recommend an alloy frameset

[robertbb]

Canyon used to make the Ultimate in AL SLX version, but with sloped TT, and not especially short at the HT.

I have one of these as my Winter bike (Chorus 11 and Zonda C17's). Like the BMC, you get the top-of-the-line fork. Anyway, it's sublime... wicked bike... no idea why Canyon stopped making it. I wonder if a newer model is on the way?

[Lewn777]

I like my Fuji Roubaix Elite @ 1150 grams in a Med/54 but it has a PF30BB

Next up I would go with Ridley Helium SLA 1200 grams & BSA BB

https://www.ridley-bikes.com/product/helium-sla/

https://ridleybikes-ridley2.netdna-ssl. ... t_2017.pdf

You can buy direct from distributor if your in the USA

Frame & fork retails around $8-850

Good job!
The Ridley Helium SLA meets my requirements, I think.

[Lewn777]

specialized allez sprint.

I was going to say ‘no way this has a pressfit BB’ but then saw this was in fact a BSA BB.

[flying]

Good job!
The Ridley Helium SLA meets my requirements, I think.

If I were buying a Alum frame today I would go for that as the Fuji is no longer available as frame only
Also Ridley does a nice entry on their cables up front & overall frame looks great

Also on the sizing I like the numbers

[spartacus]

Kinesis Racelight seems to check all the boxes.

https://www.merlincycles.com/en-us/kine ... 05157.html

Fails my requirments on seapost size. I have no clue why any engineer would use a standard MTB size on a road bike. In my experience this makes the bike less comfortable on rough roads. Even if it didn't, I already own 5 standard size carbon posts.

Just use an adapter and run a 27.2 seatpost. I do that on my bianchi and have had 0 issues.

[Lewn777]

Kinesis Racelight seems to check all the boxes.

https://www.merlincycles.com/en-us/kine ... 05157.html

Fails my requirments on seapost size. I have no clue why any engineer would use a standard MTB size on a road bike. In my experience this makes the bike less comfortable on rough roads. Even if it didn't, I already own 5 standard size carbon posts.

Just use an adapter and run a 27.2 seatpost. I do that on my bianchi and have had 0 issues.

I've used adaptors many times on MTB's. The best solution IMHO is simply to buy a frame with your chosen preferred seat post size. Seems to be a small reason to not buy a frame, but there's enough choice.

[Lewn777]

Love the CAAD12, hate the BB30. I like to change the bearings every 10000kms. For me that's 6 months. For the cheap prices you can get Dura Ace or SRAM BSA BB's and the 5 minute ease of installation the BB30 is a deal-breaker. Also things like the Praxis BB don't really solve the problem. I simply don't want to work with, or buy a bearing press.

Specialzed Allez Sprint is too race focused and harsh for some of my local rough concrete roads. The regular Allez versions seem too entry level and not race focussed enough.

[happyon2wheels]

The Ridley Helium Sla is really a great frame. I have a size medium built with Ultegra/DuraAce and Caden clinchers, which come in at 6,95 kg complete. It is super fast and really stiff and is just a blast to ride. I also have a carbon Fenix SL at about twice the price but the Helium is still my favorite for my typical riding.

The Helium is made for BSA bb and standard 27,2mm seatpost, so nothing weird proprietary to cater for. The hydroformed tubing doesn't show on pictures, but except for the seatpost all tubes have been shaped and tweaked, which I think looks smashing.

[DJT21]

Love the CAAD12, hate the BB30. I like to change the bearings every 10000kms. For me that's 6 months. For the cheap prices you can get Dura Ace or SRAM BSA BB's and the 5 minute ease of installation the BB30 is a deal-breaker. Also things like the Praxis BB don't really solve the problem. I simply don't want to work with, or buy a bearing press.

Specialzed Allez Sprint is too race focused and harsh for some of my local rough concrete roads. The regular Allez versions seem too entry level and not race focussed enough.

Just buy one of those threaded FSA BB30 adapters? I fitted one to my Cannondale and I can now use normal threaded BBs

[rollinslow]

Canyon used to make the Ultimate in AL SLX version, but with sloped TT, and not especially short at the HT.

I have one of these as my Winter bike (Chorus 11 and Zonda C17's). Like the BMC, you get the top-of-the-line fork. Anyway, it's sublime... wicked bike... no idea why Canyon stopped making it. I wonder if a newer model is on the way?

Yeah, awesome winter build. I bet the cost for Alu and manufacture was more than carbon in their pipeline.

[robertbb]

Canyon used to make the Ultimate in AL SLX version, but with sloped TT, and not especially short at the HT.

