Roberts 853 Audax

I posted these over in the Roberts thread, but as this is now becoming a project I thought I might need a place to show my general lack of bicycle expertise, poor photography skills and bad taste in carpets. This is an Aduax Compact, built at the end of last year from 853 Pro Team, with a lugged BB shell.

Came with a CK headset and steel fork

Tidy seat cluster, with a pump peg, and that brazing....

One careful owner, it's covered < 1,500 miles, so the paint is almost new, in a nice colourway. There is still some Turtle Wax residue I need to clean up, evidence to how careful the former owner was of this.

It has clearances and brazings for full guards, and the plan is to build it up into something I can ride all the time.

I had been contemplating having a frame made, but this came up in my size, and this is pretty much what I wanted. Close enough that it was worth saving the many hundreds of pounds for sure. Win all around, I think.

This will be ridden in good times and bad. It probably deserves a better life, but this is one it will be given. So, on with the project. I have a Brooks saddle and Use Ti seatpost. Now for the hard decisions, groupset and wheels. I want to do Force or Ultegra, but I know 105 would be sufficient for what I am planning.

I really hope my desire to get this on the road will overcome my general indecisiveness.

Great frame.

Thanks. The Brooks I got from you I bought for this.

got the basics for a great audaxer there ps, nice one

really nice that. Will be even better once it's built up.

Aye, I also now know why you seemed so excited.

Lovely frame. Great colour.

Nowt wrong with 105; that said I suspect Ultegra would look nicer.

Lovely frame. Enjoy.

So jealous.

Does the brake cable routing run from the drive side across onto the NDS?

My 9 speed 105 real derailleur has now done 15.000 miles In three years and I bought it second hand. Ask apollo how wobbly it is.

Yes it does run from drive side to NDS. I was a little surprised by that too.

Hope hubs.

I am unsure if I can stand the noise of Hope hubs. Still considering.

I guess if you run the cable the English way it sort of makes sense as it should give you a smoother run.

I will see if I can post a pic of the previous owner's build and you can see how the cables ran.

I'm guessing they ran them around the front of the head tube. I you do remember to use some form of protective tape. Shame to mess up the paint job.

I am unsure if I can stand the noise of Hope hubs. Still considering.

Keep pedaling.

I'm guessing they ran them around the front of the head tube. I you do remember to use some form of protective tape. Shame to mess up the paint job.

This is what he did. There is tape at bottom of HT where the gear cables ran but not at the top.

Lovely frame, PS. I look forward to it being built up!

Welcome to the fold, Pharoah!

I am unsure if I can stand the noise of Hope hubs. Still considering.

I'm with you on that, ruins the quiet country rides. How about Royce!? To keep with the british theme. Noisey enough to make your entrance, but not as tinney as those Hope and I'm told you can grease them up to dampen the sound a bit more. A Venus/Titan rear combined with superlight front seems like a perfect combination for a solid wheelset. Things of beauty as well.

Lovely Frame, btw. I'm slowly chipping away at my missus' Roberts 853 compact tourer, I'm so envious of it...and this, they ride so well.

Look forward to seeing the build progress!

Unsure the bank manager can stretch to Royce. Love the idea though.

Yeah, not cheapest option, but the frame definitely deserves it.
Worth keeping an eye out for second hand wheels/sets, I just got a pair (venus/ultralight built onto dt's) for a little over £200.

there's these as well, unsure of the difference (other than colour) but saves a little, if going new.

Was looking at those hubs and Mrs. Pharaoh was looking over my shoulder. "Holy shit," she said. So I think those are out then :)

"Holy Shit...they're Nice"???

guess not! Maybe should've started by looking at the gold/carbon things on the royce website and worked your way down.