New ultraracing bike - what are the options nowadays?

Giant Defy

No mudguards and clearance only for 35mm

Fairlight Strael if steel is an option? More road bike than the Secan and should still fit 32mm with mudguards, I'll confirm in a few days when I get round to fitting on my bike. 35mm without mudguards should be no problem, maybe even a little bigger.

Bostal

This looks good.

I'm always nervous of the small, UK frame builders though, I've seen so many of their bikes break, especially Bowman.

I realise it's a bit unfair on the ones who haven't had loads of breakages, but cheap carbon stuff from China just seems so much more reliable.

Maybe then a classic Carbonada or a reseller? Has tyre clearance, carbon, mudguards, etc. and if smaller frame size chosen can be racey too?

Edit: This is the framebuilder Sam's background.

SAM WATSON
Sam started at Enigma Bicycle Works whilst studying engineering and learnt to build steel frames the traditional way under the guidance of industry veteran Geoff Roberts. Once lugged and brazed frames were mastered, Sam went on to learn TIG welding of titanium and steel, building hundreds of frames for Enigma in the process.

Based on that - I'm inclined to give the Bostal a go.

After getting very sore hands on the long descents

Sometimes this is just the wrong handlebar, or a bit of bdhu. I find compact bars very uncomfortable

Factor ls (the original ones had guard mounts) or santa cruz stigmata? I got a Stigmata frameset last year and ridden it all this year in "road" mode with 34mm tyres and guards.

Saying that, a Carbonda 696 is way cheaper and has similar geo/weight...

I'd suggest the same thing. I have the CF696 with a 45mm tyre wheelset and a 28mm wheelset.
Rides great and has all the mounts

10mm. Meh.

In theory it would make it twitchier, in practice the more road geo of the Domane front-end is going to make it way quicker to steer anyway.

all the mounts

Didn't some of them fall off? Since we're talking about the reliability of cheap Chinese vs. local builders.

Cage mounts on fork came out, each person can judge, but I believe it's quite common on carbon forks in general. I'm not sure there are many local builders making carbon frames.

Carbonda 696

Very tempting. I'll look at the geometry in detail.
My ICAN has been great, but they don't seem to have mounts any more.

10mm. Meh.

I know. Last time I nearly bought a new bike I realised that the only thing I was really gaining was 10mm lower BB. So I gave up on the idea. All the work of building up a new bike didn't seem worth it.

Given the amount of miles you've done / will do get a custom Titanium from Waltly. It can then be specc'd to exactly what you want and will be cheaper than most options. I can't recommend them high enough. My one fits 35mm with guards or 40mm without.

Have a look at Curve, the Belgie sounds like it could fit the bill and if not then the GXR is more than capable as a road bike with the right tires.

Basso Palta? Ok it’s gravel, but not that gravelly lots of mount points too

Mason SLR? Quite upright, but designed specifically for TCR-type events.

Titanium

Titanium doesn't appeal. Seems the worst of all worlds to me - expensive, not much lighter than steel or Al, high failure rate, unrepairable, unrecyclable, etc.

Basso Palta? Ok it’s gravel, but not that gravelly lots of mount points too

Probably not for mudguards though!
Not looked, but Italian.

Curve

I like Jesse and would like to have one of his bikes, so have looked at Curve before.

They get bad reviews, although I can believe reviews are not objective and based on protecting advertisers. And they are expensive (or were when I looked at least). And I don't really get titanium.

Mason SLR?

This actually looks about the best yet. 75mm BB drop, mudguard compatible and high head tube.
One for the short list - thanks.

Factor ls

just looked at it. It has to be an open mould frame, no? Looks so similar to others.
No mudguard mounts on current version.

Sometimes this is just the wrong handlebar, or a bit of bdhu. I find compact bars very uncomfortable

I'd somehow missed the bdhu thread so thanks for flagging. It's interesting, but I'm not going to read all 35 pages of it!

I think mine are reasonably ok on that front. Scherrit OK'd them, anyway. I suspect it's a combination of age, a bit of arthritis creeping in, braking too much and basically doing longer rides than sensible / binge descending, but certainly worth reviewing setup.

Fair enough but having ridden steel, aluminium, carbon and titanium bikes, its by far and away my favourite material. Waltly would also be a lot cheaper than Mason, Fairlight, Santa Cruz et Al. Also the ability to go fully custom seems such an obvious benefit. Anyhow good luck with the search, I'll be intrigued to see what you go for.

Have you considered Daccordi?

https://www.daccordicycles.com/