Tifosi Audax

Quoted message said:

Has anyone any knowledge/experience of this manufacturer
and bike? It's based around a 7005 frameset - is this a
good thing? The other bikes I've been looking at (Thorn
Brevet, Hewitt Cheviot, Dawes Galaxy etc) are all steel,
which I must admit is what I've been used to.

I got one this weekend, so far I have only ridden it from
the LBS to home so I haven't had time to form a real
opinion. My previous bike was a Dawes Audax with a steel
frame so I too had this unease about moving over to an
aluminium frame. The man in the shop pointed out that it is
becoming increasingly difficult to find steel frames and
when you do the price is probably higher than the equivalent
aluminum frame would be.

For my money, I couldn't detect any real difference in the
ride except for the fact that this bike fits better than my
last one and is noticably lighter at the moment. (Wait till
I get the panniers on, then we'll see what's what)

Quoted message said:

I'm quite tempted by it - it looks good and it's in the
LBS (Bike Factory in Chester), whilst the others are all
only available some distance away. But I'd like to know a
bit more about the company and frameset before I choose.

My LBS has become an agent for Tifosi and appears to be very
happy with quality and service from the wholesaler. Check
out the website for the full Tifosi spec. tifosi-tifosi-Open ↗
cycles.co.uk/frames/ck7.html

Quoted message said:

I want it basically as a commuter (20 miles) and day rides
(50 - 80), although the long term aim is audax and
eventually the e2e (well, one can dream, but I'll have to
retire first...)

I shall be using mine on a daily 22 mile round trip and an
occasional trip with a credit card or a tent. The daily
trips start on Tuesday. I am looking forward to the ride
which promises to be a huge improvement on that provided by
a ten speed Raleigh Gas Pipe Special.

Quoted message said:

Any comments gratefully received.

Thanks

David

FWIW the Dawes was reduced to scrap about three weeks ago
when a VW Golf decided that I needed a push start at a
roundabout. I got off fairly lightly with muscle problems in
the lower back, the bike has pringle shaped wheels and a
frame which is testament to the fact that it really wasn't
strong enough to support the weight of a VW.

If you don't mind waiting a week or so I shall report on
progress during the week.

Terry.

Terry

Thanks for the comments - I would appreciate a report in a
couple of weeks, but I suspect very strongly that my resolve
won't last until then;-) We're going to buy my wife a bike
tomorrow or Tues at the same shop and I've got an inkling...

Which spec did you get? I was looking at the carbon forks
with the Veloce 10 speed triple groupset, which is I suspect
far more than I need, but what the heck, you're only middle-
aged once...

Regards

David

Quoted message said:

Terry

Thanks for the comments - I would appreciate a report in a
couple of weeks, but I suspect very strongly that my
resolve won't last until then;-) We're going to buy my
wife a bike tomorrow or Tues at the same shop and I've got
an inkling...

Which spec did you get? I was looking at the carbon forks
with the Veloce 10 speed triple groupset, which is I
suspect far more than I need, but what the heck, you're
only middle-aged once...

Regards

David

As far as I can tell, the forks are not an option, you get
carbon, like it or not. (Me, I like it lots).

The machine I have is specified with Veloce 9-Speed Triple.
The triple is essential now that 'middle-aged' is just a
pleasant memory. I had a Veloce 9-Speed Triple kit on the
Dawes, the parts are no longer pretty, but some are still
functional and will keep me going next time the springs pack
up in the the gear shifter.

If you can't wait for a further report, go out and buy one.
If you can get one locally from a good dealer you should end
up with a bike you can be proud of and somewhere to take it
when it needs some TLC. The man at my LBS says all the
customers who have bought the Tifosi CK7 have sent back good
reports about it.

Terry

Terry said:

As far as I can tell, the forks are not an option, you get
carbon, like it or not. (Me, I like it lots).

OK - that's what I've specified.

Quoted message said:

The machine I have is specified with Veloce 9-Speed
Triple. The triple is essential now that 'middle-aged' is
just a pleasant memory. I had a Veloce 9-Speed Triple kit
on the Dawes, the parts are no longer pretty, but some are
still functional and will keep me going next time the
springs pack up in the the gear shifter.

LBSman is doing his research to come back to me tomorrow
with a price on the Veloce 10sp triple, with slightly
different wheels (I need strong ones, with me being gravity
rich) and a hub dynamo. I'll see how much that comes to and
start playing around with the spec to meet the budget
(about £500 [1])

Quoted message said:

If you can't wait for a further report, go out and buy
one. If you can get one locally from a good dealer you
should end up with a bike you can be proud of and
somewhere to take it when it needs some TLC. The man at my
LBS says all the customers who have bought the Tifosi CK7
have sent back good reports about it.

I have been very tempted by other bikes, but the idea of
buying from the LBS is attractive.

Thanks for your comments, I've found them really useful.

David

[1] in order to foster marital harmony, all prices in this
post are subject to a small margin of error. [2]

[2] +/- 100%.

<[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

[1] in order to foster marital harmony, all prices in this
post are subject to a small margin of error. [2]

Like saying the new frame is only from Argos .......

