if you were building a commuter bike...

Seaneh

AmberGold wrote: »

If you are a race orientated rider buy the Dolan. If you are into longer spins / Audax etc. buy the Ribble.

Fickle as I am the paint job on the Dolan would swing it for me.

They have the same geometry...

Diarmuid

lennymc wrote: »

anyone know anything about the ribble 525?

I've built it up as a commuter. It's a nice bike. Ride it every day since I built it. No issues with it. Clearance isn't huge with the mudguards on but it's good enough for 25s. I've since put OpenPros/DuraAce hubs on it.
The geometry isn't too relaxed either.

lennymc

@diarmuid - the steel ribble looks fantastic. Certainly the best looking of the bikes. I am concerned about the weight of it tho. Anything I can find online suggests its heavy. My commute is over 100k, and I regularly add another 20 or 30 k to that. I weighed my surly the other day, which should be a similar weight and it was coming in at 12kg with all the commutey bits on it. A friend has a preffisio and he reckons with all the commutey bits its coming in under 10 kg. I know its only 2kg, and I'm not the lightest rider, but when your climbing snowton or howth in the middle of january, im sure that 2kg could come back to haunt me

Overall I would be more race oriented. I'm seriously thinking about going for the dolan multi-cross with a tiagra groupset and various bits n pieces I have at home. Lots of clearance, similar geometry to the preffisio/alu audax/steel ribble, lots of clearance for everything, lots of bosses, spare cx bike for the cx season. Cracking value for a complete frameset (fork, headset, frame, seatpost) My head is wrecked!! LOL

Thanks for the advice from everyone so far!

JMcL

OldBean wrote: »

Are you based in Tramore, Waterford?

I'll be in Waterford with the bike soon enough if you wanted a look.

OldBean, that's a lovely looking bike. If you are in Waterford in the next while, could you PM me - I'd love a look at it. Tramore Cycle Services being dealers caused my ears to prick up as a bike shop really couldn't be any more local (I was actually musing what to spend my next bite at the b2w cherry next January with Maurice a few weeks ago - think I'm tending towards tourer/something to pull the kids around with)

OldBean

Absolutely - Work is pushing my trip down back and back, but I'll shoot you a PM when I know.

AmberGold

Seaneh wrote: »

They have the same geometry...

The reason I said this was down to aluminium being stiffer / steel being more flexible and heavier.

I didn't notice the geometry was the same as I assumed the Dolan would have a shorter head tube which it's known for.

slideshow bob

@lennymc - you're approaching the first anniversary of this...

lennymc wrote: »

I'm thinking of building a commuter that could be used year round for my commute

It's been an interesting thread and convinced me I needed a new commuter. FWIW, last September I popped for a new Giant TCX 1 from my LBS with mudguards, rack etc. I got an amazing bargain (Giant were stock-clearing and my LBS really looked after me).

I swapped the CX tyres for 4 Seasons, added lights. The rack didn't stay - I barely needed it for the commute and it wasn't ever going on a weekend spin. Might go back on this summer if I do some touring. If I remember correctly it weighed in under 10kg with lights & mudguards but without rack.

I ran up 3000km of commute and winter training on it (a lot for me). Comfortable, fast, easy to handle. I got the BB replaced in April - the winter crud got the better of the original - but otherwise it's been simple enough to maintain and keep clean.

So thanks for the thread. You'll want to be making your mind up soon!

lennymc

slideshow bob wrote: »

@lennymc - you're approaching the first anniversary of this...

in that time i bought a surly cross check with the intention of using that as a commuter, but then sold the tcx, so needed a cx bike, so the surly was a single speed cx. I'll get there eventually

Ive been using the boardman for the commute, and its great. It's comfy, fast, reliable, but wont take a rack or proper mudguards. I was looking yesterday at the axiom rack that mounts to the brake mounting point, but dont think id use that on a carbon bike, so now, i find myself looking at all sorts of bikes. I'll get there eventually. My main priority I suppose is that its race oriented and will take a rack.

slideshow bob

lennymc wrote: »

My main priority I suppose is that its race oriented and will take a rack.

