[notfastenough]

Hey folks, it’s been years since I’ve posted. I’m looking at a new bike, and can’t believe how prices have gone crazy. I’d like one of the newer aero bikes that also manages to be reasonably comfortable and easy to live with. I test rode a Dogma F12 and loved it, but I’m not paying that kind of money. Ditto the Tarmac etc, it seems common these days for a good frame with second tier kit like Ultegra Di2 or Force AXS and decent wheels to be £7-8k.

However, there are a bunch of seemingly good value brands. British brand Handsling charge £5.4K for their aero bike with Force AXS (with a quarq PM!) and their own 50mm carbon wheels. They even own their own frame moulds.

North Road Cycles want even less, £4.5k for their equivalent with Ultegra Di2. Lios, £4.7k with Force AXS. 

So, does anyone have any experience with these brands? What are the bikes like? How do they ride? What are they sacrificing to hit these price points, even if the answer is ‘expensive marketing’?

 Thanks everyone!

Topic

[Simon E]

There is also Pearson Cycles

There is also Pearson Cycles in SW London. Cycling Weekly recently said very nice things about their HammerandTongs, the review below was in a recent paper copy that I put out for recycling this week.

https://www.cyclingweekly.com/reviews/bike-reviews/pearson-hammerandtongs-road-bike-review

Pearson’s model page has a drop-down that shows the price for the wheel and groupset options:

Road Bikes

[HaveLegsWillRide]

It’s their aero frame, with
It’s their aero frame, with bling AXS & their carbon 40mm wheels I think (he wants some deeper ones next). Riding it after a winter on his similar blinged gravel bike has brought a massive grin

[notfastenough]

 Thanks! Do you know which

 Thanks! Do you know which model he has? I’m also wondering about their wheels, do you know if he has the 50mm carbon model?

[notfastenough]

I nearly mentioned Orro as

I nearly mentioned Orro as well actually, so this is good to know, thanks! I actually test rode the Dogma just because the Manchester Pinarello store held a demo day like a mile from my house, and I’d never ridden anything of that level before. I couldn’t afford to drop £12k no matter how good it is.

[notfastenough]

but if I do that, who will

but if I do that, who will clean the bike?!

[notfastenough]

TBH, I was hoping to pay

TBH, I was hoping to pay around £3k, but you get less for your money than I was thinking of. I wouldn’t have a problem with used but for the lack of transferable warranties. Even then, I wouldn’t have a problem with a used groupset. I’ve just bought some used-but-like-new Spesh shoes, because it’s obvious how much or little they have been used – you can’t disguise wear to shoes, but a frame and wheels I’d be more unsure of.

[Owd Big 'Ead]

Er, I’m not the thread

Er, I’m not the thread starter, so not sure why you are directing your ire at me?

Thanks for the recommendation though, but I’m perfectly happy with my current bike, a Focus Mares CX. I’ll leave the consumerism to others. Have you confused me with someone else?

[HaveLegsWillRide]

A mate of mine bought a
A mate of mine bought a Handlsing last year, and he bloody loves it! I know he did a lot of research first & was really happy with the service he got from them when buying.

[HaveLegsWillRide]

I’m eyeing up one of those as
I’m eyeing up one of those as a treat to myself for landmark birthday next year, out of interest did he get his wheel change buying direct from Orro?

[OnYerBike]

My two cents:

My two cents:

There’s quite an interesting article relevant to this topic here: https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/product-news/inside-frame-design-489852

Most of these value for money “brands” are simply ordering frames from factories in Asia (indeed I note Handsling are quite explicit about that). Owning their own mould means that the bikes won’t be identical to others you find, but arguably the open moulds are actually pretty good and there’s not a huge amount of reason to think a proprietary mould is noticably better. Furthermore, as the article discusses there’s a lot that goes into manufacturing a carbon frame that the brand will just be choosing from a menu list. There’s a lot more that could be varied in the construction process – this article discusses some of them and might be interesting: https://blog.3t.bike/2021/06/17365/frame-building-is-coming-home/

None of this is to say you’ll end up with a bad bike if you go down this route, more just trying to explain the business model and highlight some of the areas where different companies might differ. There is also a strong argument for the law of diminishing returns – you can do all sorts of fancy stuff with carbon that might make a slightly better bike, but at a much higher cost. If you’re a pro or have money to burn, maybe that slight benefit is worth it. For the rest of us, maybe less so.

[Compact Corned Beef]

I know someone who recently

I know someone who recently bought an Orro Venturi and he really rates it (looks bloody lovely in the flesh too)… he even got 55mm wheels on it over the standard 40mm at no extra cost, just for a bit of added aero bling.

Don’t really see what you’re giving up to the Dogma other than a name and a few hundred grams, and at 4.5k for new Ultegra Di2 version with fancy schmancy integrated cockpit etc. it falls squarely within the ‘affordable superbike’ bracket.

Very well reviewed in this august publication too, albeit a few years and some slightly less tasteful paintjobs ago: https://road.cc/content/review/271279-orro-venturi-ultegra-di2-wind-400-2020

[Inder]

I think North Road frames are

I think North Road frames are generic open mould, which obviously is not necessarily a bad thing. Dolan are worth a look for similar price bracket and a longer history (I doubt the spec would match what you mention from North Road for theat price though). Still, upwards of £4K is more than I’d want to be paying for a bike personally. Have you had a look at the 2nd hand market? 

[David9694]

I suggest you get the Dogma,

I suggest you get the Dogma, even if you have to sell one of the boats, or let some staff go. 

[notfastenough]

Oh totally! I have a whole

Oh totally! I have a whole other rant about that; in 2014 a Madone with Di2 was £2.4k, it’s now nearly triple that. However, moaning about that wouldn’t actually get me anywhere. I should have said ‘value for money by comparison’.

[Owd Big 'Ead]

VFM.
£4.5k!!
Lol.

VFM.

£4.5k!!

Lol.

[Author]

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