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I've been looking to get a new commuting bike. Currently ride a Genesis Day 1 with an Alfine bodged onto it but I'm sick of the weight and it's not quite got the gear range I need after moving house.
The vast majority of miles would be commuting on road, but I would also like to be able to tour in comfort and have the option of going offroad (Day1 has been fine for this). Need rack and guard mounts and I'm not interested in having more than one road bike.
The Sonder Camino is on sale at the moment but sounds a bit too gravel focussed for my use case (it's got the same head angle as the 26" Soul I still use as a hardtail!). The Ribble CGR seems to be the suggested alternative for a more road focus but it's £250 more (and only has mech brakes) when the Camino would already be a stretch.
Ideally I'm looking for a tough reliable and comfortable do it all bike, any suggestions? Thanks!
I’d try a Camino, the stores all demos. Book ahead.
The position, tyres and gear range will effect road performance. So I’m not sure that the Camino is in any way less good on the road. What am i missing?
Boardman do a good value grave bike with grx400 including hydro brakes
+1 for Boardman or Decathlon do an RC520 which looks a great commuter/winter bike.
What about the Sonder Colibri instead of the Camino?
there's another racier gravel from sonder alongside the camino and calibre, Sedona a Ti gravel racebike
can you get c2w, I used it with sonder, an easy process
Slightly more old school Audax but Aubisque or Elan from Spa Cycles would do what you describe. If you want more heavy duty then a touring bike from them.
https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m1b0s223p0/Bikes/Audax-and-Sportive
If looking at Sonder then the aluminium Colibri is probably worth a look or a Pinnacle Arcoss from Evans.
I had a Ribble CGR before the chainstay cracked a couple of months after the warranty expired ? they offered me a discount on a new frame but I guy at work was selling a flat bar sonder Santiago for the same price and it was virtually unused so I went with that .
Nice Reynolds steel frame and lots of mounts it was a nice looking bike and would make a great commuter or tourer , the sonder wheels were pretty solid things that were noticably heavy if that would bother you . I was going to replace the wheels but I recently sold the sonder and got an alloy Topstone as I wasn't commuting by bike any more and I found the flat bars annoying on longer road rides as I couldn't change hand position easily. The Topstone was also half price which made the decision easier .
Is C2W an option? Might open up a few more options.
Thanks for the ideas. I had last night decided a boardman adv 8.9 would be good, but that Felt Broam does look prettier. It would be on halfords C2W scheme though so will look whether Merlin accept that.
FWIW I did try a Camino in Hathersage, it didn't feel as slack and slow to turn as I expected, but I am reluctant to go slacker given how much change I noticed even going to the Day1 after the Genesis Vapour I had before that (RIP)
I guess the Colibri is the "fastest" of all the suggestions and perhaps I am over-optimistic about ever finding the time to tour off-road.
I was about to suggest an older Camino I had a mk3 and it would have fitted the bill perfectly, but obviously not available new any more.
I have tried a CGR (carbon) and they’re very nice for the type of riding you’re looking at, but I wouldn’t entertain cable operated brakes on anything now
Thanks for the ideas. I had last night decided a boardman adv 8.9 would be good, but that Felt Broam does look prettier. It would be on halfords C2W scheme though so will look whether Merlin accept that.
They don't, otherwise my plan had been to just buy groupsets and wheels on the scheme.
I'm looking for a new bike mainly for winter and Audaxes and on the Halfords Scheme and so far have considered:
Ribble Allroad SL / SL R, ticks all the boxes, but gets some poor reviews, the Ti version gets even worse reviews which is a shame.
Cannondale Synapse 1 at Cycles-UK, they charge for the halfords scheme but it would still be ~£1700 for a decent bike with 12speed, hydraulic brakes and 35mm tyres. It's not marketed as "all-road" but is slacker than most.
Merrida Scultura Endurance - there's some keen discounts on them between Tredz and Wheelbase and they get good reviews, but maybe a little tall for a road bike.
Trek Domane SL - same geometry woes as the Scultura, but even shorter reaches and reliability issues with the isospeed wedges.
Cube - various models, all seriously ugly
Specialized Roubaix - see cube.
Our schemes limit has just been raised so I'm thinking Cannondale Synapse + some nice carbon wheels to give it some extra Zipp. It lacks the exciting carbon aero frames of the other options but despite actually being quite tall / relaxed and seemingly marketed as the least racy of the the lot it's actually the longest and lowest so i could minimc my current racer+spacers position on it fairly well. At RRP it doesn't make much sense when a groupset is £550 at Merlin but on C2W it looks like a good buy to get all the modern standards my old bike lacks that can be upgraded to a nicer frame at a later date.
The bigger problem for my magpie brain is that actual; race bike are getting seriously discounted. £2649 for a SuperSix Evo with 12speed DI2? If I could convince Halfords/Tredz or anyone else who'll accept the scheme to get even close to price matching that I might overlook the lack of mudguards or luggage mounts? I'd be home before I got uncomfortable!
www.sigmasports.com/item/Cannondale/SuperSix-EVO-3-Disc-Road-Bike-2024/105KQ
I had last night decided a boardman adv 8.9 would be good
I used to have one of these and was very impressed with it.
Quite fast generally and good on the road. Hard to fault it really - apart from the stock wheels were what you'd expect at that price point.
I changed mine to a bargain Ragley Trig, which suits me better as I'm mainly riding off road on it, but the Boardman was undoubtedly a better all-rounder and TBH I would have been happy to keep it.
Are people still by the carbonda frames from china. I thought about that. Got a Vitus energies and would love one with. Road groupset to use as a winter road bike.
What about the Sonder Colibri instead of the Camino?
That's the direction my mate went after testing both as he wanted a more road focused bike. He really rates it.
Are people still by the carbonda frames from china. I thought about that. Got a Vitus energies and would love one with. Road groupset to use as a winter road bike.
Yea, someone in the club just built one up complete with Chinese group set
New bike Day! Going all-in with Chinese Tech Ltwoo ER9 / Tantan / Nextie (4K) - YouTube.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEmYEfLYwk4
I considered it before work put the C2W limit up but unless unless there's some other reason C2W probably makes a mainstream bike more cost effective. Stonking good value if you don't have C2W and are happy with the risks. AFAIK the only issue he's had was a snapped chain. Allegedly a shimano one but I didn't ask if it came from Madison or Ali-Express.
GT Grade Comp £870 in J.E.James but limited sizes.
https://www.jejamescycles.com/product/18267807/gt-gt-grade-comp-road-bike/option/