Another what Road bike 2500-3500

Another what Road bike 2500-3500

Author
Discussion

neil-935ql

Original Poster:

1,083 posts

106 months

Wednesday 22nd February 2017
quotequote all
Sorry to be boring but I would like some different ideas on my next road bike , been round the houses and back again with this one people telling me what you don't need . I was 95% sure I wanted a canyon either a ultimate or endurace I still think this is favourite but can't try before you buy , I don't want disc brakes and a shimano group set is preferable , I quite like the look of some of the cube bikes , or even a vitus at 2100 seems good value . The last guy I spoke to at Evans bikes said buy a cheaper bike maybe 105 group set and spend the rest on top quality wheel set , any ideas most welcome

TwistingMyMelon

6,385 posts

205 months

Wednesday 22nd February 2017
quotequote all
What kind of level are you at? How much do you ride

You sound like you would be best off finding a decent LBS who can talk you through what they have and options, good advice is worth the slight premium you might pay

Whereabouts in UK are you?

neil-935ql

Original Poster:

1,083 posts

106 months

Wednesday 22nd February 2017
quotequote all
TwistingMyMelon said:
What kind of level are you at? How much do you ride

You sound like you would be best off finding a decent LBS who can talk you through what they have and options, good advice is worth the slight premium you might pay

Whereabouts in UK are you?
I am in Berkshire / south east area , my local bike shop has nothing of this price point , so that's why I went to Evans Reading branch, and mostly looking online

smifffymoto

4,545 posts

205 months

Wednesday 22nd February 2017
quotequote all
Time.
Lovely frames,build it up bit by bit. Never ridden one as the only one I know of is ridden by a 5 foot French man.He is a friend with a small bike.

Timothy Claypole

2,112 posts

133 months

Wednesday 22nd February 2017
quotequote all
I agree - get a great frame, something unusual, cool, a bit special. Put niceish wheels on it and cheap 105/veloce on it if necessary and upgrade that when you can if warranted.

Time (as above), De Rosa, Look, Basso, Colnago

bigdom

2,083 posts

145 months

Wednesday 22nd February 2017
quotequote all
neil-935ql said:
I am in Berkshire / south east area , my local bike shop has nothing of this price point , so that's why I went to Evans Reading branch, and mostly looking online
Localish dealers with bikes in your price point- Pedalon in Tadley. Trek, Giant, Scott and Cannondale. Or spokes in Bagshot, Giant also Storck and Lapierre.

Dizeee

18,291 posts

206 months

Wednesday 22nd February 2017
quotequote all
TwistingMyMelon said:
What kind of level are you at? How much do you ride

You sound like you would be best off finding a decent LBS who can talk you through what they have and options, good advice is worth the slight premium you might pay

Whereabouts in UK are you?
The issue is, as good as LBS can be, they will always talk you into what stock THEY hold, or sell.

OP - I take delivery of a CF Canyon in the next 2 weeks and am happy to let you peruse / inspect once delivered.

My best advice at this price point is to buy what you really want, it's a huge purchase. I bought at this price level in 2013 and still love the bike as much today - it's still my best bike.

At 3k + you have to research what you want first then go and find, not be sold down different avenues by well meaning LBS's just because they happen to stock certain brands.

Dizeee

18,291 posts

206 months

Wednesday 22nd February 2017
quotequote all
eta - I went into Spokes in Bagshot 2 weeks ago, great shop - and a Stork Visioner C in Black was sat there in a sale, reduced to about 2k. I was given the hard sell and thought hard about it for a few days.

Fine for some but not for me - it just doesnt add anything to what I already have. And for less I have in the post a better frame ( I hope ) better groupset, hydraulic discs and a bike I love, and I am over the moon. Plus, that will be my all year round bike.

Don't be sold a bike - decide what you want, do your research, ask loads of questions and then buy what YOU want at the best price. It took me 8 months to settle on an Endurace CF.

neil-935ql

Original Poster:

1,083 posts

106 months

Wednesday 22nd February 2017
quotequote all
Dizeee said:
eta - I went into Spokes in Bagshot 2 weeks ago, great shop - and a Stork Visioner C in Black was sat there in a sale, reduced to about 2k. I was given the hard sell and thought hard about it for a few days.

Fine for some but not for me - it just doesnt add anything to what I already have. And for less I have in the post a better frame ( I hope ) better groupset, hydraulic discs and a bike I love, and I am over the moon. Plus, that will be my all year round bike.

Don't be sold a bike - decide what you want, do your research, ask loads of questions and then buy what YOU want at the best price. It took me 8 months to settle on an Endurace CF.
Hi , thanks for the advice ,yes your right the guys in the shops try to sell what they have and the Evans guy was really annoying . Been looking myself fair amount of time and still loving the look of the canyon , what made you decide to go for the endurace and not the ultimate ? I know the geometry is different , if you believe canyon the ultimate is a better frame , maybe that was the hard sell again . Gonna have to decide soon the warmer weather is on the way !

Daveyraveygravey

2,026 posts

184 months

Wednesday 22nd February 2017
quotequote all
Evans were the best retailer I found when looking - they have a huge range and you can try any of them. Most LBS only have demo bikes at 2.5k plus which is ok for you but I was looking at spending 1.7k or thereabouts.
I settled on a Giant Propel at 1.6k nearly two years ago. I tested a 2.5k Propel at the local Giant shop, it was out of this world, way better than anything I had ever ridden
I actually said I would have it, I was so blown away by it, but then I woke up in the middle of the night wondering where I could find the extra grand, and backtracked to the one in budget.
I did tons of research - loved it - but in the end, most of the differences were colours and looks, hated that it was so unlogical and that I couldn't really single out anything in the spec to help me choose.
In the end the Propel looked better (to me) than anything else I could afford. I ridden over 13000km on it in under 2 years, including a 27 hour Everesting (yes it is an aero bike not an endurance bike!) and still look forward to riding it now.
Don't get hung up on types, I think a lot of these things are marketing gimmicks. Will you notice a 0.5 degree head angle difference, or a half kilo weight difference?
Try a Synapse and a Super Six at Evans, and then whichever you prefer try a few rivals to them. Enjoy the decision!

yellowjack

17,074 posts

166 months

Wednesday 22nd February 2017
quotequote all
OP - I've bought two bikes from Pedal On in Tadley now.

