Which Ti?

Slow Downcp
Slow Downcp Posts: 3,041
edited October 2008 in Workshop
Having disposed of two bikes, although one (maybe two) still for sale, I now have room for a replacement :D

I'm looking for something to essentially ride in the wet/winter, so full length mudguards (tried Raceblades, not a great fan), for general riding through the lanes (sometimes a gentle pootle, other times a fast blast), over varying distances/times although it could get used for the odd sportive next year (if I can get fit enough over winter). I've decided it's going to titanium - so far I'm looking at (prices based on quick net search):

Van Nicholas Yukon (£728 inc forks and headset)
Sunday September (£799 inc forks and headset)
Enigma Etape (£1139 inc forks and headset)

Anyone got experience of any of the above? I prefer the look of the Enigma but is it really worth £400 more? - although any purchase will be through works bike scheme so only £200 more actual cost. Any others I should consider? I do plan to test ride, but thought it useful to get any first hand opinions?

Once I've sorted frame, I can start thinking about wheels and groupset. :?
Carlsberg don't make cycle clothing, but if they did it would probably still not be as good as Assos

Comments

  • Gussio
    Gussio Posts: 2,452
    I have also been investigating titanium frames and like the look of the custom made offerings from Setavento http://www.setavento.com/
  • Gussio wrote:
    I have also been investigating titanium frames and like the look of the custom made offerings from Setavento http://www.setavento.com/

    But according to their website, they're no longer trading/accepting orders?
    Carlsberg don't make cycle clothing, but if they did it would probably still not be as good as Assos
  • mrushton
    mrushton Posts: 5,182
    i have a Sunday and it's excellent. and got great support from them. The VN is excellent and so is the Enigma. it depends on your budget and what you want.
    M.Rushton
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    Gussio wrote:
    I have also been investigating titanium frames and like the look of the custom made offerings from Setavento http://www.setavento.com/

    But according to their website, they're no longer trading/accepting orders?
    I believe they are (well, were) built by XACD in China, you can apparently buy direct and you can have any frame built to your own spec and import it for in the region of £500 - I don't suppose they do Cycle to Work though :wink:
  • Gussio
    Gussio Posts: 2,452
    alfablue wrote:
    Gussio wrote:
    I have also been investigating titanium frames and like the look of the custom made offerings from Setavento http://www.setavento.com/

    But according to their website, they're no longer trading/accepting orders?
    I believe they are (well, were) built by XACD in China, you can apparently buy direct and you can have any frame built to your own spec and import it for in the region of £500 - I don't suppose they do Cycle to Work though :wink:

    The XACD mission statement is "Give back to society and you will benefit mankind."

    How noble!
  • maddog 2
    maddog 2 Posts: 8,114
    a mate has a yukon - very nice bike

    I've got a Carpe Diem, which is the Airborne version of the VN Amazon (with a few changes). Very capable bike.
    Facts are meaningless, you can use facts to prove anything that's remotely true! - Homer
  • alfablue wrote:
    [you can apparently buy direct and you can have any frame built to your own spec and import it for in the region of £500 - I don't suppose they do Cycle to Work though :wink:

    It's a company administered scheme (guess who's administrator :wink: ) so I could probably buy from there.
    Carlsberg don't make cycle clothing, but if they did it would probably still not be as good as Assos
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    alfablue wrote:
    [you can apparently buy direct and you can have any frame built to your own spec and import it for in the region of £500 - I don't suppose they do Cycle to Work though :wink:

    It's a company administered scheme (guess who's administrator :wink: ) so I could probably buy from there.
    Ahh! Get In!!!!

    Apparently you can submit your own drawings, or download geometry drawings for existing bikes and get them to make it up,or just go for their standard ones. I gather everything is customisable.
  • meagain
    meagain Posts: 2,331
    Oh how I wish I hadn't looked (again) at the Setavento pages! Might just have to have XACD build me one just like the Single Speeder...

    FWIW, I've never heard any bad vibes about XACD - quite the contrary! As long as you spec what you want, they'll do it.
    d.j.
    "Cancel my subscription to the resurrection."
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    I've had a frame built by XACD to my design - as well as many others on here and been very pleased with the results. I'm in the process of placing another order with them soon. The big advantage is the price and that they can pretty well build you anything you like - provided you know exactly what you want. They turnaround detail drawings from your spec in about a working day and they are very detailed - but you need a good eye for detail too or you could find they've misinterpreted your requirements - best stick to a proven design if that concerns you. The downside is that you have no warranty or support and they don't provide any level of advise or customer service. To order, you need to transfer the funds in US$ in advance and shipping and handling is pretty steep for a shipment at $240 - buy more than one frame and you can split the costs. Provided HM Customs don't get too excited, a frame landed in the UK should be about £400. I had them build me a custom cyclo-cross frame - it's been battered off-road on countless ocassions as well as the Paris-Roubaix sportive. Quality is robust and workmanlike - don't expect Serotta quality for the money! AFAIK Setavento are no longer trading
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • giant_man
    giant_man Posts: 6,878
    Gussio wrote:
    I have also been investigating titanium frames and like the look of the custom made offerings from Setavento http://www.setavento.com/

    But according to their website, they're no longer trading/accepting orders?

