The ultimate commuter bike

Well, the Roberts arrived this weekend.

Quite a wait since ordering in early July, which testifies to their demand, but on first impressions totally worth it.
It looks pretty, unfortunately the new method of posting pictures on this forum has me beaten at the moment.
The main point, of course, is how it handles and the whole feel and balance is fantastic. None of the angles and tube lengths are very different from my other bikes, but they are ALL slightly different.
I had thought that a made-to-measure bike was another of my self-indulgences, but this seems entirely sensible now. Total cost, with a nice Alfa Romeo pale blue pearl finish and dark blue metallic detailing, Campag/Ultegra mix groupset and Easton for the rest came in at £1800.

I'll pm you my email, and host the pic for you, if you like.

Yep, sounds good thanks. I'll take one as soon as there is some decent light, hopefully tomorrow.

Here's a Soulcraft retro style 2-speed Courier/Messenger bike with vintage Campo bits:



From www.bikemagic.com

For more on the uber-cool Soulcraft see http://www.soulcraftbikes.com/

Matthew

This is what my commuter bike looks like:

Blimey! that rack looks like it has to do a lot of work for just a seat-post mounting. Doesn't it move about when you are cornering? I had to compromise the looks on my Roberts to allow for a hefty rack. You must get a pretty wet bum in the winter too. I have grown to appreciate the wisdom of fitting mudguards (not that you'd have much room for one between your back wheel and the frame). I have a racer for the summer, the whole point of the Roberts was for a pleasant to ride bike BUT with all the stuff that takes the pain out of winter commuting i.e.lots of braze-ons and relaxed frame angles.

[This message was edited by Rockingdoc on Tue 12 October 2004 at 8:40.]

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Originally posted by Rockingdoc:
Blimey! that rack looks like it has to do a lot of work for just a seat-post mounting. Doesn't it move about when you are cornering?

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It's pretty solid and doesn't move about at all. I've even used it off-road on a mountain bike and it was fine there too. They're isn't much weight in the pannier anyway as it usually just contains a change of clothes and towel etc.

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I had to compromise the looks on my Roberts to allow for a hefty rack.

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I would prefer an audax bike for commuting but the touring options around the price I paid for the OCR were all quite heavy. Now I've found that I actually do use the road bike a fair bit I might replace it with something a bit better next year, and that'll definitely have braze ons for rack and mudguards.

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You must get a pretty wet bum in the winter too. I have grown to appreciate the wisdom of fitting mudguards (not that you'd have much room for one between your back wheel and the frame).

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I haven't found it too bad so far but I think I'm going to get a set of the SKS clip-on mudguards and try them as I'll be doing a lot more bad weather riding on the bike.

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I have a racer for the summer, the whole point of the Roberts was for a pleasant to ride bike BUT with all the stuff that takes the pain out of winter commuting i.e.lots of braze-ons and relaxed frame angles.

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Something like the Roberts, a Dawes Ultra Galaxy or Hewitt Cheviot would be nice (although what I'd really like is one of the lovely Longstaff Audax bikes) and I might well consider that next year. I've got my mountain bikes pretty much where I want them now so if I do any upgrading next year it'll be the road bike.

Regards
Steve

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Is it worth having a dynamo hub, or will it annoy me for the summer months?

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In my experience, they ruin the performance due to the high frictional losses

I am in a similar position to you.

I commute throughout the year. For this i use a 30 year old Dawes Galaxy ..531 frameset, Shimano 105 running gear. The paintwork is tatty so it won`t attract attention, and it handles well, is responsive and has very good "manners".....ie it is very forgiving and won`t "bite" you if you misjudge speed or road conditions slightly

For leisure I use one of my four other bikes...ALL steel, of various specs, and a variety of "sportyness" in frame geometry,and running gear

If you`re like me, the notion that a "commuter" bike should somehow be "stodgy" and uninvolving to ride doesn`t make sense

£1000 should buy you something more than half decent

The really high prices seem to come with carbon fibre forks etc, and after trying Ally and a few other frame materials, I am still hooked on a good high tensile steel frame, for the "life" it brings to riding

PS Rockingdoc

I live in Kent....I guess about an hour away from medway, and was about to get a new machine made up by a certain Sandwich bike shop


Can you give me details of Roberts,please, as I might try to contact them for some advice

I am currently going down the road of an "audax" bike, and i`m being recommended Reynolds 631.

