Cycling UK Forum

Online wrote:I have a Spa Elan (as designed by Colin) and am very happy with it. My decision to buy was based on this review http://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/category/bikes/road/product/spa-cycles-elan-ti-ultegra-review-50955/
and a visit to Harrogate for a very helpful and friendly chat with the chaps there and a one hour test ride.

Looks a lovely bike. How much does this differ from the titanium audax? I see Spa have a lot of Ti on their website at the moment.

geocycle wrote:

Online wrote:I have a Spa Elan (as designed by Colin) and am very happy with it. My decision to buy was based on this review http://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/category/bikes/road/product/spa-cycles-elan-ti-ultegra-review-50955/
and a visit to Harrogate for a very helpful and friendly chat with the chaps there and a one hour test ride.

Looks a lovely bike. How much does this differ from the titanium audax? I see Spa have a lot of Ti on their website at the moment.

Despite most of my riding being Audax-Related, I didn't look closely at the Spa Ti Audax so can't really comment. The main attraction of the Elan for me was that the disc brakes and frame geometry allow clearance for bigger tyres to give even more comfort and/or the ability to go trail riding. I'm sure the Audax is very nice, but it has rim brakes and what looks like a more conventional frame design.

Spa's Audax bike has dual-pivot sidepulls to go with road STIs, and these brakes restrict the tyre clearance. Also the frame is not as high at the front as the Elan.....I made the Elan high at the front because with a carbon steerer you are not supposed to use a tall spacer stack.
The Audax is a pretty conventional frame design with all the tubes round.....geometry is on Spa's site.

Thanks all for your help and I have now brought this beauty

Very nice bike, I'm also a Van Nicholas owner after purchasing a secondhand one last August and I am very pleased with it as most of my fellow club members ride these plastic bikes!

I've owned A Van Nic Yukon 60cm for 11 years. Frame number 1 cracked after 12 months and was replaced by VanNicholas quickly and without any hassle.
Frame number 2 has just cracked in the same place (just above the seat tube/bottom bracket weld) I'm waiting to hear from VN if they will give me a further frame.
Frame 2 has done about 60,000 mile. I'm about 13st, and alas, not a particularly strong rider.

If VN replace this frame I'll be a happy bunny, its a nice bike.

nodrog wrote:I've owned A Van Nic Yukon 60cm for 11 years. Frame number 1 cracked after 12 months and was replaced by VanNicholas quickly and without any hassle.
Frame number 2 has just cracked in the same place (just above the seat tube/bottom bracket weld) I'm waiting to hear from VN if they will give me a further frame.
Frame 2 has done about 60,000 mile. I'm about 13st, and alas, not a particularly strong rider.

If VN replace this frame I'll be a happy bunny, its a nice bike.

they should given this

Article 1 – Warranty Period
1.1 Van Nicholas will replace (not repair) any Titanium frame that fails due to manufacturer defects in materials or workmanship for the lifetime of the frame. Every bicycle has a limited life, the so-called useable life-cycle. The duration of the useable life-cycle of bicycles depends on the type of frame, the way in which and the circumstances under which the bicycle is ridden and the care/maintenance the bicycle receives. The lifetime guarantee period is established on the basis of the duration of the useable life cycle of the bicycle. Van Nicholas sets the lifetime of their frames at an average of 25 years.

I considered one from SPA but with the price differential of £600 between the cheapest Ti bike and the Steel Touring (ST) i went for the ST ...
Without doubt the best riding bike i have owned .. ever ....
And i have raced and toured on some super kit from Raleigh, Holdsworth, Carlton, Dawes and Condor ...over the last 40 years
The SPA ST just hits the spot ....
If Ti frames are so good why do they often seem have non Ti forks ?
And...
If i take the mudguards and rack off my ST and fit 32 mm tyres i have a trendy gravel bike ..... ..

