Advice for a Newbie. Road bike related.

[JSquaredJim]

Updated with apic of the new bike on page 2


Hi All.
I'm after some advice from the knowledgable folks of PH.
I want to get into cycling more seriously and am looking for agood first bike. I intend to compete in Sportives and the odd 10k but don't want to be upgrading in the next 12 months.
Has to be carbon framed and SRAM groupset as I have ridden Shimano and Campag and don't get on with them.
I'm looking around the 1.5k mark.
My preference is for Dolan or Ribble possibly Planet X.
There are many stories on t'interwebs about pantsy customer service from Ribble and after trying to ring them for 3 days before speaking to an idiot who just wasn't interested they are all but discounted.
I will be heading to the cycle show at the NEC at the end of the month to have a poke around.
Any one got any advice or recomendations or experience of the above manufacturers?
All help, speculation, conjecture and good old fashioned PH mickey taking gratefully recieved.
Thanks all

Edited by JSquaredJim on Wednesday 10th October 21:33

[GBDG]

I don't understand how you can't get on with a particular brand of group set. Other than obvious differences in features, aren't they all much of a muchness? Surely the differences between ranges (Sora > Di2) are much bigger than the differences between brands?

Can't see how you'll go wrong with something like a Dolan or Planet X. Or..

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/felt-f6-apex-2012/

[JSquaredJim]

GBDG said:

I don't understand how you can't get on with a particular brand of group set.

The problem is the shifters. The SRAM has a doubletap paddle behind the brake lever, whereas the shimano uses the brake lever to change gear. i.e you push the whole lever accross. The Campag "paddle" I found I could flex it rearwards rather than changing gear, which is most irritating. This is what I don't like. Hope that clears up any ambiguity.

Edited by JSquaredJim on Sunday 16th September 19:54

Edited by JSquaredJim on Tuesday 18th September 20:58

[JSquaredJim]

This is the Dolan I'm looking at to give you a better idea.
http://www.dolan-bikes.com/road-bikes/Carbon/Sram%...

[nammynake]

JSquaredJim said:

Has to be carbon framed

Why? Serious question.

[BadgerBenji]

I personally would be looking around the end of cycling year sales, lots of manufacturers are currently changing ranges and some bargains to be had. Remember as well not all carbon frames are equal, and some would be better just being a quality aluminium.

[JSquaredJim]

nammynake said:

Why? Serious question.

Weight, see previous "don't want to have to upgrade within 12 months comment", prefer the feel of a carbon frame. Many more reasons.
Just take it as read, it has to be carbon.

[anonymous-user]

Not many bikes are fitted with Sram as OEM so Dolan may well be your best bet as you can spec it how you like. The Ares is an awesome piece of kit and used by the Irish Am Post team. Sram is by all accounts an expensive option for manufacturers to spec hence they default to shimano or campag. Most Sram bikes you will see are custom builds.

Cannondale do the Synapse with Apex but at £1800 its way overpriced comapred to other stuff.
http://www.primera-sports.com/products/cannondale-...
The Quest Fire is worth a look too as its Rival not Apex.
http://www.questbikes.co.uk/acatalog/Quest.html

Shiny bikes have a Sram Rival groupset for £500 http://www.shinybikes.com/sram-rival-groupset-2010... that leaves £1000 to get the rest, its not impossible but its not easy. Planet X frame and FOrks, Fulcrum racing 7 wheels, Deda finishing kit...

[Jimbo.]

JSquaredJim said:

Hi All.
I'm after some advice from the knowledgable folks of PH.
I want to get into cycling more seriously and am looking for agood first bike. I intend to compete in Sportives and the odd 10k but don't want to be upgrading in the next 12 months.
Has to be carbon framed and SRAM groupset as I have ridden Shimano and Campag and don't get on with them.
I'm looking around the 1.5k mark.
My preference is for Dolan or Ribble possibly Planet X.
There are many stories on t'interwebs about pantsy customer service from Ribble and after trying to ring them for 3 days before speaking to an idiot who just wasn't interested they are all but discounted.
I will be heading to the cycle show at the NEC at the end of the month to have a poke around.
Any one got any advice or recomendations or experience of the above manufacturers?
All help, speculation, conjecture and good old fashioned PH mickey taking gratefully recieved.
Thanks all

As a self-confessed newbie, why does it "have" to be carbon?

EDIT: Just seen your answer. Weight? Upgrading? Again, "newbie" so forget all of that. £1500 gets a 105-equipped CAAD10 (fit aside). Light, stiff, racey, and in no way, shape or form will it hold you back. Ever.

