Talk to me about the best bikes for audaxing right now..

[TigaSefi]

Hi,

As some may know, my Kinesis Racelight T2 has cracked terminally during the Wander Wye Audax last weekend so I am looking around for a new audaxing bike regardless of the outcome regarding the warranty ie new frame etc.

It can be made of anything but the lighter the better.
It needs to be dynamo wheel friendly for future proofing.
And let me know why you think it is a good ride if it a current bike you're riding right now.
Price range is anything up to £1,200.

[Ian H]

Bespoke Ti with components I have fine-tuned over the years. 

[Phil W]

Dynamo wheel friendly is dependant upon the fork which can be changed if you build from frame set. Any fork with a hole in the crown for a bolt to secure a dynamo light can be considered friendly.

[Hot Flatus]

Bespoke Ti with components I have fine-tuned over the years.

Until it cracks and you discover the seller has gone out of business and the warranty means nothing...

At least Carbon is relatively straight forward to get repaired.

[LEE]

A Trek Domane in Carbon. Disc brake variant.
Battery powered B&M lights so you can get one with nice carbon wheels.

Very comfy.  Very fast.


....or something else*

*Because I've seen people on PBP doing it on every type of bike imaginable.

[halvis]

A Van Nicholas Yukon is a popular choice I believe.  Available in disc and caliper brake versions.

Comes with a lifetime warranty so should last forever assuming the manufacturer does.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Oxford_Guy]

Mercian do a nice Audax model (just the frame, or a complete bike), but would take you over budget:

https://www.merciancycles.co.uk/frames/audax-special/
https://www.merciancycles.co.uk/online-shop/bikes/mercian-audax-631/

The Condor Fratello frame (which is cheaper) also seems quite popular for Audax duties, though I prefer steel forks:
https://www.condorcycles.com/products/condor-fratello-frameset

The Hewitt Alpine frame also used to be a good choice, but don't think it's made anymore

[halvis]

I have a Fratello and its great, but I thought you might want to spend all your £1200 so suggested the Yukon.

It's very comfortable, great for Audaxing, again a popular choice.

Feel free to PM me if you want to know anything in particular.

I still lust at Merican's though, but I am sure there will be a good wait on one of them!

[TigaSefi]

Thank you so much for everything so far. The budget is not fixed so I can stretch if the bike is the right one. I'll check them all tomorrow

Keep them coming...

[Ian H]

Bespoke Ti with components I have fine-tuned over the years.

Until it cracks and you discover the seller has gone out of business and the warranty means nothing...

At least Carbon is relatively straight forward to get repaired.

About 14 years old and counting.  Mind you, I don't have the same raw power in my legs as you do, old chap.

[Greenbank]

Depending on your needs (a 52cm frame, steel, triple, Campag Centaur) and want to have a load of change from £1000 then:-

https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=70306.0

It's Reynolds 631 tubing too, so like that Mercian Audax frame but a boat load cheaper.

I have a SON wheel I would possibly let go with it too (along with the original front wheel).

This particular bike as got Audax pedigree too, it's done an LEL (not with me on board), a few 200s and the Midlander Super Grimpeur.

[EDIT] I first thought about selling this bike just before my daughter was born. I'm now thinking I've only got to hold on to it for 6-7 more years and it might be the perfect size for her.

[Brucey]

....or something else*

*Because I've seen people on PBP doing it on every type of bike imaginable.

exactly.  Really you could constrain your choice in various ways eg

- weight (you have already done that)
- what floats your boat
- what would allow you to re-use extant components or ones that you favour

FWIW weight is sometimes important but in the past weight was often (unknowingly) a proxy for comfort, because light steel frames usually feel better to ride distances on than heavier ones. 

I quite like Ti frames but the safety net of a decent warranty is well worth having. I like nice steel frames too.

FWIW anything that has no chance of breaking at all (at reasonably cost) is probably built too heavily....

FWIW the Spa audax frame is pretty good; very good even, for the money.

cheers

[quixoticgeek]

Dynamo wheel friendly is dependant upon the fork which can be changed if you build from frame set. Any fork with a hole in the crown for a bolt to secure a dynamo light can be considered friendly.

how does the fork effect the use of a dynamo? if its a QR fork, you can use almost any dyno hub. If its a 12mm or 15mm thru axle, son, and maybe others make dynamo hubs. If the hub is the right spacing (aren't they all 100mm.) surely it doesn't matter. Run the cable down the fork, plug in...

As for suggestions. What about the Genesis Croix de fir.

j

[chrisbainbridge]

I would second the trek domane in carbon with thruaxle axle and discs. Has the advantage of the same technology in the handlebars.

I have a son dynamo built into carbon rims with a 160mm disc up front.

I have mounted my dynamo light under my Garmin by bodying a GoPro Mount.

