200%totally confused about which bike to buy

[Aperitif]

PS Don't want to put kyuss out of a job. I think he deserves at least a (virtual) bottle of 20 year old malt whiskey for all the detailed advice he has given you

I agree Danny (with 20 yr old beer

 

[itisaboutthebike]

If you're unsure about size then perhaps its worth going to some of the firms that will give you just a measuring service - just make sure you specify what type of riding you're planning to do
eg
http://www.rockandroadcycles.co.uk/p...297&mode=print

I mentioned a bike fitting service way back on the first page !

 

[Danny]

Sometimes you have to mention things a few times before the message sinks in

I would have thought a store called "Rock and Road" would be just the place for BFTB.

 

[Aperitif]

I mentioned a bike fitting service way back on the first page !

You can have a 20 yr old beer too then!

 

[itisaboutthebike]

I'll have a 20 year old bottle of wine in its place Ta (make that a Shiraz or MerLOT) !

By heck getting the right bike (and the right size) for BFTB is like pulling hens teeth !

BTFB - review of your preferred Gran Fondo is here ( although I have to say not very detailed really)http://www.roadcyclinguk.com/news/article/mps/uan/3490/v/1/sp/?source=weeklyemail&attr=editorial2

Looks good. Still not sure about clearences for mudguards (with 25mm tyres) given it only has shallow drop brakes.

If you bought a 63cm one I think that might be too big - but again difficult to tell without you trying one.

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

I agree...I am going to go with a 60cm frame.

...drinks on me guys. Thanks!

 

[itisaboutthebike]

I've just had a thought BTFB...............

Why not try to get down to your local club ?

I'm sure there would be plenty of people to ask about bike sizing, and probably lots of bikes to sit on (not sure if they'd actually let you ride them tho - esp if you are a BTFB !) - that would get you an idea of size etc ?

In order to get decent advice you really do need to get to a bike shop with a proprieter who know his onions (or bikes). Paul Hewitt has been mentioned , but there's also Brian Rourke (in Stoke). Brian Rourke could build you a custom 853 frame for the price you're paying for the Kenesis.

 

[Aperitif]

Review of the Kinesis Grand Fondobongo

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

Yep i've read that review as well as th efirst one...Kinesis sent me the link as soona s it was posted.

I have just had this comment from the orbea dealership:

The increase in the Rival was £120.00 to raise the cost to £469.99, but now has carbon levers with the exact actuation moved down from the RED groupset. It works very well and I have just had this on my new Scott.

The Gran Fondo is a good aluminium frameset (stiffer than the Orbea carbon) and is light too. The popularity of this model has stripped us of all of the stock and all of the demo bikes as they were sold to fulfil customer orders. The current back order list for this model means a wait of approx. 4/6 weeks.

Trying the Orbea is relatively simple as we do keep good stocks of these and unlike Kinesis can order more when required and do not have to wait 3 months for the Far East to catch up on orders. I have another 60cm '08 spec Onix due very soon for replacing the demo bike we sold last week. Let me know if you would a closer idea of arrival timing and I can keep you posted on this.

After having ridden both models, the Kinesis is very good but the Orbea is much more of a sportive bike to me. The lack of a weight limit and the lifetime warranty also appeal to many larger riders as fatigue is present in all frames over time.

I look forward to hearing from you.

...hmm...so now I'm wondering why the Orbea is a better sportif frame ...

 

[Aperitif]

I think the 'welding' detail on the Kinesis is horrible - I like it smooooth - like my Veneto - but I don't know if there's a technical reason for one type of alu having those big icing bag marks around the tube joints while another is clean and smooth.

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

I am kind of used to seeing those on frames as I have never ridden a carbon bike. I am still edging towards the kinesis even though I will have to wait a long time I reckon ... but it has rack eyes for light panniers, and mudguards if I use thin tyres....the Orbea is a goreus bike...but the kinesis is more practical I feel.Also I will have to build up the kinesis myself which will 'learn me' loads. The Orbea would come with a 2009 sram groupset on a 2008 onix frame...very cool...but it would likely have a cheap wheelset compared to the Reynolds....also it wouldnt be all that much fun to ride in the rain without guards I reckon...or am I just slipping dangerously into old man territory here? Maybe I should jus tgo for the flash fast ferrari instead of the practical yet smart jag....hmm....but thenagain I already have a load carrying winter bike in the galaxy I guess....man I wish I had only ever seen one or the other! This is probably the hardest decision I havent made yet....arrgghhh!!

 

[Scoosh]

This is probably the hardest decision I havent made yet....arrgghhh!!

I read, somewhere else on CC, a quote along the lines of:
"The harder it is to make a decision,
the less the difference between the two."

In other words, if it's THAT hard, either will be fine. Really (or should that be 'allegedly' )





<sounds of BTFB pulling hair out >

 

[Aperitif]

I read, somewhere else on CC, a quote along the lines of:
"The harder it is to make a decision,
the less the difference between the two."

In other words, if it's THAT hard, either will be fine. Really (or should that be 'allegedly' )





<sounds of BTFB pulling hair out >

Man that's gonna be some sound!

 

[Scoosh]

Yup - I can almost hear it here in Embra




BTFB is doing a great job - over 1,700 views on this one thread alone
Thanks BTFB





... but he is also stirring buying thoughts in many people ......

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

..erm...chaps...erm...sorry but...

I am a little confused by these sizings still. I had setled on the Kineses grand fondo frame , but just saw that evans have a 61cm bianchi alu carb c2c via nirone frame in celeste going cheap...so I'm undecided again...(yawn)...any way thi sis what I am looking at:

This bike in a 59cm
http://www.evanscycles.com/products...carbon-ultegra-triple-2008-road-bike-ec016048

Or this frame in a 61cm
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/bianchi/c2c-nirone-7-aluminium-carbon-frame-set-ec000067

Bianchi geometry page
http://www.bianchi.com/en/technology/geometries_road.aspx

Current galaxy has a 64cm fram and a top tube of 58.5cm I have to have the saddle fully foward and a 10cm stem to get a comfortable reach...this is not perfect because my lower leg is no at a vertical angle when the crank is horizontal...I feel I need a longer crank or to move my saddle back, but I already have 175mm cranks and moving th esaddle back would mean a 9cm stem! So I am convinced a smaller frame is needed. As per the other recent thread on the Kinesis vs Orbea sizes etc.

Now, if thisBianchi frame at 61cm is available I might be tempted because it is a LOT cheaper than the kineses grand fondo. However looking at the Bianchi geometry chart for the via nirone alu carb it says that the 61cm top tube is 58.5cm..the same as my galaxy. The bianchi 59cm has a top tube of 57.5cm (same as the kineses grand fondo 60cm)

So I am confused. Is Bianchis sizing directly comparable? I see the imaginary level top tube line on the diagram, this makes me think it should be comparable...so why the difference in top tube length?

Before anybody tells me to go sit on one I can't ok because nobody has a 60cm kineses, or a 61cm Bianchi I can sit on within reasonable distance.