buying advice please - Croix de fer v Specialized AWOL

[SamSam]

Very very interesting information, thank you! Going to do some research into building your own bike

Got to say that the Cinelli Hobo complete with Tubus racks and fenders and stuff for € 1080 is tempting. That Italian shop just confirmed to me that delivery to my country is free of charge. Only question is if the Columbus reinforced steel is any good

[Claireysmurf]

Evans Cycles now has 2014 Croix de Fer for £1035

[reohn2]

Evans Cycles now has 2014 Croix de Fer for £1035

Yebbut the wheelset is lower spec,the drivetrain and compact OBB chainset aren't suitable for anything other than light touring,then there's the brakes,which just aren't BB7's and never will be
So for just over a £1000,you get a bike that needs upgrading for any serious touring,and even then it's limited to 32mm tyres.TBH Spa's own steel tourer beats it hands down IMO.A custom built Surly DT or Salsa Vaya would be miles better for another £150,ships ha'pennyworth,tar,and all that jazz.....

[BrianP]

Salsa Casseroll size large (58cm) is just £750 in the Triton sale

http://www.tritoncycles.co.uk/road-bike ... 2011-p1058

My son built the frameset up and it's a fantastic fast comfortable bike.

Takes up to 38mm tyres. Such a good fast light tourer, Ed passes the guys out training in their carbon bikes regularly.

Brian

[Claireysmurf]

Evans Cycles now has 2014 Croix de Fer for £1035

Yebbut the wheelset is lower spec,the drivetrain and compact OBB chainset aren't suitable for anything other than light touring,then there's the brakes,which just aren't BB7's and never will be
So for just over a £1000,you get a bike that needs upgrading for any serious touring,and even then it's limited to 32mm tyres.TBH Spa's own steel tourer beats it hands down IMO.A custom built Surly DT or Salsa Vaya would be miles better for another £150,ships ha'pennyworth,tar,and all that jazz.....

I only mentioned it as most of this thread has been about the Croix de Fer and having built one from parts, think at this price I would have been tempted to buy a built bike and modify it. 'orses for courses innit?!
Why are the 2014 Croix de Fer brakes inferior to Avid BB7 (I have BB7 on mine)

[reohn2]

I only mentioned it as most of this thread has been about the Croix de Fer and having built one from parts, think at this price I would have been tempted to buy a built bike and modify it.

But then it would cost more than building one up from scratch with better parts,that's the point I was making on page six.

'orses for courses innit?!

Yes it is,the Salsa Vaya and Surly Disc Trucker will do anything the Croix de Fer will do and more besides due to their bigger tyre clearances(40mm with m/guards),1 degree slacker s/tube angle almost throughout the size range,longer chainstays(at least 25mm) for better heel clearance with panniers,and 10mm lower BB height,all of which adds up to a better touring bike,which is what the OP was looking for IIRC.

Why are the 2014 Croix de Fer brakes inferior to Avid BB7 (I have BB7 on mine)

Hayes are a low end cable disc brake that have had their problems in the past,dunno about the latest models.
Avid BB7's OTOH are known as one of,if not the best cable disc brake,something which I'd have agree with.
I have three sets in regular use,two on solos,one set on a tandem and wouldn't swap them for any other type,they've all been faultless since new.
The ones on the tandem,which is used at least twice a week for the last 41/2years,are only just on their second set of pads.
The solos have done more mileage but in a shorter time scale.I've yet to wear any pads out in either of them and they're used off road regularly.

[SamSam]

I think I would be stupid if I don't buy something now, considering the sales that seem to be going. Any idea how long the sales last at evans and such? Is this a matter of days or rather a few weeks?

Any advice on pedals and shoes to go with the bike is also welcome!

Thinking of getting Shimano M520 SPD's (cheapest SPD's) and a compatible shoe

I think I'm going to get a complete bike, simply because I want to start riding as soon as possible, I have no other bike to ride at the moment and I'm very very eager and stoked to just get on the bike and go go go

[SamSam]

Salsa Casseroll size large (58cm) is just £750 in the Triton sale

http://www.tritoncycles.co.uk/road-bike ... 2011-p1058

My son built the frameset up and it's a fantastic fast comfortable bike.

Takes up to 38mm tyres. Such a good fast light tourer, Ed passes the guys out training in their carbon bikes regularly.