[mcshroom]

Dynamo wheel friendly is dependant upon the fork which can be changed if you build from frame set. Any fork with a hole in the crown for a bolt to secure a dynamo light can be considered friendly.

how does the fork effect the use of a dynamo? if its a QR fork, you can use almost any dyno hub. If its a 12mm or 15mm thru axle, son, and maybe others make dynamo hubs. If the hub is the right spacing (aren't they all 100mm.) surely it doesn't matter. Run the cable down the fork, plug in...

As for suggestions. What about the Genesis Croix de fir.

j

Quite a few of the new disc-braked carbon forks don't have a hole drilled through to the front of the fork crown. A dynamo would still fit the dropouts, but you then have to bodge a light fitting as the best position isn't available.

[mrcharly-YHT]

As for suggestions. What about the Genesis Croix de fir.

j

He wanted light. Much as I love my CDF, it is a heavy lump.

[PeterM]

Mason Definition. An amazing ride

[zigzag]

i'd start my selection with the frame of the right geometry, weight and features such as threaded bottom bracket (i.e. non of the bb30, bb90, pf30, bbright etc nonsense), preferably external gear cables (brake cable can be internal as it almost never snaps), round seat tube without the braze-on tab, clearance for bigger tyres, no toe overlap, lively handling, mudguard and rack eyelets, hole in the fork crown as mentioned upthread, and of the colour that i like. i haven't found a frame that has all these features yet, perhaps custom is the way to go.

[citoyen]

Quite a few of the new disc-braked carbon forks don't have a hole drilled through to the front of the fork crown. A dynamo would still fit the dropouts, but you then have to bodge a light fitting as the best position isn't available.

Yes, this is an issue on my Defy - I have the light fitted to a handlebar bracket I got from SJS, which is fine, though it does mean I can't use a bar bag.

Another thing missing from the Defy is mudguard mounting points.

[Paul H]

My best bike for audaxing is a flat bar, hub geared hybrid... that's not a recommendation, it would fail most people definition of light, but it suites me 
Your starting point ought to be the bike you've been using and what you do and don't like about it.  There's also what else you use the bike for, do you want a bike just for audax? I've just sold the bike I intended to use, I found I was most comfortable on the bike I use all the time, simply because I'm using it all the time.  Then there's what you want from the ride, I was recently on one where many riders chose a different route to avoid the some poor surfaces (And IMO the best scenery). My bike choice smoothed out the rough bits at the cost of some speed on the smooth, it's all a compromise, choose yours.

[mattc]

i'd start my selection with the frame of the right geometry, weight and features such as threaded bottom bracket (i.e. non of the bb30, bb90, pf30, bbright etc nonsense), preferably external gear cables (brake cable can be internal as it almost never snaps), round seat tube without the braze-on tab, clearance for bigger tyres, no toe overlap, lively handling, mudguard and rack eyelets, hole in the fork crown as mentioned upthread, and of the colour that i like. i haven't found a frame that has all these features yet, perhaps custom is the way to go.

Sounds a pretty reasonable wish-list - it seems crazy that no-one makes that combo of features off-the-shelf. I'm almost resigned to custom or "modernising" an old fast-touring frame.

p.s. how did that Decathlon bike you rode on the Easter Arrow work out? (this was at least 4 years ago, and I think it was a single-chainring model). Was it the perfect Audax bike??

[grams]

I audax on one of these:
http://www.flyxii.com/PRODUCTSDetial?product_id=216

Full carbon, 1600g frame+fork. Full mudguard eyelets. Front fork drilled all the way through. Down tube still attached to head tube. Cheap enough that if that situation changes you can buy another one.

[Hot Flatus]

Bespoke Ti with components I have fine-tuned over the years.

Until it cracks and you discover the seller has gone out of business and the warranty means nothing...

At least Carbon is relatively straight forward to get repaired.

About 14 years old and counting.  Mind you, I don't have the same raw power in my legs as you do, old chap.

Your Omega, Yes.

But your Qoroz....

Turns out they were made by XACD. The same company who supplied Setevento...who went out of business because the warranty claims became untenable. Qoroz have also ceased trading and aren't interested in the warranty they promised.

I bought a couple of frames myself from XACD, but I paid £250 with no expectations.

[Phil W]

Dynamo wheel friendly is dependant upon the fork which can be changed if you build from frame set. Any fork with a hole in the crown for a bolt to secure a dynamo light can be considered friendly.

how does the fork effect the use of a dynamo?

Does the fork have somewhere to easily mount a dynamo light? Not all forks have a hole for mounting a light at the crown.  I believe SON make a thru axle dynamo.

[quixoticgeek]

Does the fork have somewhere to easily mount a dynamo light? Not all forks have a hole for mounting a light at the crown.  I believe SON make a thru axle dynamo.

Surely that isn't dynamo specific? Does the fork have a hole to mount any light? It doesn't matter if the light is battery or dynamo?

Son makes hubs for QR, 12mm and 15mm Thru axle.

A dynamo light doesn't have to be fitted at the fork crown, tho I appreciate for many that is the prefered place to fit it.

J