£500 Road bike suggestions

I have had mountain bikes for the last 17 years, but recently have been toying with the idea of getting a road bike.

I have a reasonable mountain bike, and realise that for £500 I will not be able to get anything flash, i am no lycra clad whippet and never will be and I won't be doing anything competative.
The bike would be for when I don't want to get the mtb covered in crud in winter (because I don't want to spend 2 hours cleaning it afterwards) and for sunny evenings as a change from going off road.
I have seen a 2006 Giant OCR2 which looks nice, but I don't know if that would be suitable for what I want.
Does anyone with knowledge of these things have any advice as I would be grateful before buying something which may be unsuitable.

Thanks
Paul

Yes, it will solely be for on road use.
Paul

If you don't mind looking for one, there are absolute bargains to be had in the Road Bike section of Ebay.

I've seen a few Trek OCLV road bikes go for less than £500 - and they are the dogs danglies...

Really go for the most you can afford and a bit more. You will certainly want to upgrade within a short period. Also, try and get kit that meets current standards, ie. ten speed. Try to reserve a bit for clothing and shoes, essential items for your enjoyment. If you don't like it, you won't lose a lot when parting with it all.

I recommended the Bianchis as they usually come with 9spd Campag as opposed to 8spd Shimano (easier to replace/upgrade with quality replacements at a later date) - I prefer Campags 'budget' components to Shimanos - just personal preference though.

Carbon seat stays are good too - more comfortable.

Generally I would go for the best frame & gears I could - the rest can be easily upgraded at a later date if you want to.

I think any of the bikes in your price range will be good though - very competitive price point.

You will definately get butted alloy frame and carbon forks which are a must at this price. Also make sure ou try the size you are going to buy as road bikes are more size sensitive than MTBs. The reach can be adjusted upto apoint by changing the stemlength but doing so will affect the handling so you are limited as to how much you can change. There are deals galore out there. From where you are situated there are loads of good bike shops. Je James is particularly good and you will get a deal there. This means you should be able to pick up a 9 speed wether its Shimano or Campag. Check for clearance as many road bikes offer terrible mudguard clearance and if you are looking at riding in Winter these are essential. Also if you like it and join a club you wont be welcome without a full guard as teh guy behind you will get a faceful of dirt. The only other consideration is double or triple. Good Luck

Being Danish and having grown up in a very bicycle friendly society and would seriously wonder about your sanity. Why the heck would you want a road bike here in the UK?? I have never seen such poor road environments (hegderows up against the roadside..no room to get out of the way) and such hatred against roadies as here in the UK. Its downright lethal to ride a roadbike here as you are a legitimate target for all the angry road users..even horses hate you as you sneak up them "predator-stylee" with a quiet bike.

LRdriver, I agree with all that But, surely away from towns/major roads there are some excellent riding locations where most of the negatives of road riding are greatly reduced. I know, for example, when I have gone for a drive to North Wales there have been times when I have seen no other cars for miles at a time, combine that with some stunning scenery and wide, open roads and it can’t be all bad

Roman, thanks for that, as for the budget; I’d want as much carbon as possible so I’m not sure £500 would cover it ....just curious as to the bike weight at different price points as I know nothing about road bikes. As has been mentioned above, just looking on ebay it seems you can save a lot of money going the second hand/ebay route.