Decent road bike?

[chris watton]

I have just moved to the Forest of Dean, and would like to buy a decent road bike with an aim to try and get fit again. (At the moment, I am so unfit, working from home mainly on the PC - I have got very lazy where exercise of any type is concerned..)

As we have such nice roads around here, I thought I could try and get fit using a bike – I used to enjoy cycling a lot when I was younger (45 now).
With this in mind, I have been trying to choose the right bike for the road, and for all weather. The best I have found is this:



http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/bbg/road-track-bike/...

Would this be my best bet. If so, what would be the best running gear to go with it, or is what’s already standard OK? (The areas it will be used are quite hilly)

Cheers,

Chris

[chris watton]

Jimbo. said:

Budget?

£300-£1000

[chris watton]

Damn - just realised I didn't check the spelling of 'Bike' before pressing 'Submit' - Idiot!

I specced a bike up from the Ribble website, and it comes to just over £700:

Ribble Winter/Audax 7005 Horiz Frame Blue 50cm (C-Top)
CSN BlackStorm Mguard eyes Winter Forks 1 1/8" ITS
Ribble Headset Branded Ribble 1 1/8" Hidden (ITS) 45 x 45
Campagnolo 2013 Xenon / Veloce Black 10 Spd Double Groupset
Campagnolo Power Torque Outboard Cups Eng
Campagnolo Veloce Black Brakes Road
Campagnolo 10 Spd Veloce Cassette 11-25
Campagnolo 10Spd Veloce Chain
Campagnolo Veloce Black PT 10Spd Cset 172.5 39/53
Campagnolo Veloce Black 10Spd Dble Front Gear STD/CT Bz-on
Campagnolo Xenon 10 Spd Rear Gear Short
Campagnolo QS Escape Ergopowers Xenon 10Spd with cables
Rodi Pr Whls Airline 4 Clinchers Black 9/10/11 Camp
ITM Triango Carbon (31.8) Bars Black 40cm
ITM Triango Carbon (31.8) Stem Black 70mm
Pro-Lite Lodi Saddle Black
CSN Carbon S.E. Seatpillar 27.2 300mm
Prorace Nitro Rigid Tyre Black/Black 700x23mm
Prorace Inner Tube 700x20/23 SV42mm
ITM Cork Embossed Handlebar Tape Black
System Ex EM15 Dual Function Pedals

Is that a decent deal/set-up?

[chris watton]

Thanks for the advice so far guys, greatly appreciated.

I am quite short (5'7"), so thought I'd need one of the smaller frames. The roads around here are quite hilly, so what would be the best gear combinations? I don't want to spent so much money only to realise I have made the wrong choice and have to push the bike up hills. (Although I am so unfit right now that I may not have a choice, short of fitting a motor to the bike..)

[chris watton]

OK, I have re-specced the bike to the following, after taking note of the ratios the ratios and measuring my inside leg (comes to just under 502, if my calcs were correct - what a shortarse!)

Ribble Winter/Audax 7005 Horiz Frame Blue 50cm (C-Top)
CSN BlackStorm Mguard eyes Winter Forks 1 1/8" ITS
Ribble Headset Branded Ribble 1 1/8" Hidden (ITS) 45 x 45
Campagnolo 2013 Veloce Silver 10 Spd Double Groupset
Campagnolo Power Torque Outboard Cups Eng
Campagnolo Veloce Silver Brakes Road
Campagnolo 10 Spd Veloce Cassette 12-25
Campagnolo 10Spd Veloce Chain
Campagnolo Veloce Silver PT 10Spd Cset Compact 172.5 34/50
Campagnolo Veloce Silver 10 Dble Front Gear STD/CT Bz-on
Campagnolo Veloce Silver 10Spd Rear Gear Short
Campagnolo Powershift Ergos Veloce Silver 10Spd w/cbls Black
Campagnolo 2011 Pr Whls Khamsin Blk Clincher Blk 9/10/11 Camp
ITM Triango Carbon (31.8) Bars Black 40cm
ITM Triango Carbon (31.8) Stem Black 70mm
Pro-Lite Lodi Saddle Black
CSN Carbon S.E. Seatpillar 27.2 300mm
Prorace Nitro Rigid Tyre Black/Black 700x23mm
Prorace Inner Tube 700x20/23 SV42mm
ITM Cork Embossed Handlebar Tape Black
System Ex EM15 Dual Function Pedals

£765.90

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/specialedition.asp?a...

That seems Ok for the Campagnolo gear set version, I think?

[chris watton]

I was very tempted by that Moda Bolero, but in the end, I just ordered the Ribble bike and settled on this spec:

