log in
register

Thoughts on the Whyte Suffolk

  • Creator
    Topic
  • October 21, 2014 at 12:50 pm #22607
    parksey

    I know these sort of posts can be a bit repetitive, but I was just looking for thoughts on the 2015 Whyte Suffolk please…

    I’m after a new bike as a C2W purchase. I don’t want to call it a “winter trainer”, as I don’t race, it’s rather intended as a commuter/weekend steed to better cope through the less pleasant months of the year, so disc brakes and ample clearance for wider tyres and proper mudguards are essential.

    The Whyte seems to tick a lot of boxes, haven’t ridden it yet but will stop by the LBS on a Saturday for a quick spin. It seems decent value too, although I’d be interested in opinions as to whether it’s worth the extra £200 over the Dorset for what, so far as I can tell, appears to only really be an upgrade to an 11-speed 105 groupset from a 9-speed Tiagra/Sora mix.

    Suggestions for any alternative bikes would also be welcome. A CX bike is not really what I’m after (unless it’s got road gearing), and I’ve already got a Trek Madone, so am not looking for anything too similar to that either. Boardman is out of the window too as I can’t use Halfords with my C2W scheme.

    The £1200 price of the Suffolk is very much the top of my budget, which is the usual £1k C2W limit with a small top-up.

    Cheers

  • Creator
    Topic
Viewing 15 replies - 46 through 60 (of 61 total)
1 2 3 4 5
  • Author
    Replies
  • November 18, 2014 at 7:30 pm #818499
    0
    parksey

    Since my last comment, I’ve
    Since my last comment, I’ve managed to get a ride on the GT, albeit the Sora version. It’s actually a very good bike, quick on the road but capable when the going is a bit rough and/or greasy too. I can live without rack mounts, although the shop suggested you’d be able to carry about 10kg on a seatpost-mounted rack if you wanted to.

    I’d still prefer the 105 version myself as it just seems to offer fantastic value, but I just can’t find one for love nor money! Pretty much everyone I ring is saying nothing until February which is pointless as a) I want it as a winter bike, and b) my Cyclescheme voucher will have expired by then. I’m holding out a slither of hope that Evans are true to their promise of stock being available in early December though.

    In the meantime, my LBS has put a Whyte Suffolk by for me, pending receipt of my voucher. It’s by no means a second best choice, it really is a good bike, well specced and beautifully finished, and about every bit as versatile as you’d need a year-round road bike to be. Actually looks good with mudguards too!

    November 18, 2014 at 5:39 pm #818497
    0
    ATDibs35

    I’ve been doing a 16 mile
    I’ve been doing a 16 mile commute on a Charge Plug 3 for the last year. Decided I need a faster bike and looking at Whyte Suffolk or GT Grade Alloy 105. The Grade would be my preference but does not seem to have mounts for rack which for a do-it-all bike seems extraordinary. Trying the Whyte this week.

    November 2, 2014 at 9:36 pm #818495
    0
    jonnyglasgow9

    Have a 2014 Suffolk .
    Have a 2014 Suffolk . Generally pretty happy with it . Trp breaks are a bit hit and miss until properly bled / adjusted. My bike has been used only on road. Got back today from a quiet run and washed the bike down. Discovered horrible cracking around the cable routing holes just in front of the bottom bracket. Looks like it might have sheared if left any longer. Have taken back for warranty , so will see what they say. The two holes are very close together which may be possible weak point . Don’t know if there changed on the 2015 model.
    http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f7/jonnyglasgow9/110108738b3f49010fb6f4a6d5cb81c3_zps80070c68.jpg
    http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f7/jonnyglasgow9/8bc177446ed22e5899a737a12785b61f_zpsfb1ed10f.jpg
    http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f7/jonnyglasgow9/fd7723261ecce232634427dfb0a1e56e_zps66990a48.jpg

    October 27, 2014 at 11:22 am #818493
    0
    parksey

    Had a nose round a few GT
    Had a nose round a few GT dealers on Saturday in the hope of finding a Grade 105 to look at, but none of them carried any of the variants in stock. Frustratingly, they all seemed unwilling to get a bike in to view/test ride without me actually placing an order for it either.

    I’ve fired off a few emails to stores a little further afield, including my nearest Evans, in the hope that someone else might see sense. Maybe I’ll just save myself £150 and go for the Tiagra model with it’s much-less-challenging white paintjob. I think they’re identical but for the brakes and groupsets, and the Tektro Spyre discs were favourably reviewed on that Shand Stoater the other day.

    The Marin seems equally elusive. The chap at the one dealer of theirs I also visited didn’t even know about it, having to look it up on his computer… A shame, as it’s another bike which seems to tick a lot of boxes and which I’d really like to try out without having to place an order first.

    [rant] I really don’t get this, is it naive of me to expect to want to see and ride a bike before I hand over a thousand pounds for it? Would the experience be any different if I was buying a 5 grand bike? [/rant!]

    However, my trusty local store didn’t let me down, and I had a good twenty minutes out and about on the Whyte Suffolk, plus similar time again on the turbo to compare two frame sizes.

    It really is quite a lovely bike, not discernably different performance or weight-wise from my alu Trek Madone but with genuine all-weather capability, comfortable to ride (in the time availabe at least) and the new 11-speed 105 is very good indeed, particularly the ease of the front derailleur action. The Tektro HyRd brakes maybe weren’t quite as powerful as I’d have expected, but that seemed to be down to the bike being new and the brakes not having properly bedded in yet. Very tempting proposition.

