Buyer's remorse, a lucky escape, I hope!

[IanSmithCSE]

Good afternoon,

The things is that I am thinking and not letting my heart decide ..... and now it has gone in 56cm so it is all academic.

Decathlon want £649 for this, https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/road-bike-triban-rc-500-disc-brake/_/R-p-308097?mc=8554410&c=GREY a whole bike with a frame around about 250grams lighter.

... and that is a damn good looking bike.....

there are of course the Decathlon tubeless ready wheels which are apparently quite hard to live with if you have tubes, but wow that is a lot of bike.

...... and you get a headset!!!!.....

Ribble want a £1k for a 725 frameset (https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/ribble-endurance-725-frameset-1) but SPA want a lot less, (https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m11b0s143p4590/SPA-CYCLES-Elan-725-Frameset) around £500.

I have a love for the past, but also question it, I was having a chat with someone who insists that he has a 19 ounce steel frame, that is 540 grams and that it is almost a touring bike.

Bye

Ian

 

[Smokin Joe]

If owning and riding it makes you happy it is good value, no matter how out dated.

 

[Hover Fly]

So a Taiwanese or wherever frame is on the same level as a nineties Italian Columbus?

Might be better.
I once looked on the website of one of the Italian builders certain people lust after, the obligatory brazing shot showed a top tube and head tube joint with a “drool” of silver solder running down. If I had done a joint like that as an apprentice I would have had to redo it.

Storage space once built?

It’s a bike, they take up no space at all.

 

[wafter]

In my mind it misses the mark somewhat. I love the idea but it's undermined for me by the fact it's an offshored frame being offered by a company that has zero connection with the Raleigh responsible for the original, other than buying the name when they finally gasped their last.

As Cyclops suggests it smacks a bit of a hollow marketing exercise IMO; although the product looks alright for what it is.

I'm absolutely all over vintage / modern steel; with period correct kit or modern gear. I think you could get better for your money though; especially if you look at used stuff. Personally I'd love a vintage Cinelli or Rossin, or less-tarty Raleigh if we're being more realistic such as the Rapide, Clubman or Record Ace.

If practicality / performance is more of a concern then a modern-ish frame (such as the Condor Classico) with a modern groupset would be the way to go I think

I subscribe to the want it, sleep on it, want it, sleep on it approach, and if I still want it on the third morning then it’s permission to self to press buy.

Same, however the process takes months rather than days

It’s a bike, they take up no space at all.

My mum would very much contest that statement. Probably to the extent of a bare-knuckle fight..

 

[neil_merseyside]

Might be better.
I once looked on the website of one of the Italian builders certain people lust after, the obligatory brazing shot showed a top tube and head tube joint with a “drool” of silver solder running down. If I had done a joint like that as an apprentice I would have had to redo it.

Re-do, yep been there done that (several times) but a quick pass with a file and a quick push pull with a strip of emery cloth is really very quick

 

[Kingfisher101]

Good afternoon,

The things is that I am thinking and not letting my heart decide ..... and now it has gone in 56cm so it is all academic.

Decathlon want £649 for this, https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/road-bike-triban-rc-500-disc-brake/_/R-p-308097?mc=8554410&c=GREY a whole bike with a frame around about 250grams lighter.

... and that is a damn good looking bike.....

there are of course the Decathlon tubeless ready wheels which are apparently quite hard to live with if you have tubes, but wow that is a lot of bike.

...... and you get a headset!!!!.....

Ribble want a £1k for a 725 frameset (https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/ribble-endurance-725-frameset-1) but SPA want a lot less, (https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m11b0s143p4590/SPA-CYCLES-Elan-725-Frameset) around £500.

I have a love for the past, but also question it, I was having a chat with someone who insists that he has a 19 ounce steel frame, that is 540 grams and that it is almost a touring bike.

Bye

Ian

I would advise against the Decathlon bike as well if you value your sanity and thumbs,

 

[vickster]

I believe it’s the wheels on the 520 are more problematic than the 500, but can always go tubeless

 

[C R]

I believe it’s the wheels on the 520 are more problematic than the 500, but can always go tubeless

I have a 500, the tyres are tight, but not overly so, I fixed a puncture on the roadside last winter and managed with a bit of effort. Overall I'm very happy with my 500, would definitely recommend it.

 

[IanSmithCSE]

Good morning,

Oh dear, this is starting to get expensive.


I went for the same seat pin as Raleigh used it was part of an order that when it arrived I thought that I have just spent nearly £200 and that's all there is! Many of my tools are out of date, I even needed a new "spanner" for the BB so I may as well get some new cable cutters as well.

I forgot that the chainset that I planned to use came into contact with the road when the last steel bike's frame broke.


I still haven't even decided on wheels, sprints/tubs seem right or be sensible and stick with clinchers, @Sharky posted a great link (https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/planet-x.288356/) to an offer, but I got the scales out and sadly shook my head.

I have decided to go with 2x8 (11-28), noting how often I change gear on a 2x10 and being strongly tempted by D/T shifters any more seems redundant. Given that I don't mind cross chaining big ring/second biggest sprocket, this gives 52/50/or maybe even 48(as I need a new big ring)x25 as a bottom gear on the big ring which for where I rides means almost a 1x except for a few hills.

Bye

Ian