All-road Frame suggestions: Light, 35mm clearance, Afordable-ish, currently in-stock in size 45/48

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Yoln
Posts: 965
Joined: Thu Nov 14, 2019 10:26 pm

by Yoln

Hey guys,

Working on a new project for my wife. The goal is something pretty close to some of Ryan's bikes. To be used on road and light gravel, in a very hilly area.

Built will likely be with Ekar, paired with some ultralight wheels and 32mm tyres, but potentially slightly bigger.

Requirements are:
- Light: Sub 1000g frame, sub 350g cut fork
- Internal routing for mechanical 1x (Ekar) prefered
- Clearance for 35mm
- Good looking
- Affordable - ish : <$3000 frameset
- Currently in stock somewhere in size 45/48
- Nice paint jobs would be a plus!
- Disc brakes

Candidates so far:
- Crux (pros: very light / cons: out of budget, no internal routing)
- Basso Palta (pros: look, internal routing and price / cons: weight)
- Litespeed options: either light-ish and low clearance and expensive (t1sl) or heavier (ultimate gravel) and none has internal routing
- Caledonia: a bit on the heavy side, not sure about mechanical routing
Litespeed Gravel Ultimate : https://tinyurl.com/zvxxy8zk
Wilier “Cento Ramato“ : https://tinyurl.com/29vs8vre
#RETIRED# Lynskey “the Do-it-all Helix” 🧬:https://tinyurl.com/bdmb5y24

de lars cuevas
Posts: 182
Joined: Fri Jul 28, 2006 8:28 pm
Location: the Netherlands

by de lars cuevas

Focus Paralane: an excellent, comfortabele and sub kg frameset with 35mm clearance. Rode it for review, loved it.

IF you can find one on closeout, you'll have an entire bike for way less than competitors framesets:

https://www.focus-bikes.com/int/archive ... -2017-2022.

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



dudemanppl
Posts: 1263
Joined: Fri Feb 22, 2013 5:09 am

by dudemanppl

Redesigned Ventum NS1 checks a lot of those boxes. It says its electronic only, but mech 1x with full housing should be fine, thats how I ran my Venge.

https://ventumracing.com/bikes/road/

Arc 8 Eero is a bit more relaxed, you should be able to make it work though. Their stem is low stack and the whole thing would look good slammed. It is a bit heavier, but a good amount cheaper considering it includes the entire cockpit as well.

https://www.arc8bicycles.com/equipment/frames/eero

Aeo
Posts: 668
Joined: Wed May 25, 2016 2:06 am

by Aeo

Liv Avail, very hard to find as frameset
Giant TCR Adv Pro Disc '17 · BH Lynx Race Evo '19 · Seraph GR029 '21 · Canyon Inflite AL '14

Yoln
Posts: 965
Joined: Thu Nov 14, 2019 10:26 pm

by Yoln

Thanks guys.

Unfortunately nothing really as mouth watering as a Crux or an Open Upper, maybe I just have to bite the bullet and increase the frame budget to get a real weight weenie
Litespeed Gravel Ultimate : https://tinyurl.com/zvxxy8zk
Wilier “Cento Ramato“ : https://tinyurl.com/29vs8vre
#RETIRED# Lynskey “the Do-it-all Helix” 🧬:https://tinyurl.com/bdmb5y24

yinzerniner
Posts: 206
Joined: Tue Jun 13, 2017 8:54 pm

by yinzerniner

Yoln wrote:
Thu Mar 30, 2023 7:18 pm
Thanks guys.

Unfortunately nothing really as mouth watering as a Crux or an Open Upper, maybe I just have to bite the bullet and increase the frame budget to get a real weight weenie
Neither the upper or crux will have a 350g cut fork, even at your small size. Upper UTurn fork cut to 200mm steerer tube is around 380g, Crux fork around 390 cut. Taking another 30-40mm for your small size won't take 30g off.

Cervelo Soloist is close to your specs. Should work with Ekar
Ridley Grifn as well, though heavier fork

Yoln
Posts: 965
Joined: Thu Nov 14, 2019 10:26 pm

by Yoln

yinzerniner wrote:
Thu Mar 30, 2023 7:54 pm
Yoln wrote:
Thu Mar 30, 2023 7:18 pm
Thanks guys.

Unfortunately nothing really as mouth watering as a Crux or an Open Upper, maybe I just have to bite the bullet and increase the frame budget to get a real weight weenie
Neither the upper or crux will have a 350g cut fork, even at your small size. Upper UTurn fork cut to 200mm steerer tube is around 380g, Crux fork around 390 cut. Taking another 30-40mm for your small size won't take 30g off.

Cervelo Soloist is close to your specs. Should work with Ekar
Ridley Grifn as well, though heavier fork
What I lose on fork for those to, I make up on the frame. Let's say that I would look at anything below 1350g for frame+fork

Soloist and Grifin are great suggestions, thanks!

Sourcing these bikes in 2023 still seems insanely difficult in the US. Can't find a size 49 for either (same story for Crux)
Litespeed Gravel Ultimate : https://tinyurl.com/zvxxy8zk
Wilier “Cento Ramato“ : https://tinyurl.com/29vs8vre
#RETIRED# Lynskey “the Do-it-all Helix” 🧬:https://tinyurl.com/bdmb5y24

seventyseven
Posts: 50
Joined: Thu Sep 22, 2022 11:49 pm

by seventyseven

Maybe a Factor LS in 49? If the 49 Crux works for sizing, they're very close in terms of stack/reach although the Crux has more trail.

jeanjacques
Posts: 349
Joined: Thu Apr 14, 2016 11:01 am
Location: France

by jeanjacques

My Paralane frame size 54: 915g and 359g for the fork. Every part of the frame is engineering for comfort: seat stay, seat tube, 25mm seat post with a lot outside and thin fork.
The main downside is the price, too cheap to take it seriously. And the brand is well know in Europe and not so much eselwhere.

Yoln
Posts: 965
Joined: Thu Nov 14, 2019 10:26 pm

by Yoln

jeanjacques wrote:
Thu Mar 30, 2023 10:04 pm
My Paralane frame size 54: 915g and 359g for the fork. Every part of the frame is engineering for comfort: seat stay, seat tube, 25mm seat post with a lot outside and thin fork.
The main downside is the price, too cheap to take it seriously. And the brand is well know in Europe and not so much eselwhere.
Thanks, though comfort isn't paramount (she currently races an Allez with slammed stem, so anything is going to feel comfy next to it really)

I love Focus, I see it as a better prices alternative to Factor personally, but the Paralane looks discontinued and absolutely impossible to find in the right size
Litespeed Gravel Ultimate : https://tinyurl.com/zvxxy8zk
Wilier “Cento Ramato“ : https://tinyurl.com/29vs8vre
#RETIRED# Lynskey “the Do-it-all Helix” 🧬:https://tinyurl.com/bdmb5y24

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



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