My LBS used this sort of seat-clamp to get the rack on. Gives a few more options for the rack perhaps?

Ryath

Those axiom racks look good may need one.
You leaning towards steel or would you still consider aluminum?
This is my commuter.


http://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=68751

Got it from LBS for €700 and upgraded groupset to 105. LBS built dyno wheel for me on an open pro rim. SKS chromoplastics with 25mm GP 4seasons but 28s will fit aswell. Weighs 10kg as it is in the pic. Have another open pro rim just need to get a hub to build a rear wheel which should knock a good bit more weight of as the stock wheels are very heavy.

Its quite comfortable did the Easter fleche on it. It doesn't have rack eylets though despite them being listed in the spec and shown in some pictures online Was going to use p clips or get a rack like the axiom that mounts to the brake caliper. Don't need it commuting I just leave clothes at work. I may do a short tour this summer but I might just get a large saddle bag instead. Though I do already have a rack and panniers so I might just try it out with some p clips.

Ryath

slideshow bob wrote: »

My LBS used this sort of seat-clamp to get the rack on. Gives a few more options for the rack perhaps?

That looks good but fairly pricey for what it is.

slideshow bob

Ryath wrote: »

That looks good but fairly pricey for what it is.

I didn't spend that much at my LBS. Lots of options out there, including a 99c one on ebay...

saccades

I've a pompino with alfine 8spd, 11 is pointless, too many low gears which are unuseable if you are seriously commuting. Even with an 8spd it's rare I drop into 3rd or lower and I'm cycling into the mtns.

With 105km (everyday?, mine is 50km) and ice, just get public transport/car - I have ice spikes and the added resistance is savage - even taking it easy my legs are like jelly by the time I get home. Plus it's not you slipping thats the risk, its cars sliding into you, better off to go mtbing away from cars in my mind.

If you are commuting due to costs, then then an IGH will beat a derailiuer system hands down, up to 4 years now on mine with all original drivechain (I've another more extreme example on the mtb but thats not a fair comparison, even so that's all original too), they are however heavier and less efficient (spesh in the lower gears) so you'll feel it on the long commute, however I've done stuff like the W200 on mine so its far from the end of the world, plus when you get onto a proper road bike it's like you have an inbuilt turbo.

which is nice.

I've open pros which are bombproof so far, XT disc hub on the front coupled to an a virtually unused v on the back (mk1 pompino) as the hydro does the work. You must have proper facilities at work if you are going 100km, so you shouldn't have to carry much, I like the topeak stuff that fits to the seatpost as opposed to a rack.

Seaneh

AmberGold wrote: »

The reason I said this was down to aluminium being stiffer / steel being more flexible and heavier.

I didn't notice the geometry was the same as I assumed the Dolan would have a shorter head tube which it's known for.

Ah you meant the Ribble Reynolds? I thought you were talking about the 7005 Winter Trainer, which is identical to the Dolan, Terry Dolan designed it while working for Ribble and brought it with him when he left. The only difference is that Ribble have their own priority tubing while Dolan use "off the shelf" Italian tubing so there might be minor differences in weight and ride.

The Ribble Reynolds is the same gemotry as both as it's just a steel version of the Winter Trainer, but yeah, obviously heavier and "plusher"/not as stiff, and more expensive.

njburke

Parts are beginning to gather for this steel commuter build.
So far I've bought.
Parts.
From boardsie S/H;
4603 Tiagra Triple chain Wheels (50-39-30) and 170 mm cranks
Tiagra Triple Front DR
Tiagra 9 speed triple STIs.

I went for a triple as I am heavy and my heart rate rises with the road in front of me, I have not yet, despite many attempts managed to cycle up cromwellstown hill.

From Ribble:
Shimano 4600 BB Cups (34/35/4500 double/triple) Eng
Deda RHM 02 Bars Black
Shimano 9 Spd HG50 (Sora/Tiagra) Cassette 12-25
Shimano R451 57mm Brakes Silver
Shimano Brake Cableset Deore
Shimano 9 Spd HG53 Chain (Sora/Tiagra 9/Deore)
Shimano 105 Silver (5701) 10 Spd Rear Gear Medium (GS)

From LBS:
Handbuilt wheels, rear is 36 spoke, front 32, Deore hubs Mavic A319 rims.
Rear is 135 mm OLN as I originally wanted them to replace my hybrid wheels.

