Audax Mk.3 build-your-own anyone?

[aesmith]

Hi,

Please excuse my posting two related threads here, but they are separate issues. 

I would be interested to hear comments from people who've built their Audax Mk.3 from the frame.  What were the reasons for doing this instead of taking the ready-build option?  What types of components used?  What wheels?   Anyone use Campag or SRAM rather than Shimano?

I'm swithering a bit between the convenience of the ready-built bike, and the flexibility of choosing my own spec.  The work of building up doesn't bother me, I will do that myself and won't need to pay anyone.  (Possible exception for wheel building).

Thanks in advance, Tony S

[john28july]

Hi,

Please excuse my posting two related threads here, but they are separate issues. 

I would be interested to hear comments from people who've built their Audax Mk.3 from the frame.  What were the reasons for doing this instead of taking the ready-build option?  What types of components used?  What wheels?   Anyone use Campag or SRAM rather than Shimano?

I'm swithering a bit between the convenience of the ready-built bike, and the flexibility of choosing my own spec.  The work of building up doesn't bother me, I will do that myself and won't need to pay anyone.  (Possible exception for wheel building).

Thanks in advance, Tony S

Hello,
Strange question really in my opinion. If as you say you are, like me, capable of building your bike-then do so! I have never purchased a bike, I have only ever built a bike. The whole point to me, anyway, is that its my bike-I built it.
John.

[aesmith]

Fair point.  I've never built a bike by buying all new components before, only by replacing bits piece by piece over several years, or a couple of times by replacing the frame and moving all the parts onto the new (well, secondhand) frame.  So why am I questioning it now?  Firstly because I suspect that it might possibly cost more to buy all the bits separately, and secondly because I am not just quite sure what choice of parts would best suit the bike in terms of appropriate quality and compatibility.

Maybe I confused the issue by posting two separate questions.  My intent was for this question to relate to the build-your-own option, and see whether there was any feedback on suitable component sets, some comments about why people made their choice, and particularly about choice of wheels which I see as the most critical part of the build.

I'm not sure if the frames are normally taken by people who already have some nice kit to fit them out, or whether others have done like I'm considering where all the components would have to be bought in.

Cheers,  Tony S

[Fred A-M]

Tony

As John said in his other post, probably best phone SJS to discuss pro, cons and options if you don't get any responses that are a just a little more constructive and helpful than above as they're generally excellent in talking things through with customers.

Good luck with whatever you decide! 

[Audax hopeful]

Sorry for the late reply - I've not checked the forum for a while! I built my bike from an Audax Mk111 frame, mainly because I wanted Campag components instead of Shimano. Everything except saddle, bars and stem were new and I used Campag Comp triple chainset/gears with Veloce shifters/brake levers. Wheels are Veloce hubs with Open Pro rims. The brakes have to Shimano because Campag don't do long-drop brakes so I chose Shimano 600s. All parts were sourced on the internet and total cost was ~£900.

I did visit Thorn to chose the correct frame size and bought the frame there and then. The email help and advice has been excellent.

I'd be happy to tell you the main internet site I used to buy the components but don't think I should post a rivals details on the Thorn forum!! Send me a private message if you want further help!

Oh - and the bike is great, the frame's really first class!!

[piero]

Hi,
I've just built mine.
Reasons : I can build up a bike, I'd prefer Campagnolo equipment, 11-32 is too wide a range .
Is now full Campag Record 3 x 10 with bar ends (I know, 30 speed is too much .. but it came cheap, second hand).
BTW : Miche long reach brakes. So no Shimano part
I've also built the wheels with record hubs and FIR rims
10.7 kg including pedals
Surprised by the quality of the frame
Fast and very confortable.
In Ialy, we have quite a few excellent framebuilders but if you want something diffrente from a pure race machine, you've to go custom and that is expensive.
Piero

[aesmith]

Thanks for the updates, Audax Hopeful and Piero.   I need to price up the components I'd need, making my own decisions about which parts need to be top quality (expensive) and where I might save.  At this stage its not quite clear that it makes sense to go this way, but evidently you guys were happy with the results.

I was tentatively thinking of Shimano 105, with compact double.  Or maybe a road triple.  That's the trouble, there are so many options, and there's still the ready-built model to consider.

[peter jenkins]

Hi Piero,

Did you select the carbon fork option?

Cheers,

pj

[aesmith]

Hi again.   Does anyone have a figure for how much the frame weighs? 

[Audax hopeful]

E-mail Thorn - they're happy to give frame weight (and fork), or any info you need. Excellant customer support all round!!


I wouldn't focus too closely on weight though - it's never going to compete with a top flight carbon race bike but that's not the point! It's designed for long range and carrying some gear in comfort - the fact that it feels so responsive and sporty is the icing on the cake! You couldn't use a De Rosa (eg) for that, but the Audax III would happily cope with club runs and even training - and stripped down it would be fine on a time trial too! I think it makes a lot of sense for sportives too (unless your competing for the very best times). A great all rounder, and a bike for all seasons!

[The Raucous AUK]

I built mine up last Autumn and I'm delighted with it. I agree with audax hopeful - why worry about the weight?

[aesmith]

Hi, its me again, thinking about wheels this time, and particularly rims.

What rims do you guys use?  It seems that each supplier uses a different type, so difficult to get a like-for-like.  SJS has some hand-build wheels using Sun CR18 rims, at what looks a very good price.  The CR18s maybe look a bit too wide to ideally complement the Mk3, but I notice that Thorn use them on their Audax 853 so maybe that's just me.

I'd want to run 25mm tyres, and I guess it would make sense to choose rims where that wasn't the absolute minimum, to give me the future choice of 23mm or 28mm.

While I'm at it, what about tyres?  I was thinking Continental Ultra Sport, or maybe Ultra Gators.

Tony S

[The Raucous AUK]

My wheels are Centuar hubs on good old Mavic MA3's and I'm on 25mm Conti GP4000's but those rims will easily take 23's and 28's.

[aesmith]

Thanks.  I think MA3s are now called Open Sport, and that was another option I was considering.   I've just found out that the frame's out of stock until June, which is a bummer especially as it gives me more time to dither over options instead of getting it built and riding it.  I have a bit of a stay of execution as I managed to find suitable tyres for my old bike, so waiting till June for the correct size isn't too big a deal.

Tony S