[consciousbadger]

Hi all,
I am in the market for a new bike and am fortunate enough to have a pretty healthy budget for this one. This will be a dream bike and I would appreciate any ideas which meet the following criteria:
– a bike/frame on which I can feel comfortable doing some pretty epic and technical one day rides (Marmotte, Tour du Mont Blanc, Alpenbrevet). Will probably go for 25mm tyres in case that helps narrow it down.
– a bike/frame which is good at descending. Descending is my weak point so a bike renowned for stability at speed and good cornering is a must.
– given the above I’m not obsessed with this being a super light bike; ride quality is more important but the bike has to be pretty stiff given the kind of riding I will be doing with it.
Note that some of these rides will involve around 12-14 hard hours in the saddle! My current best bike has a semi-race geometry and I’m fine with that for rides up to around 6 hours. After that everything starts to hurt 😉 Do I just have to accept that on the rides above my body will feel battered no matter what bike I am riding?
Thanks in advance.

Topic

[Groggy PM]

What frame did you go for in
What frame did you go for in the end?

[consciousbadger]

I’ve returned from an Alpine
I’ve returned from an Alpine adventure and wanted to update you on what I decided to do. Thanks again for all of your suggestions.

To start with I worked on my training (1-2 hour intense turbo sessions), took up yoga, and carefully selected clothing that suited me for long distance rides. All of these helped a lot with comfort on the bike. The yoga in particular improved the strength of my core which has taken weight off my hands and effectively removed the pain I used to get near the top of my shoulder blades after long rides.

I was then tempted into getting a new frameset and it has transformed my riding. Gone is my fear of descending fast! The frameset is stiffer than my old one and this seems to help it descend well. It is also a size M, when my previous frame was an S and the different wheelbase/geometry is presumably playing a role here as well.

In terms of comfort my sense is the new frameset has helped a bit but the real comfort gains are from (a) the bike fit which came with the frameset and (b) better conditioning from yoga.

All the above helped me complete a 10 hour ride in the Alps (with over 5,000m of climbing), in the baking heat, and by the end I had no aches or pains other than some hotspots in my feet. There is no way I’d have been in this state before I made the changes above!

[consciousbadger]

Thanks everyone, plenty to
Thanks everyone, plenty to think about. I wasn’t expecting all the suggestions for handbuilt wheels! That’s something I will definitely look into.

[Simon E]

Bikefit, good quality shorts
Bikefit, good quality shorts that you know suit you and good nutrition should help with comfort.

Practice will help with descending. All modern bikes handle and brake brilliantly, the balance and poise is almost entirely all down to the rider.

Fitness gains from following a training plan will be a million times more beneficial than a slightly lighter bike.

However, if you want to use this as an opportunity to buy a new bike it will be very much a personal decision. All the main brands have superb bikes at a range of price points and any good dealer should take the time to discuss your requirements at length.

Which ones light your fire? Italian style, a BMC swiss watch, the cachet of a Cervelo, the ubiquitous Giant, Trek or Specialized…. or maybe a Genesis Volare (s/steel).

And fit some nice handbuilt wheels.

[2 Wheeled Idiot]

Depending on how “healthy”
Depending on how “healthy” your budget is, surely custom is the way to go B-)

[rjfrussell]

Ti Kinesis ATR Tripster
Ti Kinesis ATR Tripster

[Scoob_84]

I’d look to building the bike
I’d look to building the bike up myself. That way you get everything the way you’d want. A decent set of handbuilt wheels too like pacenti SL23’s too for hitting the mountains.

[Martyn_K]

Have you thought about
Have you thought about contacting a frame builder and discussing your requirements?

For long endurance rides having something made to measure might be worth the investment. I’m sure an off the peg bike will be just as good once you have worked in to it but a good tailored bike should also meet your climbing and descending needs.

Just a thought…

[alotronic]

I have seen a few Spec
I have seen a few Spec Roubaix extra special discs (or whatever they are called). The winner of the most Audax miles last year (over 30,000km on rides up to 1200km) used one. I would think any of Defy, Roubaix or Synapse in carbon would be worth a look. And of course a Ti Sabbath or Enigma would be nice, but perhaps not quite as cutting-edge fast.

Having ridden at or above the 12hr barrier for a while now I realise that I have to get my fit sorted – bars a little higher to take pressure off hands. This puts your weight back towards the rear which means out and out race saddles don’t work. My tips are under tape gel pads and 25c tyres to start with.

[Kadinkski]

Someone has asked if pedals
Someone has asked if pedals are included. Made me chuckle.

[consciousbadger]

The Emonda might just be
The Emonda might just be doable (eek), but I would be concerned about comfort given the focus on weight.

[notfastenough]

I’m not great at descending,
I’m not great at descending, but knew that the Trek Madone is renowned for predictable handling. Sure enough, that’s enabled me to relax and hit 50mph without incident.

With regard to epic rides, have you looked at the review of the Mason Definition posted on this site in the last day or 2?

[PhillBrown]

How healthy is a “pretty
How healthy is a “pretty healthy budget”?

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/trek/emonda-slr-10-2015-road-bike-ec068219

[consciousbadger]

Thanks, will do.
Thanks, will do.

[Guernsey Donkey]

Go and test ride a Bianchi
Go and test ride a Bianchi Infinito CV. It’s available with a wide range of spec but all have the same frame. It should do everything that you are asking for.

[Author]

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