Neil Pryde - potential bike purchase, some advice needed...
Discussion
I'm looking at potentially purchasing either a Neil Pryde Zephyr or Bura SL. I've had a Giant Defy 1 Composite since the end of November and have covered around 2500 miles on it, from 20 mile blasts, 200K sportives to a recent Ironman 70.3.
I now want something a bit different, something a bit different from the mainstream stuff. Ideally lightweight too, comfortable, stiff, etc. And aesthetically good too.
The only other thing in the sub £3K bracket which appeals is Aargon 18.
I visited the closest dealer, had a chat and he sent me on the below detail. Based on his response, what would you recommend and what are your thoughts overall? He seems to reckon going for a frame set so that he can cut the steerer to match is the best route, but my only reservation is the cost between a frame set and a complete bike is negligible.
As I am sure you are aware navigating your way around a new
bike purchase can be a very confusing affair, often I would strongly
reccomend firming up your fit prior to this so that a good geomtry
and size can be matched up to your dimensions.
You have said that your current fit appears to be working well for
you and this would form the basis for me to asses the correct style
of bike for you.
Your current bike is a Giant Defy Composite 1 ML size, I have done
some research on the bikes geometry and these are the main
deciding factors to take into account:
Horizontal top tube 560mm
Seat tube angle 73
Head tube angle 72.5
Head tube length 185mm
Often it is easy to simply look at top tube dimensions to
give you the rough sizing comparison to another manufacturers
bike but this is quite a confusing task as this measurement
can be manipulated based upon the angles that either end of
the tube is attached to.
Your saddle position is always the most important on the bike
as this is where you will generate the most amount of performance
on the bike, the reach to the bars is manipualted based upon your
flexibility but ultimately the saddle must be in the correct place to
allow for good support of your pelvis.
As the seattube angle (measured from the seattube onto a imaginary
horizontal line across the two hubs) is not on a vertical plain each time
that the saddle is raised this makes the saddle get further away from
the bars, bringing the saddle forward doesn't always make you closer
to the bars as this also requires a higher front end as your body will
always try and stabilise itself.
If your current position is good whether forward or back on the saddle
this would require the seattube angle to be the same as the Giant
to get the saddle in the same position if at the same height, is the
angle of your new bike is steeper or slacker than your current one
by the time the saddle is either pushed forward or back to get to the
same position behind the cranks that you already have then this can
have a huge bearing on the actual top tube reach of the bike.
If a bike proves to be to long this can be corrected with a stem swap
as has been done with yours (10mm was mentioned) this is a good
way to control the reach but depending on the headtube angle this
based with the height of the bar can also have a huge bearing on
the reach of the bike.
I am always very midful of the headtube angle as this hugely effects
the handling characteristics of the bike, a shallow headtube angle
puts your weight further behind the front wheel and stabilises the
steering so it is possible to have a shorter stem without any real
effect on the handling, a steep heattube keeps your weight forward
and tends to make the wheelbase shorter to make the bike super
nimble, if to short a stem is mounted it can make the steering to
responsive and twitchy.
How is all this relevant and what does it mean for you?
Your current bike is a sportive bike with a very tall headtube and
this will massively effect the scope of bikes that you can go for 'off
the peg', when a bike is purchased in this manner the steerer tube
of the fork tends to be cut with a few spacers underneath the stem,
you may require more height from the front end based upon the
models that you look at so a frame option may need to be considered
to get the dimensions spot on.
Neilpryde Bura SL Large:
Horizontal top tube 560mm
Seat tube angle 73
Head tube angle 73
Head tube length 160mm
As you can see the headtube is a lot more aggressive and the
headtube is also shorter, this shifting of your weight further forward
is required to stabilise the bike as it has a 20mm shorter wheelbase
than the Giant also, this will effect how short the stem is that we place
onto the bike.
Also if you have a few spacers underneath the stem to gain the same
height at the front end this will require a frameset to be applied which
will give you more options on the build but could increase the build
price a little depending on your specification.
The Zephyr for comparison is:
Horizontal top tube 555mm
Seat tube angle 73
Head tube angle 72
Head tube length 175mm
Whilst the headtube is 10mm shorter the angle is also slacker and
this combined with the shorter toptube would allow you to run a longer
stem than on the ginat with still the same amount of length from saddle
to bars, this would improve the handling of the bike for sportives.
My current demo bikes are mediums but I propose speaking to my
rep and seeing if we can come up with something in your size to ride
or I can simply send you out on one of my bikes albeit with a longer
stem mounted to purely get a feel for the frame.
As I mentioned before there is an offer on with the Neilpryde's until
the end of this month of 20% OFF the RRP, this would make the
differant models come in at the following prices:
Bura SL frameset £2160
Bura SL Ultegra £2880
Zephyr frameset £1600
Zephyr Ultegra £2320
These are for the base level builds and some of the componentry I
think would be better suited if you are wanting to build a really nice
specced bike fit for purpose.
Please note that these prices are from Neilpryde and there is always
something I can work out for you if you have an idea of which direction
you would like to go with on the build up.
