• I think I'm going to go for a Winspace G2. https://www.winspace.cc/g2-gravel.html

    I went through the geometry of 12 bikes in detail.

    Closest of the UK manufacturers to what I was after was the Mason SLR, which looks great.

    Best looking is the Daccordi Aurelia (curved forks - yum!)

    I would have got a Domane if they were available but they just aren't.

    Specialized Diverge was a near miss: geometry is almost as good as the Domane and I almost got one this morning (none in UK but a couple of sellers in Spain) but the colour is crap (orange / brown) so I hesitated and looked around more.

    Then I looked at the Chinese. I found there are several great options which have big tyre clearance and mudguard mounts. Best fit with what I want geometry-wise is the Winspace G2. Cost about £1200, making it at the upper end of Chinese frames (and the £/$ trend has not helped) but still a good bit cheaper than everything else. There is a UK dealer so no import duty on top. And it comes in some good colours, including this rather fetching pink scheme!

    I'll sleep on it, and have another look at it vs the Mason before finally deciding.

    Thanks everyone for the suggestions.

  • I like the color and the looks are probably not a priority for you but.... that's a really terrible looking frame

  • Sure it's no oil painting, but it seems to be function over form, at least. The dropped chain stays are pretty common now, the kinked down tube to accomodate bigger front tyre, kinked seat tube for the back tyre, the kinked seat stay to fit bags better, flattened tubes inside main triangle to fix bags to better, etc.

    There is one issue with it in that the seat stay length / angles mean that you can't get a 50T chain ring on it. I'd plan on keeping my current gearing which is a 30/46T GRX, but not ideal. I couldn't put big gearing on for a random crit, for example. Not that I'd want to.

    It's got rack mounts which they rate for 25kg so what it will do is allow me to get rid of my Super Galaxy and use it for loaded touring with family.

    If I wanted the best looking then no question I'd go for steel and most likely the Daccordi https://www.daccordicycles.com/it/galleria-foto-daccordi-aurelia/

    EDIT - they actually say this on their site - so they know it is fugly as well!
    "Utilitarian Design
    When drawing up the G2, we put function before form"

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