Frame number 2 has just cracked in the same place

That really, really puts me off Titanium I am afraid. I know it is just a sample of 2, and probably Van Nicholas being a revered brand will make good on their promises but my guardian angel just tells me to steer clear. I will doubtless always be a luddite & cycle on steel or alloy but when I shell out big bucks for some top of the range gear I want it to last a 'lifetime' - or even 25 years.

I am not criticizing those who wish to ride titanium, we all spend our hard earned on what takes our fancy. It is just my observation.

All the best, Simon

Yeah, you pay your money and make your choice, I've had my Van Nicholas Amazon nearly 11 years, no problem, (I've got my fingers crossed!) Don't personally know any one who has, but I do know of broken steel frames, one only a couple of weeks old, but of course there are far more steel than titanium frames out there, is the percentage any higher? Think if I was in the market for a new bike I would be having a test ride on Spa's steel and Titanium bikes.
Cheers.
Rob.

SimonCelsa wrote:That really, really puts me off Titanium I am afraid. I know it is just a sample of 2, and probably Van Nicholas being a revered brand will make good on their promises but my guardian angel just tells me to steer clear. I will doubtless always be a luddite & cycle on steel or alloy but when I shell out big bucks for some top of the range gear I want it to last a 'lifetime' - or even 25 years.

I am not criticizing those who wish to ride titanium, we all spend our hard earned on what takes our fancy. It is just my observation.

All the best, Simon

In recent years I think a lot of Ti frames chased weight and got perhaps underbuilt. My 1994 Litespeed hasn't cracked - later ones did. Similarly super light steel frames cracked, especially if built with little attention to detail on stress raisers (e.g. bosses in the wrong place).

hamster wrote:

SimonCelsa wrote:That really, really puts me off Titanium I am afraid. I know it is just a sample of 2, and probably Van Nicholas being a revered brand will make good on their promises but my guardian angel just tells me to steer clear. I will doubtless always be a luddite & cycle on steel or alloy but when I shell out big bucks for some top of the range gear I want it to last a 'lifetime' - or even 25 years.

I am not criticizing those who wish to ride titanium, we all spend our hard earned on what takes our fancy. It is just my observation.

All the best, Simon

In recent years I think a lot of Ti frames chased weight and got perhaps underbuilt. My 1994 Litespeed hasn't cracked - later ones did. Similarly super light steel frames cracked, especially if built with little attention to detail on stress raisers (e.g. bosses in the wrong place).

Nearly all the cracks I've seen on Ti frames (One of my own and two others, plus many on the internet) have started at a weld, I don't think it has much to do with the gauge of the tube and more to do with contamination when welded.
You get cracked steel or alu frames as well of course, but if you use google images and search "Cracked (material) bike frame" there's a lot more variety with the others.

Some things make more noise than others when SHTF, if I had one pound for every steel frame I have seen cracked...
(btw, most of my bikes are steel ones, and I don't own a carbon or titanium one)

I've owned A Van Nic Yukon 60cm for 11 years. Frame number 1 cracked after 12 months and was replaced by VanNicholas quickly and without any hassle.
Frame number 2 has just cracked in the same place (just above the seat tube/bottom bracket weld) I'm waiting to hear from VN if they will give me a further frame.
Frame 2 has done about 60,000 mile. I'm about 13st, and alas, not a particularly strong rider.

If VN replace this frame I'll be a happy bunny, its a nice bike.

Van Nic have now provided me with a new frame. The design has changed as the frame now has an integrated headset. Without me asking Van Nic provided a new head set as well.
An exemplary example of honouring the warranty.

I’ve got a Spa Audax which has rapidly become my prime bike. How the price difference between the Spa range and others works, I do not know - Spa makes Ti affordable.
There is an indescribable suppleness that I’ve not had from 853.
clearly someone has thought very carefully about the wheel/ brake/mudguard clearances - I am running SKS and 700x25 with shimano short reach with no issues. I’m not especially keen on the lacquered metal finish, personally, but I’ll live with it.
It seems to have a personality, riding wise - it’s an Audax, not a speed machine (unlike my 531c resto’ that is raring to go and challlenging me to push harder) and it somehow lets me know this.