Recommendations for an Audax/winter training road bike ?



A

Alex Noel-Tod

Guest
Anyone have any opinions on the Thorn Audax 853 (the STI update on their Audax Classic) ? It seems a
lot of money to part with, especially as I presently neither have experience of Thorn bikes/frames
or ride with anyone that does. What would be a good competitor ? (and leave me enough change for the
TdeF preview bumper issue of CW...)

What I'm looking for is a decent (define !) frame, with the following sort of spec : size c.52cm ,
STI with triple set of Ultegra quality or equiv. (not much need of a triple in East Anglia, but
useful for trips abroad - Yorkshire moors, Normandy hills, etc), dual pivot brakes, decent 32 hole
rims, SKS mudguards, frame with adequate bosses and eyes for double cage set-up, mudguard stays,
etc. Annual mileage probably c.3,000 out of my annual total of c.7,000. Use for audax-type events
(obviously), winter club rides and chain-gang training, etc, and summer use as a change from my
cheap but cheerful Bianchi Gold.
 
This weeks CW has a review of a Brian Rouke "winter training bike" that would fit the bill
perfectly as well.

http://www.brianrourke.co.uk/

but it doesn't seem to be there yet.

Arthur

--
Arthur Clune http://www.clune.org "Technolibertarians make a philosophy out of a personality defect"
- Paulina Borsook
 
"Alex Noel-Tod" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

> Anyone have any opinions on the Thorn Audax 853 (the STI update on their Audax Classic) ? It seems
> a lot of money to part with, especially as I presently neither have experience of Thorn

Robin has been described as "a bit of a funny bloke," but he certainly knows his bikes. We have a
Thorn triplet. He has a money-back guarantee, IIRC, does that only apply to tandems? Anyway, the
bikes I saw at Bridgewater were well made, well specced and well finished. A couple of blokes in my
local CTC DA have Thorn Audax bikes and seem pleased with them.

But the steed of choice for our local Audaxers is the Chas. Roberts, while the trundlies favour
Longstaffs.

--
Guy
===

WARNING: may contain traces of irony. Contents may settle after posting.
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk
 
Alex Noel-Tod wrote:
> Anyone have any opinions on the Thorn Audax 853 (the STI update on their Audax Classic) ? It seems
> a lot of money to part with, especially as I presently neither have experience of Thorn
> bikes/frames or ride with anyone that does. What would be a good competitor ? (and leave me enough
> change for the TdeF preview bumper issue of CW...)
>
> What I'm looking for is a decent (define !) frame, with the following sort of spec : size c.52cm
> , STI with triple set of Ultegra quality or equiv. (not much need of a triple in East Anglia, but
> useful for trips abroad - Yorkshire moors, Normandy hills, etc), dual pivot brakes, decent 32
> hole rims, SKS mudguards, frame with adequate bosses and eyes for double cage set-up, mudguard
> stays, etc. Annual mileage probably c.3,000 out of my annual total of c.7,000. Use for audax-type
> events (obviously), winter club rides and chain-gang training, etc, and summer use as a change
> from my cheap but cheerful Bianchi Gold.
I bought a bike, a couple of years ago, from Condor Cycles in London that is very similar in
specification to what you are after. The bike I bought was based on their aluminium cyclo-cross
frame, but specced for Audax/touring. Its been very good to me through several winters now, and I
would gladly recommend it. They are very flexible in speccing the bike, if you want to need to save
a few bob.
 
[email protected] (Alex Noel-Tod) wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...

> (not much need of a triple in East Anglia, but useful for trips abroad - Yorkshire moors, Normandy
> hills, etc),

The Yorkshire moors are "abroad", at least in relation to East Anglia?

(Sigh. Understanding England and the English requires such a sensitivity to nuance!)

BTW, Guy: What's a "trundly"?

Regards,

Peter Storey
 
On 5 Feb 2004 12:58:55 -0800, [email protected] (Peter
Storey) wrote:

>What's a "trundly"?

A trundly tourist. One who can ride at 10mph all day every day until the crack of doom. Easily
recognised by the trademark Carradice cotton duck saddlebag and CTC-approved Squezy bottle
mudguards ;-)

Guy
===
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://chapmancentral.demon.co.uk
 
"Just zis Guy, you know?" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On 5 Feb 2004 12:58:55 -0800, [email protected] (Peter Storey) wrote:
>
> >What's a "trundly"?
>
> A trundly tourist. One who can ride at 10mph all day every day until the crack of doom. Easily
> recognised by the trademark Carradice cotton duck saddlebag and CTC-approved Squezy bottle
> mudguards ;-)

If only I had the self control.

Took me a while to slow down enough to get through a full day.
 
Originally posted by Roger Fretwell
Alex Noel-Tod wrote:
> Anyone have any opinions on the Thorn Audax 853 (the STI update on their Audax Classic) ? It seems
> a lot of money to part with, especially as I presently neither have experience of Thorn
> bikes/frames or ride with anyone that does. What would be a good competitor ? (and leave me enough
> change for the TdeF preview bumper issue of CW...)
>
> What I'm looking for is a decent (define !) frame, with the following sort of spec : size c.52cm
> , STI with triple set of Ultegra quality or equiv. (not much need of a triple in East Anglia, but
> useful for trips abroad - Yorkshire moors, Normandy hills, etc), dual pivot brakes, decent 32
> hole rims, SKS mudguards, frame with adequate bosses and eyes for double cage set-up, mudguard
> stays, etc. Annual mileage probably c.3,000 out of my annual total of c.7,000. Use for audax-type
> events (obviously), winter club rides and chain-gang training, etc, and summer use as a change
> from my cheap but cheerful Bianchi Gold.
I bought a bike, a couple of years ago, from Condor Cycles in London that is very similar in
specification to what you are after. The bike I bought was based on their aluminium cyclo-cross
frame, but specced for Audax/touring. Its been very good to me through several winters now, and I
would gladly recommend it. They are very flexible in speccing the bike, if you want to need to save
a few bob.