    The Synapse is one I’ve looked at lately too, in fact I nearly bought last year’s 105 disc version instead of my Trek. I just don’t think it’s different enough from my Trek in it’s abilities as to warrant buying one now, my thinking with a model like that is to save up and get myself a nice carbon version to replace the Trek with as a summer bike in a couple of years’ time.

    October 27, 2014 at 8:10 am #818491
    0
    wilkij1975

    Yeah the camo is all that’s
    Yeah the camo is all that’s putting me off! I’m sure it’s not that bad but need to see it.

    Have you looked at the Cannondale Synapse 105? Got my interest but was put off by the 25.4mm seat post diameter. It’s only 300mm long too so would probably need a longer one but 25.4mm seat posts are like rocking horse sh*t!

    October 25, 2014 at 8:33 am #818489
    0
    parksey

    The GT Grade is a bike I’ve
    The GT Grade is a bike I’ve been mulling over, the alloy 105 particularly looks fantastic value for money with the spec its got. But, WTF with the camo graphics?! I just don’t get why they’d put such a Marmite paintjob on what will likely be the most popular bike in the range? All seems a bit too “urban warrior” for me, like it should come with a free helmet cam! I dunno, maybe I’ll see it in the flesh and it’ll win me over.

    October 24, 2014 at 4:53 pm #818487
    0
    Ratfink

    Can’t say i saw the team Sky
    Can’t say i saw the team Sky bit myself but it did instantly make me think of this LP cover
    http://www.lacumbuca.com/2014/09/hardcore-pela-manha-38-germs-gi-1979.html

    October 24, 2014 at 2:24 pm #818485
    0
    wilkij1975

    I’ve been looking for a
    I’ve been looking for a similar bike and was swaying towards the GT Grade Alloy 105. Very similar spec to the Whyte but for £995. Not sure on the camo bar tape and striping though!

    October 24, 2014 at 8:01 am #818483
    0
    parksey

    That Marin doesn’t look half
    That Marin doesn’t look half bad, thanks Ratfink. Spec looks broadly similar to the Whyte in real world terms, so should be a capable all-purpose bike. Colouring is nice and subtle too (if perhaps little “Team Sky”), although my existing back is all black too, so a little bit of colour perhaps isn’t a bad thing! Will see if I can find a local dealer to take a look, the Marin brand has gone under my radar for years, I just recall my brother having a Muirwoods MTB back in the 90s.

    Will get in touch with Evans about accepting the Cyclescheme voucher too, as that opens some additional possibilities, not least the fact that they honour sale prices on C2W purchases, unlike most smaller, independent stores. My voucher should be available end of next month, when there will still be plenty of 2014 sale bargains around.

    October 23, 2014 at 3:09 pm #818481
    0
    Ratfink

    I had a look at one in a
    I had a look at one in a local shop recently and for some reason it didn’t float my boat,I think it might just be the orange logo though.
    I’ve been looking for a similar bike myself mainly as my commuter but something that will be able to handle the cut through the woods every so often.
    The one that’s got me interested is the 2015 Marin Lombard Elite,It’s £1100 so a tad cheaper and to my taste it just looks better and more suited.

    October 23, 2014 at 9:51 am #818479
    0
    tom_w

    Also worth noting is that
    Also worth noting is that Evans do 2 for 1 on Tesco clubcard vouchers, so you might be able to do the top up with those if you have any.

    October 23, 2014 at 9:32 am #818477
    0
    C.Gregs

    I used my Cyclescheme
    I used my Cyclescheme certificate to get the Arkose. No questions. Only perk of using an Evans one is the £50 accessories voucher.

    October 22, 2014 at 9:35 pm #818475
    0
    parksey

    Thanks for the input so far.
    Thanks for the input so far.

    Interesting comment about the wheels, I too am a heavier rider and so don’t want to find that the bike is in the shop every 5 minutes! Will quiz the LBS on whether they’ve dealt with many issues.

    The Pinnacle looks decent, was actually looking at one of the cheaper models in the store a few weeks back. Think I’ve got the same issue as with Boardman though, in that I’m pretty sure Evans only accept their own cycle to work scheme vouchers, not third parties like Cyclescheme, which my employer uses.

    Came across the Planet X London Road today, also looks good but I’m a little reluctant to buy something as fundamental as a thousand pound bike without seeing/riding it first. Also quite fancy a Genesis, maybe one of the Croix de Fer models or possibly the Equilibrium Disc 10.

    Will get round the shops this weekend to see what’s what.

    October 22, 2014 at 4:01 pm #818473
    0
    olic

    I bought one on Monday as a
    I bought one on Monday as a commuter/winter bike

    Only rode it 20km so far but seems pretty good for the money – the brakes and gearing are very impressive. It seems well built and sturdy, although I’m going to be swapping out the tyres ASAP as I have heard they’re pretty bad, I’ll probably put 28mm GP4S on.

    October 22, 2014 at 2:50 pm #818471
    0
    beardyjim

    One of the guys at work has
    One of the guys at work has one and really likes it but… He is ~17stone and did go through a few spokes and ended up getting the rear rebuilt by whyte under warranty which I guess is one of those things when you are a heavier rider and its a ‘new’ technology for road wheels!

  • Author
    Replies
Viewing 15 replies - 46 through 60 (of 61 total)
1 2 3 4 5
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.