Yukon vs Etape vs September

[dmb]

I have an etape, fantastic. Before this I had a Airborne Valkryie audax, a good bike but the enigma is just fanastic

 

[Van Nick]

I have an etape, fantastic. Before this I had a Airborne Valkryie audax, a good bike but the enigma is just fanastic

Hi dmb,

Sorry to hijack this thread.

I'm considering an Enigma Etape at the moment. With it essentially being marketed as a Light Tourer / Audax bike, does that mean that it's significantly slower than an all out road bike, after it has been stripped of it's rack and mudguards and fitted with 23C tyres ?

Is it much heavier than an equivalent road bike (Eclipse, Echo etc) ?

Could you please recommend a good supplier from whom I could get a good deal on the Etape frame / bike ?

If you could post up some pictures of your Etape, that would be cool.

 

[GrahamG]

I think when the term 'light tourer' is used, it's generally not stretching beyond a saddlebag/single pannier lightweight tour - just means slightly beefier seat stays. Same as 'fast audax bike' equates to 'road bike that takes mudguards' albeit with nominally more relaxed geometry (nobody calls a Spesh Roubaix a 'fast audax bike' though, that's just to unfashionable!).

Once you get the guards/rack off these bikes, they are bloody quick, stiff and perfectly comparable to an out and out road bike bar geometry - not a concern unless you are racing seriously.

 

[Paul_Smith SRCC]

I think when the term 'light tourer' is used, it's generally not stretching beyond a saddlebag/single pannier lightweight tour - just means slightly beefier seat stays. Same as 'fast audax bike' equates to 'road bike that takes mudguards' albeit with nominally more relaxed geometry (nobody calls a Spesh Roubaix a 'fast audax bike' though, that's just to unfashionable!).

Once you get the guards/rack off these bikes, they are bloody quick, stiff and perfectly comparable to an out and out road bike bar geometry - not a concern unless you are racing seriously.

As I mentioned in my earlier post regarding the geometry and riding characteristics of my 'Audax' bike:

"...Fundamentally it is the frame geometry that make these bikes what they are; the seat tube angles are similar to what you would find on a full-on race bike, whereas the head tube will have a slightly shallower angle to give a bit more comfort. The 56cm Yukon here has a 73 degree seat angle with 72 at the head; a race bike would normally be 73/73....

Cruising along, it feels comfortable and stable. Unloaded and riding on a flat level road, it feels quick; never quite as quick as a full on race bike but relatively fast nonetheless. If I had to highlight the difference of riding this style of geometry makes over a race bike, then personally I would say I only notice a slight drop off in performance when climbing or sprinting out of the saddle. The rest of the time it is much closer, which is exactly what they claim it is designed to be...."

So yes to an extent they are comparable to an out and out road bike, I would add that the shallower head angle of common place on most Audax bikes also increases stabilty, useful should the bike need to carry a load, which on a race bike could cause unstability. The Specialized Roubaix range is even nearer a ful on race bike, with closer clearances than an Audax bike and frame angles even closer to a full on race bike geometry

Paul_Smith
www.corridori.co.uk

 

[Van Nick]

Hi Paul,

Thanks for a very informed and constructive reply.

I can see why this style of bike is becoming so popular now.

Presumably they can be used for everything from a Sunday morning club run (stripped down), a bit of light "credit card" touring or even a bit of very light "off roading" (towpaths etc) when fitted with broader tyres.

 

[P.H]

when fitted with broader tyres.

The Etape uses standard brakes rather than the long reach versions of the others, so I'd assume you can't fit anything over 25mm and mudguards.
Maybe dmb or another owner could clarify?

 

[Van Nick]

The Etape uses standard brakes rather than the long reach versions of the others, so I'd assume you can't fit anything over 25mm and mudguards.
Maybe dmb or another owner could clarify?

Hi PH,

That's a very interesting point, but it is my understanding that the Etape will comfortably take 28C tyres, but not in conjunction with mudguards.

 

[dmb]

clearance on the standard etape in much the same as the airborne bith will take 25 with mudgaurds larger with out

 

[dmb]

Van Nick I would say may build ultegra, carbon FSA finishink kit and dura ace wheels with 23 tyres is abour 18lbs with no gaurds. Much quicker than the airboure, nearly on par with my Mondays child. This is because I am a heavier rider 13s 7 and the stiffness around the bottom bracket on the etape is greater than the airborne. But still is actaually a very pampering ride.

 

[dmb]

sorry about all the typos

 

[Paul_Smith SRCC]

Hi Paul,

Thanks for a very informed and constructive reply.

I can see why this style of bike is becoming so popular now.

Presumably they can be used for everything from a Sunday morning club run (stripped down), a bit of light "credit card" touring or even a bit of very light "off roading" (towpaths etc) when fitted with broader tyres.

On my Van Nicholas Yukon personally I would say tarmac only with guards, I use 700 x 25c tyres, 28c would be tight, although I know some use that size on that bike.

The Etape uses standard brakes rather than the long reach versions of the others, so I'd assume you can't fit anything over 25mm and mudguards.
Maybe dmb or another owner could clarify?

Although I have a shallow brake fitted to my Yukon I did file the bottom of the slot to effectively increase the depth; Yukon is designed for longer depth brakes. The Enigma Etape is I believe designed to be used with short depth calipers, purely to give the consumer a greater choice of brakes they can use.

I repeat I have seen 28c tyres used on the Yukon, although most use 25c; I have seen 23/25c as the most popular tyres used on the Enigma Etape; although I am far less familiar with that bike of course as have only seen customers bikes, I would have though 28c would be either too big, or if they did go on then they would be extremely tight if guards were fitted

Paul_Smith
www.corridori.co.uk

 

[Van Nick]

Hi Paul,

I can't really comment, as I haven't seen either of those models to be fair.

On the face of it, the Enigma Etape seems to be a more versatile bike to me and basing my information on Jim Walker's reply to the following post, the Etape will take 28C tyres comfortably.

http://pub28.bravenet.com/forum/static/show.php?usernum=2342060945&frmid=10&msgid=912591&cmd=show

 

[Paul_Smith SRCC]

Hi Paul,

I can't really comment, as I haven't seen either of those models to be fair.

On the face of it, the Enigma Etape seems to be a more versatile bike to me and basing my information on Jim Walker's reply to the following post, the Etape will take 28C tyres comfortably.

http://pub28.bravenet.com/forum/static/show.php?usernum=2342060945&frmid=10&msgid=912591&cmd=show

Naturally Jim and Mark know their frames/bikes inside out, although note Jim does state with out guards though.

As I mentioned in response to the OP the 'Sabbath September', 'Van Nicholas Yukon' and 'Enigma Etape' are all good bikes designed to do the same style of riding.

Paul_Smith
www.corridori.co.uk

 

[Van Nick]

Hi Paul,

Yes, that's right, as I stated back in post number 22.

 

[Paul_Smith SRCC]

Hi Paul,

Yes, that's right, as I stated back in post number 22.

Yes I know, I mentioned it again purely as you stated "the Enigma Etape seems to be a more versatile bike", I was simply adding more bikes that share a similar set up.

To an extent of course frame material aside those bikes follow a relatively standard 'Audax' set up, those with a different budget could quote many others, the most common of which will be made of steel, a few in aluminium alloy and a even fewer in carbon; although most in carbon are inclined to be set up more like the Specialized Roubaix and Trek Madone performance fit bikes, with more of a 'sportive' as apposed to 'audax' style of riding.

Paul_Smith
www.corridori.co.uk