Anyone here own a Hewitt Cheviot?

[Kirstie]

One of my friends is considering one of these...he's had a look around for online reviews but has also asked me to ask you lot for your opinions, if any of you have ever owned one. Of particular interest is their capacity for offroad touring (not mad stuff, just doubletrack etc) particularly the clearances.

Thanks in advance.

 

[just jim]

I've got one - there is plenty of room for larger tyres. The frames are very good quality and comfortable - however the paint job appears to be annoyingly on the thin side on pannier bosses, exposing bare metal when I took the front and rear racks off. A dod of enamel paint should sort it though. I think it's well suited for more rough stuff touring. They also make a 26" Cheviot if your friend wants to go extra chunky on the tyres.

 

[P.H]

I've had a Cheviot SE for nearly six years and have been recommending it to anyone who'll listen (And a few who won't) ever since I collected it.
It's easily capable of a bit of off road, I've never run tyres over 32mm on it but it looks like 35mm would fit fine with mudguards, possibly a bit bigger?
But if he is going to be doing a lot of off road there are better rough stuff tourers. I also have a Thorn which I prefer on a tour with a lot of off road, straight bars, 26" wheels and wider tyres make it a lot more sure footed. Though the Hewitt is a bit faster and nicer to ride on road.
Paul Hewitt is also a top bloke to deal with. Of course he wants to sell you a bike, but I get the impression he's keener than most to make sure it's the right bike.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Worth asking/searching over at yacf there are IIRC a lot of happy owners over there too.
I think it's one of those bikes that you can't go wrong with really unless you want to go racing!

 

[Kirstie]

Thanks peeps. As I said it's not serious off road as in the mtb sense, more doubletrack stuff.

FF, now is as good a time as any, here in the quiet corner that is T&E, to admit that I don't know what yacf is. I never have....

 

[Fab Foodie]

Thanks peeps. As I said it's not serious off road as in the mtb sense, more doubletrack stuff.

FF, now is as good a time as any, here in the quiet corner that is T&E, to admit that I don't know what yacf is. I never have....

yet another cycling forum: http://yacf.co.uk/forum/

It's full of very knowledgable people especially long-distance Audaxy and touring types which may account for a lot of Hewitt owners. Always welcoming... you may spot some familiar names over there.

 

[oxford_guy]

One of my friends is considering one of these...he's had a look around for online reviews but has also asked me to ask you lot for your opinions, if any of you have ever owned one. Of particular interest is their capacity for offroad touring (not mad stuff, just doubletrack etc) particularly the clearances.

Hi Kirstie, I've had a Hewitt Cheviot SE since March and have been very impressed, has a lovely ride even when fully loaded.

Its certainly okay for offroad touring if you're sensible about the rims and tyres - I went for tough Rigide Sputnik rims and 35mm Schwalbe Marathon XR tyres and have taken the bike down some pretty rough tracks in Scotland and Devon without any problems.

Only problem I have had is that the rear Shimano XT hub destroyed itself (completely locked-up), not off-road, but whilst commuting. Apparently there were some problems with this hub at the time, but not with the current batch. I replaced it with a Hopetech Pro III sealed rear hub, which is great, though does a very "clicky" free wheel. I have a Schmidt Son dynamo hub on the front, which I've had no problems with.

Good options to go for are Tektro CR-720 "dog leg" canti brakes, which stop better than the standard fit Shimanos, and instead of the bar end levers I went for a "Shimergo" gear setup (Campag Veloce levers up front, Shimano XT detailers), which allows friction shifter on the front mech (avoiding the problems of trying to index a MTB mech with road levers) and perfect indexing shifter on the rear, as well as very tidy cable routing, with plenty of space for a bar bag... Paul Hewitt recommended this when I said I wanted STI-style shifters and I think the combination works well for touring bikes, as you can use full MTB mech/chainset

There's a picture of my Hewitt here (taken when brand new! Have since changed the saddle for a Brooks Imperial):
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ESW9kXpLnp4NMqkZqM1zXQ?feat=directlink

Hope this helps!

 

[Kirstie]

Yes it does, thank, and thanks FF for the clarification.
I would have recommended Tektro CR520/720 and sputniks for what he wants to use it for anyway. I have XT hubs myself on my tourer (an Ultra) and have never had any problems, although I have read about this elsewhere. Interesting what you say about shifters too.
Lovely bike too - makes me want one myself - but would definitely be surplus to requirements...

 

[Greenbank]

The Hewitt is also the same frame as the Aravis Audax as sold by Byercycles, and the Henry Burton Audax. They're imported into the UK by a company called Autostrada and then rebadged.

I've got the older horizontal top tube geometry version and it did London-Edinburgh-London fine (although not ridden by me, I was on my Condor Tempo. I lent the Aravis to someone who found a crack in their Fratello the day before LEL).

http://www.greenbank.org/bikes/aravis.jpg

(Ghastly bar tape replaced with plain black.)

I've used it for a few 200 and 300 km Audaxes without a complaint, very comfortable bike for distance.

I'll check later but I think you'll have no problems getting 32mm tyres in there. Front wheel clearances are obviously down to the forks you choose, no idea about the standard steel forks that usually come with the frame. Will check the rear brake bridge clearance when I get a chance.

 

[Spinney]

Had one since July, but only used it on the roads.
I went to the shop to be measured up - it took a good half hour.
It was my first drop handlebar bike, so when I got it the riding position felt really too tipped forward, but after only about 50 miles it felt very comfy. I got lower-than-standard gears put on for me as well (to get me up the hills!).

But I've no experience with other touring bikes to compare it with...

 

[P.H]

I've got the older horizontal top tube geometry version http://www.greenbank.org/bikes/aravis.jpg

In the Hewitt stable that bike is the Chiltern rather than the Cheviot being asked about here. The different brakes will affect tyre clearance if nothing else does.

 

[Greenbank]

In the Hewitt stable that bike is the Chiltern rather than the Cheviot being asked about here. The different brakes will affect tyre clearance if nothing else does.

Yes, quite right. More brain required before posting.

 

[gwhite]

snip........ and instead of the bar end levers I went for a "Shimergo" gear setup (Campag Veloce levers up front, Shimano XT detailers), which allows friction shifter on the front mech (avoiding the problems of trying to index a MTB mech with road levers) and perfect indexing shifter on the rear, as well as very tidy cable routing, with plenty of space for a bar bag... Paul Hewitt recommended this when I said I wanted STI-style shifters and I think the combination works well for touring bikes, as you can use full MTB mech/chainset

Now that is a great idea and should be more widely publicised.

 

[P.H]

Now that is a great idea and should be more widely publicised.

It was a great idea, it's the way I have my Hewitt set up.
Unfortunatly Campagnolo changed the levers in 2007 making it no longer an option. Paul Hewitt stocked up, but even those have run out, he's now offering either Shimano STI or bar ends.

 

[Greenbank]

making it no longer an option.

JTek Shiftmate: http://jtekengineering.com/shiftmate.htm