Window shopping - s...
 

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Window shopping - show me your Fairlight Secans

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Well the 21st century has finally caught up with me and I'm thinking about a new gravel bike, having thought I'd built the last gravel bike I'd ever need a couple of years ago 🙄 

In fairness to my Rourke, it's let me push myself and the sort of routes I want to ride, to the point where I'm going beyond what the bike is enjoyable/practical to ride on, I need discs and bigger tyres and have finally been brought round to 1x as I spent far too much time cross-chained trying to find the right ratio on my 2x setup. The Rourke is still perfect for low level style farm track secteur smashing, just not big days in the hills.

I'm still tempted by a Giant Revolt Advanced, but the Secan ticks all the same boxes (except weight, the Secan is no lighter than my current 853 build and with discs and wider tyres would probably work out a smidge heavier, the Revolt will be noticeably lighter) and I would save some money being able to customise the Secan at point of ordering.

Any owners care to share some pics?

Ta

 


 
Posted : 01/04/2025 2:16 pm
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Following for inspiration


 
Posted : 01/04/2025 2:39 pm
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I have one, an old one though. I have had this for 4 years now and can’t see me changing it for anything else, it’s fantastic. 

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Posted : 01/04/2025 7:34 pm
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2.5, 54T Grx800 2x.

Fabulous thing. Ride is fantastic, it’s not phased by luggage and fits like a dream. 

IMG_0943.jpegIMG_1849.jpeg


 
Posted : 01/04/2025 8:39 pm
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I've had one for about 5 years now and absolutely love it. Always puts a smile on my face. 

Got 3 sets of wheels for it, some mason x hunt 4 seasons for winter road, hunt gravel x wides with 42mm with nanos and a wider cassette, and some parcours strade with 32mm gp5000s for better road weather.

 


 
Posted : 01/04/2025 8:57 pm
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I have to say I am tempted by the new V3 frameset. 


 
Posted : 01/04/2025 8:58 pm
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 IMG_20230514_132431_469.jpgIMG_20230514_132431_315.jpgIMG_20230514_132431_426.jpgIMG_20230819_121535_291.jpg Second time trying to upload photos. IMG-20210522-WA0008.jpgIMG20241109105502.jpg 

 


 
Posted : 01/04/2025 9:22 pm
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Nice photos DougD, do I see one of Loch Turret and one of Amulree in there?

 


 
Posted : 02/04/2025 5:08 am
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How does the paint hold up?


 
Posted : 02/04/2025 7:37 am
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IMG_0998.jpeg

mine. Got 2 sets of wheels one with gravel tyres one with slicks! totally love it! So well detailed. paints totally fine


 
Posted : 02/04/2025 10:02 am
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Have a 54r 2.5 in orange with a mark 1 fork, I'm looking to sell the frameset as my back isn't very flexible anymore and replace with a 54t if anyone is interested. Brilliant bike love mine wish id bought 54t first time. 

As others have said 2 sets of wheels and they are very versatile.


 
Posted : 02/04/2025 4:36 pm
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Posted by: DougD

I've had one for about 5 years now and absolutely love it. Always puts a smile on my face. 

Got 3 sets of wheels for it, some mason x hunt 4 seasons for winter road, hunt gravel x wides with 42mm with nanos and a wider cassette, and some parcours strade with 32mm gp5000s for better road weather.

 

What do you think of the Hunt Gravel X Wides? I'm thinking of upgrading to something similar for gravel rides

 


 
Posted : 02/04/2025 4:45 pm
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I sometimes wistfully browse fancy bikes and imagine what I'll buy if i ever recover from Long COVID. Currently the Secan is top of my list. Great photos, all 🙂


 
Posted : 02/04/2025 4:52 pm
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Thanks all.

Still remains top of my wish list, reviews seem universally praise-worthy also.

Particularly liked one of the more thorough reviews (advntr.cc I think) that said how it still felt fast and sprightly despite being such a comfortable and versatile bike.

