I have a several years old Specialized carbon Diverge and while I love it, I would like to get a new bike. Something all-road or endurance geometry. The one thing that everything I look at seems to have is that bloody internal headset routing. While I’m not a mechanic and have no intention of working on my own stuff, I have grown to dislike the complications this design introduces into the frame and dealing with anything with the cockpit. Proprietary shit like weird seatpost shapes and cockpit parts are also something like I’d like to avoid.
I work for a independent shop that sells Specialized, Giant, Cannondale, Cervelo and smaller brands like Mosaic. I can’t afford a custom frame, and usually ride a 54/56. Carbon, aluminum, ti, all materials will be considered!
BMC Roadmachine - maybe. It has endurance geometry, and the lower-spec frames (not the "01”) have ports on the downtube for both a brake hose and mechanical shifting. Up until 2024, those bikes also came with external-to-the-headset routing into those ports from the factory. I think the 2024 update went to through-the-headset routing on all levels, but the ports are still there to undo that (again only on the lower level frames). It does have a D-shaped seatpost though. I bought the 2023 “THREE” level partially because it did not use through-the-headset routing and had a standard two-piece stem and handlebar.
Yeah, but then I was going down a route of looking away from the big brands, who are not playing the arms race of adoptiong every new thing.
Looked at all the Ti brands, lots of the steel specialists like fairlight, mason even stinner and blackheart in the US.
Criteria was a go anywhere /do anything bike that would take a 40mm tyre or a 35 with guards, dynamo routing, main frame internal routing, rack mounts and braze ons etc.
Ended up with a lovely Meteor Works Aesir, small batch steel rather than full custom. Mix of 853, Columbus and dead, right mix of utility, forward looking stuff like a t47 bb, but also traditional nods
My advice would be to go and work out what you want and take your time over your decision…
Fairlight’s Strael might be just the thing. Rave reviews for this allroad bike. No internal routing options. If I hadn’t already started a custom build with my local mechanic I would have gone that route.
I’ve done a lot of road riding on mine and it never disappoints. If anything, it’s made me realize that having more stack, compliance, and low end gearing is pretty damn fast.
I also had a ‘21 S-Works Diverge and the Crux is much more engaging to ride on the road, and only just slightly more stiff in its ride quality.
The Niner RLT 9 RDO would fit that criteria pretty well. I’ve ridden several flavors of the RLT series (both steel and carbon) and they are fantastic all-road/fast gravel bikes. I’m now on their ORE 9 RDO, but that geometry is geared much more toward rough gravel/light singletrack.
I have a 2024 Allied Echo. I’ll spare you all the details (you can look ‘em up on Allied’s website) but it’s a very handsome and smooth-riding machine. Not the lightest, most aero, but fun on the road (and gravel tho limited to somewhat narrower rubber ie 35-40mm). The Allied folks have a cool-looking stem that hides the cables. I started with it but after watching a mechanic have to work on it, I called Allied and switched it out to more typical stem with cables showing. I prefer it and if I wanted a “cleaner” look I would consider the new Cane Creek stem, which is just cosmetic - hides cables a bit but without the faff for the mechs. Good luck!
For 31 years and still going, of our bicycles have had:
• 1-inch threaded headsets
• visible cables
• quick-release hubs
• steel frames and forks
• rim brakes
• almost all lugged
• clearance for 32mm tires minimum (for the last 20 years, clearance for 35mm+
• 95 percent continue to be build with friction shifting
• wheels are spoked, 32H or 36H or a mix.
I realize this makes us seem behind the times. Our path or whatever it may be is not for everybody, and isn’t a critricism of others who do things differently. But it is not “retro” or “old school” or “classic” for the sake of creating a niche, or to appeal to stylists. These bikes are simple to ride, comfortable, easy to work on, reliable, and long-lasting. We are not big (eleven employees). We don’t advertise. We sell about 1,600 bicycles a year, pay our team way more than industry average, and are profitable. All this with bicycles that, on the surface, are obsolete. Bicycles can be anything you want them to be, and the “bicycle platform” lends itself to endless styles and approaches. I wish good luck to every bicycle business–manufacturer, distributor, wholesaler, retailer. It is rough out there, for sure.
Reach out to your nicest local frame builder and see what they can make for you.
You’ll end up with something that won’t have any planned obsolescence, won’t be 17% lighter and 37% stiffer than the previous model, will be built specifically for you, and you will never need to replace.
My wet roads/salty roads bike is a stock Habanero Cross/Gravel. Titanium, thru axle disc, external cable routing. Bosses for rack and fenders (mine wears both year round), and will accept up to 700Cx45 tires. What I like in particular is that the front end geometry isn’t all slacked out like modern gravel bikes - my Medium frame (55cm ETT) has a 72 degree head angle. With a Columbus flip chip disc fork with a 52mm rake it has 58mm of trail with a 700Cx32 tire, so it handles like a road bike but is comfortable on dirt roads too.
