Advice on components for Audax/light tourer build

[Paul Palombo]

Hi.

I have received great advice from this forum over my choice of frame set for my first bike build with my LBS and after long debate and consideration - have decided to go for the kinesis decade tripster ATR Ti.

fast and light (but strong for the gravelly bits) is my objective as i tend to either credit card tour or pack very light (i am looking at ultegra groupset, cinelli dinamo carbon stem & bars, kinesis carbon fork and seat post), i'm also quite keen on the schwalbe one 28 tubeless tyres.

if budget was (within reason) not a restriction, what would be your recommendations for wheels and disc brakes ?

in fact any thoughts on my build - greatly received

 

[Crackle]

Nice choice. I think that a Ti frame and that Kinesis looks good, would be my choice if I could afford it. I presume you don't want superlight wheels given the gravelly bits, so I might start with a look at Spa's offerings. I'm not au fait with the details of tubeless but if you get a problem at the roadside, how easy is it to fix or is it a case of slamming a tube in temporarily. I'm sure spa could build what you want anyhow or look at Superstar too.

http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m2b0s178p0

Avids, always get good reports as far as road disc brakes are concerned. As for the rest it's down to budget and practicalities. For instance I always take a bar bag, so I'd be looking for levers where the cables all ran along the bar and didn't stick out from the levers.

 

[hoopdriver]

I would steer away from tubeless tyres for touring. Been there once, done that, got good at fixing flats and getting tyres off and on in a hurry, but when I am touring I can think of things I'd rather do.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

really only one game in town road disc brake wise; Avid BB7 Road, though a few TRP cable/hydraulic hybrid users seem well pleased.

 

[Yellow7]

For rims most definitely the Italian DRC MT19. When I built my bike up in 2008 I chose them as they have double butted eyelits, they have since become a well respected rim manufacturer, there's a few good shops now using them now, including bad shops such as the one in Somerset whose name I'd rather not talk of.

Be it 700 or 26" I'm sure you'd find what you need, here is their homepage: DRC

 

[Kins]

Fan of Mavic A719 rims myself. Look good and nice and strong. Both tour and road bike so if your going for a light touring bike you can stick 28 tyres on, if you decide later to go for a heavier tour can stick upto 47s on. 32 and 36 hole available.

 

[hoopdriver]

A vote for Ambrosio Excellights here, for a lightweight tourer

 

[Fab Foodie]

I'm doing an 'Adax Build' based on a Rourke custom 853 frame.

This has allowed (hopefully) a better fit, and all the custom bits I want such as DT shifters, 3 bottle cages, rear-stay pump mountings yadda yadda. Clearance for 28c tyres + guards. 'Proper' headset and steel forks. In addition I have cabling brazings on the fork for the dynohub and speedo wires etc. Regular brakes. Drive train is Ultegra/DA triple from my existing Giant.

Wheelwise I'm going with DCR: Scmidt Dynohub front and VO Grand Cru touring Hub rear with 23mm Archetype rims ... all in polished silver! David at DCR is worth talking to, there are lots of options. Tyres likely to be Duranos
A hub dynamo is a useful consideration for long distance or touring, nowadays drag is almost non-existent and they can be used to charge phones or GPS via USB outputs too. The Shimano DN 3N80 can be had for as little as £60 with Ultegra level bearings, excellent sealing and reliability and no servicing for a bizzilion kms.
Modern Dynamo lights are very bright and getting 'smart' by adapting automatically to conditions.

 

[hoopdriver]

I'm doing an 'Adax Build' based on a Rourke custom 853 frame.

This has allowed (hopefully) a better fit, and all the custom bits I want such as DT shifters, 3 bottle cages, rear-stay pump mountings yadda yadda. Clearance for 28c tyres + guards. 'Proper' headset and steel forks. In addition I have cabling brazings on the fork for the dynohub and speedo wires etc. Regular brakes. Drive train is Ultegra/DA triple from my existing Giant.

Wheelwise I'm going with DCR: Scmidt Dynohub front and VO Grand Cru touring Hub rear with 23mm Archetype rims ... all in polished silver! David at DCR is worth talking to, there are lots of options. Tyres likely to be Duranos
A hub dynamo is a useful consideration for long distance or touring, nowadays drag is almost non-existent and they can be used to charge phones or GPS via USB outputs too. The Shimano DN 3N80 can be had for as little as £60 with Ultegra level bearings, excellent sealing and reliability and no servicing for a bizzilion kms.
Modern Dynamo lights are very bright and getting 'smart' by adapting automatically to conditions.

Sounds like a lovely tourer you're building

 

[Fab Foodie]

Sounds like a lovely tourer you're building

I hope it's more sprightly than a tourer .... Rourke do do tourers!

 

[hoopdriver]

Matter of personal definition, I suppose. In my mind an audax bike is a fast lightweight tourer - a bicycle designed for a self-supporting rider who is going to be covering big stretches of countryside quickly. I have never thought if tourers, as a bicycle genus, as necessarily stodgy or slow.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Matter of personal definition, I suppose. In my mind an audax bike is a fast lightweight tourer - a bicycle designed for a self-supporting rider who is going to be covering big stretches of countryside quickly. I have never thought if tourers, as a bicycle genus, as necessarily stodgy or slow.

Apols, hoopdriver, it was me trying to be witty!

Bike definitions are pretty broad, in fact there are so many these days that a bike can fall into several of the new 'market segments'. But yes, it's a lightweight or fast tourer as opposed to a heftier and more stable old-school long distance load - lugger with stump pulling gearing, strong wheels, fat tyres and long wheelbase with relaxed geometry.

Remove the guards and put my lightweight hoops on she'll be ready to go racing .... Unlike the pilot

 

[hoopdriver]

You and me both!

I have a bicycle built along similar lines, a lightweight lugged steel frame - Columbus Spirit - built by Mark Reilly, formerly of Enigma, with Ambrosio Excellight rims, Phil Woods touring hubs and BB, classic quill stem by Nitto, a blend of TA and Ultegra for the drivetrain, Gilles Berthoud stainless mudguards, front rack and bar bag. Wonderful for swift B&B touring but lighten it up a bit and it'll fly...

 

[Paul Palombo]

thanks for all the constructive feedback - FWIW i am working on the following:

frame - kinesis atr TI
fork - kinesis monocoque
seat post - kinesis carbon 27.2
stem & handlebars - cinelli dinamo alloy
saddle - TBA
groupset - ultegra compact (11-32)
wheels - kinesis crosslight CX (black rims)
tyres - schwalbe ones 28mm with tubes
cables - ultegra
pedals - shimano A600
brakes - trp spyre slc mechanical
mudguards - full road (probably giant)
rack - tubus fly
bar tape - lizard skins 2.5
bottle cages - elite custom race x 2

touring bike geometry (almost) - road bike weight (sub 9kg) = happy days

 

[bigjim]

Do you intend to stay within the Uk with the bike? I'm not so sure I'd be confident trusting it to the airport people.