Road Cycling

My Whyte Suffolk 2015 has been brilliant on the road. It's got enough room to fit larger tyres and decent mud guards. I think Whyte do a similar model for slightly less (£1200 IIRC for the Suffolk) with cheaper parts on it.

I don't have any experience of other bikes I'm afraid, I bought it as it's British and I found favourable reviews on it.

Edit, found the 2016 model for £999.

http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/products/whyte-suffolk-hyrd-16?bct=browse/bicycles/cyclocross-bikes

Yes I was looking at Whyte as well actually - the thought of buying British appeals as well. I've long wanted a Whyte.

Well I've had quite different experiences.. my Whyte Suffolk is going to end up as the bike of Theseus by the time I'm done with it.

It probably didn't help that mine was the 2015 model so it's not fully hydraulic like the 2016 model, but I'm not a fan of the geometry, the sizing is just weird, the FSA chainset it comes with is horrible and I didn't like the stock 50/34 11-32 gearing which seems to be the default nowadays. Oh and the saddle was horrible. I also waited when I got it to fit the 'proper' mudguards for it, only to find them a nightmare - they didn't fit properly and one broke during a ride so ended up in a bin. They did end up refunding them and I fitted some SKS ones instead which fitted MUCH better, which is ridiculous

I've now replaced the bottom bracket/chainset for a proper shimano 105 chainset with 52/36 and switched to an 11-28 cassette, added a fizik saddle and I'm about to fit some Hunt 4 season disc wheels with the intention of adding Schwalbe s-one tubeless tyres. I'm also looking at switching out the stock bars as I find them very bulky, and then I might be happy. But I'm still considering just getting a new frame and I'm currently eyeing up a Genesis Datum!
 
Double hate on the gatorskins - interesting.

I've had some before and the only problem was getting them on/off. They stayed puncture proof for ages. I've got room for 35's so would be open there as well. This is going to be one comfy ride!
 
oli, what do you mean by fully hydraulic and no 105 chainset? Mine's a 2015 and as far as I'm aware has both.

Like I said I can't compare to any other bikes so in other words I've no idea what I'm talking about. :p
 
Double hate on the gatorskins - interesting

For what it's worth I have Gatorskins and not had a problem with them, but then again I very rarely have to deal with wet conditions.

Can't comment vs other rugged tyres as haven't tried any, but compared to the cheap Hutchinson tyres that were on my bike when I originally bought it, they are worlds apart (even in terms of feeling "faster" - although may just be placebo or PJR)
 
Choices may depend on width you want to run and how much grip you need over said stones. Are they flint (sharp edges - high TPI count slick would be ok) or more of a loose gravel type (bigger volume, more grip required).

It's a combination of the two, but mostly very small and fairly sharp.
 
oli, what do you mean by fully hydraulic and no 105 chainset? Mine's a 2015 and as far as I'm aware has both.

Like I said I can't compare to any other bikes so in other words I've no idea what I'm talking about. :p

Maybe mine is the 2014 model, but either way, it isn't a 105 chainset, it's FSA, take a closer look. The newer one has the option of either TRP hy/rd or shimano hydraulic for a bit more so it depends
 
With regards to tyres - check out Schwalbe s-one tubeless if you have the wheels for them. They get vvv good reviews, although stock appears to be very low at the moment
 
Maybe mine is the 2014 model, but either way, it isn't a 105 chainset, it's FSA, take a closer look. The newer one has the option of either TRP hy/rd or shimano hydraulic for a bit more so it depends

Mine has the hy/rd brakes and I'm pretty sure it's the 105 chainset. Unfortunately I have lost the original invoice but I'm fairly certain it's a 2015 model.

I know the 2014 had some pretty bad reviews, specifically with frames cracking.

I'll be getting something to replace it with for road cycling but I'll keep it for commuting.
 
I've decided to go with the gatorskins. I like the look of them, they're 32c and pretty lightweight compared to others of the size, also for £22.50 its not a bad price.

Pictures will obviously be forthcoming
 
Mine has the hy/rd brakes and I'm pretty sure it's the 105 chainset. Unfortunately I have lost the original invoice but I'm fairly certain it's a 2015 model.

I know the 2014 had some pretty bad reviews, specifically with frames cracking.

I'll be getting something to replace it with for road cycling but I'll keep it for commuting.

It'll be FSA cranks. The rest will be 105. Just have a look at it when you're next near it. The difference is obvious (and it'll even say "FSA" on the crankset) :)

I've decided to go with the gatorskins. I like the look of them, they're 32c and pretty lightweight compared to others of the size, also for £22.50 its not a bad price.

Pictures will obviously be forthcoming

This is a really bad choice assuming you plan to ride whenever it has rained within the past two months. They have zero wet grip. They do last for a long time though, presumably because they're made of hard plastic rather than a rubber compound.
 
I wouldn't ride gatorskins even if you paid me £22.50.

Back in the day, I almost came a cropper one day when trying to stop after a very slight drizzle. They're just awful unless you only ride when it is bone dry - and even then, there are much better tyres for the same price when it comes to ride quality and grip.
 
Have ridden Schwalbe One's and Vittoria Corsa G+ both in the wet & dry over quite a few different road surfaces and they've performed equally well and don't cost much more than Gatorskins. Not the most comfortable of tyres I'm sure, by comparison, but because I'm hard as nails :p

I've never ridden but based on the hate never will either :p I'm sure you'll still like the look of them though... as your bike slides out from under you ;)
 
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Had a *beeeeeeeeeeeeeeep* "USE THE CYCLE PATH!" incident at lunch. Funny the stupid old bat had done it at one of the points where the cycle path stop-starts 3 times next to the opposite carriageway so using it would involve crossing the carriageway 3-4 times in the space of half a mile. Just smiled, shrugged and waved.

I'm about to fit some Hunt 4 season disc wheels with the intention of adding Schwalbe s-one tubeless tyres.
Interested in how you find the wheelset and tyres. I've been looking at wheelsets with the intentions of running 2 - current for some trails with some grippy tyres on, new light (& deeper!) set for fast road/club riding.

Also tubeless, I'm really interesting in at the moment after feeling how firm the Roubaix pro my Diverge came with 'snapped' to the rim (they're both tubeless ready but came with tubes anyway).

Double hate on the gatorskins - interesting.
We've come to call them skaterskins around here due to their wet weather performance. They're probably not as terrible as we make out, just have some tough competition here as we've generally compared them to GP4Seas and Mitchelin Pro4E's. Both very good wet weather tyres! Still see lots of Gatorskins around, they tend to be the go to 'puncture proof' tyre that LBS/Evans'/Halfords use.
These go up to 32C, I use them on my commuter.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/panaracer-ribmo-folding-city-tyre/

Don't know why you need such fat tyres for commuting though!:p
We're all getting older and want a plush comfortable commute! ;)

And 'ribmo'. Are they (*snigger*) ribbed? For pleasure?:p
I'm pretty sure it's the 105 chainset.
FSA chainset (5800) example:
2016-08-31%2014.32.28.jpg

Shimano 105 (5700) example:
8415_shimano_105_5700_chainset_silver.jpg
 
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