Edited by Jimbo. on Sunday 16th September 21:51

[Gizmoish]

Jimbo. said:

JSquaredJim said:

Hi All.
I'm after some advice from the knowledgable folks of PH.
I want to get into cycling more seriously and am looking for agood first bike. I intend to compete in Sportives and the odd 10k but don't want to be upgrading in the next 12 months.
Has to be carbon framed and SRAM groupset as I have ridden Shimano and Campag and don't get on with them.
I'm looking around the 1.5k mark.
My preference is for Dolan or Ribble possibly Planet X.
There are many stories on t'interwebs about pantsy customer service from Ribble and after trying to ring them for 3 days before speaking to an idiot who just wasn't interested they are all but discounted.
I will be heading to the cycle show at the NEC at the end of the month to have a poke around.
Any one got any advice or recomendations or experience of the above manufacturers?
All help, speculation, conjecture and good old fashioned PH mickey taking gratefully recieved.
Thanks all

As a self-confessed newbie, why does it "have" to be carbon?

EDIT: Just seen your answer. Weight? Upgrading? Again, "newbie" so forget all of that. £1500 gets a 105-equipped CAAD10 (fit aside). Light, stiff, racey, and in no way, shape or form will it hold you back. Ever.

Edited by Jimbo. on Sunday 16th September 21:51

In fact, I've seen a 2012 model Supersix with 105 available under budget. But I agree, the CAAD10 wont hold anyone back. Five years ago pros were rising on worse frames.

[nammynake]

JSquaredJim said:

Weight, see previous "don't want to have to upgrade within 12 months comment", prefer the feel of a carbon frame. Many more reasons.
Just take it as read, it has to be carbon.

If you want carbon because it's the must-have frame material, or because all of your mates have one then fine, but don't discount a quality aluminium frame. The difference between a carbon and alu frame at this price will be a few hundred grammes at best. Personally I would go for this if they still have your size in stock:

http://www.canyon.com/_uk/roadbikes/bike.html?b=25...

I challenge you to find a carbon bike with better components AND less than 7.1kg for the price.

[anonymous-user]

nammynake said:

JSquaredJim said:

Weight, see previous "don't want to have to upgrade within 12 months comment", prefer the feel of a carbon frame. Many more reasons.
Just take it as read, it has to be carbon.

If you want carbon because it's the must-have frame material, or because all of your mates have one then fine, but don't discount a quality aluminium frame. The difference between a carbon and alu frame at this price will be a few hundred grammes at best. Personally I would go for this if they still have your size in stock:

http://www.canyon.com/_uk/roadbikes/bike.html?b=25...

I challenge you to find a carbon bike with better components AND less than 7.1kg for the price.

spot on. that canyon is awesome value for money.

there is no point saying you "prefer the feel of a carbon frame" when there is so much variation between carbon frames. you may as well say it has to be yellow because you prefer the colour of yellow bikes....

[Gumstabber]

pablo said:

you may as well say it has to be yellow because you prefer the colour of yellow bikes....

Red ones go faster! White ones are heavier!

[Magic919]

Blimey, so much grief over a carbon frame. Is this section full of PH wives?

[Gizmoish]

Magic919 said:

Blimey, so much grief over a carbon frame. Is this section full of PH wives?

I don't think anyone is saying "don't get a CF frame". They're saying "don't discount aluminium".

It would be the same if the budget was £3k (but with Ti).

[JSquaredJim]

Right, more clarification needed. I have ridden ally bikes, Bianchi Nerone, hybrid bikes and carbon bikes up toand including the latest Pinarello that our Brad rode to Tour de France victory. The fact is I prefer the feel of a carbon frame. Ally feels soft, heavy and dull in it's responses. Hope that clears that up.
Now can we movepast the typical Fish Wifery and answer my question please?
Advice and experience of Ribble or Dolan or a steer in the direction of anything else within budget with carbon frame and SRAM.
I'm not interested in anything that does not fit these criteria.
I'm looking for a too seelist forthe upcoming bike show at the NEC.
Thanks all.

[Hackney]

I bought a Ribble Pro Evo in March having heard about some cuts service issues.
I heard from others who had no such issues.

My experience with them has only been positive. The bike is brilliant (cost £850 with Tiagra groupset)

[paulmon]

I'm considering this at the moment. Ticks all your boxes. http://www.westbrookcycles.co.uk/bikes-c5/road-bik...

[Dixie]

paulmon said:

I'm considering this at the moment. Ticks all your boxes. http://www.westbrookcycles.co.uk/bikes-c5/road-bik...

Was just going to mention this. I'm just waiting for mine to turn up. The other option that i liked was a Canyon but my sizes wern't in stock and i didn't like the potential delivery time. They look like very nice bikes though.

[Justayellowbadge]

Carbon and sram, it has to be worth lookingat Boardman?