K2S

Anyone own one of these or have any experience with them? Even though I have both aluminum bikes and a nice BMC carbon bike, I’m always partial to steel bikes, especially for their pliant ride and versatility. The Inversion seems like it would be a good gravel bike and all around ride, but just wanted to see what others thought. I wish it had clearance for wider tires, but 38mm is probably adequate for most of the gravel roads around here.

dgodave

If you wish for more tire clearance, you should go for a bike that has it, imo.

Aside from that, the bike looks nice.

5teve

Tire clearance was the reason I crossed this one off my list! It seems like a pretty great bike if you can get past that, tho.

K2S

Can’t disagree, tire clearance is one thing you can’t upgrade. Another better option might be the All City Cosmic Stallion, but they aren’t available and are pricier.

desert

I have one on order, after researching obsessively for months. I'll let you know what I think of it when I get it. Confirmation bias will lead me to report that it's wonderful, but I'll attempt to be as honest as I can be.

K2S

I’m tempted to order a 2017 as they seem to be a good deal right now. I like the 2018 colors better though. Look forward to hear what you think when you get yours!

desert

It's too early for me to give a complete review, but my first impressions after picking the bike up Saturday are:
1. The component mix performs extremely well. Most of the readers here probably already ride components of this quality, but this level is a bit new for me. I really appreciate the brakes and the shifting.
2. The fit is a bit tough with this bike. For folks around my height (6 ft, 1/2 inch), there is a decision to be made between a 54 (L) and a 57 (XL). At first I was leaning toward the 54, and I was ok with the reach dimension, but the stack was very short for my needs. So I ended up opting for the 57. So far I think I made the right choice. I'm very comfortable riding on the horizontal bars. The brake hood position is pretty aggressive (for an old guy like me). Strangely, the drops, with the flared handlebars feel very good, particularly with a headwind. But then the saddle starts to wear on the wrong parts in that position. So position-wise, I'm still evaluating. And of course that will vary from rider to rider.
3. I love how the tires and frame combine to deliver a comfortable ride.

That's all I have so far, I'll come back later with more details and some photos.

Hiro11

I looked at these. They have a fairly plain Jane steel frame and the BB86 was a deal killer for me. The similar Raleigh Tamland 2 has a nicer 631 frame with a threaded BB and comes with Rival 1, which I really like. I also costs a lot less, especially with the corporate discount.

shoota 

What is the current price of the tamland and what is the current code? I haven't been able to see the discounted prices for a while now..

desert

I understand the dislike for the BB86, but the frame construction is the highlight of the Inversion. Heat treating after welding is a step forward, providing more strength/pound than many other steel frames. Welding heat treated tubes, weakening them with the weld-affected zone, is effectively a waste of good steel tube properties. Also, I'll never ride another Raleigh frame, after my mtb experience with a cracked frame. Raleigh quality isn't great, in my opinion. But they are cheap. Also, the Tamland weighs a full 2 lbs more than the Breezer.

Hiro11

631 air hardens, so this point isn't exactly valid. Also, the construction on the Tamland is hardly low quality.

desert

Hey, sorry I was negative about your bike. I had one bad experience with a Raleigh bike, so your post hit a sore spot. My comments regarding Raleigh frames were aimed at their AL frames, so I shouldn't have brought that up in this discussion. You're correct, the air hardening should improve the strength of the weld area. I looked at this bike a bit more today, and it looks just fine. Interestingly, the geometry is very similar to the Breezer. It costs $500 less. The higher price on the Breezer gets one hydraulic disks, Ultegra componentry, and 2 lbs less weight. I think that's worth it for me, but they both look like fine bikes.

What size bike do you have?

dgodave

Whats wrong with BB86 ?

desert

There have been some reports of creaking, with press-fit bottom brackets. Threaded bottom brackets can be disassembled, greased, etc. in an effort to stop any creaking. I haven't seen any statistics (failure rate) on this, I've just seen anecdotes. Also, the best frame material to support a robust press fit is steel, so I'm more comfortable with the BB86 in a steel frame than in any other material. Press fit BB's give the frame designer more flexibility to build in the optimum combination of light weight and stiffness. As with all designs, it's a compromise; higher performance versus a perceived risk. I'll side with Shimano on this one, particularly with a steel frame.

zimdba

I don't know what the current codes are, but the Tamland 2 is $1499 and the Tamland 1 is $1349. I don't know if it's trending up or down. However, the Roker Sport is $1299 which is $70 more than I paid last year at this time.

shoota 

Wow that is way more than I paid a year and a half ago.

dgodave

Ah I see. Thanks.

K2S

Ok, thanks for the initial impressions of your Inversion, I’m very close to picking one up myself. I was this close to buying a Tamland 2 before I saw this. I do like the SRAM 1x of the Tamland better, and the wider tire clearance is a plus, but it is a little heavier. The Tamland seems like the better bike if most of your riding is on gravel and dirt, but I’m looking at this bike as more 50/50, paved and gravel, so I’m thinking the Inversion might be the better all around choice, especially with the 2x setup for bit more range on the higher end. And even though I’ve had squeaky BB86 bottom brackets before, I think a steel frame will be less likely to have problems. Have you noticed any creaking on yours yet?

K2S

I can probably agree that some Raleighs might not be on a par in construction with some other higher end brands, but I have a couple of modern Raleighs that have been solid performers for years, including a belt drive Misceo 4.0 that has been my daily commuter across multiple cities, it's awesome in any weather. Since the Breezer is a similar price point, I'd like to get your opinion on the quality of construction on your Inversion. How clean are the welds? Any noticeable squeaks? How is the ride over rough roads and gravel? How's the quality of the paint? Just being inquisitive, since I don't have a chance to see one in person.

desert

A few more details: Yes, the weld quality appears very good, and the finish is very high quality. It isn't flashy though, so doesn't attract the attention of, say, a new Specialized carbon frame. Also, regarding frame design, the end product is much more complex than choice of material. I like the work Breeze put into the details of this frame. For example, the shape of the top tube changes at it approaches the intersection with the head tube, to allow more linear weld area in that critical location. He went with a post mount disk caliper in the back, rather than flat mount, to spread the large brake loads between the seat stay and chain stay, allowing him to thin and lighten those tubes.

The ride quality is great, but I give as much credit to the tires as I do the frame. The 34c tires just soak up the bumps, even at the max 80 psi. The frame probably contributes some as well, but I'm a big fan of wide tires and their resulting ride quality. Speaking of tires, I really like this choice in tire. At 80 psi on the road, they ride on the smooth center like a road tire. But there is some tread on the side for off road.

I think the high level components bring a lot of value at this price point. I could have had a carbon Damone at this price point, but I'd be trading component level for the carbon frame and isospeed. I prefer the shock absorbing qualities of this particular combination of tires and frame, along with the robustness of steel, along with all the rack and water bottle mounts.

There is no creaking or noise of any kind so far. But it's early yet. I'll report back with any problems, but for now it rides great.

Hiro11

I don't have a Tamland, Lol.