I have one of these as my Winter bike (Chorus 11 and Zonda C17's). Like the BMC, you get the top-of-the-line fork. Anyway, it's sublime... wicked bike... no idea why Canyon stopped making it. I wonder if a newer model is on the way?

Yeah, awesome winter build. I bet the cost for Alu and manufacture was more than carbon in their pipeline.

Perhaps. But you'd think that they'd want to have an alloy road bike to compete with the other big-names: Allez Sprint, Emonda ALR, CAAD 13, TCR ALR, Helium SLA, Team Machine ALR............

[HeluvaSkier]

While it fails some of the original requirements, the Giant TCR SLR is worth a very serious look. They are rare to find with an OD2 full carbon fork (usually only in international [Asia] markets)... but if you can find one, few aluminum bikes will rival this one, and you're unlikely to ever see another OD2 version in Europe or the U.S. I have the pre-internal cable routing version, which I sourced in Taiwan, and it is an impressive bike in all respects, including the fact that it is strikingly comfortable to ride.

An interesting fact regarding the stiffness is that the year I bought mine (2013 maybe), Giant published the stiffness number of their frames... The regular OD (not the OD2 version) nearly rivaled the TCR Advanced SL in head tube stiffness and exceeded the TCR Advanced SL in BB stiffness. Not surprisingly, Giant never publicized the OD2 version of the SLR frame stiffness vs. their flagship Advanced SL... Sadly, this frame has all-but disappeared from the Giant line-up in favor of carbon, making it somewhat of a unicorn in the world of aluminum frames.

With 40mm carbon tubulars, SRAM Force and no exotic components, I have mine at 6.69kg.

Other aluminum bikes I've owned or own include: Kinesis Racelight Aithien (solid, but choose the seatpost wisely... not compliant), Velocite Selene (unpleasant to ride), Prolight Carrara (smooth ride, but heavy), Kinesis Racelight T3 (has much in common with a boat anchor)

https://www.giant-bicycles.com/int/tcr-slr-2-2019

[Bigger Gear]

If we exclude the "sponsoring pros in grand tours" how about something from Vynl Bikes. They tick all the other boxes, simple design, threaded BB, race geometry. Perfect if you want to run a mechical group. Heck, they even sponsor the Clif Bar Racing team that rides the USA Crits series, so they are race worthy. And the head welder Frank Wadelton has been building lightweight alloy frames for a LONG time, and has probably welded more alloy bike frames than anyone else in the industry.

vynlbikes.com

[robertbb]

While it fails some of the original requirements, the Giant TCR SLR is worth a very serious look.

Giant's ALUXX SLR aluminium is as good as it gets. I looked long and hard at these but the main drawback for me was the proprietary "aero" seatpost.

Speaking of Giant aluminium framesets, I actually looked around for over a year to pick up a Giant Cross City 1 from 2012. That year's cross city used their top-of-the line aluminium along with a full carbon fork, has threaded BB and v-brakes, a 27.2 seatpost, rack and fender mounts. Plus it'll comfortably accomodate ~45mm tyres. They down-specced it the following years (lower grade alloy, and alloy steerer). It's a real gem if you can find one. I'm in the process of turning it into a 1x gravel/commute bike with fenders etc. - it's a super impressive frame. Eventually located and pounced on one for AU$400 (US$272) on gumtree in absolutely mint condition with a 10sp 105 flatbar groupset (which I'm transplanting onto my g/f's bike)

https://www.giant-bicycles.com/au/cross-city-1-2012

[Lewn777]

Love the CAAD12, hate the BB30. I like to change the bearings every 10000kms. For me that's 6 months. For the cheap prices you can get Dura Ace or SRAM BSA BB's and the 5 minute ease of installation the BB30 is a deal-breaker. Also things like the Praxis BB don't really solve the problem. I simply don't want to work with, or buy a bearing press.

Specialzed Allez Sprint is too race focused and harsh for some of my local rough concrete roads. The regular Allez versions seem too entry level and not race focussed enough.

Just buy one of those threaded FSA BB30 adapters? I fitted one to my Cannondale and I can now use normal threaded BBs

This is a great idea for my carbon Kuota BB30 frame that has had many new BBs and creaks like hell, an FSA converter might just rescue it from being scrapped, so thank you, great suggestion.

However for a new bike it's a horrible idea, a band-aid for a poor engineering choice. I want a threaded BB because I just want to cheaply and easily change the BB once every 10,000kms (6 months). Going to a shop or buying tools is and stressing over pressfit BB's not what I want, when changing a threaded BB is a five minute job. If I thought a,pressfit BB would improve my bike I might be interested, but the only advantage I can see is a 40-50 gram weight saving in return for headaches.