Spa Ti Audax

General cycling advice ( NOT technical ! )
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ACS
Posts: 5
Joined: 17 Feb 2012, 9:46pm

Spa Ti Audax

Post by ACS »

I am hoping to call into Spa Cycles next week to look at their titanium audax machine (n=n+1 ) :D

I have completed a great deal of research, read articles etc. Are there any owners who can give me some user feedback?
guzzimag
Posts: 22
Joined: 18 Feb 2012, 8:38am

Re: Spa Ti Audax

Post by guzzimag »

Hi there. I test rode one yesterday and ordered as a result. I have only been riding proer bikes again for a couple of years, so I'm comparing against a Cube Nature (hybrid) and a Cube Attempt (race bike). The difference for me was night and day - the Spa is very plush, stable, but still nice and lively. It immediately felt very familiar and almost welcoming. Build quality is excellent - the frames are Chinese in origin but are a Spa specific design (see chap with grey beard riding it in the photos - he's your designer and a lovely bloke too!). The welds are uniform and very tidy - and everything bolted to it is of a decent quality. Even the Passport Navigator saddle was excellent. Frame comes with a 10 year warranty. I rode the SRAM Apex equipped build and wasn't sure how I'd get along with it, having only used Shimano triple setups. It was great - no problems adapting to the setup and I found more usuable gears with a decent chainrun than I do ona triple. For the price it's a fantastic bargain - I priced up building the bike up myself and there was nothing in it. It was also a pleasure doing business with the Spa folk they were excellent, despite the chaos of the new shop!

Lovely bike. I should get mine in a week or so - can't wait.
ACS
Posts: 5
Joined: 17 Feb 2012, 9:46pm

Re: Spa Ti Audax

Post by ACS »

guzzimag wrote:Hi there. I test rode one yesterday and ordered as a result. I have only been riding proer bikes again for a couple of years, so I'm comparing against a Cube Nature (hybrid) and a Cube Attempt (race bike). The difference for me was night and day - the Spa is very plush, stable, but still nice and lively. It immediately felt very familiar and almost welcoming. Build quality is excellent - the frames are Chinese in origin but are a Spa specific design (see chap with grey beard riding it in the photos - he's your designer and a lovely bloke too!). The welds are uniform and very tidy - and everything bolted to it is of a decent quality. Even the Passport Navigator saddle was excellent. Frame comes with a 10 year warranty. I rode the SRAM Apex equipped build and wasn't sure how I'd get along with it, having only used Shimano triple setups. It was great - no problems adapting to the setup and I found more usuable gears with a decent chainrun than I do ona triple. For the price it's a fantastic bargain - I priced up building the bike up myself and there was nothing in it. It was also a pleasure doing business with the Spa folk they were excellent, despite the chaos of the new shop!

Lovely bike. I should get mine in a week or so - can't wait.


Guzzimag

Many thanks for this I am obliged. I hope you get many hours of enjoyment from your new bike.
tod28
Posts: 72
Joined: 13 Oct 2007, 12:14am

Re: Spa Ti Audax

Post by tod28 »

"very plush, stable, but still nice and lively" +10 having built my frame up with Pasela Tg 28 mm's

I similarly agree with the comments on Spa themselves
ACS
Posts: 5
Joined: 17 Feb 2012, 9:46pm

Re: Spa Ti Audax

Post by ACS »

tod28 wrote:"very plush, stable, but still nice and lively" +10 having built my frame up with Pasela Tg 28 mm's

I similarly agree with the comments on Spa themselves


Thank you for your reply.
Andy
ACS
Posts: 5
Joined: 17 Feb 2012, 9:46pm

Re: Spa Ti Audax

Post by ACS »

guzzimag wrote:Hi there. I test rode one yesterday and ordered as a result. I have only been riding proer bikes again for a couple of years, so I'm comparing against a Cube Nature (hybrid) and a Cube Attempt (race bike). The difference for me was night and day - the Spa is very plush, stable, but still nice and lively. It immediately felt very familiar and almost welcoming. Build quality is excellent - the frames are Chinese in origin but are a Spa specific design (see chap with grey beard riding it in the photos - he's your designer and a lovely bloke too!). The welds are uniform and very tidy - and everything bolted to it is of a decent quality. Even the Passport Navigator saddle was excellent. Frame comes with a 10 year warranty. I rode the SRAM Apex equipped build and wasn't sure how I'd get along with it, having only used Shimano triple setups. It was great - no problems adapting to the setup and I found more usuable gears with a decent chainrun than I do ona triple. For the price it's a fantastic bargain - I priced up building the bike up myself and there was nothing in it. It was also a pleasure doing business with the Spa folk they were excellent, despite the chaos of the new shop!

Lovely bike. I should get mine in a week or so - can't wait.


Just to round this off. I visited Spa Cycles this lunchtime. Took a 56cm Audax out for a 10 mile spin and loved it. If it had been a summers day I would have returned to the shop with flies in my teeth.

Got to echo what Guzzimag has said. Anyway ordered one and I'm having delivered in the next 2 weeks. Frame Number 91 is mine :D
JohnW
Posts: 6667
Joined: 6 Jan 2007, 9:12pm
Location: Yorkshire

Re: Spa Ti Audax

Post by JohnW »

Is it possible to fit down-tube friction levers?
tooley92
Posts: 1440
Joined: 22 Jun 2007, 9:49am
Location: West Yorkshire

Re: Spa Ti Audax

Post by tooley92 »

JohnW wrote:Is it possible to fit down-tube friction levers?


It looks like they have bosses on the donwtube http://www.spacycles.co.uk/smsimg/uploa ... ometry.jpg
Remember folks 'A pessimist is just an optimist with experience!'
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531colin
Posts: 16083
Joined: 4 Dec 2009, 6:56pm
Location: North Yorkshire

Re: Spa Ti Audax

Post by 531colin »

JohnW wrote:Is it possible to fit down-tube friction levers?


Yes, it has standard downtube bosses.
JohnW
Posts: 6667
Joined: 6 Jan 2007, 9:12pm
Location: Yorkshire

Re: Spa Ti Audax

Post by JohnW »

Ah - that's worth noting and spreading about - and remembering.
guzzimag
Posts: 22
Joined: 18 Feb 2012, 8:38am

Re: Spa Ti Audax

Post by guzzimag »

To follow up - I picked mine up on Friday last week, after a slight delay waiting for the right headset spacers. Still only took 2 weeks from ordering. I've put just short of 100 miles in it over the last few days and I LOVE IT. After riding 2 factory built Cubes for about 4000 miles of crashing through potholes and tooth rattling road buzz it's like a bloody rolls-royce. I deliberately aim for grate covers to try and provoke a crash or a rattle and it just sails over them in silence. Fantastic. The Spa chaps have done a perfect build - the wheels in particular are things of handbuilt loveliness.

I even love the plain jane looks, although I did go for silver rims/hubs to sex it up a bit :wink:
John in Leeds
Posts: 51
Joined: 25 May 2010, 9:39pm

Re: Spa Ti Audax

Post by John in Leeds »

guzzimag wrote:To follow up - I picked mine up on Friday last week,


So will it replace the Guzzi? :twisted:

:D
guzzimag
Posts: 22
Joined: 18 Feb 2012, 8:38am

Re: Spa Ti Audax

Post by guzzimag »

Nope won't be replacing the Guzzi's!! My garage is a 2 wheels only zone - part from the little uns trike :D
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