Starting to think about changing over

[brycerider]

Currently on a 2015 Cervelo S5 running Di2 and some Black Inc 50 wheels. Have a set of 404 tubs for racing.

Not doing the race thing anymore and my riding is pretty much all on chip seal country roads with plenty of hills. My local loop gets you around 800m in elevation over 50kms. also have access to a load of gravel options.

So do I go with a forever frame like a titanium Baum or Mosaic or perhaps stay carbon and get something a little more suited to the geography like a BMC Roadmachine or a Canyon Endurance or even an R5? Would like to go Disc as there are some fairly solid descents which scare me a little on carbon rims.

Group set wise it will either be Di2 or eTap.

Overall I am looking for something where I can get to a fairly race position as per the S5, snappy with the power output but a little more comfy through the back end. Has to be good to ride on longer hills rides on chipseal.

My previous rides have been a 2012 S5, Tarmac SL3 and a System Six. So I guess they have all been pretty firm.

Suggestions welcome that I havent thought of.

[VTR1000SP2]

I’d suggest a Tarmac SL6 Disc


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[spdntrxi]

Open UPPER

[alcatraz]

Trek Domane disc slr?

[AJS914]

I just moved to a place with chip sealed country roads. I really wish I could run at least 25mm GP4000s on wider rims (which would be almost 30mm in total). So my recommendation would be whatever frame could accomodate modern wide rims plus the appropriate tires.

[wheelsONfire]

All BMC models have a longer trail. So they should be more stable. If you like the quickest steering, perhaps not BMC.
But it seems Roadmachine could be something (top end is almost twice the price of a Canyon though!)
Open UP won't be the fastest of the bunch, it's still a gravel bike.
UPPER is really expensive for a gravel frameset.
All UP models and 3T Exploro handle nothing larger than 50T big.
You also have 3T Strada Due.

[brycerider]

Yes BMC are very expensive. A custom titanium would be the same. I will check out the SL6 disc and the Emonda as well

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[wheelsONfire]

Atleast with BMC framekits Scott Foil, aswell as Factor, you get both stem and handlebar.
But again, so you get with Canyon.

[wolfesquire]

Pending on your geometry needs, I would also recommend the Tarmac disc. Titanium is great, but if you go titanium I would suggest going custom.

[morganb]

I third the Tarmac, you can fit plenty of tire in there to make the ride comfy, its got a touch of aero and rides smooth.

[Flapmeat]

I went from an S5 to a second hand Serotta Legend Ti ST and never looked back. Not once.

[brycerider]

Thanks for the suggestions. A 56cm in the Tarmac and the Cervelo fit me well. As for custom it would be more about tweaking the ride rather than the fit. I do like the SL6 and put in 48,000k on the SL3. Canyon looks like the value buy. On the other hand a custom titanium will be a forever frame

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[Lewn777]

If you have really rough roads and want to do gravel how about getting something that can run 28mm or even 32mm tires? 800m meters over 50km is pretty hilly so I reckon you should stay carbon for weight and rim brake for lightness and being Australia probably fairly dry depending on region, so disk would be a waste of weight. I've ridden two different SL5s and done over 1000kms, great bike but I don't think it has much over any similar bike by any other manufacturer.

I think steel and Alloy are more like 'forever' bikes that Titanium as ti has a reputation for the welds failing at a similar rate to carbon fiber cracking (but not sure how true this is).

[Bigger Gear]

If you can let go of your race mindset, have a look at something like a Speedvagen Rugged Road, Mosaic RT-1 or Breadwinner B-Road. I have the latter and ride a ton of chipseal roads on it. Steel frame, carbon fork, disc brakes, room for 700x40 for more gnarly terrain. I mostly roll with Compass Stampede Pass 700x32 and they are superb on the chipseal and relatively smooth and non-technical gravel. Between those tires, the relaxed geometry, and the steel tubing this bikes rides like a dream. It's not light, I've never weighed it. I've let go of trying to always ride fast and on this bike I can still roll out in rolling terrain just fine and if I climb anything longer or steeper I just go slower.

Edit. Just saw you are from Australia. How about breaking the bank and getting a Baum Orbis! Or the Prova Molti looks pretty sweet too.

[brycerider]

Yes the Baum Orbis and its straight tube cousin the Code are on my list. Be a long wait though. My LBS sell Mosaic which have a lot shorter delivery timeframe. I will need to take one for a test ride.

As for the weather I live in a hilly relatively wet area. There is one mountain of 1500m and 10% grades are fairly common. Keen on discs as a couple of these are too steep to ride down on rim brakes.