# R265 riding impressions



## chris98 (Feb 19, 2017)

Hi All,

I was wondering if anyone who has had a chance to ride an R265 can tell me their thoughts on the bike?

I currently have a CAAD10 and am looking for something that will be more comfortable but will still be "sporty" enough. I have seen some killer deals on R265's and have thought of doing a build. 

For reference, I'm 6'3 185 and do enjoy a good "sprint" here and there (I also ride short but steep hills as well) 

Any thoughts or comments are appreciated. Thanks!


----------



## DaveG (Feb 4, 2004)

chris98 said:


> Hi All,
> 
> I was wondering if anyone who has had a chance to ride an R265 can tell me their thoughts on the bike?
> 
> ...


I have a R240 which is similar. Its a comfortable bike that seems more geared to long rides than racing. The curved seatstays definitely take the edge off. Its the kind of bike to do a century on when the roads are a bit rough.


----------



## chris98 (Feb 19, 2017)

DaveG said:


> I have a R240 which is similar. Its a comfortable bike that seems more geared to long rides than racing. The curved seatstays definitely take the edge off. Its the kind of bike to do a century on when the roads are a bit rough.


Thanks for the info - Does it have noticeable flex when hammering on the pedals? Also, I would imagine it has good stability at speed with the longer wheelbase/stays, but how firm is it when cornering hard? Thanks again,


----------



## DaveG (Feb 4, 2004)

chris98 said:


> Thanks for the info - Does it have noticeable flex when hammering on the pedals? Also, I would imagine it has good stability at speed with the longer wheelbase/stays, but how firm is it when cornering hard? Thanks again,


Is is actually quite stiff in the BB area. If I get out of the saddle and sprint it feels pretty solid down there (even compared to a couple of my steel bikes). I weigh 190lbs so I can create some flex. The bikes feels stable in the turns but with the longer wheelbase and slack geometry, this is not a nimble handling crit bike


----------



## stan01 (Apr 30, 2014)

Like Dave, I too have a r240 & I agree with everything he says. It is indeed a very compliant bike which does not mean that it is flexy. If you are looking for something that is sporty but is comfortable on less than smooth roads than I think that a r240 could be for you. However I don't think you can compare an r265 to the r240 because the tubesets are completely different because the 2 bikes are designed for different purposes with totally different geometries.


----------



## chris98 (Feb 19, 2017)

Well, I have pulled the trigger and have a frame on the way. I am looking forward to the build and will post pictures when I'm done. I appreciate the feedback from everyone who posted.


----------



## DaveG (Feb 4, 2004)

chris98 said:


> Well, I have pulled the trigger and have a frame on the way. I am looking forward to the build and will post pictures when I'm done. I appreciate the feedback from everyone who posted.


Way to go. What components do you plan to build it up with?


----------



## chris98 (Feb 19, 2017)

DaveG said:


> Way to go. What components do you plan to build it up with?


I am probably going to go with an Ultegra build, carbon for the bars/seatpost (not sure what brand yet - any suggestions on bars?). I have some Vuelta Corsa's that I will use for wheels for now (I will probably pull the stickers off the wheels to make it look cleaner and more "retro").


----------



## chris98 (Feb 19, 2017)

Update - I now have an R240 frame on the way instead of an R265. I believe this will be a better fit for me. As far as fork options, what are other people using? I am thinking the Lynskey fork or 3T. Thoughts?


----------



## stan01 (Apr 30, 2014)

The Lynskey fork is just a rebadged Easton fork. As I wanted to save as much as possible on my build, I found a new Fuji fork that goes on the Altamira, only 330 grams. The thing you need to watch out for is that you need a tapered fork & a fork rake close enough that it will work for your frame size. 

If money wasn't an object, I probably go with the Enve but not that it would ride any better than the Fuji. Most forks from bike manufacturers & the Enve included are made in Asia usually side by side with competing brands in the same factory. Stick with the major name brands & quality shouldn't be a concern.


----------



## waterlogged (Aug 29, 2009)

I'm sure you'll love either one unless you are a podium contender. I'm on my second R255 and it's the perfect bike for extended rides. It isn't as fast out of the saddle as a rigid carbon frame, but I was never a sprinter to begin with. 

