Whyte Stirling/Pimlico…Great bike for money or overpriced budget bike?

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Slothman
Posts: 166
Joined: 27 Oct 2020, 4:07pm

Whyte Stirling/Pimlico…Great bike for money or overpriced budget bike?

Post by Slothman »

I understand that the Whyte Stirling v3 and the Pimlico v3 are essentially the same bike, with the only difference literally being the wheelbase is more 'compact' on the Pimlico?
Anyway, that being the case, I see the Pimlico often referred to as a woman's bike more than a unisex, what is your understanding?
Edit:: I have just spoken to Whyte who say all their bikes are now unisex.

They do seem to be a nice bike, albeit a little heavy.
Shimano Deore 5100 1x11 speed, Shimano MT400 hydraulic brakes, full carbon fork etc....
A little heavier than the other bikes in this bracket (10.9kg, compared to others at around 10kg) but still fairly light.
Would I really notice that extra 0.9kg? Would it feel heavy and most importantly would it be noticeable when pushing it up hills?

How would you guys rate this compared to the Giant Fastroad SL1 or the Merida Speeder 400, or perhaps the Specialized Sirrus 4 or X4?

The RRP is around £1,100 give or take.
Slothman
Posts: 166
Joined: 27 Oct 2020, 4:07pm

Re: Whyte Stirling/Pimlico…Great bike for money or overpriced budget bike?

Post by Slothman »

Also, would the 1x11 Deore 5100 feel clunky and ‘agricultural’ compared to say, the 2x11 105 set up?
Nearholmer
Posts: 3934
Joined: 26 Mar 2022, 7:13am

Re: Whyte Stirling/Pimlico…Great bike for money or overpriced budget bike?

Post by Nearholmer »

Deore is by no means clunky. My son and I share a 29er fitted with it, and it is very good, smooth shifting etc. I had 105 on another bike and that was very good too, so I’m not sure it’s possible to choose between the two on smoothness. 1x is great on terrain where you are changing gear constantly, and have no care for cadence, but naturally a bit ‘gappy’ for cruising along only changing gear periodically and trying to keep a steady tread.
Slothman
Posts: 166
Joined: 27 Oct 2020, 4:07pm

Re: Whyte Stirling/Pimlico…Great bike for money or overpriced budget bike?

Post by Slothman »

Thanks, good to know.
My only experience of Deore was a 3x9 27 speed set up, on my now sold MTB, which at over 20 years old was probably a very different beast to todays Deore.
Despite being indexed a few times, it did get a bit clunky, and often seemed to sit between gears when changing. Thus my question I suppose.

I won’t be off-road, nor will I be seeking speed on fast A roads with Lycra clad buddies. I’ll just be riding B roads, in fact I’ll only be riding them to actually get to the nice (albeit pot holed) country lanes upon which I will then spend most of my time.
I suppose this is also why I thought the 1x11 set up may suit me better than say a 105?
Cadence is not important to me, as long as the shifts are easy and slick and the gear range sufficient to get me up hills without grinding too much and to push along a bit of pace as and when I want or can, as much as is possible on country lanes anyway.
mattsccm
Posts: 5103
Joined: 28 Nov 2009, 9:44pm

Re: Whyte Stirling/Pimlico…Great bike for money or overpriced budget bike?

Post by mattsccm »

Surely any gear system will get clunky with age unless perfectly maintained? And then it will wear.
The OP has to decide , after riding, if they are are happy with the gaps in a 1x system. To me, comparing bikes with the two systems mentioned is tricky, bordering on daft. Not comparable. A bit like comparing auto against manual gears in car.
Oh year, I would have said that Deore, is as far as can be done, best compared with Tiagra in Shimanos road range.
Nearholmer
Posts: 3934
Joined: 26 Mar 2022, 7:13am

Re: Whyte Stirling/Pimlico…Great bike for money or overpriced budget bike?

Post by Nearholmer »

I can understand where the OP is coming from if he had an older generation gear setup. I rode a 1991 3x7 hybrid until 2016, and to me the shifting on that seemed ‘good’. Then I bought a new bike in 2016, and was astonished by how the smoothness of shifting, the exactness of indexing etc had progressed in those 25 years.

I’ve also got a 1990 3x6 bike, one I was given earlier this year and which I kept as a “retro ride”, and the shifting on that is ‘out of the dark ages’ compared with modern kit - you have to book gear changes in the diary a week in advance.

Things have moved on.
Slothman
Posts: 166
Joined: 27 Oct 2020, 4:07pm

Re: Whyte Stirling/Pimlico…Great bike for money or overpriced budget bike?

Post by Slothman »

Thanks, good to know and very reassuring.
First though, I’d like to at least check if I’m better off with the Whyte Stirling or the Pimlico. Based on geometry, the Pimlico is more in line with other (compact frame?) bikes such as the Giant Fastroad and the Merida Speeder.
Yet again however, no one has one to sit on.
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