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1:32 pm
28/01/2007
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Haven't ridden in a few years and have the itch to ride again. Thinking of picking up the Colony Apprentice from Newcircle. Anyone have any opinions on this bike? Do you think it would be good for someone 6ft+? [Image Can Not Be Found]
http://newcircle.com.au/product.php?pro ... =70&page=1
5:01 pm
Moderators
14/08/2006
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Hey man,
Most people who are 6ft plus would generally go for something around the 19inch toptube mark or longer. The De Ja Vu frame fits that category with a toptube length of 18.9. Because the seat tube is really short the bike will feel really short. It also has 0 offset fork too which will make the wheelbase shorter and make the bike more responsive. The wheels on the Apprentice aren't very good. The front hub is unsealed. Get what you pay for? We'll find out in a moment...
All up I'd say that the bike will feel pretty damn good to ride flatland on but will feel really short and cramped riding around - just like pretty much any dedicated flatland bike.
So let me actually try and do something useful. . . Iim going to compare some prices and specs of other complete bikes for you on the market right now. I'll use Flatlandfuel given the strength of Aussie dollar right now relative to the US one:
[url:1jprg5xl]http://www.flatlandfuel.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1617[/url:1jprg5xl]
KHE A-damn LT complete. $679.99 then you have to pay shipping which for this price of bike will be around $200 from the USA. What you get is about as good as what you're getting from Colony but you don't have the option of a backbrake. Price of the Colony is $699.99 at Newcircle. Not sure what shipping is but in Australia probably not much. Wheels suck a bit on the KHE too. They'll be alright for learning shit. Both bikes will do you though and you could upgrade the wheelset in the future.
[url:1jprg5xl]http://www.flatlandfuel.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1358[/url:1jprg5xl]
The OG looks ok at first but no 3 piece crank... Not for me. Can't have a 1 pc crank. Also 10mm rear hub 48h and 14mm front hub 36h is just all wrong and bizarre?!?!?!? $599.99. . . I'd give it a miss and I don't like the design of the frame anyway.
[url:1jprg5xl]http://www.flatlandfuel.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1757[/url:1jprg5xl]
The is the DK. It's my favourite complete bike at the moment and the best ever for the money. It's a mere $339.99 and it's awesome. Shipping from Flatlandfuel will be around $100-120 making the overall price a mere $460. The frame is simply beautiful - simple and beautiful - beautiful and simple. The frame also has a longer seat tube than the Colony and minimal offset forks which gives you more room and a longer wheelbase than the Colony and gives the bike more versatility if you want to play around in a skatepark for example. Bear in mind that's it's still a dedicated flatland bike but it'd be ok for a dabble.
It's backwheel is as good as the one on the Colony and the frontwheel is better as it has a sealed bearing hub. All the other parts are pretty much identical. The Colony has a better seat - a more flatland friendly pivotal one - but that's the only advantage the Colony has over the DK. I'd say that overall this was a better bike than all of the others and it's much cheaper. You can pick up a decent flatand pivotal seat for about $30. I'd recommend this one as the top is kevlar [url:1jprg5xl]http://www.flatlandfuel.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1641[/url:1jprg5xl]. It's the best of the bunch right now - all of the others are pretty much the same and will be less durable. So with a spanking new seat and shipping included you'd be looking at less than $500 and you'd have a spare seat to sell to a skatepark kid for $10-20 (the seat on the DK is what they love right now).
Rankings:
1st DK Opsis 2011 (by a country mile)
2nd Colony Apprentice
3rd KHE A-Damn LT
4th OG Balance 3
I hope this helps you. It took me fooking ages to do! Other people's opinions welcome. Hope it doesn't piss anybody off. I'd love it if people could always buy in Oz but what I'm telling you is what I think is the truth about the world of flatland completes right now and I'm sure a lot of people will agree with me.
Paul Chamberlain
3:54 am
22/11/2005
Offline
the aprentice is good, its flatland straight up
the DK is a sweet ride and i have always liked their flatland deal for price.
if yur 6ft get a longer frame, you could even run a 20 inch top tube no problem.
paul i thank yo for your work on the above
1:38 pm
23/01/2005
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Wattup peeps...
Here's a little background on the Colony Apprentice...
When we first talked about doing this, we didn't want to create a bike that was generic and not based on something successful (ie. tried and proven).
Hence the Apprentice uses the Simon O'Brien signature frame, Deja Vu that has proven to be popular around the world and something that can take a high level of riding and abuse.
Second we didn't want to stick any fork or bar on there either, so we used flatland specific designs - The Cube forks and Cube handlebars (both that have also been proven as strong, functional and durable).
