame £319
Kinesis CX Disc £220
105 5800 group - Levers, 11-32 Cassette, 50/34 crankset, front and rear mech £260 (separates)
Ultegra BSA BB £10
TRP HYRD Calipers £180 pair
160mm rotors £24
KMC 11 Chain £16
105 Pedals - £55
Set of alloy handlebars - £30
Alloy stem - £30
FSA SL-K Seat Post - £40
Conti CycloX speed tyres - £40 pair
Jagwire compressionless outers
Lizard Skins DSP tape
Scoop Saddle
Conti Tubes

What do people think to that build? Anything I should be looking to change which is better than the above at a similar price? A quick reckoning suggests it should be around 10kg and should come under £1200 to build it. I'll probably get some 28c slicks for pure road work but those contis look like a good tyre for a bit of light work in pulling the trailer and 30-50 solo mile rides without too much drag.

daniel_b

BTR posted a good review on the Juin R1 brakes, and someone on here, posted a clone version of them that just came in black or grey or something, for something like £120 IIRC.

What width of bars, and length of stem do you need?

rob13

42cm bars, 100mm stem. Id seen a set of Genetic flared bars at £30 and thought they might be better with trails otherwise Id stick a set of Cannondale bars on as theyre like for like the same as my roadie.