mcshroom
Bionic Subsonic
- Location
- Egremont, Cumbria
To be honest, I'm big and fat and climb hills very slowly, so if you're fitter you may not even have to touch the gearing (I can't actually remember using the granny ring too often).
Audax Specific Bikes
- Thread starter pkeenan
- Start date
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Well I never use the granny ring on my Spesh (even when I've had it loaded with panniers), though I guess it's always nice to have a 'fall back' for during long rides, when you get a hill that's just slightly annoying!
I know what all the gearing ratios mean, but it slightly goes over my head as I mainly ride a Rohloff. I think I'll just have to try stuff out.
I know what all the gearing ratios mean, but it slightly goes over my head as I mainly ride a Rohloff. I think I'll just have to try stuff out.
PpPete
Legendary Member
- Location
- Chandler's Ford
There is some good information here:
http://www.corridori.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10&Itemid=15
That Revolution Audax is a good package for the price.... but as Noodles says you might want to change to a triple
And the CST tyres.... change them right away
http://www.corridori.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10&Itemid=15
That Revolution Audax is a good package for the price.... but as Noodles says you might want to change to a triple
And the CST tyres.... change them right away
middleagecyclist
Call me MAC
- Location
- Prestwich, Manchester
Useful thread. Pretty sure i will getting a Paul Hewitt for audax riding in the first half of 2013 for all the reasons already given. Has to have a Carradice though!
mcshroom
Bionic Subsonic
- Location
- Egremont, Cumbria
Thanks for that link - very useful.
Yeah, the good thing about the Revolution Audax is that - for that price - one can set about upgrading things earlier. I'd have to whack a Brooks on there, and (at this price) putting a dynamo + light on is possible.
Which Paul Hewitt were you looking at? I had a wee look there earlier, there seems to be a fair bit of choice under the Audax bracket.
frank9755
Cyclist
- Location
- West London
You'll get all sorts of advice. To a large extent it depends on how you want to ride - what speed, etc.
Comfort is necessary but I think that is more about fit than the actual bike.
My preference would be for a light bike so I would not use your Thorn.
Also, a triple is all well and good but the chain does come off a lot more than on a compact and it happens when you are tired and get clumsy with your shifting. Also, at night, you can't see your gears and the chances of badly cross-chaining are much higher.
FWIW I have a carbon Hewitt frame with a 34-50 and a wide range rear cassette (11-34). Light, but takes mudguards, takes 28mm tyres, and has the gearing to get me round when I'm tired.
Comfort is necessary but I think that is more about fit than the actual bike.
My preference would be for a light bike so I would not use your Thorn.
Also, a triple is all well and good but the chain does come off a lot more than on a compact and it happens when you are tired and get clumsy with your shifting. Also, at night, you can't see your gears and the chances of badly cross-chaining are much higher.
FWIW I have a carbon Hewitt frame with a 34-50 and a wide range rear cassette (11-34). Light, but takes mudguards, takes 28mm tyres, and has the gearing to get me round when I'm tired.
@frank9755 - thanks for your thoughts on the triple.
I agree about the Thorn - it's just a bit heavy for this. Shame, as it's uber reliable and uber comfortable.
Have been looking at a few things over night. The Thorn Audax (naturally) looks good, though is a bit more than I'd like to pay. Spa Cycles have a Titanium Audax bike, which looks good too - slightly lower price than the Thorn.
I was looking at getting a custom Mercian frame for the job, I could afford the frame - but nothing to go on it!! (If I had money just a couple of hundred more in my budget, it might be a possibilty!)
Also looked at the Surly Long Haul Trucker. Looks good, has good reviews, well priced. But perhaps slightly on the heavy side, like the Thorn - bringing me back to the same issue as before haha!
Ach. I get so involved with the 'which bike' thing. In the end, I just enjoy riding... I guess I'm slightly more concerned at the thought of doing longer distance stuff without considering my options.
I agree about the Thorn - it's just a bit heavy for this. Shame, as it's uber reliable and uber comfortable.
