Whyte Glencoe - clever niche product or emperors new clothes?

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Comments

  • Moonbiker
    Moonbiker Posts: 1,706
    how about this:

    terra-gravel-green-side-onrs.png

    http://www.tweekscycles.com/Product.do? ... lsrc=aw.ds
  • Matty2B
    Matty2B Posts: 62
    edited September 2017
    That Orro Terra Gravel looks nice, but has mechanical disc brakes and for the usage I am doing I prefer a 1x drivetrain, so the Sonder would be a better fit for me. It does look like they have a hydro version, but it is £1499.

    We are certainly digging up lots of options here though; I had no idea there were so many bikes available in the road/adventure category.
    Getting better slowly, one crash at a time!
    * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
    Marin Hawk Hill 2 2018
    Kinesis Tripster AT, SRAM Apex
    Specialized Crossroads 2000
  • veronese68
    veronese68 Posts: 27,865
    Matty2B wrote:
    We are certainly digging up lots of options here though.
    That's why I'm glad there wasn't so much choice when I bought mine, I never would have made a decision.
    The Cotic Escapade looks nice though.
    Kinesis Pro6
    Marin Nail Trail
    Cotic Solaris
  • janwal
    janwal Posts: 489
    They do the Sram 1x hydro aswell for £1099
    https://www.alpkit.com/sonder/bikes/son ... -hydraulic
  • Matty2B
    Matty2B Posts: 62
    janwal wrote:
    They do the Sram 1x hydro aswell for £1099
    https://www.alpkit.com/sonder/bikes/son ... -hydraulic
    Yep, that or the cheaper version on a SRAM Apex 1x drivetrain at £949 are probably my favourites at present. At that price the weird bars can be easily changed!
    Getting better slowly, one crash at a time!
    * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
    Marin Hawk Hill 2 2018
    Kinesis Tripster AT, SRAM Apex
    Specialized Crossroads 2000
  • bigmonka
    bigmonka Posts: 361
    Matty2B, I seem to be in a similar situation to you! I'm looking for my next commuter bike and want light weight, mudguard mounts, and hydro discs. Only difference for me is that I've already got a PX London Road (done 6000miles in 18months on it) so I'm trying to find something a little bit better for a little bit more money. It's hard to find though :-(
    The Pinnacle Dolomite 5 is looking good to me at the moment: https://www.evanscycles.com/pinnacle-do ... e-EV275637
  • Matty2B
    Matty2B Posts: 62
    BigMonka wrote:
    Matty2B, I seem to be in a similar situation to you! I'm looking for my next commuter bike and want light weight, mudguard mounts, and hydro discs. Only difference for me is that I've already got a PX London Road (done 6000miles in 18months on it) so I'm trying to find something a little bit better for a little bit more money. It's hard to find though :-(
    Interesting... What is it about the PX that leads you to want to change it? Weight? Build quality? Something else? That Dolomite looks nice, but it doesn't seem hugely better than your existing bike, at least from a from a specs perspective. Some on the PX LR thread seem to have concerns with the frameset being flexy and in one instance breaking at the chainstay - is that part of why you want to change?
    Getting better slowly, one crash at a time!
    * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
    Marin Hawk Hill 2 2018
    Kinesis Tripster AT, SRAM Apex
    Specialized Crossroads 2000
  • bigmonka
    bigmonka Posts: 361
    Matty2B wrote:
    BigMonka wrote:
    Matty2B, I seem to be in a similar situation to you! I'm looking for my next commuter bike and want light weight, mudguard mounts, and hydro discs. Only difference for me is that I've already got a PX London Road (done 6000miles in 18months on it) so I'm trying to find something a little bit better for a little bit more money. It's hard to find though :-(
    Interesting... What is it about the PX that leads you to want to change it? Weight? Build quality? Something else? That Dolomite looks nice, but it doesn't seem hugely better than your existing bike, at least from a from a specs perspective. Some on the PX LR thread seem to have concerns with the frameset being flexy and in one instance breaking at the chainstay - is that part of why you want to change?
    The main reason I need a new bike is that I let my wife ride my LR and she loved it so has commandeered it as her bike :lol: I've got no other issues with it at all, it's a great bike.

    With my LR being a bit older though it's only got cable discs, so I think hydros would be a decent upgrade, and if I can get something a bit lighter then all the better. I could spend about the same amount and end up with another LR and some upgraded wheels though, so that's an option.
  • Matty2B
    Matty2B Posts: 62
    Sounds like a good option if you still like the LR, though I'm sure the Pinnacle would be nice too. Loads of good choices around the £1-1.3k mark.