On the flip side, everything that the Secan can do that my current gravel bike can't is also stuff that my 29er hardtail with a bit of tinkering would probably be equally good at, and even a brand new carbon fibre 29er like a Trek Procaliber would be cheaper than a new Secan and barely any heavier (probably not at all if I swapped out the dropper and gargantuan cassette!).

Off to experiment with my current Superfly, might be that I just save the current bike for flatter/faster gravel and compromise speed on road and flat sections by using the 29er for the bigger mountain days. 

Am maybe asking too much out of a single 'gravel' bike! 😂

 


 
Posted : 02/04/2025 5:26 pm
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I don't think Amulree, but top to bottom Loch Turret, Melville Monument, Loch Monzievaird, River Almond, somewhere between West Linton and Kielder, then Kielder Water (different trip to previous).

Has handled all exceptionally well. Regularly out on Saturday club rides and it's not the bike holding me back. 

Prinkl - they seem decent, weight is fine, good width and therefore tyre profile, I checked and I've actually got 42mm Resolutes on, not Nanos, but they roll well. The wheels were on sale at Hunt as nearly new, so got them for about £300 which I thought was alright. 


 
Posted : 02/04/2025 6:26 pm
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No pics but my 2024 56T has also been great fun so far at everything remotely suitable. It's GRX800 2x, Hunt carbon wheels and 32mm tubeless.  Currently a bit more road focused as it is about to do a 500 mile road trip, so the stock Hope wheels and 38mm Gravel Kings are in the shed. 

 

As everyone else seems to say, it manages somehow to nail the 'fast but comfy' compromise. 


 
Posted : 02/04/2025 9:15 pm
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Waitforme and Highlandman how tall are you (and what inseam are you) for you 58T & 56T's?

 

Been looking at Fairlights and the 'T' headtube seems a no-brainer for me, but it's putting me on both of your sizes.


 
Posted : 03/04/2025 9:06 am
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@intheborders I'm 6ft3in. Not sure of my inseam but I'd call my proportions fairly normal. I went for the Tall as I broke my spine in a collision 7 years ago and now have 6 fused vertebrae in my lumbar-thorax area. The Secan is ride all day comfortable for me. As you can see from the pic I've got a fair amount of seat pin showing.


 
Posted : 03/04/2025 7:25 pm
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Love mine, they rock on 650s! 

Would post a pic if I could!!


 
Posted : 03/04/2025 7:30 pm
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Posted by: karnali

Have a 54r 2.5 in orange with a mark 1 fork, I'm looking to sell the frameset as my back isn't very flexible anymore and replace with a 54t if anyone is interested. Brilliant bike love mine wish id bought 54t first time. 

As others have said 2 sets of wheels and they are very versatile.

What height are you please? I'm 1.80m and undecided between 54R and 56R.

 


 
Posted : 04/04/2025 7:45 pm
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I'm 183cm and went with a 56T, I emailed Fairlight before buying mine as I had a comfortable fit on my previous bike that I was looking to replicate, so sent them a few dimensions and they came back with what would be the closest fit


 
Posted : 04/04/2025 8:04 pm
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I’m 5’8” on a 54t 


 
Posted : 04/04/2025 9:34 pm
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56R Faran here at 5'11 and absolutely love it but I think I probably should have gone for the T as my flexibility isn't amazing. I would definitely consider swapping the frame out for a Secan though and the T.  It's just a really nice bike.

I have the stock Shimano wheels with 44mm Raddlers on which are a bit heavy but pretty good all rounders I find.  Should be picking up some lighter wheels from a local builder with 32mm road tires soon for the summer.


 
Posted : 05/04/2025 7:48 am
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Posted by: P20

2.5, 54T Grx800 2x.

Fabulous thing. Ride is fantastic, it’s not phased by luggage and fits like a dream. 

IMG_0943.jpegIMG_1849.jpeg

 

Thats an interesting bar mount setup, what are you using for the light and GPS mount?

 


 
Posted : 05/04/2025 6:55 pm
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