Aero rim-brake bike - cheap build

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splld3
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Mar 18, 2023 3:14 am

by splld3

I want to build or buy a decent aero road bike on the cheap, because I'm always broke! I thought a rim brake aero frame from 2018ish and before might be a good option and lighter than disc. Does anyone have any advice on which bikes from that era still stand up as decent aero machines? I'm thinking Giant Propel SL and the like ...

AndreLM
Posts: 479
Joined: Tue Feb 05, 2013 11:53 pm

by AndreLM

Cervelo S3 or S5. Felt AR.

Time Skylon... Factor One (these are probably much harder to find, though).

Put on some TriRig Omega brakes (probably better than Propel's brakes anyway) and I doubt it would be slower than any of the new generation of disk brake bikes. Electronic shifting would also help in cleaning up the front end of the bike. You will be or course limited to 25mm in most of these bikes.

Other options (new): Chapter2 just brought back the Rere. You could probably get an aero rim brake bike from Winspace, or other Chinese brands.

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by Weenie


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AndreLM
Posts: 479
Joined: Tue Feb 05, 2013 11:53 pm

by AndreLM

Ah... How could I forget... Canyon Aeroad

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splld3
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Mar 18, 2023 3:14 am

by splld3

Thanks heaps. I've heard good things about the Felt AR, and I have a 2019 Felt FR2 which I got just as I got back into racing after about 35yrs. It's a nice bike, especially on the climbs, but most of the vet cat. races I around my area are pretty flat. I'm hoping a few of these bikes/frames start popping up on the cheap as their owners go to disc/ full internal routing etc.

mrlobber
Posts: 1928
Joined: Sat Oct 23, 2010 9:36 am
Location: Where the permanent autumn is

by mrlobber

Felt AR, because it can fit 28mm tyres and is crazy fast, even more so because it has the rear brake on the chainstays (which is a stupid place), but it allows for super clean routing up front and also allows running Tririg Omega front with minimal cabling exposed. And, since the rear brake is almost hidden, you can run, say, EE direct mount there, and the fashion police won't notice. Not the bike to descend from mountains in the wet, but on the flats it's unbeatable.

I still remember the first day some (+/-) 7 years back when I fitted Turbo Cottons on Enve 6.7 and Felt AR, it was like "wtf, is there now 100% tailwind and am I now flying or what"
Minimum bike categories required in the stable:
Aero bike | GC bike | GC rim bike | Climbing bike | Climbing rim bike | Classics bike | Gravel bike | TT bike | Indoors bike

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Matt28NJ
Posts: 259
Joined: Tue Jul 14, 2009 3:16 am

by Matt28NJ

Gen 1 Venge or Gen 1 Scott Foil. Cheap race bikes, plentiful, easy to live with.

justkeepedaling
Posts: 1712
Joined: Thu Jan 03, 2008 6:14 am

by justkeepedaling

Gen 1 Scott Foil is slow AF

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LouisN
Posts: 3510
Joined: Mon Feb 19, 2007 3:44 am
Location: Canada

by LouisN

I don't consider myself broke, but I couldn't afford half of the above mentioned bikes and parts :lol: ...

Louis :)

Nickldn
Posts: 1867
Joined: Mon Mar 25, 2019 12:35 am

by Nickldn

LouisN wrote:
Sat Mar 25, 2023 10:00 pm
I don't consider myself broke, but I couldn't afford half of the above mentioned bikes and parts :lol: ...

Louis :)
You say that, but the price of most of those bikes is relatively "affordable" next to today's SL7, F, or S5.

I think the current crop of DB bikes are heavily promoted, but in reality apart from the perceived advantages DB bestows to some riders in some areas, the current bikes are very bad value for money compared to bikes from about 2017-19 with rim brakes.
Giant Propel Advanced SL Red Etap 11s Easton EC90 wheels CeramicSpeed BB Zipp SL70 bars 6.5kg

Vitus ZX1 CRS Campy Chorus 12s Bora WTO 45 disk brake wheels Zipp SL70 bars 7.5kg

SL8 build with Craft CS5060 Wheels in progress

splld3
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Mar 18, 2023 3:14 am

by splld3

Ended up with a 2014 Wilier Cento1Air ... pretty happy with it so far. The frame looks pretty similar, if a bit chunkier than a lot of the recent aero bikes. Utegra mechanical, which feels great and it came with some heavy Fulcrums - maybe 5s, but with my Prime Primavera 50s it weighs 7.6kg. And it only cost $1500 aud. Here's to rim brakes I say!
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tarmackev
Posts: 899
Joined: Sat Jan 15, 2011 9:59 pm

by tarmackev

The Propel seems to be the one that goes for the least money. I've seen Advanced SL's at sub £1000 here in the UK.
I LOVED my Gen1 Foil. Not sure why somebody said slow AF. They did very well at world tour level and I loved mine.

Cervelo are cool but they hold their money. Same with Canyon, crazy money for old tech.
Personally I'd go with the Propel as it seems to be incredible value second hand.

Doh! Just seen the Wilier.

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