New Audax on the way . . . .

[leftpoole]

I'm a keen amateur trombonist . . . . Ravels Bolero, tricky and you're on your own. And some Gershwin too.  But all ok on the night.

Take care, anto.

Lewis,
Not sure about your musical taste as a Bee Gees and Bowie enthusiast, but the Audax sounds nice.
I suspect that a ride down past Rivelin and Dam Flask might be a good route from where you live?
All the best,
John

[lewis noble]

Posting photo . . . Will write more when on computer.

[PH]

Those tyres look a far better fit, much less likely to get something caught.
Having said that, there's been a couple of rides this winter where I've had to stop and clear the mud from under my guards, even with a minimum of 10mm clearance, that's been on a couple of bikes, I think we've just had the weather that's meant sticky mud.

[lewis noble]

Able to type more easily now . . .

The Audax is now much more suited to me - I took this photo after a short ride this morning to my tame LBS, who did the bar tape far better than I had been able to - and saved me the cost of wasted tape!

I'm now very comfortable on the hoods, and fine on the drops as well, and feel much more in control.  The LBS mechanic, I've known him for years, commented - '. . . . got the bars up into the sky, haven't you? . . . ' but that's the way I like and need it, and I am getting increasingly converted to this set-up.  I've seen no other bike that gives this degree of flexibility.  As the season goes on, and I get fitter, I may drop the bars down a spacer or two - I have done that before on my Sherpa - but I am fine for now.

I feel 100% happier about the bike than I did before Christmas.  STI kit working fine, I reckon it may catch on.

My plans?  Get some decent day rides in, and we are planning to go to Provence in September, around Mt Ventoux . . . . The Audax will clearly be better than the Sherpa (even my lightweight spec Sherpa that I have rattled on about so much) on long steady gradients, the sort of terrain I am happy with.

As Paul has already commented, I changed the tyres for 28mm Gatorshells, and also the saddle, now a Fizik the same as Anto's.  We must have something in common . . . I'll be having a saddle clearout in the Spring.

Lewis  -  Sheffield

[jags]

Lewis is that a 28 on the back?
if your hitting the mountains stick a 36 on
i have 34 on my audax i can get up most hills only defeated once 


anto.

[lewis noble]

It's the lowest gearing available, Anto. 36. And I think 26 on the smallest chainring. Yes, I'm a low gear fella . . .

[jags]

id say you have 34 up front the 11 to 34 on the rear is great .Tiagra new 10speed cassette.

[lewis noble]

Not certain, I'll check tomorrow.

[Pavel]

What size tyres are those?  You seem to have packed in something wider than 28's under those fenders.

You post makes me wonder about an Audax (again) just when I'm about to buy a Surly LHT.  It was the 28" tyres that make me decide against the Audax frame as well as the fact that now they sell the bike without a fork that can handle low riders, which I won't like without.  There is a fuscia frame in my size left, however.  Is fuschia pink a many color, I wonder.  I actually like the thought of bright pink bike after a few pints.  Makes me think that nobody will be likely to steal it. 

You description of the ride does not help my willpower on bit.

[jags]

28 is wide enough for most rides including touring .the conti gator skins hardshell are class tyres ,experts will tell you  smaller wider tyres are the way to go, load of nonsense .my audax with 28 tyres will tackle all the cycling i get up to and a bit more.
great bike the Thorn Audax especially the one i have.

anto.

[lewis noble]

Definitely 28mm tyres, Continental Gatorskins folding.  They fit much better, with the 32 Supremes, much as I like Supremes, I could hear grit and gravel from roadworks etc scraping between tyre and guard.  The 32 Supremes would be fine without guards.

The Gatorskins were a pain to fit - Anto, do you find they get easier? Or are you just hoping you never get a puncture??!!

Gearing - 11 - 36T cassette, 48/36/26 chainrings.

Pavel - the Fuschia pink is an interesting colour . . . . I am hopeless on colours, red/green colourblind, I was unable to wire up plugs on the old cable coding, and I once polished my wife's shoes the wrong colour.  But the actual frames look darker to me than they look in the on-line brochure, and although I would not have chosen the colour, they looked better than I was expecting.

Lewis

Lewis

[jags]

Lewis that's a great range of gears leave well enough alone.
no never had a problem fitting the tyres i usually start at valve work both ways just roll it on to rim .a trick is to  put your foot into tyre and pull hard ish  just to stretch it a wee bit ,should pop on no problem.

anto.

[lewis noble]

Nearly 3 months after the last post, so getting up to date . . . .

Rides on the Audax have been lengthening as the weather has improved.  I have got used to the drops now, after a lot of fiddling with the rotational position of the bars and siting of the brake levers.  I'm pleased with that, after such a long spell on nondrops (?? i.e straight bars of various styles!!).

It really is beginning to settle down now.  The only thing I have had to adjust is the gear L limit screw, 1/4 turn, as the gears have bedded in to real changes rather than while mounted on a stand in the build. I've changed the brake pads from the standard Shimano to Koolstop - much better and kinder on the rims in my experience. 

The other major change is that I have changed to bar end shifters . . . oh goodness, more cost . . . . I was tempted to do that when ordering, but stuck to STIs as they were cheaper and everyone said I would get used to them.  The STIs worked very well, but on longer rides, anything 1 hour +, my arthritic hands really played up with the sideways twisting movement.  The bar ends are perhaps less convenient, but on balance I prefer them.  My preference and choice. So by saving money in the build I ended up spending more - I'm sure I'm not the only one.  I will keep the other levers for the time being.

With much of my riding (if not the distances) being urban, I may well revert to the Sherpa for that, but I have been using the Audax all the time to get used to it.

Lewis

[jags]

Happy day's Lewis lets hope the summer rolls around real quick get some nice warm cycling in the legs.
keep safe and keep that bike clean,

Anto.

[geocycle]

Nearly 3 months after the last post, so getting up to date . . . .

Rides on the Audax have been lengthening as the weather has improved.  I have got used to the drops now, after a lot of fiddling with the rotational position of the bars and siting of the brake levers.  I'm pleased with that, after such a long spell on nondrops (?? i.e straight bars of various styles!!).

It really is beginning to settle down now.  The only thing I have had to adjust is the gear L limit screw, 1/4 turn, as the gears have bedded in to real changes rather than while mounted on a stand in the build. I've changed the brake pads from the standard Shimano to Koolstop - much better and kinder on the rims in my experience. 

The other major change is that I have changed to bar end shifters . . . oh goodness, more cost . . . . I was tempted to do that when ordering, but stuck to STIs as they were cheaper and everyone said I would get used to them.  The STIs worked very well, but on longer rides, anything 1 hour +, my arthritic hands really played up with the sideways twisting movement.  The bar ends are perhaps less convenient, but on balance I prefer them.  My preference and choice. So by saving money in the build I ended up spending more - I'm sure I'm not the only one.  I will keep the other levers for the time being.

With much of my riding (if not the distances) being urban, I may well revert to the Sherpa for that, but I have been using the Audax all the time to get used to it.

Lewis

Hi Lewis, how are you finding the bar end shifters?  Do they catch on your legs when out of the saddle climbing? I've had STIs on non-thorn bikes and I am a bit lukewarm about them.  It is a long time since I used DT shifters and have never had bar ends, so I'm interested in your thoughts. Still like them?