Have been looking at a few things over night. The Thorn Audax (naturally) looks good, though is a bit more than I'd like to pay. Spa Cycles have a Titanium Audax bike, which looks good too - slightly lower price than the Thorn.
I was looking at getting a custom Mercian frame for the job, I could afford the frame - but nothing to go on it!! (If I had money just a couple of hundred more in my budget, it might be a possibilty!)
Also looked at the Surly Long Haul Trucker. Looks good, has good reviews, well priced. But perhaps slightly on the heavy side, like the Thorn - bringing me back to the same issue as before haha!
Ach. I get so involved with the 'which bike' thing. In the end, I just enjoy riding... I guess I'm slightly more concerned at the thought of doing longer distance stuff without considering my options.
PpPete
Legendary Member
- Location
- Chandler's Ford
The Spa Ti Audax looks good. Was in the reckoning for my wife's new audax machine but then we spotted that, at least in the smaller sizes, it had quite a long top tube. If anything it was slightly longer than the top tube on the tourer that she's been using up to now - on which she needs an absolutely minute stem.
Have to say I disagree with Frank on the issue of the triple. Don't think I've dropped the chain more than once this yeaar, and never on a long audax. I know what he means about the risk of cross-chaining at night, but for me the advantages outweigh the disadvantages by a long way. Frank is a much stronger rider than me though !
Have to say I disagree with Frank on the issue of the triple. Don't think I've dropped the chain more than once this yeaar, and never on a long audax. I know what he means about the risk of cross-chaining at night, but for me the advantages outweigh the disadvantages by a long way. Frank is a much stronger rider than me though !
middleagecyclist
Call me MAC
- Location
- Prestwich, Manchester
A Chiltern in red with a triple.
Sorry if I've missed it but what's the other road bike you have - the Spesh? Have you thought of riding an audax on it just to see how it performs and/or what might be lacking?
I've seen all manner of bikes on an audax and, quite honestly, if you're thinking of a 200km audax as your max (or even 400 for that matter) then that's a diiferent story to 600, 1000 or 1200 unsupported rides where you'll be carrying extra stuff out of necessity. (LEL and PBP are somewhat different in that you have facilities provided so they are, arguably, 12 or 14 x 100km rides.)
I currently have a steel framed, triple, hub dynamo-ed, mudguarded and Brooks toting pukka audax bike BUT if I were in the market again then I'd be looking at one of the relaxed geometry carbon fibre (can't afford titanium) distance/comfort designed bikes. You might already have one.
I've seen all manner of bikes on an audax and, quite honestly, if you're thinking of a 200km audax as your max (or even 400 for that matter) then that's a diiferent story to 600, 1000 or 1200 unsupported rides where you'll be carrying extra stuff out of necessity. (LEL and PBP are somewhat different in that you have facilities provided so they are, arguably, 12 or 14 x 100km rides.)
I currently have a steel framed, triple, hub dynamo-ed, mudguarded and Brooks toting pukka audax bike BUT if I were in the market again then I'd be looking at one of the relaxed geometry carbon fibre (can't afford titanium) distance/comfort designed bikes. You might already have one.
Nice! Looks a strong and quick machine.
Anyone out there with experiences of Mercians, out of interest?
mcshroom
Bionic Subsonic
- Location
- Egremont, Cumbria
On the Pendle 600 this year (I was helping not riding) I saw everything from an Dawes Vantage Aluminium Tourer to a Defy Advanced Carbon road bike. It's really about a bike that YOU find comfortable.
I have thought about this. In truth, I've done lots of long distance, medium load cycling with it. Not done any Audaxes, longest ride I've done is 155 miles.
I think the main thing I know I want (that this bike hasn't got) is a front dynamo hub. So maybe I'll just get a dedicated pair of wheels built (strong ones, with a dynamo) which I can swap in for audaxes, and out when I do my standard riding.
Though that will end up costing around the same as the Revolution Audax. And there is an N+1 factor here - of course!
