Mr. Pink

wotnoshoeseh

Hi all,
I'm looking at potential steel bikes for winter duties - with potential to fit larger tyres and guards - and for long distance (have done a few audaxes in past)

I really want something with a bit of a racier feel than the standard type of tall large stack height winter bikes, and have a strong preference for horizontal top tube. I also want to have a little bit of comfort for the long distance stuff too.

I was looking at the All City Mr Pink (in classic form) with the steel fork. Now I've seen the Bikeradar long term test and review videos, and it sells it to me, but I thought I'd ask if any of you folk out there have got one and what the thoughts are.

Alternatives to this I'm thinking of are a BJ audax club.

Any and all thoughts welcome.

ugo.santalucia

Fair enough about winter, but having done Audax and long distance for a few years, I would not recommend a heavy steel bike/gravel bike for that.
You see them, with their steel bikes and their paraphernalia, the Carradice luggage full of stuff as if they were out on an expedition, self inflicting a long day on the bike, when they could finish 4 hours earlier and not need any of the extra clothing they lug around because they have decided that a 13 kg bike is the best for the job.

Smarter riders do the Bryan Chapman Memorial with a carbon bike and the smallest seatpack they can get away with and they are thankful for that up the Pen-Y-Pass

joe_totale-2

ugo.santalucia said:

Fair enough about winter, but having done Audax and long distance for a few years, I would not recommend a heavy steel bike/gravel bike for that.
You see them, with their steel bikes and their paraphernalia, the Carradice luggage full of stuff as if they were out on an expedition, self inflicting a long day on the bike, when they could finish 4 hours earlier and not need any of the extra clothing they lug around because they have decided that a 13 kg bike is the best for the job.

Smarter riders do the Bryan Chapman Memorial with a carbon bike and the smallest seatpack they can get away with and they are thankful for that up the Pen-Y-Pass

I've done some 200's that have felt like sportives as a peloton of about 20-25 of us all steamed towards the next control. All on pretty nimble racing machines.

My friend who rides stuff like PBP and LEL rides a Carbon Felt VR with Di2 that weighs less than 8kg. She certainly wouldn't swap it for a heavy steel bike, no point in making climbs harder than they should be if you've already got 600km in the legs.

When you read Arrivee there's plenty of riders on light, carbon machines doing all kinds of long distance stuff.

Those All City frames look nice but to me are pretty expensive for what they are.

raymondo60

If you're determined to buy an All City I'd look at the Zig Zag, a much more 'road riding' focused rig with carbon fork. They aren't cheap, but what is cheap these days? As a long-term owner of AC bikes, I could not recommend them more highly, and the EDF treatment means the frames should last for decades.....

wotnoshoeseh

raymondo60 said:

If you're determined to buy an All City I'd look at the Zig Zag, a much more 'road riding' focused rig with carbon fork. They aren't cheap, but what is cheap these days? As a long-term owner of AC bikes, I could not recommend them more highly, and the EDF treatment means the frames should last for decades.....

That's really driving the cost up though - I was considering swapping out groupset, long reach brakes etc. from current bike, but now you're moving into disc group sets and all the cost that goes with that.
If I went ZigZag it would drive another ~£800 of cost!!

EDIT:-
Actually even more as I'd need a new wheel set too....

raymondo60

It's the eternal challenge isn't it? Wants and needs, costs and savings. I guess it depends in part on how long you intend to keep a bike too. I tend to replace my carbon road/race bikes every 2-4 years to keep up with tech developments, but my steel bikes aren't as susceptible to such pressures. Its a personal thing and we're all different.... thank goodness!

ugo.santalucia

wotnoshoeseh said:

raymondo60 said:

If you're determined to buy an All City I'd look at the Zig Zag, a much more 'road riding' focused rig with carbon fork. They aren't cheap, but what is cheap these days? As a long-term owner of AC bikes, I could not recommend them more highly, and the EDF treatment means the frames should last for decades.....

That's really driving the cost up though - I was considering swapping out groupset, long reach brakes etc. from current bike, but now you're moving into disc group sets and all the cost that goes with that.
If I went ZigZag it would drive another ~£800 of cost!!

EDIT:-
Actually even more as I'd need a new wheel set too....

As Joe Totale says above, all City Bikes have attractive paint, but ultimately they are very average frames made of very average steel at a premium price.
Also, while a steel frame is nice, steel forks on these bikes are really terrible, with a totally heavy and dead feel.
How about this?
https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/ribble-endurance-725/

fenix

raymondo60 said:

It's the eternal challenge isn't it? Wants and needs, costs and savings. I guess it depends in part on how long you intend to keep a bike too. I tend to replace my carbon road/race bikes every 2-4 years to keep up with tech developments, but my steel bikes aren't as susceptible to such pressures. Its a personal thing and we're all different.... thank goodness!

Every two years ? Do you get faster with each new bike ?

wotnoshoeseh

ugo.santalucia said:

As Joe Totale says above, all City Bikes have attractive paint, but ultimately they are very average frames made of very average steel at a premium price.
Also, while a steel frame is nice, steel forks on these bikes are really terrible, with a totally heavy and dead feel.
How about this?
https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/ribble-endurance-725/

Thanks Ugo.
I've had a look - the Ribble is nice, and are at a very attractive price point, but the lead time on them is out until mid September at this stage. Plus it looks like a sloping top tube?

joe_totale-2

Kinesis T3?

https://www.merlincycles.com/kinesis-racelight-t3-road-frame-95456.html

Don't turn your nose up at aluminium, it takes 28's with guards so should feel nice on the road and will be a fair bit lighter.

wotnoshoeseh

I had one Joe - a T2, and have a 4S currently.

joe_totale-2

wotnoshoeseh said:

I had one Joe - a T2, and have a 4S currently.

Just wondering, if you've already got a 4S then wouldn't that be great for winter/long distance duty?

wotnoshoeseh

joe_totale-2 said:

wotnoshoeseh said:

I had one Joe - a T2, and have a 4S currently.

Just wondering, if you've already got a 4S then wouldn't that be great for winter/long distance duty?

Good question Joe. And, after riding the 4S last weekend, I decided you were correct so I'm keeping that bike for those duties.
However I spotted Condor selling off last years SA frame sets, and, in a moment of weakness /madness /logic /clarity (delete as appropriate) I pushed the button on one of those - more investment than I was considering originally but I've always wanted a Super Acciaio.
It'll be built up with Ksyrium Elite WTS, Ulegra R8000, Fizik R3 seat post, Ritchey stem and bars, all coming off a Kinesis Aithein (except the post which came off the Bay).

A little bit of an about turn from where I was originally thinking, but I can get a Bob Jackson or similar when I get older .

ugo.santalucia

again, Condor frames are overpriced. The Acciaio is made out of some unspecified Deda tubing and it's a thousand pounds.

They have attractive paint colour and the brand sells well in the second hand market, but as frames they are nothing out of the ordinary.

A 55 frame weighs 1800 grams, which is a lump, even for steel. For comparison, my 1979 Sannino in Columbus SL, size 54 is 1650 g.

You can get generic carbon frames, and by that I mean not the high modulus stuff, for 600-700 pounds and they weigh less and they are stiffer and they don't rust.

You can get more performing aluminium frames for 300 quid or so

teisetrotter

Look at Bowman or the Cinelli, the Semper is on sale as are others. They both have good discounts on their Alu frames and Bowman has one steel one left in a 52.