Planet X, Ribble or Spa Cycles ?

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Liffy99

Über Member
I’m looking to replace my 12 year old Aravis Audax bike (853 frame and forks, Shimano 105) with something a little more versatile. Certainly fancy disc brakes and slightly wider tyres than my 28mm as I’m now well into my sixties ( 6’3” and 100kg to boot).
i’ve been looking at titanium bikes ( this could be my last bike so pride of ownership comes into the equation) and particularlybthose more ‘affordable’ from Spa ( the Elan ti), Ribble (CGR ti) and Planet X (London Road, Roadrunner). Finding it difficult to compare as geometries, on paper at least, seem so close to me. Also getting a bottom gear slightly lower than 1:1 (27 gear inches on a 700) seems problematic, especially with the one by setups.
My use is predominantly minor roads, day rides, lightweight touring ( none of that camping mullarkey for these ageing bones) and moderate off road such as towpaths, old rail tracks etc. it would be nice to open up a few new route possibilities but I won’t be tackling rough stuff !
Awkward as all three of these companies are ‘up north’ and I’m down in Somerset.

The London Road looks a great deal right now but not available in my size (XL) until late September. Would the Roadrunner have adequate tyre clearance ? The Elan offers ( hopefully) more gearing options ( will a 46/30 GRX chainset work with a Shimano 11/32 cassette ?) but looks more of a tourer than a gravel bike.

so confused . . . comments or suggestions welcome.
 

fossyant

Ride It Like You Stole It!
Location
South Manchester
853 Audax bike not versatile ?

You'd be better off getting a gravel bike if you want tractor tyres option.
 

Sharky

Guru
Location
Kent
Awkward as all three of these companies are ‘up north’ and I’m down in Somerset.
Ribble have a few shops/showrooms scattered round the country. There is one in our local Bluewater shopping complex. (just a few miles east of the Dartford Tunnel)
Nothing like a bike shop though, but you would be able to see bikes and touch them.
 

a.twiddler

Veteran
I also wondered about an Audax bike not being versatile. The phrase "touring bike" drifted across my mind, though allegedly unfashionable nowadays. Still, n+1 is a wonderful idea, and I wouldn't disagree with that. Alas, I can't help with new bikes as mine were all pre loved and my interests lie in a more horizontal plane these days.
 

T4tomo

Guru

vickster

Legendary Member
As an alternative, Ti Sabbath AR1 from Spa, mine is very versatile, currently has 35mm gravel tyres (could take fatter), full mudguards and rack.
Mine was custom spec with 2x11 Sram Rival, handbuilt wheels, they offer a couple of off the peg options (albeit customisable). See avatar (pre rack). It is QR wheels, not an issue but some prefer TA (edit there’s an AR2 now)

I personally thought the finishing on the elan frame was a bit rough, so went for the more costly AR1. It may have improved (a friend has the LR Ti and it’s similar in finishing to the Elan)
 
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vickster

Legendary Member
What I like about Spa is that they are very good at discussing various build options so you really can almost get a bike built to your specs.

Which is precisely what I did. I even gave them the tape I wanted to use and they sourced me purple cable outers :biggrin:
 
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Liffy99

Über Member
I also wondered about an Audax bike not being versatile. The phrase "touring bike" drifted across my mind, though allegedly unfashionable nowadays. Still, n+1 is a wonderful idea, and I wouldn't disagree with that. Alas, I can't help with new bikes as mine were all pre loved and my interests lie in a more horizontal plane these days.

No doubt my Audax has served me well ( even though I’ve never gone much more than 100k on a ride) - taking me the length of France, around the Hebrides, across Ireland and many places back on these shores, and it does cope with a lot of rougher surfaces on its 28mm. But, age demands a bit more comfort and lower gearing 👿 The idea of a gravel bike appeals as it might be a real ‘do it all’ and also open up more routes on slightly rougher terrain ( not that I’ll be tackling anything difficult).
Would love ‘n+1’ but no space - where do people keep all these velocipedes ? We’ve a shed ( full of gardening stuff), a single garage ( full of tools, woodwork stuff and drinks fridge 😉) and a closed lean to ( full of plants, pots and anything else we can’t hide elsewhere). SWMBO will not allow the construction of another shed 👿
 
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Liffy99

Über Member
PX Tempest - 42T X 11-42, if you need to go lower than 42-42 then swap out the front ring for a 40T or 38 T which is a cheap and easy swap.

https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBPXT...tempest-sram-hrd-rival-1-titanium-gravel-bike

also different enough from your 853 audax-er to mean you will use both bikes for different uses.

also on offer.....

or for lifetime frame warranty and same arguments as above....
https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBTIGRFORCE1/titus-goldrush-sram-force-1-titanium-gravel-bike

Yep, I was originally interested in the Tempest but when I spoke with PX was told it was more of a racing focused model with quite a low front end. Hence my thinking that the London Road or Roadrunner might be better.
Getting the right gearing though seems to be problematic. Yes I can fit a smaller chainring on the SRAM which would give a better granny gear, but would be a fair bit short at the top end with a 1x. The 2x options either dont offer the right ratios or are not available on all of the bike models. Would the greater gear gaps of a 1x be an issue - I’ve never tried one.
 
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Liffy99

Über Member
As an alternative, Ti Sabbath AR1 from Spa, mine is very versatile, currently has 35mm gravel tyres (could take fatter), full mudguards and rack.
Mine was custom spec with 2x11 Sram Rival, handbuilt wheels, they offer a couple of off the peg options (albeit customisable). See avatar (pre rack). It is QR wheels, not an issue but some prefer TA (edit there’s an AR2 now)

I personally thought the finishing on the elan frame was a bit rough, so went for the more costly AR1. It may have improved (a friend has the LR Ti and it’s similar in finishing to the Elan)

Will take a look at the Sabbath. Do you feel it errs towards being a tourer or gravel or road bike ?
 

vickster

Legendary Member
Will take a look at the Sabbath. Do you feel it errs towards being a tourer or gravel or road bike

Umm I don’t really differentiate. I put the gravel tyres on for winter (and I needed the previous Durano 28s to put on a bike I sold!)
It’s very capable on all surfaces. It’s not the lightest, feels very sold
I don’t know really what makes a drop bar tourer different from a road bike!
 
PX put a 2* groupset on my Tempest for me so they are open to changing kit out.

Plenty of space for wide tyres - my knobblies are 38mm and fit under the full mudguards.

You could get 650 wheels and go really wide.
 

T4tomo

Guru
My gravel bike is a 1X10 38T 11-34. Even using it as a winter road bike on slicks, whilst occasionally I've reached "full" RPM / cadence in 38-11, that's touching 30mph, which will do me on the flat, I can freewheel beyond that. :okay:
42-11 gives you around 35mph cut-off, I'm not sure you want to be going much faster than that at your age :laugh:

re gaps, you don't really notice in the real world, as the 2,3,4 T jumps are on your "going up hill" gears where often you would change twice on a say 28 max cassette as the gradient changes anyway wouldnt you.

finally do not do a one in one out, two bikes is not excessive. Just have a clear out of the junk you store but never use - sounds like there is loads of it.
 
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