I've recently been looking at audax-style bikes when
visiting bike shops. The actual reason for the visits is to
equip the Chilliwack with a close-ratio 13-23 cassette which
is better suited to on-road riding than the original 11-34
megarange. I reckon that my current trajectory will lead to
the purchase of a road bike, probably audax, this time next
year - hence my interest.

There doesn't appear to be a lot of choice in the £800-1000
price range - the Dawes Audax is still around, albeit with
some strangely shaped tubing, and Bianchi no longer offer
the San Remo and the Eros. I'd be interested to know what
off-the-peg audax-style bikes are available - dropped bars,
mudguard and rack fittings, more rugged and heavier than a
racer, less rugged and lighter than a tourer.

Mr. Chilliwack

Quoted message said:

I'd be interested to know what off-the-peg audax-style
bikes are available - dropped bars, mudguard and rack
fittings, more rugged and heavier than a racer, less
rugged and lighter than a tourer.

Riccis look quite nice, someone on here once pointed
me at them:

ricciltd.comricci1.htmlOpen ↗

Quoted message said:

There doesn't appear to be a lot of choice in the £800-
1000 price range - the Dawes Audax is still around, albeit
with some strangely shaped tubing, and Bianchi no longer
offer the San Remo and the Eros. I'd be interested to know
what off-the-peg audax-style bikes are available - dropped
bars, mudguard and rack fittings, more rugged and heavier
than a racer, less rugged and lighter than a tourer.

Mr. Chilliwack

As soon as I've saved up my pocket money I'm getting a shiny
new Orbea - 105 9spd triple, canti brakes, carbon seatpost
and ITM stem. Good steel frame (might be 7005 but I'm not
sure about that) - not the lightest bike around but built
for comfort over long distances. And it's a lovely deep red
colour. List price is £800 but they're offering it to me for
£750. My only criticism would be the [censored] tyres and saddle
it comes with, but I'd swap the saddle for my Brooks
regardless of what it came with. Might ask them if they can
swap the tyres though.

I'd show you a picture but it doesn't appear on the Orbea
website - not exactly sure why this is. I couldn't even tell
you the name of the model. I should find out more details
before I part with the cash but after much discussion I
trust them enough to know that they wouldn't sell me a dud.

If you're interested, this is the shop's website - they're
nice people so check them out if you're in the Canterbury
area: downlandcycles.co.ukdownlandcycles.co.ukOpen ↗

d.

Micheal Ra said:

There doesn't appear to be a lot of choice in the =A3800-
1000 price range - the Dawes Audax is still around,
albeit with some strangely shaped tubing, and Bianchi no
longer offer the San Remo and the Eros.=20 I'd be
interested to know what off-the-peg audax-style bikes are
available - dropped bars, mudguard and rack fittings,
more rugged and heavier than a racer, less rugged and
lighter than a tourer.

If the budget can go up a bit I'd seriously consider a semi-
low=20 recumbent for Audax style riding. It will be heavier
than a trad.=20 tourer, but OTOH the aerodynamics will be
miles better (sustained riding =

at moderate pace this will very probably make more
difference than the=20 weight saving) and the degree of
comfort is significantly better. And=20 when I say
"significantly" I'm meaning "order of magnitude". The
right=20 models carry luggage very well too, IME better than
an upright tourer.=20 Models to consider would include the
HP Velotechnik Speedmachine and=20 Grasshopper, Nazca Fiero,
Optima Stinger, Challenge Hurricane, M5=20 Shockproof
amongst others. Or if the budget goes up even more,=20
something like one of the hardshell seat Trice range.

Pete. --=20 Peter Clinch University of Dundee Tel 44 1382
660111 ext. 33637 Medical Physics, Ninewells Hospital Fax 44
1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net
[email hidden] dundee.ac.uk~pjclinchOpen ↗

Quoted message said:

If the budget can go up a bit I'd seriously consider a semi-
low recumbent

for Audax style riding.

There was an Optima Baron on the last Audax I rode. He was
flying along for the first flat section out of Bath. That
*was* impressive. But after the first serious hill I didn't
see him again, not even at any of the controls.

Simonb said:

There was an Optima Baron on the last Audax I rode. He was
flying along for the first flat section out of Bath. That
*was* impressive. But after the first serious hill I
didn't see him again, not even at any of the controls.

Must of been a carbon one, then, to go up hill that fast ;-)

--
Guy
===
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posting. chapmancentral.co.ukchapmancentral.co.ukOpen ↗

88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at
Washington University

Quoted message said:

Must of been a carbon one, then, to go up hill that
fast ;-)

Ha ha ;-). As you well know, he dropped right back on the
hill. And presumably further and further back with each
successive hill.

Simonb said:

Quoted message said:

Must of been a carbon one, then, to go up hill that
fast ;-)

Ha ha ;-). As you well know, he dropped right back on the
hill. And presumably further and further back with each
successive hill.

Hardly a surprise. The Baron does not, to the best of my
knowledge, have hill-climbingly low gears. I have a second
cassette which I use when there are hills forecast, with a
lower bottom gear.