    I believe they went out of business, though I could be wrong.
  • RC21
    RC21 Posts: 166
    Monty Dog wrote:
    I've had a frame built by XACD to my design - as well as many others on here and been very pleased with the results. I'm in the process of placing another order with them soon. The big advantage is the price and that they can pretty well build you anything you like - provided you know exactly what you want. They turnaround detail drawings from your spec in about a working day and they are very detailed - but you need a good eye for detail too or you could find they've misinterpreted your requirements - best stick to a proven design if that concerns you. The downside is that you have no warranty or support and they don't provide any level of advise or customer service. To order, you need to transfer the funds in US$ in advance and shipping and handling is pretty steep for a shipment at $240 - buy more than one frame and you can split the costs. Provided HM Customs don't get too excited, a frame landed in the UK should be about £400. I had them build me a custom cyclo-cross frame - it's been battered off-road on countless ocassions as well as the Paris-Roubaix sportive. Quality is robust and workmanlike - don't expect Serotta quality for the money! AFAIK Setavento are no longer trading

    Do you have any pics of the bike they made you?
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    Gussio wrote:
    I have also been investigating titanium frames and like the look of the custom made offerings from Setavento http://www.setavento.com/

    But according to their website, they're no longer trading/accepting orders?

    I believe they went out of business, though I could be wrong.
    I think they had to stop trading because of illness - this may be akin to going out of business but to be fair to them, it was presumably not due to insolvency.
    31 December 2007

    Happy New Year > We wish all of our past customers an enjoyable New Year getting many miles in on their custom titanium Setavento frames.

    Setavento is now closed. After three years delivering all types of custom titanium bicycle frames we are no longer accepting orders for new frames. We would like to thank all of our customers for their support, and to congratulate Team Tor 2000 for all they achieved during 2006-2007.

    There will be a Sale of Clearance frames which is planned for sometime in February or March '08. When the Sale is ready we will post more information here.

    Warranty, service, and support enquiries should be directed via our Contact Us page.

    It was a pleasure to deal with cyclists from all over the world. We look forward to meeting more of you at races, cyclo-sportif events, and cycle shows in a personal capacity in the future.

    The Team at Setavento.
  • which Ti?

    Me? I'd save my money and keep an eye open for an OLD Seven.
    Handbuilt by virgins of the cycle industry, made with love and rainbow colours before Ti framebuilding went big-time commercial and it became about money and not about the way the bike felt.

    All Sevens used to be signed by the frame builder. Keep your eyes peeled for the Name Annie Antic. Last I knew she had finished working for Seven and was living in Oregon(late 2005). She has a depth of frame knowledge that would put some of the giants to shame. Why is she not involved with a big company? I hear you ask! The answer is because she's about the bike, not the money! And thats why you buy an OLD Seven and not a new one - the people they are made by!

    my 2p anyway.

    :wink:
  • Nuggs
    Nuggs Posts: 1,804
    Rich-Ti will be along shortly to sell you his Enigma :wink:
  • Rich-Ti
    Rich-Ti Posts: 1,831
    Nuggs wrote:
    Rich-Ti will be along shortly to sell you his Enigma :wink:
    Dammit, rumbled... :oops: :lol: But alas, no room for mudguards, and I think Slowdown has already told me it's too small or something :wink:

    What I was going to suggest is another UK brand - Pipedream Cycles - whilst they don't advertise a road frame I know that Stuart was working on some last time I spoke with him so it could be worth dropping them a line.
  • DavidBelcher
    DavidBelcher Posts: 2,684
    Nuggs wrote:
    Rich-Ti will be along shortly to sell you his Enigma :wink:

    And the topic of this thread is, of course, how his user ID is rendered by a certain Friday night chat show host/film critic with dubious taste in suits. :wink:

    David
    "It is not enough merely to win; others must lose." - Gore Vidal
  • Rich-Ti
    Rich-Ti Posts: 1,831
    Nuggs wrote:
    Rich-Ti will be along shortly to sell you his Enigma :wink:
    And the topic of this thread is, of course, how his user ID is rendered by a certain Friday night chat show host/film critic with dubious taste in suits. :wink:

    David
    I don't get it... :shock: :? :?:
  • DavidBelcher
    DavidBelcher Posts: 2,684
    Rich-Ti wrote:
    Nuggs wrote:
    Rich-Ti will be along shortly to sell you his Enigma :wink:
    And the topic of this thread is, of course, how his user ID is rendered by a certain Friday night chat show host/film critic with dubious taste in suits. :wink:

    David
    I don't get it... :shock: :? :?:

    It was a dodgy "Which Ti" vs. Rich-Ti pun made at the expense of Jonathan Woss, er, sorry, Ross :wink:

    I'll get me coat :oops:

    David
    "It is not enough merely to win; others must lose." - Gore Vidal
  • Rich-Ti
    Rich-Ti Posts: 1,831
    It was a dodgy "Which Ti" vs. Rich-Ti pun made at the expense of Jonathan Woss, er, sorry, Ross :wink:

    I'll get me coat :oops:

    David
    Ah, I see!! :lol::lol::lol:
  • Slow Downcp
    Slow Downcp Posts: 3,041
    Thanks all - pretty much decided to go for the Enigma following what can only be described as superb pre-sales service from Jim Walker and Mark Reilly (despite being snowed under getting ready for the London show). I've not yet seen a bad review, and I did see one in the flesh last weekend which was absolutely stunning - I guess my mind was 90% made up anyway, but Jim and Mark have gained the extra 10% (plus some besides). Just need to sort the kit to go on it, and hopefully in a couple of weeks I'll be building it up :-)
    Carlsberg don't make cycle clothing, but if they did it would probably still not be as good as Assos
  • Nuggs
    Nuggs Posts: 1,804
    Rich-Ti wrote:
    It was a dodgy "Which Ti" vs. Rich-Ti pun made at the expense of Jonathan Woss, er, sorry, Ross :wink:

    I'll get me coat :oops:

    David
    Ah, I see!! :lol::lol::lol:
    Even with an explanation, I dont think that came anywhere near deserving three lols...