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That looks just like the
That looks just like the Planet X pro carbon frame actually.
Yes, the Corkscrew road is a
Yes, the Corkscrew road is a killer! I grew up in Adelaide used to ride around those hills on my Raleigh Record (12kg…) in the 70s.
I built up an ex-display
I built up an ex-display Bianchi Infinito frame to a much higher spec than standard by using a bit of detective work and buying components from wherever they were cheapest (Germany and Italy mainly). Total cost was £1,860 instead of £2,900 and it has better/lighter wheels, bars, seat, seatpost, etc than the retail version.I set up a spreadsheet for all the parts I needed and put in guesstimates then actual prices so I could keep track of the total cost and make sure I came in under my £2K budget.
I would hesitate to buy a new bike unless massively discounted (at least 35%). And if you build/assemble your own, you will have something that is really unique and personal.
I think Shimano RS80 or
I think Shimano RS80 or Fulcrum Racing 3 or one of the better Ksyriums should do.I paid £315 for my RS80s at Merlin and they can often be found at that price. They are so light and free-rolling that I’m always having to brake when out with my friends. You get the Dura-Ace rims and a Shimano hub that uses sensible adjustable cup and cone bearings that can be serviced and should last for ages.
I’ve recently built up an
I’ve recently built up an Ultimate Al 9.0 as my winter bike using my old Shimano 6600 groupset and it’s excellent. Miles better than my old summer bike (PX SL Pro CF). It is only 40g heavier than the PX frame but that’s cancelled out by the forks which are lighter and stronger than the PX. I’ve fitted Crud Roadracer mudguards and a Tubus fly rack as I use it to ride to work.The frame is incredibly stiff in a German way – think BMW – and yet riding around London it absorbs so much that the ride is smooth. The frame is very simple to look at so there must be some trickery in tube thicknesses and shaping, because it eats up road vibration nearly as well as a CF frame. Steering via the CF fork with its chunky tapered steerer is instictive, responding quickly to the tiniest inputs but never feeling twitchy. The supplied VCLS seatpost isn’t the lightest, but eats up vibration too.
It’s all been an absolute revelation as my last winter bike was a 10 year old Ridgeback Flight T3, a legend in its own time but now feeling heavy and flexy. Aluminium design has clearly made huge strides in recent years. I’m almost considering retiring my new summer bike (Bianchi Infinito) and sticking with the Canyon…
So I guess I’m saying, if you haven’t got your Canyon yet, do wait!