The Steel Condor

[Easytigers]

Must say that the Condor looks lovely!

 

[StuAff]

Can't easily fix full mudguards and a rack to a carbon bike. Another reason for steel

Quite a few carbon bikes have rack mounts these days, including the Domane range. And the Orbea Avant has rack mounts as well.
Condor have some great bikes. Happy Squadra owner here
OP will have a nice/difficult decision...no bad choices amongst that lot.

 

[San Marco]

Have you ridden a Spec Roubaix? Or any of the other carbon framed bikes?

On the same day I popped in at Evans and tried the Roubaix SL4. It was a larger frame as they had no stock in my size. The stem had been fitted with the 6 deg angle upwards, so this combined with the long head tube of the 58cm frame made for an awkward upright position.

Other than a biggish car park and a new cycle path I couldn't ride the bike on more average roads to see how it would absorb bumps and tarmac imperfections etc.
Despite all that, it still felt good. Great frame, brakes, smooth quality ride. A bonus is that the bike is down from £1300 to £1150, and until 2 June I could trade an old bike (even my son's teeney bike he grew out of) for £100, bringing the price down to £1050. Hmm....

The Fratello is still in my mind though. What a great impression it left in me. Although yes, I now think the Acaccio is even nicer!! But my guess is forking out circa £1500 for one?

I arranged for a test of the Domane 4.0 next Fri. This could go down from £1500 to £1350 with trade in at Evans.

Lastly, has anyone tried/owns a Wilier Izoard XP? This bike was over £2k a couple of years ago. It has trickled down due to new models in the range but it still looks like a good option at £1300.

Never an easy decision huh??

Cheers

 

[samsbike]

That heritage disc looks nice, I am surprised that the frameset is almost the same price as the fratello frameset, which is not disc. I wonder what the weight differences are.

However, if you are going for a more touring ride, you have to include the genesis croix de fer and the genesis equilibrium (or the disc version), the latter being the more mainstream version of the fratello.

The domane by all accounts is a fabulous ride, but I was only having only one bike, steel would be my material of choice.

Also while discs are great, try before you buy as the ride is definately harsher than the equilivant normal brake version.

 

[Profpointy]

Hello all
I tested a Condor Fratello yesterday as I've never ridden a steel frame. I was pleasantly surprised at how comfortable it felt.

The guy at the shop kept saying it is a good bulletproof do it all bike, can fit mudguards etc.

However I'm looking for a main bike for longish weekend rides (knee permitting) and have no intention to commute or go to France with a small tent on it. Do you think this would be a good compromise (better comfort with added weight) instead of an entry level carbon bike? Budget about £1300 (Vs Specialized Roubaix, Wilier Izoard XP, Trek Domane 4.0).

Cheers

I have their Tempo, which is the same frame built as a fixed gear and it is lovely. I chose it off-the-page as it were, though went to the shop to be measured up and sit on their fit-o-tron adjustable frame. My first go on it was when I picked it up.

I do have mudguards and pannier rack on mine - though the later is a tubus titanium, so not heavy.

I'd not be unduly worried by the "steel is magically better" brigade since, after all, the forks (surely the most critical part) are carbon in any case - so if it's good enough for forks, it'll presumably be fine for the rest of it. That said, I'd not blindly accept "carbon is better" as a concept either. I've had a go on a carbon "racer", which was indeed very light, but wasn't really a like for like since it didn't have panniers, mudguards and had lighter wheels than I'd want etc.

Basically it's a lovely bike

 

[San Marco]

Well... As you can read in a separate post, I went for the Genesis Equilibrium 20. It felt fantastic, and for the same componentry it was £250 cheaper than the Fratello, plus Evans also knocked £100 off from a trade in deal they had.
Very happy with this do it all bike.
Maybe next year I go for a carbon frame to complete the collection .

 

[Fab Foodie]

Well... As you can read in a separate post, I went for the Genesis Equilibrium 20. It felt fantastic, and for the same componentry it was £250 cheaper than the Fratello, plus Evans also knocked £100 off from a trade in deal they had.
Very happy with this do it all bike.
Maybe next year I go for a carbon frame to complete the collection .

Another good choice

 

[biggs682]

http://condorcycles.com/stockists.html

Dare to be different...everyone rides Specialized

some of us are even more different and ride Ian Mays