Ribble 7005 Audax / Winter Training (including guards) Campagnolo
• Ribble Winter/Audax 7005 Horiz Frame Blue 50cm (C-Top)
• CSN BlackStorm Mguard eyes Winter Forks 1 1/8" ITS
• Ribble Headset Branded Ribble 1 1/8" Hidden (ITS) 45 x 45
• Campagnolo 2012 Centaur Black/Silver 10 Spd Double Groupset
• Campagnolo Power Torque Outboard Cups Eng
• Campagnolo Centaur Black Brakes Road
• Campagnolo 10Spd Centaur UD Cassette 13-29
• Campagnolo 10Spd Centaur Chain
• Campagnolo Centaur Blk/Sil PT 10Spd Cset Compact 170 34/50
• Campagnolo Centaur Black 10Spd Double Front Gear Braze-on
• Campagnolo Centaur Black 10 Speed Rear Derailleur
• Campagnolo Pshift Ergos Centaur Alloy Blk 10 w/cbls Blk Hoods
• Campagnolo 2011 Pr Whls Khamsin Blk Clincher Blk 9/10/11 Camp
• ITM Alutech 6061 (31.8) Bars Black 40 c to c
• ITM Alutech 6061 (31.8) Stem Black 100mm
• Pro-Lite Lodi Saddle Black
• CSN Superleggera Alloy Seatpillar Black 27.2 350mm
• Prorace Nitro Rigid Tyre Black/Black 700x23mm
• Prorace Inner Tube 700x20/23 SV42mm
• ITM Cork Embossed Handlebar Tape Black
System Ex EM15 Dual Function Pedals

Because I know I am so unfit right now, I also ordered a roller trainer:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B002OQJINS/ref=...

And support stand:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B002K93V96/ref=...

I remember using roller trainers when in a cycle club, and forgot all about them until perusing the Ribble website - a perfect way to start training! I got the trainer from Amazon because Ribble didn't have that particular one in stock, and it's the only reasonably priced trainer with a support accessory.

Hope I've made the right choice........

[chris watton]

Jayfish said:

I'm riding a 34/50 12/25 and i think i'd welcome your 29 more then i'd miss my 12 (in fact my mantra when grinding a hill is 'wish-i'd-bought-a-triple,wish-i'd-bought-a-triple'

My dad is a life long cyclist, and he recommended the gear ranges, he said they'd suit the Forest of Dean roads better than what I had chosen.

I saved a few pennies by opting for the non-carbon pillar and stem, which weren't really carbon anyway, just a wrap - for an extra £16! I ordered a rear light, bottle and cage and frame pump, too. I shall probably buy some better pedals once I gain some confidence....

[chris watton]

I will train on the rollers first, so that I don't make a panting, dribbling fool of myself in public.

Wonder how long it'll take Ribble to build it....Can't wait!

[chris watton]

OK, I had an email saying that Ribble aren't starting to build my bike until the end of November. this is a bit of a shock, as I thought it would be about two weeks max. I asked if they could move the build date up a little, I got a snotty email back, with the punchline - "I can cancel the order on your say so"

Now, I realise they are busy, and I am being impatient - but the impression I got was that I am lucky they are building me a bike at all!

Is that Moda Bolero Road Race Bike as good as the Ribble bike? If yes, I may cancel the Ribble build and buy the alternative. Or should I just be more patient and less child-like...

[chris watton]

I'm not bitter as such, it's just that I think they ought to put some warning on their website about lead times, if they know they are busy. The email I received back does grate slightly. I put in a £1000 order (all in), which is quite a lot of money to me, but the impression I get (rightly or wrongly) is that Ribble couldn't care less if I ordered the bike and accessories or not, perhaps even a slight sense of arrogance!

That’s why I asked if the Bolero Road Race Bike is a good equivalent, as I am now tempted to take them up on their offer of cancelling my order and going with that.

[chris watton]

Have now cancelled the Ribble order and have now ordered the Moda Bolero instead.

I guess I can always change the gear set at a later date if I want...

[chris watton]

Roman said:

Easy to just replace the shifters with 105 if you don't like them - or even just buy an additional wider ratio cassette.

The Bolero has a lighter frame, forks, wheels (all pricey to upgrade) and also tyres. You'll feel the benefit on every climb.

I realise this now (knew next to nothing about bikes before this thread - I love Pistonheads!), that the frame, forks and wheels are important and the most costly - so if this combination is more or less correct from the start, the rest can be treated as 'add on' or 'modular' parts, and chopped and changed to suit a particular riding style.

TKF said:

Bitter is perhaps the wrong word. Annoyed is probably a fairer representation.

But your experience is not unusual across various fora and you'd think a predominantly web based company would be one that thrives on reputation. Their customer service and attitude seems very old school.

Yes, I guess I was 'annoyed' with the attitude, real or perceived - kind of like I should be honoured for the great Ribble building me a bike at all. As other's have mentioned, there are plenty of other viable options now....

[chris watton]

Would you believe it!

After cancelling my Ribble order and placing an order for the Moda bike, I get a phone call half an hour later saying that all those Bolero bikes are now sold!

However, I was told that I could get a good deal on this bike, which is due in within the next 7-10 days, which I have accepted:

http://www.eurobike.uk.com/details.aspx?p=375

Haven't had much luck, really......

[chris watton]

Finally, my Moda Bolero arrived today - it is a thing of beauty, and so light!

My first bike since I was 16 - better get training on those rollers........

[chris watton]

Dixie said:

So you still got a Bolero?? The link you posted was for a signigicantly more expensive and racey looking bike.

Good look with it though. Get out there and make the most of the almost nice weather!!

He linked the wrong bike (as did I..)

I have the 2013 version of the Bolero, instead of the 2012 I iinitially ordered. The new version wasn't on special offer (as it's brand new and they were awaiting delivery), but because they still allowed me to order and pay for the original bike when they had no stock left, I had the new version at the same price (£800) after a telephone coversation...