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Every winter I think the same thing about my current winter/wet weather commuter, a Kona Jake the Snake - disc brakes would be so much better. And every year I think about changing the front end to a disc brake but never quite get round to it. Riding in the rain is a frighting experience due to not very good braking, its fine in the dry but I don't get many days in winter when the ground is dry.
Having looked at the cost of front brake, fork and wheel I'm looking at around £300. Chain, cassette and chainset could also do with replacing so that's another £100 so I'm beginning to think a new bike is probably the more sensible option, the frame is 7 years old and showing its age from 7 years of year round commuting.
So I've had a look at a couple of bikes around the £1k mark and like the look of the Focus Mares or the Whyte Suffolk. Both look good but the Whyte Suffolk although £200 dearer has a far better spec.
Anyone got a Whyte Suffolk, if so are you happy with it?
I have a Suffolk. It is very pleasing. I think they're pretty long in the top tube - I ended up reducing stem length to get it fitting just-so. The brakes are [i]wonderful[/i] and it's pleasingly light and quick-handling. Really keen on it.
I swapped the ugly crankset out for a 105 one though.
🙂
*jacob46 to the thread*
I'm quite keen on a stretched out position so that sounds good.
Yeh the crank set was the weak point but I have a new 105 crankset on my summer commuter so could swap over. What bottom bracket type is the suffolk?
I went through this recently and ended up ordering a CAADX. It's a very similar spec to the Suffolk save CX gearing and no hyrd's. The 2015 CAADX is £900 from Epic so a bit cheaper. I wanted the potential for wider tyres/green laning if the fancy took me. Mebbies also look at the Whyte Dorset and Pinnacle Arkose 4 if you are similarly inclined. 'Cross' (as in cross purpose not true cyclocross) bikes seem to be all the rage ATM.
[i]It's a very similar spec to the Suffolk save CX gearing and no hyrd's.[/i]
One of the reasons for liking the suffolk is the compact chainset, rather than cx, and the hydraulic brakes are the big selling point for me.
Ah well, there you go 🙂 I wanted cable disks cos I want low maintenance/no pissing about. I have BB7's on a Day One and they are ace. Gearing is changeable at Point of purchase...
Anything else I should be looking at that has hydraulic discs around that price?
Need to look at the [url= http://road.cc/content/news/133588-just-raleigh-maverick-comp ]Raleigh Maverick[/url] I suspect.
[url= http://www.raleigh.co.uk/ProductType/ProductRange/Product/Default.aspx?pc=1&pt=14&pg=12130 ]Raleigh[/url]
Anything else I should be looking at that has hydraulic discs around that price?
Don't forget the Suffolk has the cable actuated hydro brakes, which always seems like a bit of a halfway house to me.
Arkose 4, as mentioned above, shirley?
[i]Don't forget the Suffolk has the cable actuated hydro brakes, which always seems like a bit of a halfway house to me. [/i]
Well they are but anything with full hydraulic discs is way over budget, or I thought they were.
Raleigh looks to have a lot going for it but its red and I'm not a fan of the cable routing either. Plus I'd need to change a lot of things before I rode it.
mmm the Arkose Four looks a good option, I'll be in town later today so I'll pop into evans for a look. Full hydraulic discs too.
Don't forget the Suffolk has the cable actuated hydro brakes, which always seems like a bit of a halfway house to me.
I've run Avid BB7s a lot, and of course full hydro's on mountainbikes before the Hy Rds on the Suffolk.
The Hy Rds have [i]much[/i] nicer feel than the BB7s, it really does feel like a hydraulic brake. As with a cable brake, I assume you have to keep the cables nice and fresh for good long-term performance, and the caliper presumably needs a simple (Shimano style by the look of things) bleed periodically, but there is definitely a feel advantage over a pure cable brake.
I got a Suffolk at the start of summer, and I love it. I use it for commuting in London (with full mudguards), weekend morning blasts around Richmond Park, as well as longer rides in the Dales/Moors.
The brakes are a halfway house for sure, but I find them nearly as effective as full hydraulics (or at least, effective enough for road use). My thinking is that by the time the current 105 drivetrain wears out fully hydraulic systems will have trickled down that far, and the bike will have mounts ready and willing to take them.
I'm quite tall so I like the long top tube.
[i]My thinking is that by the time the current 105 drivetrain wears out fully hydraulic systems will have trickled down that far, and the bike will have mounts ready and willing to take them.[/i]
Yeh that's pretty much what I'm thinking, although as per the arkose 4 ST-RS685 brakes/shifters is pretty much 105 level.
ST-RS685 brakes/shifters is pretty much 105 level.
