AAA - All Road / Audax / Adventure Time

Was doing some google day dreaming last night after riding my cross bike home, and have decided that I can get rid of two bikes (sell my Giant and strip my Cannondale) and get something significantly more suited to the resulting hole in my bikes and the kind of riding I want to do.

Ideally, I would have a disc road bike that would serve as a wet weather and winter roadie and be fast enough to do winter club runs or Regents laps, but with enough clearance for big tyres; bridleway bashing, canal paths and gravel. I've also been doing some longer rides, so something that's comfortable enough for a 300+km audax, or a couple of days bikepacking. It will have a frame pump. Basically, full Prolly bait.

This all kicked off when I found some nice builds of the Twin Six Standard Rando, so that's a good starting point. Also looking at the Shand Stooshie (can't stand that name) and a few others like the Brother Kepler (soon to come with carbon fork, I hear). Just going to start off with some nice bikes for #inspo

What other bikes should I be looking at, and who is making cheap customs at the moment?

The Ti Rando is also pretty special

Obviously @psee's is one of the best of the genre

New Bowman Pilgrims meant to be coming soon. Got mine for the kind of riding you're describing.

Specialized Sequoia frameset?

and, of course

I would talk to @Hulsroy for a bike of your size. Instead of 700c > 650b it should be 650b > 26" IMO.

Those Twin Six' take 26" too. I'm not sure if you're mentioning my size in a 'you should get a custom bike because you're small' but my flexibility stuff is fixed now so I'm good for bikes roughly reasonable for my size.

Ah no thats not what I meant .. for 52 and below 700c wheel size makes things really out of proportion and complicate geometry for no reason. @Hulsroy has done some research on this but essentially a smaller bike should have smaller wheels so the wheel size doesn't become a starting point for geometry.

So instead of building a bike with 700c max wheel size build it for 650b max and then the forks and stays should be able to take a larger 26" tyre.

You need a good builder. Put Sora on it but spend money on the frame if you want to get joy out of it.

lol Sora. It's getting SRAM Red22 off my Cannondale.

Otherwise, good points and worth considering.

So you have groupset sorted! But you know what I mean, spend money where it matters the most.

"Cheap" builder is false economy IMO.

(I am not trolling btw, hard to tell these days I know)

Rock Lobster isn't as pricey as you think if you/someone can carry the frame from America. Loads of experience too. Bit of a waiting time though which will give you time to gather £££.

Not absolutely invested in custom tbh, just want something fun for winter. That Twin Six fits fine, looks alright, probably works well enough.

Its not bad for $600 if you can get it yourself i.e. no duties etc. Otherwise its just more expensive Cotic Escapade.

And yeah, you don't need a custom unless you want to do that whole 650b > 26" thing and play around with geo.

I've got a much less exotic Specialized Diverge DSW. This one. It's great. There's a carbon version too, if you're so inclined.

Just get a 3T.
You'll love it.

That is not, unfortunately, the bike I want.

I built my Ti charge plug up as basically what you've just described - frameset was on sale on Triton but only big'uns left. The frameset is a great basis for what you're wanting though.

Just got a Mason to do what you describe. The Bokeh is an acquired taste though.

Some really fine bikes in the opening post. Looking forward to this!

You've described the build I'm currently trying to imagine myself! Be interested to see if there were any frames similar to the UP but less bankrupting. I know the Bish Bash Bosh! looks to be vaguely similar but probably not versatile enough for what you're looking for.

Edit: slow afternoon has lead me to this, which looks close to the UP, lots of mounts

you don't need a custom

but I have just emailed Rock Lobster so

Those BBB and the Space Monkey or whatever are really decent frames for the cash - my friend has a Bish Bash Bosh and hammers it around the trails. As versatile as they are, I don't really want a big carbon thing for this build. Could be swayed, but I'm erring towards round tubes and steel.

Just trying to find something with the right combination of features and tubing for the money...

YES!

He is quick to chat on FB btw.

And will probably be on 50% sale in about a week. Planet-x style.

Stayer Cycle (based in Leytonstone) made me this for me:

Looks like it could fit your bill?

(Sam is testing a number of things on this frame hence wanted me to test-ride it before moving on with all the finishing (rear light attachment, guards, dyno internal routing on the fork, paint...))