Spend so far: €450

To hand:
saddle, stem or two, spd pedals.
Anything else I need ?


I'll need to order a frame this weekend.
Tramore cycles have given me a quote on a velo orange, its a bit steeper than I thought, too steep. Buying from Ireland or the UK, landed here velo orange frames are twice the US price.

I've left the decision on frame till last, which is probably not the correct way to do this. Whats narrowing the choice for me right now is the 135mm OLN on the new wheels. I don't want to buy a new frame and then cold set it to 133 or 135 out of the box. Even if I just pulled it out when fitting I think it will stress the wheel bearings as the drop-outs won't be parallel.

Ok then decision made so, I guess it has to be a Thorn rather than Spa or Genesis. Lead time on a Bob Jackson is too long, Surlys are weighty, probably over engineered for what I want.

The thorn has heat treated Steel, albeit not reynolds 725, tyre clearance up to 32 with mudguards, dearer that either others though.
Its 425 sterling plus delivery, say €600.

Feck it, sure it'll be grand.

rab!dmonkey

Seaneh wrote: »

The Ribble Reynolds is the same gemotry as both as it's just a steel version of the Winter Trainer…

Not true according to Ribble's geo charts.

lennymc

njburke wrote: »

Parts list

That will be a nice build. Looking forward to seeing pics.

Seaneh

rab!dmonkey wrote: »

Not true according to Ribble's geo charts.

Weird, they definitely refereed to it as such when it was launched.

But yeah, even flicking between two pictures on the website the 7005 has a traditional top tube and shorter headtube and the steel frame has a sloping top tube and longer headtube.

randomstuff

njburke wrote: »

Parts are beginning to gather for this steel commuter build.

Feck it, sure it'll be grand.

Would you be interested in a Surly Cross check?

njburke

randomstuff wrote: »

Would you be interested in a Surly Cross check?

Ah no, I'm sorted.
Thanks all the same.

randomstuff

njburke wrote: »

Ah no, I'm sorted.
Thanks all the same.

As in Frame & fork, not full bike.

njburke

@randomstuff, I assumed it was frameset on offer.

But as lennymc has put the heat on me to produce photos of the assembled bike, I had no choice but to order in a frame from SJS.

randomstuff

njburke wrote: »

@randomstuff, I assumed it was frameset on offer.

But as lennymc has put the heat on me to produce photos of the assembled bike, I had no choice but to order in a frame from SJS.

Ah alright, good luck with the build

lennymc

so I just bought something!!

I enquired in another thread to see if anyone was selling anything that might be suitable, and Longford76 said he was selling his ribble 525, so I now have a steel commuter, that only fails to meet one of my requirements (it wont take 32mm winter tyres) but I have the cx bike for that so that wasn't a deal breaker. Looking forward to going for a spin on it tomorrow to see how it goes, but first impressions are its a really nice 'does exactly what it says on the tin' bike.

I just wonder how long it will be before I think of an excuse to buy another bike. N+1 and all that.....

Seaneh

lennymc wrote: »

so I just bought something!!

I enquired in another thread to see if anyone was selling anything that might be suitable, and Longford76 said he was selling his ribble 525, so I now have a steel commuter, that only fails to meet one of my requirements (it wont take 32mm winter tyres) but I have the cx bike for that so that wasn't a deal breaker. Looking forward to going for a spin on it tomorrow to see how it goes, but first impressions are its a really nice 'does exactly what it says on the tin' bike.

I just wonder how long it will be before I think of an excuse to buy another bike. N+1 and all that.....

Enjoy the new steed.

njburke

Bit of an update.
All the bits are now in the bike shop, frame was delivered during the week along with an awful lot of 6061 Al from Trek and Giant.