Now to make a complete bike affordable at this end of the market you need to find the balance between components in the budget but not at a level where they'll break as soon as you try to use it for what it's intended for. I'm happy to say that the balance was made on this front as the components are tight but still allowing the bike to be retailed at an affordable price. If you are looking for something more high-end then you can have a complete, custom build done that will give you what you need - but with a greater price tag.
The only other bike in the above with this type of pedigree is the A-Damn where it's been modelled on a riders sig frame. So with the Apprentice, effectively you can have the peace of mind knowing that you're getting something that's been around the block and proven itself.
The great thing about the Apprentice is that the "core" parts (frame/forks/bars) are sorted. If you want to upgrade around these in the future you can (ie. different wheels, types of brakes etc).
In the sealed vs. unsealed area, here's my personal experience purely from a flatlander who rides a lot. I've been using my Nankai Bamboo (unsealed) for coming up 5 years now. I know how to work on them, I keep it dialled and when peeps ride my bike they notice how smooth it rolls. Out of interest I tried another sealed freecoaster that is very popular to see how it went. It only lasted me 11 days.
So the Apprentice is what it is: an affordable complete flatland bike with a pedigree coming from parts that have been proven to work at the highest end that is available directly from Australia where you can have the peace of mind of dealing with someone local.
And as for shipping, depending on where in Aus you are it will be around the $25-50 mark (unless you're somewhere remote/rural where it could be slightly more).
1:44 pm
23/01/2005
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Oh and re the height vs. length thing... I'm now finding it's personal preference that works best.
For example, I'm 180cms and my TT length is 18". Twaffy is about my height or maybe a little more and he uses an 18" too. I was previously on a 18.9" TT but chose to go shorter because having to stretch to reach everything was causing me some issues with my arms.
The Apprentice at 18.9" is towards the longer end for a "hardcore" flatland frame, but better towards making it "feel" like a bike when you're just cruising.
Hope this helps!
Thanks
Shane
3:28 pm
22/11/2005
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yeah shane
true on your comments
competes are only as good at the base structure, frame forks bars.
with most completes you get one to get started and then buy new gear for it as you see fit or when it wears out.
gavvvvin you will just need to work out what size bike will work for you and your style of riding.
11:51 pm
Moderators
14/08/2006
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Shane makes a good point about the frame. The DK is just a frame that wasn't designed and refined by any flatlanders. It's just a bike that DK produced directly for the marketplace as cheaply as they could - hence the price tag.
Toptube length is personal preference. Like I said, any flatland bike will feel cramped riding around and a little 'twitchy' but that's what makes it a good bike for riding flatland. A bike with lots a room that feels 'cruisy' will feel sluggish and be really difficult to ride real flatland on.
Paul
7:35 am
Moderators
23/01/2005
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Colour scheme is a direct rip off
[img:2yhiqrb5]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c312/flataus/wtp-pony.jpg[/img:2yhiqrb5]
[img:2yhiqrb5]http://www.newcircle.com.au/news/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Complete_Apprentice_B.jpg[/img:2yhiqrb5]
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6:41 pm
20/06/2010
Offline
[quote="flatpaul":1iwn3oqv]Toptube length is personal preference. Like I said, any flatland bike will feel cramped riding around and a little 'twitchy' but that's what makes it a good bike for riding flatland. A bike with lots a room that feels 'cruisy' will feel sluggish and be really difficult to ride real flatland on.[/quote:1iwn3oqv]
This is true. I'm riding flat on a street frame and you have no idea how hard it is to do anything overly technical <!-- s --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_lol.gif" alt="" title="Laughing" /><!-- s -->
9:52 pm
05/12/2010
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i would say something about it but i don't own 1, so shane send me 1 and ill comments on it lol
6:58 pm
28/01/2007
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Thanks for all the info guys. I ended up getting the Apprentice in a sexy red colour.
Now I just have to stop being lazy and put it together [Image Can Not Be Found]
1:24 pm
18/04/2010
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Here is another flatland specific bike which is under $1000 and available in 13 colours.
Motel Works[/url:36t07ou3 complete flatland bike
[img:36t07ou3]http://www.motelworks.com/products/img/product/color13_detail.jpg[/img:36t07ou3]
11:35 pm
15/05/2006
Offline
How dare you raise different ideas in the same thread^^^
[Image Can Not Be Found]
Pretty cool looking stuff though, I'll click the link now. LOELZ!
EDIT: I hate reading Japanese.. no matter how hard I try, I just can't do it.
9:22 am
18/04/2010
Offline
Try the Google translator -
Motel Works translated[/url:364oeh9h
[img:364oeh9h]http://www.motelworks.com/topic/img/mw-130.jpg[/img:364oeh9h]
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