The perfect Audax bike?

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
Smart. I am an Elan owner too. I’m interested in your front lamp, what is it, how you’ve mounted it and what fork that is? I have never found the perfect solution as I don’t have a bolt or hole in the front of the carbon fork. Very nice.

The light is a Busch & Muller IQ X. Changed the hinged mount, which moved, for a standard metal one. Love the light. The forks are carbon/alloy steerer that came on bike from Spa. Do you have the all carbon fork?
 

Heltor Chasca

Out-riding the Black Dog
The light is a Busch & Muller IQ X. Changed the hinged mount, which moved, for a standard metal one. Love the light. The forks are carbon/alloy steerer that came on bike from Spa. Do you have the all carbon fork?

Yes. All carbon fork. It is nice but I would have liked a bolt or hole on the front of it. There’s one on the back for mudguards. Your set up is great.
 

mcshroom

Bionic Subsonic
I'm still very much learning my trade as an audax rider. Current bike is a steel genesis equilibrium with through axles and hydraulic disc brakes. I've fitted a set of hunt wheels with a dynamo. There are carbon forks, with a very long hole through them which has my front guard and front light bolted through it. I bought a 'budget' version light which had good reviews, but is all plastic construction. It has developed an annoying rattle. I've taped it with insulating tape, but next buy will probably be an all metal one, like the son edelux ii.

I've only realised from reading this that I'm unusual in my gearing. I have a semi-compact 52 / 36. It came initially with an 11-28 rear, but I bought a longer cage mech and swapped it for an 11-32. I never really feel the need for anything lower, though I've never considered it a possibility.

Yours sounds like an excellent bike. If the 36x32 bottom gear is low enough for you, then there's no reason to consider anything lower. I have done audaxes on 34x28 but I felt a little bit overgeared on some hills at the end.

Those of us more, erm, gravitationally challenged and/or living in hilly areas will choose different gears to others who climb better or live somewhere flatter.

Then you get the real nutters riding fixed :biggrin:
 
Last edited:

Ming the Merciless

There is no mercy
Location
Inside my skull
Best way to drop the gears without silly money is to run MTN bike gearing.

Up to 10 speed the Shimano road was compatible with 9 speed mtn. So you could pair a 9 speed mtn rear derailleur with a front 10 speed shifter. Then go for the mtn 11-34 cassette etc.

Otherwise go for a 9 speed mtn front crank of 22/32/44 and then fit a 11-25 rear cassette for closer ratio gears and a low of 22/25 for those 25% grades. A gear range of 23.5" to 108" which will see you round most stuff. Slide the 34 on the back and your low gear is 17.5"
 
Last edited:
View attachment 483901
My new 'perfect' audax bike - a Spa Elan Ti
Proved its worth on it's first audax outing, the very wet Venetian Nights on 28/09. Comfy geometry, great gearing, 30mm tyres at 70psi, disc brakes - oh yes. Completed without any niggles, very much better braking in the wet and no more pedal hot spots. Very happy.
 

Heltor Chasca

Out-riding the Black Dog
Oh well if people are going to wibble on about new bikes.... Shouldn't the perfect Audax bike have a little writing desk on it for the form-filling? :tongue: ;)


Rixen Kaul beat you to it https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/accesso...-map-holder-12-x-25-cm-with-klickfix-bracket/
 

Ian H

Ancient randonneur
Another SW resident here. I run a couple of Ti Audax/touring bikes. One has 48/38/26 with a 13-26 cassette. The other is either 63 or 67" fixed. Both get me up most hills (I seldom use the granny ring).

Both are bespoke frames with fittings refined over the years. Both have done long distances.

Since writing that I have had a new steel bike made by Richard Hallett. A slight change of direction, the new one has big tyres (38mm tubeless) and slightly relaxed angles. I still have a road-triple on it though. Interestingly enough, it doesn't feel any heavier than the old Omega Ti frame.
 
Top Bottom