Dheorl

Why do you feel the Ritchey is that much better? Even the Ti version seems to have some carbon elements to the frame.

I wonder if seeing as I'm having it custom made I could take a leaf from the Ritchey and use the seat post instead of one of the couplers. Seems to work quite well and might save me some weight.

andr0id

I have S&S couplers on my road bike. Since it is a larger frame size (59cm), I have to take off the crank and remove the fork as well as the standard dis-assembly. If you're going to travel with an S&S coupled bike, some mechanical skills are definitely a necessity.

I would say you can just take tools and remove the rotors for shipping and then put them back on.

If you go with everything cable actuated, then the standard cable splitters will be fine. I don't know about hydraulic line splitters, but I would think they should exist.

ETA: Ah they seem to exist. See
https://www.bikerumor.com/2013/03/04/...ect-speedlock/

anotherbrian

Current CX Breakaway is all Ti (excluding the carbon fork ... but you could replace that with a disc fork [it's a 1.125" straight steerer though]).

Read the following for a builders perspective on mixing a Ritchey-style seat clamp with S&S down tube. Waltworks was where I had my 29er made, apparently in 2007.

Waltworks Bicycles: John - Done!

Ritchey style is much easier to assemble, requires no special tools, weighs less/takes up less room, and you don't need to worry about keeping the threads clean. While I hadn't thought about it before I read the above, the Ritchey does come with the potential risk of the downtube coupler breaking ... but in the ~8 years I've had the Breakaway nothing would suggest that would happen.

Dheorl

Thanks! I'd written off the possibility so quickly it never even occurred to me that something along those lines might exist. I wonder how hard it is to fit them to the shimano hydraulic STI levers. I guess hydro discs might be back on the menu.

Dheorl

Do you have a link for the Ritchey? I'm not sure if I'm getting different sites being in the UK but I'm struggling to find an all Ti version, only ones with carbon seat stays.

Thanks for the link as well, much appreciated. Might go for the Ritchey style seat-tube whatever I decide for the down-tube. I think it looks neater and the weight saving will be appreciated. It's one of the reasons I'm going Ti over steel after all.

pdedes

save your pennies, you want this

Dheorl

I have given some of the American brands a look, but if I'm going to get a custom bike to "keep for life" I quite like the idea of visiting the factory and shaking the hand of the guy who's building it. Also they don't seem to do a Ti disc version and it doesn't look like it would be any cheaper, especially once I pay extra for a custom paint job and stuff.

Thanks for looking though.

pdedes

that was a ti disc bike.

pdedes

Seven Cycles | Airheart SL

Dheorl

Sorry, I went to look on the Seven site for it and accidentally skipped past it. It looks like it would still end up being more expensive than the UK company I'm hoping to use though.

njkayaker

That makes it cheaper too. It's possible that the bag would work better for the OP (if he's not on an airplane).

merlinextraligh

IMHO, having used cable actuated, and hydraulic disc brakes, I would not spec a bike with cable actuated disc brakes.

They don't offer a significant advantage over Rim brakes and have significant negatives.

For me hydraulic if you really need discs, or no discs at all

anotherbrian

Break-Away® Ti Cross Frame | Ritchey

rpenmanparker 

Ritcheys are in both steel and Ti.

rpenmanparker 

Ritchey's Ti does have CF stays and fork.

rpenmanparker 

The Ritchey's ride is sublime Both clamps are very elegant.

Dheorl

From what I gather if I have all Ti it will be easier to repaint/modify/fix at a later date if I want to. I'm planning on having this bike for a long, long time.

It would be nice if I could get an off the peg bike that does this; I'm hardly rolling in money. I might see if I can get the top linkage like the Ritchey as I say, it does look quite neat. From what I've read about other Ti bikes from the manufacturers I'm considering they all reportedly have a very nice ride.

Thanks for your help

njkayaker

The Ti Ritchie bike is very road oriented (it might not have room for fenders).

You want a magic bike (something inexpensive, raceable, fenderable, packable, with disk brakes). What you want isn't realistic. Unless you can spend $7000 or so.

If you aren't rolling in money, you should have indicated your budget at the start.

Your best option is the steel Ritchie break-away cross bike and stuff the other unreasonable wants.

Dheorl

I think you misunderstood me. I'm not saying I'm not willing to spend the money if I have to, I'm just saying that if there was an off the shelf bike that could do it I sure wouldn't complain.

The raceable requirement is never going to be at a high level, just the occasional weekend time-trial or a bit of a laugh at a hillclimb race.

njkayaker

You have too many demands for an "off the shelf" bike.

You either have to go custom or reduce your demands. I'm not sure if hydrolic (you did not ask for that) is even possible for custom.

Carver bikes might be another option (cheap semi custom that use S&S clone couplers).

About what people are expecting.

rpenmanparker 

On my road Breakaway I had a hard time keeping the downtube clamp and flanges from rusting since they are not painted. It takes a lot of attention with frequent disassembly and greasing. I wish Ritchey would provide (even for extra cost) the clamp made out of high-strength stainless steel.

Dheorl

I thought I specified I was looking at custom bikes at some point. Apologies if I imagined that.

People started recommending off the shelf bikes, and so far the Seven has been close but not exactly what I'm after and expensive enough I may as well just go custom. It has still been helpful though and has shown me some other interesting methods of splitting bikes which I am going to enquire about with various builders.

The initial question was just about whether the feel of road discs would be effected by a cable splitter. This was answered fairly early on but the replies since then have largely been helpful. I don't however appreciate the rather hostile tone I feel I'm starting to receive just because I know what I want and am willing to pay for it.

Dheorl

If you don't mind me asking which cable actuated ones have you used? From what I've heard in reviews the TRP ones are fairly well regarded. The formula speedlock might reopen the possibility of hydro-brakes on a splitting frame though.

pdedes

seven is available in a signature size and custom programme

Dheorl

If I'm paying for a custom I'd rather be able to go and chat to the people in person, see the workshop, look at paints etc. Being in the UK that would be tricky with Seven. Thanks for the info though.