On the same subject, the water-collecting cable curve by the bottom bracket shell will need to be regularly cleaned and lubricated too.
#Weekender b icycle full#
Avid's BB5 cable pull disc brakes are reliable, easy to set up and powerfully efficient with good modulation, but experience tells us that in typically wet UK conditions a full outer cable to the rear brake will keep it running maintenance free for a lot longer. The test wheels were a 36 spoke build (although the spec' list says 32) with tough tall walled rims and decent quality hubs keeping the emphasis on durability. There's lots of room around the 37mm Continental Contact tyres, which again emphasise the toughness theme of the Weekender by having a puncture strip built in. The frame and fork are nicely built from double butted chromoly steel with emphasis on keeping the structure durable rather than especially light. Our complete test bike tipped the scales at a very reasonable 11.99 Kg (25.9lb), without pedals, but the BMX style flat resin pedals are supplied. As it stands, the simple single shifter SRAM X5 1 by 9 set up is fine for all but very hilly use. The geometry would be well suited to that. It comes with down tube cable guides for a front mech, as well as eyelets for front and rear racks and mudguards, so a shopping hauling or full touring bike set-up would be possible.
Handlebar shapes are a great purveyor of attitude.Ī 44 tooth chainring and 11 to 34 cassette are fine for most suburban duties but you'll probably be looking to fit a double or triple up front if you decide to use the full adaptability of the frame. Fitting a flat bar sorted that, but a swept back bar like the Archer is a refreshing reminder that you don't always need to be in a rush. Fairdale say it 'could be a legitimate replacement for a car, a weekend getaway machine or just a fun bike to ride around.' The swept back Fairdale Archer handlebar shape certainly emphasis cruiser style fun and it initially feels pretty good but its limits are soon reached on longer rides, with climbing in particular being a fairly laboured and slightly cramped affair. The Weekender is their notion of the ideal utilitarian all-rounder. They focus on practical utility bikes designed to be tough, adaptable and a lot of fun to ride.
#Weekender b icycle pro#
It was started by BMX pro rider Taj Mihelich in cooperation with Odyssey BMX. Take a look at Fairdale's US web site to see other build options, including dropped bars.įairdale Bikes is a small company from Austin, Texas, USA. For a start, most riders prefer the way it feels when fitted with a standard flat handlebar. So perhaps the heart of the Weekender lies somewhere else. Sad but true: the classic British city cyclist's dichotomy, a great urban bike as long as you don't want to leave it parked somewhere. Even good looking £300 urban bikes need at least £50 of lock wrapped around them when parked out of your view. Well, that's certainly the case in Bristol. The problem is that, like so many other bikes that slot into the desirable urban workhorse category, it's a bit too good to leave casually parked around town. It's totally up to date in terms of build quality and componentry and first impressions are that it looks and feels like the sort of bike that would theoretically suit almost anyone who just wants a bike for pootling around town and country without a care in the world. Is it a cruiser? A hybrid? A casual town bike? Well, it can be a mix of those three and, with a different componentry mix, it can also be a pretty decent load hauling touring bike.
The complete bike tested here comes only in black and orange.Īlmost everyone who rode the Fairdale liked it, but most of them also asked what it exactly it was for. both available in Kelly green or black and green. Obviously the handlebar can easily be changed, and the best news is that the frame and fork are available separately. It draws attention away from the fact that the frame and fork are a great platform on which you could base the build of almost any bike type. The strongly built 700c wheels, 38mm fast rolling tyres, the single chainring, nine well spaced gears and cable disc brakes all enhance a tough and nicely built steel frame and fork, but the swept back handlebar is a touch that not everyone will appreciate. In theory, the Fairdale Weekender looks and feels like an eminently adaptable urban workhorse.
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