tara1234

Hey so I noticed that evans cycles are churning out geared road bikes made of hi-ten steel and using silver parts, they even have a quill stem on these bikes.

What do people think of these modern bikes. The only difference I can see between them and proper vintage bikes is that they use brifters instead of suicide levers and downtube shifters. (Although I remember someone telling me that suicide levers were normally used on low end models as they were riden by people who should have had a flat bar bike but drop bars were cool at the time.)

Is this the modern 10 speed? Its cheap, fairly fast and will probably last a while. There is nothing indicating what the weight of these bikes is but even a gaspipe bike can be a nice and fast ride.


https://www.evanscycles.com/bobbin-b...utm_content=NF

romperrr 

I'm annoyed by modern bikes with modern parts not fabricated with full Cro-mo. If I'm going to spend over $500+ on a bike, I'm going to want the bike to be full Cro-mo. Yes, Hi-Ten bikes can give a nice ride, I'm looking at you Pugeout U-08, but at that price point, but it's not worth it.

Fahrenheit531 

Looks like a decent enough bike on first glance, especially if you're a fan of new.

I'd take issue with with "cheap" though. For the price of that bike I could pick up a top-tier vintage ride that'd be superior to this one in all respects. (Which is exactly what I'd do.)

ollo_ollo

Interesting they went with a compact (50/34) crank. Don

lostarchitect 

That's about $700. I wouldn't spend anywhere near that on a frame made partially with hi-ten. For a modern retro bike with a full chromoly frame & fork that costs less, you could look at a Raleigh Grand Sport. They list for $649.

OldsCOOL

I'd just go real retro. Forget the fad stuff. If you are going to spend 500-700clams on something that is modern but only mimmicks an era...stop by my shop and I'll fix ya up. This is why we do C&V

corrado33

Inferior parts and materials (even to classic bikes) at a much higher price point? Sounds like a fashion statement that I'm not going to buy into.

I can buy a top of the line classic late 80s early 90s bike with top of the line tubing and all Dura ace components for less than I can buy that bike. Why on earth would I buy that bike?

Kevindale

+1. For that money, you could buy a great SL/531/Prestige 1980s frame, and a good lightly-used road bike from 6-10 years ago, put the components and wheels on the frame (after cold-setting the rear), and have a super cool bike that is superior in all ways, with all the modern conveniences. Plus in a few years, your resale value would be much higher.

Pompiere

While I agree that any one of us could put together a better bike for less money, it will still be an old bike. Some people want to be able to pull out their credit card and buy a new bike. A new bike, even a low-end one, comes with a warranty and free adjustments. There may be better deals from other companies, but it doesn't look like a horrible price for what they have listed. The market will decide if it's priced is too high.

tara1234

Well yeah its overpriced but I find all new bikes seam to be overpriced cos they are new. I built my 531 for about £120.

Just wondered what people thought of stuff like this.

non-fixie 

High-tensile steel doesn't bother me, but that top tube is all askew! Not good!

Vintage Raleigh

I agree. Most of us here are of the get off my lawn gen. Our old bikes were new once and we bought (overpriced for the time) kids versions of tdf bikes offered by Peugeot Raleigh et al.

Lascauxcaveman 

Ehh, nothing wrong with that new bike. But nothing particularly right with it, either. There's a lot different going on, compared to an old classic. Simple tig welded frame, rather than one with elegant lugs. Slanted top tube. Cheap brifters instead of shifters on the downtube. Vee rims instead of box. Alien-vs-Predator-looking derailleurs. Totaling all this up, the bike doesn't* really say "vintage" to me.

And for £570.00 you can get a whole helluva lot 'right' in an actual old bike.

* Edit: thx to Mr Oxley (below)

non-fixie 

Had another look. Apart from the sloping TT here are a few other things that would bother me (fender line, cheap-looking chainrings, blackwall tires, dork disk), but those can be addressed fairly easily, and then it's probably not such a bad bike. It has a brother, BTW, that looks a little better IMO, the Scout:

Fahrenheit531 

FIFY

Japanamount

I paid just $300.00 for my mint-condition '91 Schwinn PDG 5. That got me a lugged, brazed, double-butted chro-moly frame made with Tange OS tubes and circa 1991 Shimano 105 kit.....


I'd have paid double what I did to get my butt on that bike, if that's what I had to do to make it mine. It punches the right "retro-grouch" buttons for me.


A bike built on a tig welded hi-ten steel frame with a sloping top tube?


Eh..... Not so much....

mstateglfr 

I love this forum, but this appears to be another time where many dont recognize orndpnt care that most cyclists arent like us.
Most dont want a project. Most dont want to puzzle together a bike. Most dont want to buy a used bike which they dont know how much work is needed or how to do the work thats needed.