--
Guy
===
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posting. chapmancentral.co.ukchapmancentral.co.ukOpen ↗

88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at
Washington University

Just zis Guy, you know? <[email hidden]> wrote:

: Hardly a surprise. The Baron does not, to the best of my
: knowledge, have hill-climbingly low gears. I have a second
: cassette which I use when there are hills forecast, with a
: lower bottom gear.

And of course, he'd have gone that much faster with those
lower gears?

Recumbants are nice, but I'm become pretty convinced that
given the same rider, fully conditioned to the bike they
are still slower uphill. Less so on big drags where no-
one blasts them out of the saddle, but there the extra
weight holds.

Arthur

--
Arthur Clune clune.orgclune.orgOpen ↗ "Technolibertarians make a
philosophy out of a personality defect"
- Paulina Borsook

Quoted message said:

Thanks for your comments, I've found them really useful.

No problem, I'll take any opportunity to talk about the
'pride and joy'. Please see further comments comments below

Quoted message said:

[1] in order to foster marital harmony, all prices in this
post are subject to a small margin of error. [2]

[2] +/- 100%.

You might need to alter that error margin slightly to
include enough for a rack and pedals :-)

Further comments as promised;

I've been to work and back now, so I've had a chance to
evaluate the bike properly. Bearing in mind the fact that
the Dawes was fitted with almost the same kit I was pleased
to find that the differences were for the most part
marginal. The Tifosi feels more positive both in steering
and in response to pedal effort. This is a subjective
assessment and may be due to the fact that I have spent a
week on an ancient and very heavy, Raleigh Pursuit 10 speed.
I am convinced that the Tifosi is lighter than the Dawes (I
should have checked this before scrapping the old bike)
because it moves easier when pedalling out of the saddle.
Despite the fact that I am definitely out of condition, I
still managed 15 mph average on the way home which, for me
at least, is a good result. (On peak form I can achieve 17
mph, but this is a rare event.)

My overall impression is that the Tifosi is a decent
off-the-peg bike which allows the customer a genuine
choice of specification options. Will it stand the test
of time? I don't know yet, but I'm sure I am going to
enjoy finding out.

Hope this helps anyone on the brink of decision.

Terry.

On 13 Apr 2004 15:49:47 GMT, "Arthur Clune" <[email hidden]> wrote
in message <[email hidden]>:

Quoted message said:

And of course, he'd have gone that much faster with those
lower gears?

I do. Without low gears I end up grinding along barely able
to move. THe important thing is the /right/ gear.

Quoted message said:

Recumbants are nice, but I'm become pretty convinced that
given the same rider, fully conditioned to the bike they
are still slower uphill. Less so on big drags where no-
one blasts them out of the saddle, but there the extra
weight holds.

And going downhill they are faster. On average they are
about the same. Or faster. Or slower. Remember, the end-to-
end record was set on a faired recumbent trike.

--
Guy
===
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posting. chapmancentral.co.ukchapmancentral.co.ukOpen ↗

88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at
Washington University

Terry,

I've mentioned in another thread that I ordered the Tifosi
today - it'll be here sometime next week. I'm looking
forward to trying it out...

Thanks for your help

David

Arthur Clune said:

And of course, he'd have gone that much faster with those
lower gears?

Barons come with an optional triple, just like a lot of
upright racers. Having some appropriate low gears doesn't
mean the exclusion of appropriate high ones, though
speculating in one case is a bit daft: he may have pulled a
muscle, had a mechanical failure, etc. etc., or may simply
not have been as good as he thought he was.

Quoted message said:

Recumbants are nice, but I'm become pretty convinced that
given the same rider, fully conditioned to the bike they
are still slower uphill. Less so on big drags where no-
one blasts them out of the saddle, but there the extra
weight holds.

On a hill-climbing course with net up you're probably not
doing yourself any favours, granted, but M5's website
currently gloats about how last year's Classique Genevoise
(not entirely hill free, AIUI) had the recumbents taking the
first 5 places, first home 9 minutes before the first
upright over an 80 km course. Despite starting at the back
of the field and having to overtake everyone else (400
riders) first. And Lightning's website has a video of Tim
Brummer taking on roadies at their own game and overtaking
them going uphill on an R84, and testimonials about how the
P-38 and R-84 are great climbers from folk who've won the
RAAM on uprights (Dutch lowracers aren't really built with
hills in mind!).

But the context I brought a semi-low 'bent into the thread
was Audax, which at least officially isn't a race. Even
going slower, I'd much sooner spend n hours in a padded,
sprung comfy chair with no weight on my arms and my neck at
a reasonably relaxed angle (note that a full lowracer
wouldn't really give you that), than n-1 hours on any saddle
on the planet leaning onto drop bars where n is any number
greater than about 2, and on an Audax it probably would be.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch University of Dundee Tel 44 1382 660111 ext.
33637 Medical Physics, Ninewells Hospital Fax 44 1382 640177
Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net [email hidden]
dundee.ac.uk~pjclinchOpen ↗