Anyone with a Fairlight Strael? How does it stack up?

[shmuelyosef]

Originally Posted by raisinberry777

I'm glad you started this thread as I'm currently looking on going down the same path (and like you, I really love the purple).

One of my biggest fears is that, coming from a rim-braked Focus Izalco Max (at ~1.0kg for frame and fork), am I going to hate myself for going to reasonably heavier bike (7.3kg to ~9kg)? Anyone else made the a similar transition from lightweight carbon to steel and lived to tell the tale - and any thoughts from the experience?

Think of it this way...
1. It is completely dead weight, so it only effects your acceleration slightly, because...

2. ...you are probably accelerating 50-80 kg, and unless you are a professional racer (in which case neither of these bikes would be interesting) it is completely unnoticeable except...

3. ...ever so slightly when you want to pick it up to carry or hang in your garage.

I have a Fairlight Strael (3.0 Grey) and have sold my carbon bike and my Klein aluminum. For gravel riding I have a Strael 2.5 on order to be delivered end of May in the new Desert color!

Both these bikes are certainly capable of going faster than I can make them go and it is not because of 1.7kg of dead weight!

[shmuelyosef]

Originally Posted by Smitty2k1

Everyone stop. I've been lusting after a Fairlight for some time now, especially with a favorable dollar to pound. I don't need another bike...

...I don't know, but "NEED" is not an emotion that applies in this scenario. I love my Strael and will soon have a Secan to replace my gravel steed

[shmuelyosef]

duplicate

[shmuelyosef]

Originally Posted by rogerspam

Anyone with a Strael use it on light gravel? I asked the company CS this and they recommended getting a Secan if any plans for gravel riding.

I'm mainly a road rider and would like the option of light gravel use/well kept fire road use (I'm in Northern California) at times.

I'm in Northern California as well...near La Honda
I have ridden my Strael on pretty crappy fire roads with no problems, but I have avoided mud and big rocks...mostly because of the tires (Continental S TR 5000).

Absolutely no drama or discomfort...and the downhill behaviour is superb compared to most other bikes I have ridden.

[nspace]

Originally Posted by mstateglfr

Worth noting too- Fairlight moved production to Taiwan. I dont know when that was, maybe a year or so ago? The frames used to be built somewhere in Europe.

I had no clue this happened. Looks like they are still making the Holt in the European factory—curious if that is still the case (that frame has been delayed for nearly a year)

[merckxman]

If you like purple consider a Cinelli, this is my TIG in Purple Haze.

[shmuelyosef]

Originally Posted by Baron Blubba;3193351I

also have no problem with external cabling.

I have serious problems with INTERNAL cabling...I have purchased a couple of bikes in the last 5-6 years that had fairly unwieldly internal routing...one of which actually had bare cables in the downtube that crossed and affected the shifting (sluggish) from cable friction.

FAIRLIGHT does a great job of making the external cabling nearly invisible and very simple to maintain. I have both a Strael 3.0 (my fast bike) and a Secan 3.0 (my wet bike) and they are both not only awesome to ride, but exceptionally easy to maintain.

[shmuelyosef]

i

[shmuelyosef]

Originally Posted by rogerspam

Anyone with a Strael use it on light gravel? I asked the company CS this and they recommended getting a Secan if any plans for gravel riding.

I'm mainly a road rider and would like the option of light gravel use/well kept fire road use (I'm in Northern California) at times.

I live in Northern California on the peninsula and ride over Skyline to the coast through various routes that include fire roads and others that have not been maintained since the 60s or so. My Strael 3.0 does just fine on these roads with 32mm Continentals, but my Secan 3.0 is much more comfortable and a little less squirrely.

[Pastashop]

Originally Posted by shmuelyosef

I live in Northern California on the peninsula and ride over Skyline to the coast through various routes that include fire roads and others that have not been maintained since the 60s or so. My Strael 3.0 does just fine on these roads with 32mm Continentals, but my Secan 3.0 is much more comfortable and a little less squirrely.

Thread drift, but would love to get to know some of these routes or even link up for a ride (don’t live there anymore, but still visit once or twice a year)

[ridethecliche]

Bumping this thread to see if anyone else has any feedback on the strael 2.0 or 3.0 after riding or owning.

A lot of folks were asking about fire roads upthread. I honestly don't think fire roads really meet the criteria of gravel. Folks ride those on road bikes with 25cc tires. I think that fairlight is just saying that they don't recommend use of the bike on like actual mud/crud/rocky gravel. Fire roads and hard dirt roads are 100% allroad territory!

And uh... I just bought a Strael 2.0 so will have to update the thread when I've had some time to ride it. Now I just have to finish talking to the seller to figure out some final details. Oh man.

[prototoast]

Originally Posted by Pastashop

Thread drift, but would love to get to know some of these routes or even link up for a ride (don’t live there anymore, but still visit once or twice a year)

You should buy this book: https://www.amazon.com/Once-Upon-Rid...194/ref=sr_1_1

[ridethecliche]

Originally Posted by shmuelyosef

Think of it this way...
1. It is completely dead weight, so it only effects your acceleration slightly, because...

2. ...you are probably accelerating 50-80 kg, and unless you are a professional racer (in which case neither of these bikes would be interesting) it is completely unnoticeable except...

3. ...ever so slightly when you want to pick it up to carry or hang in your garage.

I have a Fairlight Strael (3.0 Grey) and have sold my carbon bike and my Klein aluminum. For gravel riding I have a Strael 2.5 on order to be delivered end of May in the new Desert color!

Both these bikes are certainly capable of going faster than I can make them go and it is not because of 1.7kg of dead weight!

Guessing you meant secan 2.5? Did you get it yet!?

[ridethecliche]

I need to take better pictures but got my first real ride on this thing today.

[Tychom]

Originally Posted by ridethecliche

I need to take better pictures but got my first real ride on this thing today.

How is it?