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Frame with mudguard eyes

Has anyone got suggestions for a winter frame for 25mm tyres and full mudguards for around £400? I have a Dolan Preffisio which is so dead and sluggish that it is no pleasure to ride. Now a third threaded insert has failed it is time to change it for something new.

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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15 comments

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Welsh boy | 5 years ago
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I have built my new frame up into a bike and as requested here is my first ride review. My initial impression was that the frame was very well finished, better than I expected for a sub £100 frame with carbon forks. The price is kept low by stripping everything off the frame which is not welded to it (headset, seat clamp, cable adjusters and cable guides under the bottom bracket) so remember to factor these in if you need them (headset is much cheaper from sources other than Planet X so shop around). You will also need a rear brake with 55mm drop, the one Planet X reccommend is not long enough, I ended up with an ultrgra long drop, the front is ok with a short drop unit. Build niggles over and out for a ride. First impression was very good, handled the rough road surfaces much better than the Dolan it replaced and a surprisingly smooth ride on good roads. Out of the saddle climbing was also good, it doesn’t feel like I am dragging it behind me like the Dolan did, a much better ride in all respects. Steering is very neutral and all in all I am very pleased with the frame. I had reservations about what I was going to get for £80 but I am very happy and would recommend it as a serious consideration for anyone else looking for a reasonably priced frame with mudguards. 

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El Camino | 5 years ago
1 like

Nice one.

Let us know how it rides, would you? on-line reviews seem to be almost non-existent.

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Welsh boy replied to El Camino | 5 years ago
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Rose on a Rose wrote:

Nice one.

Let us know how it rides, would you? on-line reviews seem to be almost non-existent.

Will report back in a couple of weeks when I have built it and given it a few rides 

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Welsh boy | 5 years ago
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I emailed Ribble and they confirmed that their frame with mudguard eyes are only suitable for 23mm tyres, Aprire haven’t got back to me with geometry details so I have gone for the Planet X option. Thanks for all your suggestions. 

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BehindTheBikesheds | 5 years ago
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Depends what you're looking for in the frame. You can but a new Reynolds 525 bike with eyeletted carbon forks/Sora 3500 groupset with guards fitted for £450. 

Not going to be light but certainly a robust and very cheap option.

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Dnnnnnn | 5 years ago
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Something secondhand? Even a complete donor bike. Of all the parts of a bike, the frame is one of the more durable, so being a few years old needn't be a problem.

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Welsh boy replied to Dnnnnnn | 5 years ago
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Duncann wrote:

Something secondhand? Even a complete donor bike. Of all the parts of a bike, the frame is one of the more durable, so being a few years old needn't be a problem.

I have looked at second hand or buying a whole bike and stripping it down, what I really wanted was a Ribble 365. Looks like I am going down the Planet X route, I wish that they would do one of their old frames in a mudguard version. 

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Simon E | 5 years ago
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Kinesis?

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Welsh boy replied to Simon E | 5 years ago
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Simon E wrote:

Kinesis?

The T3 is on my short list

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Joe Totale | 5 years ago
1 like

There's the Planet X RT-58 which ticks all your boxes and seems obscenly cheap at £89.99:

https://www.planetx.co.uk/c/q/bikes/road-bikes/rt-58-alloy

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Welsh boy replied to Joe Totale | 5 years ago
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Joe Totale wrote:

There's the Planet X RT-58 which ticks all your boxes and seems obscenly cheap at £89.99:

https://www.planetx.co.uk/c/q/bikes/road-bikes/rt-58-alloy

Thanks Joe, thats on my short list now.

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El Camino | 5 years ago
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Aprire Inverno seems well worth a look.
Aprire.cc

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Welsh boy | 5 years ago
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I like the look of the Holdsworth (I used to have a Holdsworth Pro) but they don’t do it in my (small) size

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Dnnnnnn | 5 years ago
1 like

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