Sub 1k Audax

[doogle84]

Hello all,

I'm after a £800-£1k audax machine in the vein of a budget Condor Fratello, i.e.

- steel frame, carbon fork
- mudguards
- relatively aggressive geometry
- rack mounts
- 25 or 28mm tyres

Any suggestions or experiences with suitable bikes?

Cheers!

Doug

 

[doogle84]

A bit of research has thrown up the Ridgeback Mercury as an option. Anyone have one of these?

My commute is 6 miles each way, very hilly and mainly B roads. I'd also like something capable of some "light touring".

 

[whitebait]

A bit of research has thrown up the Ridgeback Mercury as an option. Anyone have one of these?

My commute is 6 miles each way, very hilly and mainly B roads. I'd also like something capable of some "light touring".

Hi,

I've got the 2010 Ridgeback Horizon, aluminium frame rather than steel, but otherwise fairly similar spec. Firstly, it's great fun to ride. I commute on it with rack and panniers and find it comfortable, easy to ride at pace and the handling doesn't seem to suffer much with the stuff on the back. It's pretty well specced for the price (rrp £700) and the frame and bits look and feel high quality.

Depending on how hilly your ride is and what you'll be carrying (commuting and 'light' touring), you may find that you'd want a granny ring up front...

PS - Try to avoid buying it from Cyclesurgery, they'll bend your rear mech causing your spokes to break, incorrectly fit your rack and incorrectly fit your chain. And then they'll try to not sort it under warranty.

 

[doogle84]

Thanks Whitebait, I think changing the ring might be a good shout since I'll be carrying some books and going up some short-but-severe slopes.

I've found a LBS in Evesham with a couple of sizes in stock, going to check it out tomorrow...

 

[Glover Fan]

I'm in the same market, I was going to go for a Surosa Toledo Audax pro that you can get for £750 with Tiagra and carbon forks, but it is an alloy frame which puts me off.

As soon as my employers cyclescheme opens again I am going to plump for the Dawes Century SE, you get a Reynolds steel frame, Tiagra and carbon fork and of course, mudguards.

http://www.damianhar...dax-Racing-Bike

 

[Lien Sdrawde]

I'm in the same market, I was going to go for a Surosa Toledo Audax pro that you can get for £750 with Tiagra and carbon forks, but it is an alloy frame which puts me off.

I got the Surosa and although the frame is alloy - I upgraded following several suggestions on this forum and have loved every single minutes smooth silky ride ever since. I would never hesitate to recommend the service and product I got (and continue to recieve) from these folks. My targets also include Audax.

 

[Alembicbassman]

Genesis Equilibrium

very classy http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/bikes/road/product/review-genesis-bikes-equilibrium-10-36088/

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I'm in the same market, I was going to go for a Surosa Toledo Audax pro that you can get for £750 with Tiagra and carbon forks, but it is an alloy frame which puts me off.

As soon as my employers cyclescheme opens again I am going to plump for the Dawes Century SE, you get a Reynolds steel frame, Tiagra and carbon fork and of course, mudguards.

http://www.damianhar...dax-Racing-Bike

I've only managed to ride my alloy framed Surosa Toledo Audax 300km in one go a couple of times so far. Several 100km and fair a few 200km Audax rides done on it, along with a couple of Sportives. All in plush comfort.

The Dawes looks very nice in a retro kind of way though

 

[Glover Fan]

I think if I had to buy a bike in full and not through cycle 2 work, I think I would probably go for the Surosa because it is cheaper, but I have a Carbon frame bike for my Sunday best and I think I would prefer the more comforting steel frame on the Dawes and like you say it looks cool in a retro kind of way, the geometry doesn't look as aggressive as the Surosa either.

 

[jayonabike]

I love my Dawes Century, such a great bike. Ever so comfy to ride, I can sit in the saddle for hours on end. The Tiagra groupset is very reliable and I love the look of the bike. Since I bought it back in April my other geared road bike hasn't really been out of the spare room.

 

[Browser]

I don't have any experience of other bikes as this is my first 'decent' one, but my Tifosi CK7 Classic, although ali rather than steel framed, has mudguard & rack mounts, a good-quality frame finish (which I managed to damage by badly adjusting the front mudguard upwards but that's another story ) and takes everything I throw at it, including some 50-odd mile sportives, a 100-mile fun run, the daily commute and the Whitehaven-to-Sunderland route C2C earlier this year with Roubaix Murry and 2 of his mates. I had mine fitted with a Shimano Tiagra triple groupset and am very happy with it.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I don't have any experience of other bikes as this is my first 'decent' one, but my Tifosi CK7 Classic, although ali rather than steel framed, has mudguard & rack mounts, a good-quality frame finish (which I managed to damage by badly adjusting the front mudguard upwards but that's another story ) and takes everything I throw at it, including some 50-odd mile sportives, a 100-mile fun run, the daily commute and the Whitehaven-to-Sunderland route C2C earlier this year with Roubaix Murry and 2 of his mates. I had mine fitted with a Shimano Tiagra triple groupset and am very happy with it.

was on my shortlist for a 1k audax bike.

 

[doogle84]

There didn't seem to be a great deal of options round here, but I went along to the LBS and the Mercury seemed to tick all the boxes (admittedly in a dull kind of way) so it's now reserved for me. Just need to wait for the Cyclescheme certificate, can it really take 3-4 weeks?!

My mate is in the market for a similar machine and is mulling over the Tifosi, not sure what he's waiting for - it looks great.