There are plenty of fork options available. As stated previously, stick with a name brand or major bike manufacturer/retailer with the correct rake and you should be fine. I chose an Enve 2.0 that I found on sale.


----------



## chris98 (Feb 19, 2017)

waterlogged said:


> I'm sure you'll love either one unless you are a podium contender. I'm on my second R255 and it's the perfect bike for extended rides. It isn't as fast out of the saddle as a rigid carbon frame, but I was never a sprinter to begin with.
> 
> There are plenty of fork options available. As stated previously, stick with a name brand or major bike manufacturer/retailer with the correct rake and you should be fine. I chose an Enve 2.0 that I found on sale.


I'm very excited to get this thing pieced together. So far I have the Ultegra kit on the way along with some Thomson carbon bars. Still shopping for a fork but I'm leaning towards a 3T Rigida (it has a 46mm rake instead of 45 but I feel that shouldn't make it too "twitchy")


----------



## DaveG (Feb 4, 2004)

chris98 said:


> Update - I now have an R240 frame on the way instead of an R265. I believe this will be a better fit for me. As far as fork options, what are other people using? I am thinking the Lynskey fork or 3T. Thoughts?


I am using the Lynskey fork with my R240 and it works fine. When I first ordered the fork, Lynksey emailed me back and said they didn't have it in stock but would give me the Enve fork at the same price. But, when the package arrived it was the Lynskey fork with no explanation. 

Good luck with the build. I really enjoy building up a bike myself. From the ability to pick all the components to the feeling of accomplishment, it makes a great winter project


----------



## chris98 (Feb 19, 2017)

DaveG said:


> I am using the Lynskey fork with my R240 and it works fine. When I first ordered the fork, Lynksey emailed me back and said they didn't have it in stock but would give me the Enve fork at the same price. But, when the package arrived it was the Lynskey fork with no explanation.
> 
> Good luck with the build. I really enjoy building up a bike myself. From the ability to pick all the components to the feeling of accomplishment, it makes a great winter project


I agree - I have built up a couple of mountain bikes in the past and it really is a sense of accomplishment. I think this will be a "special" one just because I'll be trying to match the craftsmanship and level of work that went into the beautiful construction of the frame (my previous builds have been carbon fiber).


----------



## chris98 (Feb 19, 2017)

Question for anyone who can help - Do you think a 46mm rake fork will still work with an R240 (vs the 45mm spec)? I'm assuming it may make the front end slightly twitchier, but does anyone have any huge reservations on this (or experience)?


----------



## stan01 (Apr 30, 2014)

From my experience, a few degrees variance from what is spec'd is negligible in riding. I've switched back & forth between 43 & 45 & can't tell the difference.


----------



## steinercat (Apr 7, 2015)

I'm deciding between an R265 and an R240 myself.

I will probably end up with the R265, as I'm looking for a more up-right/endurance geometry. My rides are between 50-75 miles and being in my 40s already, higher stack suits me. The R240 does have a shorter reach though, IIRC.

Just waiting on Lynskey's transition to flat-mounts on the R265. 

@chris98 - why did you decide on the R240 instead?

Oh...the new Enve disc fork looks very nice. It's a couple mm longer, and rake is 43mm from the Lynskey Pro's 45mm. Though as others have said, you probably won't notice.


----------



## waterlogged (Aug 29, 2009)

Lynskey currently has both models listed on eBay in nearly all sizes. Great prices for a frame with full factory warranty.


----------



## chris98 (Feb 19, 2017)

steinercat said:


> I'm deciding between an R265 and an R240 myself.
> 
> I will probably end up with the R265, as I'm looking for a more up-right/endurance geometry. My rides are between 50-75 miles and being in my 40s already, higher stack suits me. The R240 does have a shorter reach though, IIRC.
> 
> ...


I decided to go with the R240 because I wanted something that would have more stiffness and a sportier "nature" than the 265. The more robust tubes, tapered headtube and slightly shorter chain stays made me feel like it would be a better "fit". Also, it looks like the R240 has a 0.5cm longer top tube than the 265 (comparing the XL's)

I'm coming off of a Cannondale CAAD10 (still a fun bike) so I think the 240 will definitely be an upgrade in comfort but still check all of the boxes for me when it comes to days where I want to hammer it (I'm sure the R265 would have been excellent for me too...It's not like I'm Peter Sagan)


----------

