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Recommend me a light tourer/winter trainer frame

by arrieredupeleton
Mon, Mar 05, 2012 11:43
11

Hoping of doing some fairly light touring (credit card style) this summer and with a mind towards next winter, it seems I am likely to be buying a winter/tourer frame/forks.

So far I've seen good deals on the Dolan Prefissio and the Kinesis Racelight T2. Does anyone have any experience of these two frames?

Looking at a cheap alu frame with mudguard and rack mounts but don't mind too much about a less 'touring' geometry - the Dolan has a really short headtube.

Need something I can build up with parts migrated from current winter hack and some sneaky ebay purchases.

Anyone with recommendations of anything else that ticks the boxes?

Ta

Arrieredupeleton

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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11 comments

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joemmo | 12 years ago
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If you fancy some steel then the genesis equilibrium frame is a nice one, similar price to the kinesis tk2. Not sure it has rack mounts though but you could use p clips.

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arrieredupeleton | 12 years ago
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Excellent. I was pondering a triple if it's going to be doing things like LEJOG in the future. I realise the fashion police might arrest me but it's a risk I'm prepared to take!

I've always thought my current winter bike's triple was more likely to get me out in the hills in winter, in comparison to a double or compact where I might just think: '.... I'll leave it until I'm fitter'. It's no fun gurning up a 20%er when you're out of form.

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keef66 replied to arrieredupeleton | 12 years ago
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On the Tk I have full guards / Shimano BR450 long drop brakes / 105 triple with a 12-25 cassette. Would prob go for a 27 if I was touring.

And a Brooks B17 special in honey!

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joemmo | 12 years ago
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no probs - the bike was built up from old, new and secondhand bits so its a bit of a mixed bag.
Chainset is a Truvativ SRAM road triple (before SRAM implemented their anti-triple stance) 52/39/30 with a 12-27 10spd block, ultegra rear mech, front tiagra and 105 levers. It's got me up everything with a rack and 'overnight' saddle bag but I might put a 28T ring up front to make full use of the triple. Nothing against compacts per se - have one on another bike - but just like the benefits of a 'full size' chainset with the bail out gears as backup.

and yes, the hanger is replaceable, same dropouts as the TK2 and crosslight frames.

Bit of limited choice with long drop brake calipers - basically 2 models from shimano, 2 from tektro and 1 from miche. I got the cheaper shimano option and they are fine, work just as well as short drop brakes IME.

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arrieredupeleton | 12 years ago
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Joemmo,

Couple of more serious questions. What groupset/gears do you run for light touring? It looks like a compact chainset so I assume you had a decent spread of gears on the back?

Also, does it have a replaceable dérailleur hanger? The TK2 does but it's hard to tell from the pics I've seen as its a black frame.

Thanks again.

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joemmo | 12 years ago
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funny, actually I originally had the white spoon with orange underneath but I found the stitching was destroying my shorts so I swapped it for Prologo Nago.

Fizik have test saddles in orange which can you loan from shops but not buy, sadly. I did ask.

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Super Domestique | 12 years ago
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Do Wiggle still do the Charge Spoon in black with orange under shell? That would look very nice.

Not that it looks bad now mind!

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joemmo | 12 years ago
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rules schmules.. 1 I did look for an orange saddle but the only ones I could find where for fashion fixie bikes.
At least with black and white you can match almost any colour but I do like a bit of orange

Plenty of room for 28s and full guards on the frame because of the long drop brakes. It's a bit tighter on the deda black rain fork but still ok, perhaps the kinesis dc07 fork is roomier. Those are 24s in the picture BTW

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arrieredupeleton | 12 years ago
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Thanks chaps. I like the look of the T2 'in the flesh'/against a fence as well as in glossy catalogue shots. It's a really nice paint job.

Joemmo, have you had proper guards on yours and what is the biggest tyre you think it could take with guards? I've heard anything over 24mm is pushing things.

Black/White/Orange looks fantastic by the way. A flagrant disregard to rule #8 though. I am sure you could get an orange saddle to match? 4

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joemmo | 12 years ago
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Built a T2 last year and have been very pleased with it. Geometry is pretty sporty but I've done a couple of. 2 day lightweight tours on it and been fine. Frame finish is not bad, good coat of paint and tidy enough welds but mine needed the BB threads chasing. I fitted a deda fork instead of the kinesis one and it's a good match. Definitely worth a look.

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keef66 | 12 years ago
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I've had a Kinesis Tk as my one and only bike for coming up to 4 years. Still very happy with it.

Might not fall into the really cheap category, but it's a light and lively frame with the clearance / mounts you require.

It started life as a winter trainer, but I gather the most recent incarnation of the Tk2 has a taller headtube for the sportive bunch

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