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@Joe.S
I have decided to buy myself a steel framed bike that fits the winter / audax / commute / light tour brief. It seems to me that a nice frame with mid point groupset and sturdy wheels can perform a whole range of duties.
I am looking at things like a Mercian Audax Special, Bob Jackson Audax or End to End, Rourke Audax, Roberts Audax. Or perhaps Dave Yates or someone smaller again. All of these builders have plenty of experience in this kind of thing and seeing as I do not require custom geo, have some reasonable OTP frames.
All of the builders above start their pricing with a standard 631 build. Is it worth me paying the extra for 853 for this kind of bike? Seeing as I intend to buy a bike to use as a real all round workhorse, does it make sense? Or is 631 perfectly OK? Is there any benefit other than slightly lighter weight? I am not considering 953 as it is quite a bit more and for this kind of bike, I don't think it necessary.
I have seen some adverse comments about both Roberts and Bob Jackson, but these are not deafening. They seem to be more about mixed experiences. Any input of good / bad experiences would be most welcome. I know that in a sense, the best thing to do is to do and visit the shops and have a chat, but beyond Roberts, the others are a bigger investment of time.
Any input most welcome. Thanks