Anyhoo, we open the box for a bit of a kit fondle of the frame, the fretting began when I picked up the frame, its light. The gunmetal is a nice colour, welds are clean, there were some flakes of paint, but there were just from the rubber plugs on the downtube bosses.
Little details like the pump pegs etc, somebody somewhere has sweated the detail.

LBS was busy race tuning all that stealth carbon for Tri-Athy, Brother in law gave me his time for the 80K cycle leg, gonna take a run at that on the audax over the summer.

I should be grinning or frowning by the end of the week.

njburke

At last, bit of delay on spokes for the A319 rims.
Picked it up this evening from bikeology, did 30K, I think I got the sizing right, feels really, really good, and moves well, just splendid.

There is no school like old school.

slideshow bob

njburke wrote: »

At last, bit of delay on spokes for the A319 rims.
Picked it up this evening from bikeology, did 30K, I think I got the sizing right, feels really, really good, and moves well, just splendid.

Looks great. What size did you go for in the end and how did you arrive at it?

lennymc

very nice njburke. any pics of the other side? Are you going to put mudguards on it? I have bee nusing the ribble a good bit recently. Really happy with it. I have a few more things to do on it, like a front hub dynamo and fit lights, but I have time to do that. Its comfy, reasonably fast, can carry all my stuff and does all I need.

rollingscone

lennymc wrote: »

very nice njburke. any pics of the other side? Are you going to put mudguards on it? I have bee nusing the ribble a good bit recently. Really happy with it. I have a few more things to do on it, like a front hub dynamo and fit lights, but I have time to do that. Its comfy, reasonably fast, can carry all my stuff and does all I need.

And it's priiiiiiiiiiiiietty!

njburke

hi,
@slideshow, I went with the 550,medium which has a virtual top tube of 565mm C-C. I'm 5'10 1/2, 14.5 stone with a shortish inside leg, I used to sprint, was a full back, box and row, fair bit of muscle mass, ape like, not classic cyclist build.

My trek hybrid is 20" medium, and fitted well and I also prefer the more upright position on the bike so I figured if the frame was 56 or so it will be OK.
I'll go down to the bicycle design centre in Kildare and have the frame builder fit it for me. Its showing a fair bit of seat tube, I could be off a size, but it feels really good, no toe over lap. Given my weight and the fact that the tubes are half a mm thick in places, I though it might be best to err on the small side.

Dimensions here:http://www.sjscycles.com/thornpdf/Thorn_Audax_Mk3.pdf


@lennymc.
yep have SKS full lenght mudguards to go on, they will fit with reasonable clearance when used with those panaracer Rimbos and A319s. I didn't put them on yet as I did not want to jinx the weather.

Went out again this morning, to chance a few hills, I've got the gearing right, need that granny ring, hit 55 KMH on the down hill and still felt in control, the breaking is not as sharp as it is with the V brakes on the hybrid.
Topped out at 43 KMH on the flat with 1 cog left to go, climbed at steady 10KMH in the lowest gearing.

We'll see tomorrow what its like with a bit of weight on the back.

labour on the build was €100.
Niall

njburke

Had the bike fitted last week, again something I probably should have done before I ordered the frame, apparently I'm not actually as tall as I thought I was.

ROK yesterday.

Lumen

Cannondale CAAD 10 Disc 2015. SRAM Rival 22 and hydraulic discs for about €2k.

Want.

http://road.cc/content/news/123745-cannondale-caad10-disc-launched-and-synapse-disc-range-expanded-2015

lennymc

does it take mudguards and a rack?

Lumen

lennymc wrote: »

does it take mudguards and a rack?

No. The Synapse version does though, but the HT is too tall and the TT is too slopey </clarkson>

colm_gti

Solid commuter bike right there, man after my own heart Lumen!

njburke

Lumen wrote: »

Cannondale CAAD 10 Disc 2015. SRAM Rival 22 and hydraulic discs for about €2k.

Want.....

Nice commuter,but do they have to build them with so many spokes in the wheels?
Low volume slick tyres would also be nice instead of those fancy pantsy luganos, they're all of 15 euro a piece.

