Cycling UK Forum

I am thinking of buying either a lynskey vialli or van Nicholas amazon or sabbath September frame has anyone any experience of these frames wondering if I could build up to 21lbs as I want to use it for b,b touring and also my one and only bike for everything else would appreciate any useful information and it would be the smallest sizes in these frames as I am only 5foot 3inches in height many thanks

the most important thing about any bike is that it fits you properly. At 5' 3" you are well into 'needing a short top tube'/'getting toe overlap with mudguards' territory so forget which of these frames might be 'better', it could just be a question of which fits you properly.

The best answer may even be 'none of the above'; they most likely all have the usual 'steep seat angle, top tube not reduced proportionately in the smallest size' thing going on.

So take some test rides, look hard at the frame warranties, and choose accordingly. Your choice may well be influenced by what kind of build you are going for; brakes, max tyre size, gearing preference etc may well determine it. If you don't yet know your own position well enough, I'd suggest holding off buying your 'dream bike' until you do.

FWIW the Lynskey is less suitable than some for mounting a rear carrier onto because the bosses are halfway up the seat stays; unless it is a specially modified one, the carrier comes a long way forwards and you may find that you can't fit panniers of any size without your heels hitting them.

BTW don't expect miracles in terms of load carrying ability from a 21lb bike. Also don't expect to leave your 'one bike' lying around locked up in any place you choose without it being a thief magnet; most folk with a bike like that have another that they use for everyday purposes.

cheers

Dear brucey many thanks for your quick response to my enquiry appreciate your useful info and taken on board your helpful information many thanks painter

Also don't expect to leave your 'one bike' lying around locked up in any place you choose without it being a thief magnet; most folk with a bike like that have another that they use for everyday purposes.

Seconded. As a Van Nic owner myself, I never leave it parked down-town. Its just too darn attractive. You may yet need a bike "B" .

Why no Spa Tourer on the list?

I built up an Amazon in 2010 to be my "one bike for life". With a budget under £2,000 then and the ability to carry loads, with mudguards 25lbs would be good going. Having a titanium frame can only save a small amount of weight, it doesnt affect the weight of the other components.

Where as what Brucey says is correct, it isnt balanced, it is concentrating on the drawbacks.

Titanium bikes are getting rather common now and there are many happy users out there. I am not the only Audaxer on an Amazon at any of the distances I ride (up to 600k). Two of my friends use their Airbourne badged Amazons for everything and have done the nine years I have known them. We leave all three outside the cafes of Swansea and its surrounding 60 miles (lightly locked) with out worries. Not at first but you get used to it after a while.

I am at the tall end of the spectrum so no info on small sizes. I had a play on Van Nichs new website and it was a bit too much hassle. The bike evolves each year, some things better some things worse (integrated headsets ). I think that with what is on offer now, I would put the Spa and Sabbath above the Van Nich. The Spa does lack the polished finish of the others, which deters thieves but detracts from shiny-new-toy-delight.

The Amazon has not disappointed on the versatility front and the handling is quite wonderful when loaded up with 25Kg, it actually feels better with weight on it.

You can gain pounds (weight) by having a rugged Thorn-Rholloff if you fancy but not for me.
You can save pounds (money) by buying a steel tourer and less "collectible" but just for once in my life I chose to have something special, that carries a risk of losing it, such is life. Though most people (including casual thieves) have no idea of its worth, especially out on a tour.
Dont expect anything stunningly different about a titanium bike, the difference is more subtle. It gives some of the benefits of a lightweight with some of the benefits of a load carrier.
When I am old, I will take off the drop bars and fit butterflies for a position more befitting an old man.

meic wrote:Why no Spa Tourer on the list?.....................

+1

Hi. Medic. Reason no spa ti. Top tube too long in smallest size. Standover also. Many thanks for sharing your experience. Of. Amazon van. Nich. Regards painter.

painter wrote: ....Reason no spa ti. Top tube too long in smallest size....

whoa, easy tiger! Remember that the seat angle comes steep in the small sizes of many other frames....? Colin will doubtless correct me or add to this but you may find that the seat angle is slacker in the Spa frame, and that the reach forwards is the same (or even less) from where you really want to be sitting to the bars.

So don't go looking at the top tube lengths and assume that you can just compare them, it isn't that simple....

cheers

Well, the best comparison with a Sabbath "September" is Spa's "Audax"......perhaps I will just try to get Spa to put the geometry of the smallest size on their website.
Sabbath's tourer is called "Silk Route".
Spa's smallest tourer has 26" wheel....is somebody quoting a shorter top tube than that on a 700c wheel bike?
For lightweight B&B touring something like an "audax" type bike is likely to be tough enough, particularly for a small light rider.

Just looking at this thread and its raised a question in my mind.
I know everyone it seems to me to love their Mercians as does a lady I cycle with so I was looking at their frame prices which seem expensive but then that depends on how much is in the pension pot really.I then read a thread about Bob Jackson frames which recommend them and looking at their prices they seem more reasonable. So my question this time is are you getting better value from the BJ frame and additionally are you now paying a premium for the Mercian as Paul Smith seems to now be involved with them.Are we seeing an extention of the Rapha franchise here.

Well, the best comparison with a Sabbath "September" is Spa's "Audax"

I didnt spot that it was the September rather than the Silk Route. The Van Nicholas Amazon is the equivalent of Spa's Tourer rather than its Audax.

So he is possibly considering different options frame wise as well as different manufacturers, slipped up on the names (as I did) or not done his research fully yet.

Looking at the Lynskey Viale, with the introduction of disc brakes it is no longer as easy to put them in the categories by looking at whether they have calipers or cantilever brakes. It appears to be between the two that the other companies had/have.

Which may make it the bike that I may have had at the time if it was around. Though not sure that 30mm tyres are quite enough, if some studded tyres could go in then it could have been better for me as I do more Audax and light touring than heavy touring. It took me quite some time to choose between Amazon and Yukon.