    I do like the look of some of the adventure bikes we've found in this thread, but my head says with a full suspension MTB already I am better off getting something more biased towards the road end. That should make my commute as easy as possible so I don't chicken out and take the car (as I do now when less than perfect weather strikes)!
    Getting better slowly, one crash at a time!
    * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
    Marin Hawk Hill 2 2018
    Kinesis Tripster AT, SRAM Apex
    Specialized Crossroads 2000
  • luv2ride
    luv2ride Posts: 2,367
    Matty2B wrote:
    janwal wrote:
    They do the Sram 1x hydro aswell for £1099
    https://www.alpkit.com/sonder/bikes/son ... -hydraulic
    Yep, that or the cheaper version on a SRAM Apex 1x drivetrain at £949 are probably my favourites at present. At that price the weird bars can be easily changed!

    That Sonder Apex 1x at £949 looks great....700cc with slicks for the road, 650b with treads for the trails. Great for the price. Those 37mm WTB Riddler tyres are good too.
    Titus Silk Road Ti rigid 29er - Scott Solace 10 disc - Kinesis Crosslight Pro6 disc - Scott CR1 SL - Pinnacle Arkose X 650b - Pinnacle Arkose singlespeed - Specialized Singlecross...& an Ernie Ball Musicman Stingray 4 string...
  • domc21
    domc21 Posts: 86
    What about a Focus Paralane, the apex 1 version is on sale for £1350. Hydraulic brakes, thru axles and clearance for 35mm tyres. It comes with mudguards too.
  • Matty2B
    Matty2B Posts: 62
    Where did you find the Paralane for £1350?
    Getting better slowly, one crash at a time!
    * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
    Marin Hawk Hill 2 2018
    Kinesis Tripster AT, SRAM Apex
    Specialized Crossroads 2000
  • domc21
    domc21 Posts: 86
    https://www.swiftcycles.co.uk/8415/products/2017-focus-paralane-aluminium-apex-1-road-bike.aspx

    Evans Cycles are getting some in so may price match Swift.

    Also try On It Cycles in Porthcrawl.
  • Matty2B
    Matty2B Posts: 62
    Many thanks! Seems like a great deal relative to the list prices of Focus bikes.
    Getting better slowly, one crash at a time!
    * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
    Marin Hawk Hill 2 2018
    Kinesis Tripster AT, SRAM Apex
    Specialized Crossroads 2000
  • road basher
    road basher Posts: 4
    It may be a bit late for this post, but I recently traded in my CAADX for a Glencoe and you can't take the smile off my face. For me, the Glencoe is infinitely better (faster and more stable) on the gravel, much more comfortable on the typically poor tarmac around the west of Scotland, and just as fast, or maybe even slightly faster, on my usual 50k+ training runs around local roads. Granted, I'm now in my 7th decade so breaking speed records or chasing down the guy in front is no longer my thing, but I now have a bike that I can take anywhere at anytime, feel comfortable irrespective of conditions, and really enjoy - short runs, long sportives and multi day tours. For me, this is one-bike-to-do-them-all :D
  • Matty2B
    Matty2B Posts: 62
    I did look at the Glencoe at the NEC cycle show, and whilst it looked very nice I wasn't convinced it was quite right for me; I think I preferred the Ribble and Dolan as commuters. Sadly Sonder were not there.

    What did put the cat amongst the pigeons though were the ebikes I rode; I did not expect to like any of them, but whilst the cheaper hub drive conversions were rather crude I really enjoyed riding many of the Bosch and Shimano bikes. It is not as pure an experience, but the reality is with my busy schedule I would probably use an ebike at least twice as often to commute the 7 fairly hilly miles to work vs a conventional bike, and be faster too. I have some thinking to do...
    Getting better slowly, one crash at a time!
    * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
    Marin Hawk Hill 2 2018
    Kinesis Tripster AT, SRAM Apex
    Specialized Crossroads 2000
  • 4xlbiking
    4xlbiking Posts: 13
    I'm glad someone mentioned the geometry. I'm 6'1 (187cm) and the Glencoe that is "supposed" to be my size has an outrageously long TT (???). I still don't know what to make of it. I'm mostly legs (90cm inseam) with short torso, I loved the bike and it would suit my riding here in Sweden, but as a beginner the geometry puts me off. Suggestions on size?
  • paulmon
    paulmon Posts: 315
    4xlbiking wrote:
    I'm glad someone mentioned the geometry. I'm 6'1 (187cm) and the Glencoe that is "supposed" to be my size has an outrageously long TT (???). I still don't know what to make of it. I'm mostly legs (90cm inseam) with short torso, I loved the bike and it would suit my riding here in Sweden, but as a beginner the geometry puts me off. Suggestions on size?

