Just test rode an Enigma Etape and Echo. Same tyre pressures as normal steel bike. Big difference in comfort – damn!
Both handled rough tarmac very well indeed but I just can’t decide which. Current usage is evening training (not much need for a ti bike), occasional commuting (generally when it’s not slashing with rain) often on dirty country roads, weekend fun, sportives up to 127miles where I am very interested in my time for 60milers but much more interested in comfort (as in I’m in serious pain on my steel bike) for longer distances. How do I ride – slowly up hills, love descending manically, only really sprint for gaps on roundabouts etc, like to carve a good turn at speed and find the gap between 50 and 34 chain rings so annoying I’ve moved to a triple and closer rear cassette, when I am hurting I tend to get the bit between my teeth, I very rarely stop on centuries. I want to do the Raid de Pyrenees next year and at some point LEJOG not as touring but a fast audax sort of thing. My current bike is an 853 weighing 20lbs with summer wheels. In the winter I run it with open pros and crud catchers. I love it until about 60miles at which point I hate it.
The Etape has fixings for a rack and guards, a degree less head angle, 0.2mm more fork rake, 1.6mm more chain stay length, a 27.2mm vs 31.6mm seat post and weighs 10oz more. Winter weight about 19lbs and about a pound less for summer (wheels, tyres and guards off). The Echo is a bit livelier, presumably a little less comfortable (couldn’t really tell). I’d likely run it with the Centaur group I’ve been collecting and be happy to do so until the roads were salted.
The Etape would be a one bike does all sort of thing – would I feel a little less than perfect in the summer with a perceived lack of performance or would I revel in the extra comfort?
I need help!
Both handled rough tarmac very well indeed but I just can’t decide which. Current usage is evening training (not much need for a ti bike), occasional commuting (generally when it’s not slashing with rain) often on dirty country roads, weekend fun, sportives up to 127miles where I am very interested in my time for 60milers but much more interested in comfort (as in I’m in serious pain on my steel bike) for longer distances. How do I ride – slowly up hills, love descending manically, only really sprint for gaps on roundabouts etc, like to carve a good turn at speed and find the gap between 50 and 34 chain rings so annoying I’ve moved to a triple and closer rear cassette, when I am hurting I tend to get the bit between my teeth, I very rarely stop on centuries. I want to do the Raid de Pyrenees next year and at some point LEJOG not as touring but a fast audax sort of thing. My current bike is an 853 weighing 20lbs with summer wheels. In the winter I run it with open pros and crud catchers. I love it until about 60miles at which point I hate it.
The Etape has fixings for a rack and guards, a degree less head angle, 0.2mm more fork rake, 1.6mm more chain stay length, a 27.2mm vs 31.6mm seat post and weighs 10oz more. Winter weight about 19lbs and about a pound less for summer (wheels, tyres and guards off). The Echo is a bit livelier, presumably a little less comfortable (couldn’t really tell). I’d likely run it with the Centaur group I’ve been collecting and be happy to do so until the roads were salted.
The Etape would be a one bike does all sort of thing – would I feel a little less than perfect in the summer with a perceived lack of performance or would I revel in the extra comfort?
I need help!