I dont like the bike thats listed and wouldnt want to buy it.
But i recognize that its comparable to entry level road bikes in retail outlets. Claris shifting, metal fork (vs carbon), no name stem/seatpost/bars.
Pretty typical spec for a $700 road bike at retail.
There may be a group of buyers who cant afford more bike, but also want to buy new as they are new to the sport and like this look more than the sloping compact geometry.

Chombi

I guess they could not make up their minds whether to slope that top tube or not.....
If they were going to slope it don't do it had assed! If they were going to have it level, ....don't do it half assed too!

Lascauxcaveman 

Well this is the Classic & Vintage subforum. And the OP did ask us what we thought...

mountaindave 

In terms of getting someone into a new bike, that would check a lot of boxes for me. Not fair to compare this hi-ten to vintage hi-ten bikes, they are obviously cheaper. Apples to oranges. I would throw the largest skinwall tires I could on there and let it roll.

On the other hand, it's interesting that this bike has a very particular feel to it - very cyclotourist. That's a pretty narrow slice of cyclists who IMHO seem to know precisely what they want and would be perfectly willing to spend 200 quid on a Berthoud bag. Why spend 500 on an otherwise meh bike?

But back on the other hand, I am happy to see bike manufacturers producing solid, sensible bikes for the everyday rider. This bike has what 90% of riders need in a new bike. I think it might even last 15 years...

It needs fenders with better coverage.

The Raleigh Grand Prix would prolly get my vote over this bike, however, for the above posted reasons.

RiddleOfSteel

Being a car enthusiast, I will look at X car vs Y car, compare, and render a verdict often in favor of an older car. "It was the last of the _____." and all that. A new V6 Camaro or Challenger with an automatic will match or be very very close to my V8 20-year old Camaro with a manual. They will similar to better mileage, be quieter, safer, come with a warranty and thus an expected time range of "it won't break down on me." But I like my Camaro a ton because it's fast, it sounds fantastic, it has 'character', and it also cost 1/5 of the new stuff. We like a project, and I do too. But I come to understand more and more that others don't want that. They have their mental bandwidth filled with any number of other things. Heck, they'll have a hobby or a enthusiasm for something else that takes up their time and energy, like C&V is for us. I also understand that in the world of transportation, a quality car or bicycle is important. I am happy to not care as much about less critical things (aka a car to get to work should be reliable, no question). Restoring/maintaining old video game systems? Them not working doesn't impact work or health, even if them not working is a bummer. [I am making examples here, not belittling things, just so we all know]

This bike; while something I wouldn't buy because I already have a fleet, I like it, I like the colors (vs that one), the components, etc; is something I understand. For a good amount of money you get a straight up functional bike that is actually well-proportioned, pretty bullet-proof, made of a great material (steel!), will give a good ride, while also giving 90% of the C&V look without the hassle (to them) of building it and tuning it.

I like horizontal top tubes, but they did a good job with the angle on this one. That angle is mirrored by the stem/bar combo. And the canting-upward of the Claris shifters also matches the top tube angle. I believe there was a real 'bike guy' who set it up for the photo shoot, so kudos him (or her) for that...check that rear cable length from the handlebars though. Hrm...

Think about this: when this becomes used and is several years old, with much depreciation, guess what? It's a solid frame to build up!! 130mm axle, threaded headset, quill stem, all steel (cro-mo and hi-ten do give nice rides) that is much much newer with all those given benefits, vertical dropouts, standard reach brakes (I'd like short reach, but that's ok), rack/fender mounts, and other things. I really like the steel element because it's honest and it's proven. It's not high end thin race stuff, which means, to me, it has "pre-proved" itself for longevity. And that to me is a very good, respectable thing.

Not for me, but for thee, I give a:

mstateglfr 

Yeah, i recognize that part of my comment makes little sense based on audience.
As said though, even if i dont like it, i can still recognize it isnt a dumb idea. Many so far seem to not even allow themselves to compare it to what else is out there new at this price.
Not for me, but i could aee it being a good option based on spec and price.
I would go for one of the classic styled Raleigh bikes with the online discount at this price, but that wouldnt be retail location service which is what many buyers want.

NormanF

The bike sold by Evans is what is called an Audax bike in the UK. On this side of The Pond, its a classic sports touring bike.

Frame is probably full cro-mo, the stays and fork as expected are hi-ten.

Good value for the money and targeted to casual riders who want a bike to take rides around town, shop at the grocery store, etc.

At the price point, better than the old Varsinentals were.

79pmooney

$500 for a cr-mo main frame, hi-ten stays is, in real terms, the $300 bike 35 years ago with the same. Decent tubing for the price.

And UO-8s? Not remotely high tensile steel. Mine took on a new shape every time I crashed it, no matter how gently. Maybe the newer ones went ot better steel. Mine was '67.)

Ben

Loose Chain

Is there some law against having a level top tube and rim brakes?

J