    Take a look at the 2018 Specialized Diverge. Much shorter and relaxed geometry.
  • lostboysaint
    lostboysaint Posts: 4,250
    4xlbiking wrote:
    I'm glad someone mentioned the geometry. I'm 6'1 (187cm) and the Glencoe that is "supposed" to be my size has an outrageously long TT (???). I still don't know what to make of it. I'm mostly legs (90cm inseam) with short torso, I loved the bike and it would suit my riding here in Sweden, but as a beginner the geometry puts me off. Suggestions on size?


    Longer seatpost, smaller frame. I have the same issue (6'4" with a 36" inside leg) and ride smaller frames, longer seatpost and shorter stem. It works.
    Trail fun - Transition Bandit
    Road - Wilier Izoard Centaur/Cube Agree C62 Disc
    Allround - Cotic Solaris
  • 4xlbiking
    4xlbiking Posts: 13
    lostboysaint wrote:
    4xlbiking wrote:
    I'm glad someone mentioned the geometry. I'm 6'1 (187cm) and the Glencoe that is "supposed" to be my size has an outrageously long TT (???). I still don't know what to make of it. I'm mostly legs (90cm inseam) with short torso, I loved the bike and it would suit my riding here in Sweden, but as a beginner the geometry puts me off. Suggestions on size?


    Longer seatpost, smaller frame. I have the same issue (6'4" with a 36" inside leg) and ride smaller frames, longer seatpost and shorter stem. It works.

    Seems like a good idea! I've looked into Glencoe, Bombtrack Audax 2018, and ROSE team DX Cross. This last one has a shorter top tube but isn't much of a gravel bike... Anyway, thanks for replying!
  • 4xlbiking
    4xlbiking Posts: 13
    PaulMon wrote:
    4xlbiking wrote:
    I'm glad someone mentioned the geometry. I'm 6'1 (187cm) and the Glencoe that is "supposed" to be my size has an outrageously long TT (???). I still don't know what to make of it. I'm mostly legs (90cm inseam) with short torso, I loved the bike and it would suit my riding here in Sweden, but as a beginner the geometry puts me off. Suggestions on size?

    Take a look at the 2018 Specialized Diverge. Much shorter and relaxed geometry.

    Good idea! The Sequoia base model seemed more attractive with its steel fork (I'm a bit too reckless and too heavy for carbon forks - scares the hell out of me). Thanks!
  • Ravewar
    Ravewar Posts: 208
    I saw one of these in a local dealership. It looked the business. My interest was especially piqued when I found a road CC preview with designer interview.

    As somebody who considers a bike more than a collection of parts, the system approach taken by White is much more to my liking. The marque has always seemed to me much more willing to go with designs that people either "get" or they don't, but often the result of fulfilling a particular concept from first principles. Compromises like the brake system and the fork material are IMO details which matter less than the overall design being right, and I accept the right of the designer to use their own experience to focus resources on other things that matter more to their concept (tubeless tyres, 1 x 11 transmission).
  • garnett
    garnett Posts: 196
    I've had a London Road for some years and couldn't fault it as a flat-route commuter. I had high hopes that despite its weight and comfort, it wouldn't be much slower than the road bike it was replacing - a Trek 1500. Although it didn't feel it, it was actually faster.

    I'm now trying to co-opt it into Sunday ride duties (and also a one-off triathlon role, but that's besides the point). Where it's falling down there is its heavy (and flawlessly robust) wheels, its SRAM Rival groupset (which never faltered in years of commuting, but which is a bit agricultural for weekend leisure riding) and its aluminium frame (which is light and stiff but a bit harsh - this was massively improved with a carbon seatpost).

    I'm struggling because it isn't the one-bike-to-do-it-all that I'm trying to get it to be. Ideally I'd have spent more on a carbon frame and a more refined groupset.

    Tl;dr - it's an excellently considered value-for-money commuter but make sure you don't want it for other duties without due thought.
  • Matty2B
    Matty2B Posts: 62
    Belated update... In the end I went a different route, spent a bit more and got the Kinesis Tripster AT with SRAM Apex - very happy with it so far, seems perfect for my needs with the possible exception of the saddle which will probably get swapped out in time. Mine is the duck egg blue version like this one (would post a pic of my own but can't work out how to do that on Bikeradar, do they not allow attachment uploads?)...

    adventure_bikes_1_kinesis_tripster_at_review_1.jpg
    Getting better slowly, one crash at a time!
    * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
    Marin Hawk Hill 2 2018
    Kinesis Tripster AT, SRAM Apex
    Specialized Crossroads 2000

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