What experience do you have of the higher spec Reynold`s tubing

I have also been told that due to a drop in demand (due to the fashion for ally frames) that Reynolds is going to wind up making steel bike tubing in the imminent future , so if this is true, I feel pressurised to go out and get my new steel bikes before they become unavailable

Laurie S

[This message was edited by Laurie Saunders on Tue 12 October 2004 at 9:38.]

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Originally posted by Laurie Saunders:

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Is it worth having a dynamo hub, or will it annoy me for the summer months?

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In my experience, they ruin the performance due to the high frictional losses

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I like the idea of a dynamo hub but they do seem quite expensive and given I've got decent lights (Lumicycles) for off-roading anyway I also use them for commuting. Most of my commute is rural so I need bright lights as well:

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If you`re like me, the notion that a "commuter" bike should somehow be "stodgy" and uninvolving to ride doesn`t make sense

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I've enjoyed using a racer for commuting on and it is fast.

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I am currently going down the road of an "audax" bike, and i`m being recommended Reynolds 631.

What experience do you have of the higher spec Reynold`s tubing

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One of my mountain bikes has a Reynolds 853 frame and that is lovely.

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One of my mountain bikes has a Reynolds 853 frame and that is lovely

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I`m TOLD that 853 requires heat treatment AFTER the frame is assembled, so if a tube is damaged then replacing a tube is nigh impossible...the whole frame is trashed.

With 531 and 631 it is possible to debraze and replace individual tubes

Do you have any knowledge of this?



laurie

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Originally posted by Laurie Saunders:
Do you have any knowledge of this?

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'Fraid not - well beyond my level of technical competence!

I thought the tubesets were annealed, not the finished frames. The air-hardening refers to the effect heating then cooling has on the strength of the metal (ie it gets stronger when welded, not weaker - the Obi-Wan of tubesets). I've read it's OK to repair - particularly as the air hardening effect is most pronounced in TIG welded frames, not the brazed/lug frames that are usually custom-853 jobbies, so any ill effect of reheating would be lessened, I guess. Steve's Cotic it TIG welded, IIRC, which makes the best use of this property.

Of course T45 is the new 853.

I have a front wheel just for winter built around a hub-dynamo, like kevinrt I plumped for a Schmidt SON. I move it between two Dawes Galaxy bikes, a 531 Super and an 853 Ultra. Apart from SJS the SON is available through CTC's online shop. I've heard good things about Shimano's widely available dynohub too. Strange that they are less popular in the UK compared with Europe.

I concur, there's no perceivable drag, just a faint thrum through the bars noticeable only on smooth surfaces and only when the lamp is on. The only reason I take it off in summer is to lengthen the maintenance cycle. It's lighter than batteries therefore great up hills although this doesn't stop everyone from overtaking me including on Monday a young woman with a very nice bum!*

In all honesty though here's the real reason: no forgetting to recharge..

J
*But I guess I never know about those that don't overtake me?

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Originally posted by Laurie Saunders:

Can you give me details of Roberts,please, as I might try to contact them for some advice

I have also been told that due to a drop in demand (due to the fashion for ally frames) that Reynolds is going to wind up making steel bike tubing in the imminent future , so if this is true, I feel pressurised to go out and get my new steel bikes before they become unavailable

Laurie S

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Roberts Cycles

Roberts recommend tubes based on your weight, strength, riding style, and luggage requirements. Mine is actually mostly lightweight Columbus tubing, which compares very favourably with even high-end Reynolds. Columbus steel is used by most of the European specialist bike makers now. I'm sure Roberts would use all Reynolds if that was your requirement.

BTW There is a problem obtaining Shimano 9-speed groupsets now as they are gearing up (sic) for 10-speed only production.