Brian

Very beautiful bike! 58 cm frame might be to small for me I guess (1m93, 94cm legs), especially for loaded touring? But I like it a lot and the tyre clearance is good. It seems discontinued? Can't find it on the Salsa website

[reohn2]

I think I would be stupid if I don't buy something now, considering the sales that seem to be going. Any idea how long the sales last at evans and such? Is this a matter of days or rather a few weeks?

Sales usually last a couple or three weeks.

Any advice on pedals and shoes to go with the bike is also welcome!

Thinking of getting Shimano M520 SPD's (cheapest SPD's) and a compatible shoe

M520's are a good choice,they last and last.Shoes are a personal choice and it depends what type you want,with touring and MTB shoes being a preferred choice with tourists as the cleats are recessed,so make for easy walking off the bike.
Shimano and Specialized are very popular but you'd need to look at their ranges but try before you buy.

The Salsa Casseroll will definitely be too small,and the seat tube angle is too steep for your long legs.
If you're buying a complete bike my advice would be to take another look at Surly Disc Trucker and Salsa Vaya at Triton Cycles.

[BrianP]

At 6'4" many of the bikes in the sales are going to be too small.

Quick look around and most will not fit you. Spa have loads of galaxy versions but all too small.

Best I can find is a 2013 XL Fargo 2 from Triton. XL size is only size they have.

http://salsacycles.com/bikes/2014_fargo_2/geometry/

http://www.tritoncycles.co.uk/mountain- ... 2013-p1792

Saving £550 but still may be above budget.

I see AWOL does have an XL size and fits you, which is after all the most important thing, and is due in 12/02/14, not too long to wait. http://www.evanscycles.com/products/spe ... e-ec053999 The fact that it comes with good quality Tubus racks and mudguards is quite a saving, over £200 or so.

The largest Genesis Croix de Fer is 60cm and only has a Ett of 575mm, is that big enough? Odd how the top tubes hardly lengthen as the size increases.

http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/bikes/adv ... oix-de-fer

The ETT of the XL Awol is 625mm. Much better progression of sizes on the AWOL, details such as handlebars, head tube included http://www.specialized.com/gb/gb/bikes/ ... e#geometry

[reohn2]

Triton have 60cm Vaya 3's and Surly DT @ 60,62&64 cm sizes one of which should suit the OP and they're priced at £1,145

The Fargo looks nice

[mrjemm]

Triton have 60cm Vaya 3's and Surly DT @ 60,62&64 cm sizes one of which should suit the OP and they're priced at £1,145

The Fargo looks nice

The Fargo does look nice. Though I think some of the other colours are nicer.

Strange for the 26" LHT they show a pic of a large frame size that just looks absurd (sorry guys, Mala, etc., I really do believe this) and disproportionate.

Quite curious about the Fairdale Weekender; I'd only seen the non drop/disc one in reviews before that had a weird curved seat-stay, but this looks more 'normal'.

http://www.tritoncycles.co.uk/road-bike ... 2014-p1275

Very similar to Genesis and Charge designs though. Almost a facsimile actually, come to think of it. Perhaps they are all out of the same factory.

[Vorpal]

Any advice on pedals and shoes to go with the bike is also welcome!

Thinking of getting Shimano M520 SPD's (cheapest SPD's) and a compatible shoe

I recommend finding the shoes first.

[reohn2]

Triton have 60cm Vaya 3's and Surly DT @ 60,62&64 cm sizes one of which should suit the OP and they're priced at £1,145

The Fargo looks nice

The Fargo does look nice. Though I think some of the other colours are nicer.

Strange for the 26" LHT they show a pic of a large frame size that just looks absurd (sorry guys, Mala, etc., I really do believe this) and disproportionate.

Quite curious about the Fairdale Weekender; I'd only seen the non drop/disc one in reviews before that had a weird curved seat-stay, but this looks more 'normal'.

http://www.tritoncycles.co.uk/road-bike ... 2014-p1275

Very similar to Genesis and Charge designs though. Almost a facsimile actually, come to think of it. Perhaps they are all out of the same factory.

First glance it looks like a black Vaya,but:-

Fork: 100% Chromoly. One-piece machined steerer tube with built-in headset race

EEK!

[SamSam]

To stop the madness of bikes flying around in my head I was going to order a Croix de Fer size 60, but some of you think that frame is not large enough? At 1m92 or 1m93 (I am somewhere in between), the online converter tells me I am about 6'3"