That has changed now that Shimano has launched the ST-RS685 (main picture), a compact hydraulic disc brake lever for mechanical shifting, so you use regular derailleurs and regular cables. [b]Shimano see this as an Ultegra level product[/b] but it is compatible with the mechanical version of Shimano’s top-end Dura-Ace groupset and it also works with the new 105 groupset that was launched today.
http://road.cc/content/news/115210-shimano-introduces-road-hydro-disc-brakes-mechanical-shifting
A colleague here has a Suffolk. Has had some quality issues with the wheels, multiple broken spokes, but could just be a friday nighter.. the practicality of it is great and he considers it considerably more comforatable and quicker than the old Thorn tourer it replaced.
The Hy Rds have much nicer feel than the BB7s, it really does feel like a hydraulic brake. As with a cable brake, I assume you have to keep the cables nice and fresh for good long-term performance, and the caliper presumably needs a simple (Shimano style by the look of things) bleed periodically, but there is definitely a feel advantage over a pure cable brake.
Did you try any fancy pants cables, Gore or those metal ones that were fashionable a few years back?
Will be cable brakes on my tripster regardless, but I thought this might help.
http://road.cc/content/news/115210-shimano-introduces-road-hydro-disc-brakes-mechanical-shifting
Perfect!
That's another thing I like about the Suffolk actually, the rear caliper is mounted on the chainstay rather than the seatstay.
No broken spokes here yet even with London's potholes. The security skewers are also pretty handy.
[i] http://road.cc/content/news/115210-shimano-introduces-road-hydro-disc-brakes-mechanical-shifting [/i]
That makes the arkose 4 even more tempting. But the suffolk definitely edges it on looks.
Just looked at the cost of the brakes/levers, over £400 on wiggle. Makes the bike a bit of a bargain.
Got a Whyte Dorset here (same bike as the Suffolk save for Sora instead of 105), and think it's fantastic.
To any doubters, the TRP Hy-Rd discs sound like a half way house, and potentially a faff. Until you try them that is! They are fantastic, and practically indistinguishable in feel and performance to a full hydro setup. £999 seems like a lot to pay for a bike with Sora, but when the brakes are as good as they are, it's justified.
Be careful when it comes to sizing. Whyte measure differently to most, I'm riding a 54cm Dorset and it comes up the same size as a 56cm Trek or Specialized would. They've got a slightly sloping Top Tube like most bikes these days, but Whyte quote the size on the actual length of the seat tube whereas most manufacturers' "56cm bike" actually has a 52-54cm seat tube and circa 56cm top tube length.
Only done about 120 miles on it so far, and my only minor gripes with it to date are to do with the contact points which are highly subjective anyway (and you often expect to change them). The bars are a little wide for my shoulders (they are 46cm wide and also flared, I run 44cm Zipps on my other bike which actually measure 43cm) and short of reach, although they do have a nice flat section on the top. I'll probably end up putting some of my favoured shape Zipp's on with a 10mm longer reach, and a 10mm shorter stem to compensate. I also find the saddle just the tiniest bit too narrow for my sitbones, but it's marginal and again something you would expect to have to change.
Just looked at the cost of the brakes/levers, over £400 on wiggle. Makes the bike a bit of a bargain.
[url= http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/shimano-rs685-road-disc-brake/rp-prod119977 ]£350 on CRC[/url], if that makes a difference.
Madison say mid-December availability.
You could probably sell the 105 shifters/TRPs second hand for about £200-ish next year, making it a £150 upgrade for the full hydros. Maybe less if CRC do one of their 10% off deals.
What height are you mboy? I would be going for the 54cm as according to their size chart that's the size that fits me.
I'd be changing the saddle anyway, and bar/stem/seatpost to the ones on my current bike, well if the post is the right size.
I'm 5ft10, and to be honest, could ride the 52 at a push.
IGNORE the Whyte chart for recommended heights! Seriously... They got it wrong in a big way and haven't yet ammended it! Even the reps have said as much. The 56 that it says I'm supposed to be on, is FAR too long in the TT for me, and also too tall in the headtube.
Size on TT lengths and reach, not their height recommendations.
mmm I'm 5'8"ish and usually ride a 54, although I have a 52" dolan thats fine, that was all they had in stock and the guy at dolan said it would be fine.
Would say you could go either way at 5ft8. If you went for the 54cm Whyte, chances are you might need to fit a 10mm shorter stem though...
I got the latest 11sp Suffolk in august, as my first proper road bike in years. I use it for a 20 mile commute and the only weak point was the detonator tyres, or maybe me being really unlucky with punctures. I was advised to go for the 54 at 5 10ish
Tyres aren't an issue as I'd be putting conti 4 seasons on anyway. Went for a look at the arkose 4 at evans but not in till next week. On paper the arkose is looking the better bet.