Spa Cycles Audax review

Despite numerous predictions to the contrary, steel has never quite gone away as a material for building both high-end and entry-level bikes. And why should it?

It’s reasonably simple to manufacture, it’s easier to repair than most other bike frame materials and, if you look after it, your steel frame could outlast you. If it does fail, you can always recycle it...

Spa Cycles is one of Britain’s premier purveyors of steel and titanium touring bikes. Its Audax bike is designed for big days out – audax events being challenging unsupported rides, often many hundreds of miles long.

Spa Cycles Audax frame and spec details

The Taiwanese-made Reynolds 725 frame is paired with a carbon-bladed fork, with an aluminium steerer and dropouts.

The welds aren’t the neatest I’ve seen, though I don't doubt their strength. However, the paint finish is absolutely first-rate, deep and lustrous, and thanks to its ED coating, it should remain that way for a long time.

The groupset is based around 11-speed Shimano 105 with deep-drop caliper rim brakes from Tektro. They’re decent stoppers too, with good power and control.

Do they compare favourably to the hydraulic disc brakes found on some of the best steel road bikes for lightness of action and massive braking power?

The answer is no, but if you’re a fan of rim brakes you won’t feel let down by these.

The gearing – the now-familiar 50/34 chainset and 11-32 cassette – worked faultlessly throughout my testing.

Spa offers you a choice of gear ratios and, if I was speccing this for myself, I’d plump for the 11-34 for its slightly lower bottom gear.

If I was looking to go touring in more vertiginous areas, I’d go for the maximum range possible, with a range-extending Wolf Tooth RoadLink derailleur hanger extension. I used one on another Spa bike and it worked a treat.

Hand-built hoops

The wheel package is an absolute beauty, especially for a bike at such a reasonable price. The standard Spa Audax comes with Shimano RS100 wheels for £120 less, and there’s nothing wrong with that – even budget Shimano wheels always work well.

However, pay the extra and you’ll get yourself a lovely set of hand-built hoops, with Bitex hubs and Kinlin rims. These run as smoothly as anything, have a pleasing buzz from the freehub and the construction quality from Spa wheelmeister Bobby Stevens, who’s named on the rim, is exemplary.

The supple and fast-rolling Schwalbe Pro One tyres are much better than you’d expect to find on a bike at this price.

Spa Cycles Audax geometry

Spa Cycles Audax ride impressions

I experienced a tiny amount of toe overlap with the front mudguard, although not enough to be a concern. If I’d gone up a frame size – which would also have fit me – the longer front-centre (distance from the bottom bracket to the front axle) would have eliminated it entirely, as would riding without mudguards.

That was about this Spa’s only blip. The ride is blissfully comfortable, brisk and efficient when you put the power down and with good contact points, even down to the high-quality bar tape. No skimping there.

The Audax would make an excellent long-distance commuter bike and it would have been perfect for my former 16-mile commute on roads and surfaced bike paths. It would be a little less suited to canal towpaths due to its skinnier, slicker tyres, but that’s not its purpose anyway.

As for its weight, there’s no real penalty with this steel bike compared to similarly priced aluminium bikes.

The rim brakes will be lighter than their disc equivalents, but then you’ve got to factor in the weight of a pair of mudguards. Sub-10kg isn’t heavy for a bike in anybody’s book – well, not mine anyway.

Spa Cycles Audax bottom line

On the road, the Audax’s handling is light and lively, the ride is hugely comfortable, and you get a quality groupset and a pair of excellent hand-built wheels for your money.

Some slightly less than perfect welds and the issue with the front mudguard are minor points that shouldn't put too many people off what is a superb bike.