Lumen

njburke wrote: »

Nice commuter,but do they have to build them with so many spokes in the wheels?

Yes. Disc brakes require lots of spokes.

The spoke count is actually quite low.

njburke

mmmh, I suppose rims will last longer too, but does the disc not take up space along the wheel axle, so the triangle of the spokes, axle and rim is not as wide.

Incidentally, spoke to this guy during the week who had this 1990s american steel mountain bike. It had asymmetric rear chain-stays which look way cool. It had cantis and loads of clearance with 32 mm tyres.

del_boy13

Just took delivery of one of these Rose DX 3000. Fitted Marathon Supremes 35c to it and SKS mudguards.

Managed to wangle it through the BTW scheme where I work.

Disc brakes are great for these summer showers less stress for that sudden taxi stop. Might upgrade to hydraulic now that Shimano have the new levers out that combine the 2.

Have to say super comfy bike with the big tyres great for the quiet lanes with grass growing on them in ND.

Plan on putting some skinnier tyres for use as a winter bike and maybe actually using it for CX if I can make a local race.

PS comes in at 10.1kg with pedals, saddlebag and mudguards

Lumen

Genesis have joined the Disc-o party for 2015.

http://road.cc/content/news/123804-genesis-bikes-launch-2015-range-more-equilbrium-disc-croix-de-fer-models
http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/blog/15/07/14/2015-bike-launch-equilibrium-disc
http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/blog/03/07/14/2015-bike-launch-croix-de-fer-20

At the posh commuter end...

The top of the range model is the Equilibrium Disc Titanium, available as a complete bike for £2,899. This is the only titanium Equilibrium available this year. It’s a new double butted 3AL/2.5V titanium tubeset too with all the internal drillings for an electronic groupset, rubber plugs filling the empty holes when a mechanical groupset is fitted....The bike is equipped with a Shimano 105 11-speed groupset and FSA Gossamer chainset with Shimano BR-RS685 hydraulic disc brakes with 160mm rotors.

The cable routing looks gammy in the pictures on the Genesis blog.

Fairly conventional otherwise: Aksium Disc wheels, QR dropouts, 11sp 105 mechanical.

Hard to justify at €3600 given that Rose do Di2 and hydraulics on the Xeon DX-3100 Di2 for €2340 with a claimed weight of 8.5kg, but Ti is rarely cheap.

The Equilibrium Disc Limited Edition looks better at about €2300 with hydraulics and 105 (10sp? 11sp?), but it's steel so is going to be heavy.

I've read reviews of the Equilibrium Sportive Disc which suggest it's a bit of a boat anchor, but I suppose the Genesises have the advantage of mudguard/rack mounts and clearances.

You pays your money...

lennymc

so after getting the ribble and using it for a while, I sold it on. Not really sure why. It was a bit heavier than I had hoped, maybe that was it. B2W is up in January, and after thinking of this bike and that bike and looking at what I actually need, I think I have to revisit this thread and actually get some sort of commuter. LOL.

petethedrummer

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/FRHOCYC/holdsworth-cyclone-frame
http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/FRHOMIS/holdsworth-mistral-frame

Plenty of rack mounts and good tyre clearance. And most importantly...... a horizontal top tube.

Lumen

lennymc wrote: »

I just wonder how long it will be before I think of an excuse to buy another bike.

Four and a half months.

Lumen

Canyon Inflite AL 9.0 and 9.0S with hydro discs for €1699, 8.6kg and 9.0kg claimed respectively (don't believe those weights, do Germans lie?).

http://www.canyon.com/_en/roadbikes/bike.html?b=3620
http://www.canyon.com/_en/roadbikes/bike.html?b=3618

The 9.0 has CX tyres and gearing, the 9.0 S has road tyres and gearing (and mudguards).

Chainstays are nice and short for this sort of bike @ 420mm.

Don't like the outboard rear caliper and gimpy mudguard mounting though.

The seatpost on the 9.0 is a bit mental.

montac

Planet X have launched the London Road commuter bike. Good value at £1000?
http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBPXLDNRIV/planet-x-london-road-sram-rival-22-road-bike