Hopefully this has covered all of the bases but please do not hesitate
to contact me should you wish to discuss anything any further or to
book yourself in for some time with me and the bike.
I now want something a bit different, something a bit different from the mainstream stuff. Ideally lightweight too, comfortable, stiff, etc. And aesthetically good too.
The only other thing in the sub £3K bracket which appeals is Aargon 18.
I visited the closest dealer, had a chat and he sent me on the below detail. Based on his response, what would you recommend and what are your thoughts overall? He seems to reckon going for a frame set so that he can cut the steerer to match is the best route, but my only reservation is the cost between a frame set and a complete bike is negligible.
As I am sure you are aware navigating your way around a new
bike purchase can be a very confusing affair, often I would strongly
reccomend firming up your fit prior to this so that a good geomtry
and size can be matched up to your dimensions.
You have said that your current fit appears to be working well for
you and this would form the basis for me to asses the correct style
of bike for you.
Your current bike is a Giant Defy Composite 1 ML size, I have done
some research on the bikes geometry and these are the main
deciding factors to take into account:
Horizontal top tube 560mm
Seat tube angle 73
Head tube angle 72.5
Head tube length 185mm
Often it is easy to simply look at top tube dimensions to
give you the rough sizing comparison to another manufacturers
bike but this is quite a confusing task as this measurement
can be manipulated based upon the angles that either end of
the tube is attached to.
Your saddle position is always the most important on the bike
as this is where you will generate the most amount of performance
on the bike, the reach to the bars is manipualted based upon your
flexibility but ultimately the saddle must be in the correct place to
allow for good support of your pelvis.
As the seattube angle (measured from the seattube onto a imaginary
horizontal line across the two hubs) is not on a vertical plain each time
that the saddle is raised this makes the saddle get further away from
the bars, bringing the saddle forward doesn't always make you closer
to the bars as this also requires a higher front end as your body will
always try and stabilise itself.
If your current position is good whether forward or back on the saddle
this would require the seattube angle to be the same as the Giant
to get the saddle in the same position if at the same height, is the
angle of your new bike is steeper or slacker than your current one
by the time the saddle is either pushed forward or back to get to the
same position behind the cranks that you already have then this can
have a huge bearing on the actual top tube reach of the bike.
If a bike proves to be to long this can be corrected with a stem swap
as has been done with yours (10mm was mentioned) this is a good
way to control the reach but depending on the headtube angle this
based with the height of the bar can also have a huge bearing on
the reach of the bike.
I am always very midful of the headtube angle as this hugely effects
the handling characteristics of the bike, a shallow headtube angle
puts your weight further behind the front wheel and stabilises the
steering so it is possible to have a shorter stem without any real
effect on the handling, a steep heattube keeps your weight forward
and tends to make the wheelbase shorter to make the bike super
nimble, if to short a stem is mounted it can make the steering to
responsive and twitchy.
How is all this relevant and what does it mean for you?
Your current bike is a sportive bike with a very tall headtube and
this will massively effect the scope of bikes that you can go for 'off
the peg', when a bike is purchased in this manner the steerer tube
of the fork tends to be cut with a few spacers underneath the stem,
you may require more height from the front end based upon the
models that you look at so a frame option may need to be considered
to get the dimensions spot on.
Neilpryde Bura SL Large:
Horizontal top tube 560mm
Seat tube angle 73
Head tube angle 73
Head tube length 160mm
As you can see the headtube is a lot more aggressive and the
headtube is also shorter, this shifting of your weight further forward
is required to stabilise the bike as it has a 20mm shorter wheelbase
than the Giant also, this will effect how short the stem is that we place
onto the bike.
Also if you have a few spacers underneath the stem to gain the same
height at the front end this will require a frameset to be applied which
will give you more options on the build but could increase the build
price a little depending on your specification.
The Zephyr for comparison is:
Horizontal top tube 555mm
Seat tube angle 73
Head tube angle 72
Head tube length 175mm
Whilst the headtube is 10mm shorter the angle is also slacker and
this combined with the shorter toptube would allow you to run a longer
stem than on the ginat with still the same amount of length from saddle
to bars, this would improve the handling of the bike for sportives.
My current demo bikes are mediums but I propose speaking to my
rep and seeing if we can come up with something in your size to ride
or I can simply send you out on one of my bikes albeit with a longer
stem mounted to purely get a feel for the frame.
As I mentioned before there is an offer on with the Neilpryde's until
the end of this month of 20% OFF the RRP, this would make the
differant models come in at the following prices:
Bura SL frameset £2160
Bura SL Ultegra £2880
Zephyr frameset £1600
Zephyr Ultegra £2320
These are for the base level builds and some of the componentry I
think would be better suited if you are wanting to build a really nice
specced bike fit for purpose.
Please note that these prices are from Neilpryde and there is always
something I can work out for you if you have an idea of which direction
you would like to go with on the build up.
Hopefully this has covered all of the bases but please do not hesitate
to contact me should you wish to discuss anything any further or to
book yourself in for some time with me and the bike.
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