It's a really good shop, and their "Podium Points" deal on new bikes is a damned good way to get loads of kit/spares/accessories gratis without the hassle of haggling.

Big floor area too - it's three shops knocked together in a small parade of shops with parking right outside. And as was mentioned before, FOUR of the leading brands on display.

Personally if you're looking for a road bike, I'd say "Trek Emonda" - in whatever spec fits your budget. I have a 2015 Emonda SL6 which cost me £2,300. I've just done three back-to-back 100km rides on it, bringing the total mileage to 6,600 miles in a little under two years.

There's also Boutique Cycles on the A30 between Hook and Hartley Wintney. I didn't buy from them, but they seemed pretty keen to help with a more 'bespoke' approach to bike buying. I was working on a limit of £2,000 until I went over to get the 'right' Emonda, so couldn't really afford their full bespoke approach. Might be worth a look though...

moonigan

2,135 posts

241 months

Wednesday 22nd February 2017
quotequote all
If you are spending that kind of money get a bike fit and then choose your bike based on the results of the fit. I wouldn't spend £2500-3500 in Evans unless I knew exactly the bike I wanted. I'd been lusting after a S-Works Tarmac or a Colnago C60 and was close to buying one which would have been an expensive mistake because the geometry of either doesn't work with my body.

Once I had a shortlist I demo'd as many of the bikes as I could and even demo'd one bike in two sizes to make sure I was buying the right one (ended up with a bigger size than I would normally go for).


neil-935ql

Original Poster:

1,083 posts

106 months

Wednesday 22nd February 2017
quotequote all
yellowjack said:
OP - I've bought two bikes from Pedal On in Tadley now.

It's a really good shop, and their "Podium Points" deal on new bikes is a damned good way to get loads of kit/spares/accessories gratis without the hassle of haggling.

Big floor area too - it's three shops knocked together in a small parade of shops with parking right outside. And as was mentioned before, FOUR of the leading brands on display.

Personally if you're looking for a road bike, I'd say "Trek Emonda" - in whatever spec fits your budget. I have a 2015 Emonda SL6 which cost me £2,300. I've just done three back-to-back 100km rides on it, bringing the total mileage to 6,600 miles in a little under two years.

There's also Boutique Cycles on the A30 between Hook and Hartley Wintney. I didn't buy from them, but they seemed pretty keen to help with a more 'bespoke' approach to bike buying. I was working on a limit of £2,000 until I went over to get the 'right' Emonda, so couldn't really afford their full bespoke approach. Might be worth a look though...
Thanks I shall have a look in tadley tomorrow it's not to far away from me at all , would never had known about it , the trek looks good , will look at the emonda , the Scott bikes also look good umm more choices

JEA1K

2,504 posts

223 months

Thursday 23rd February 2017
quotequote all
If you like look of the Emonda and it 'fits' then go for it. Each manufacturer has its own model which will be close to the Emonda .... same components, same grade of carbon etc ... all of the models bare the SLR's (which have H1 fit ... lower front end) have H2 fit (higher front end) so not overly aggressive. The SL6 as yellowjack says is a great bike ... really good value with Ultegra and ok -ish wheels which can be upgraded at any time.

Unless you are very serious about spending more, you really can't go wrong. If you spent £8k on an SLR, I doubt you'd be any quicker! I bought my Mrs the womens SL6 last year and she loves it ... if it wasn't for the fact that its a 54cm frame and she only rides with 38 cm bars, I'd be tempted to borrow it now and again. smile

snobetter

1,159 posts

146 months

Thursday 23rd February 2017
quotequote all
Road cc are doing a road bike trial day near Bath on Sunday, Canyon will be there, a closed road circuit for trying all the different bikes.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/roadcc-live-bath-ti...

TwistingMyMelon

6,385 posts

205 months

Thursday 23rd February 2017
quotequote all
snobetter said:
Road cc are doing a road bike trial day near Bath on Sunday, Canyon will be there, a closed road circuit for trying all the different bikes.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/roadcc-live-bath-ti...
Good shout that , id happily pay £30 to try out a wide variety of bikes on a decent circuit if I was in the market for a new one

outnumbered

4,084 posts

234 months

Friday 24th February 2017
quotequote all
Also consider Pankhurst Cycles in Pangbourne, it's pretty much on the way from Reading to Tadley. They're a smaller outfit, but proper enthusiasts and very helpful.

Dizeee

18,291 posts

206 months

Saturday 25th February 2017
quotequote all
Pankhurst will do their best to get you on an Orro bike. I went there yesterday, and in contrast to my last visit in 2015 I was very much given the hard sell on a bike I didn't want or need.

JustinF

6,795 posts

203 months

Saturday 25th February 2017
quotequote all

Matt_N

8,900 posts

202 months

Saturday 25th February 2017
quotequote all
Up to £3500 opens up so many options that it's hard to present them all, but some other choices not mentioned:

Scott Foil
Willier Trestina
Orbea Orca
Cannondale CAAD12
Cervelo R2
Colnago C-RS