Does This Bike Exist?

[dr_gn]

Guys,

After much continuing research on which road bike to buy, I'd settled on a Canyon Endurace.

I started off wanting a no compromise racing bike, but having talked to a few people about it, it seems the local roads would make actually riding one pretty painful.

I want to do rides up to about 40 miles, it's hilly around where I live (North of Sheffield/Peak District), so I want something as light as possible.

It seems that my ideal bike would have:

1) More relaxed geometry than a full race bike.

2) Weigh around 8-9kg.

3) Shimano 105 or equivalent gears / crankset etc.

4) Decent wheels.

5) Wider tyres than a full race bike.

I'd also like:

4) Hydraulic disc brakes.

5) Carbon frame.

Does a bike like this exist? Budget is around £1200.

I don't mind building a bike up from components, but this seems a more expensive option than buying a complete bike in many cases.

Cheers.

[dr_gn]

Thanks guys.

I've been to Planet-X a few times to have a poke around and their stuff looks OK. My initial choice was in fact the Carbon Ultrgra, but as I said, I now realise I'd be better with something less extreme.

I really don't like rim brakes, so at a push a mechanical disc setup would be OK, assuming I could switch to hydraulics when they mature for road bikes (I tend to keep my bikes for a long time compared with some people!). Basically if the frame has disc mounts that would be a tick. I guess that eliminates the Ribble?

Re. cyclocross bikes, I'm not fussed what the bike is designated as, so long as it meets the requirements I listed in my O/P.

I'll look at teh Whyte bikes a bit later.

Cheers.

[dr_gn]

OK then, I guess the other question is:

"Are my requirements reasonable?"

Since there appear to be no bikes at a decent price with what I was looking for, am I on the wrong lines by wanting a road bike with larger tyres, less extreme geometry and discs at around 8kg, or is it simply the disc requirement that's killing it?

So far, I've been road riding with my mountain bike (suspension locked out) and sometimes even that feels a bit harsh on some roads around here. Obviously many roads are fine, especially with the TdF passing within a mile of my house this year, but many of my cycling pals say that narrow, high pressure tyres are not the way to go for me.

[dr_gn]

How about this:

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBOODDRIV/on-one-dirt...

I have no idea what the practical difference between a road and cyclocross bike is to be honest.

I know that the Planet-x guys are easy enough to negotiate with, maybe I shuold go and have a chat with them. They also know all about the roads local to me becasue they are only a few miles away.

[dr_gn]

Watchman said:

Celtic Dragon said:

Your last choice is to add another £1000 to the budget.

£400 would do it. See above.

The tyres are tiny, and there may not be enogh clearance to fit wider ones.

I've been told that narrow, high pressure tyres will kill my arms and backside around here in no time, hence my request for wide tyres.

[dr_gn]

I think 28mm was a suggestion as to the lower limit on tyre size when we were discussing it at work recently.

[dr_gn]

Dammit said:

On-One Dirty Disco?

dr_gn said:

How about this:

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBOODDRIV/on-one-dirt...

I have no idea what the practical difference between a road and cyclocross bike is to be honest.

I know that the Planet-x guys are easy enough to negotiate with, maybe I shuold go and have a chat with them. They also know all about the roads local to me becasue they are only a few miles away.

Opinions anyone?

[dr_gn]

GreatGranny said:

Not sure why you need wider tyres.
You're not doing big miles and the roads you'll be riding on aren't that bad.
I know lots of road riders who regularly do 60+ miles on full on road bikes with no issues.

Also don't discount a decent alu frame.
Means at your budget more money for decent wheels and kit.
Decent wheels make a huge difference.

The tyres weren't even something I'd considered unitl a couple of people mentioned it to me.

[dr_gn]

Dammit said:

I think the Dirty Disco would be perfect for you, chuck some Challenge Strada Bianca's on it and wallop - fast road bike.

EDIT: and it's £959 with the discount code mentioned earlier, as long as they don't spot that.

Edited by Dammit on Saturday 22 November 22:17

I'll call in on Monday lunchtime to have a look at it.

BTW what did you mean by the discount code - where was it mentioned and how does it work?

Cheers.

[dr_gn]

Thanks guys. Looks like I've come full circle back to Planet-X over the past few months of looking around.

I think the tyres were purely a result of me saying I wanted something with a degree of comfort rather than no-compromise minimum rolling resistance. It seemed to make sense that larger tyres would remove some harshness form the ride.

[dr_gn]

GaryGlitter said:

Code can be used online or instore, and it's publicly available so don't worry about using it.

Not sure what the issue of getting hammered by riding on 23mm tyres is, unless you have a medical condition. I ride in the Peak District almost every week in 23mm.

Sorry, I missed that the first time. Cheers.

[dr_gn]

Dammit said:

GaryGlitter said:

Go to Planet X and try one of these for size:

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBPXLDNRIV/planet-x-l...

Use code UKSTAFFCDR20 to take the price down to £800 and spend the other £400 on a wheel upgrade?

Stick that code into the voucher box when you go to checkout in the web-store, it'll knock £240 off, which makes the D-D a very well priced bike.

Ah, so that's the London Road with an aluminium frame;m the Urban Commuter I linked to has a carbon frame, so presumably this might take the weight down from 9.8kg a bit - all else being similar.

Is there a dicount code for this, or does it apply to any bike?

Cheers.

[dr_gn]

GreatGranny said:

Just put that code in to test it and it knocks £200 off!

Looks like its a employee discount.

Good if you are purchasing through cycle to work schemes as with most cycle shops they add 10% admin costs.

So if I go into the shop to discuss spec. options and give them that code...it might not go down too well?

I'm sure either way they might give me some discount.

[dr_gn]

It looks kind of very, very, very nice. 9.7 kg is over what I wanted, but still, that's a frame that will always look class.

Strange how fast I've gone from no options to being spoiled for choice

[dr_gn]

I do like the look of that welding detail:



It does say it's specificaly designed for off-road though. What makes it different from a road specific bike, apart I guess from tyres?

[dr_gn]

I couldn't agree more about discs being way, way superior to rim brakes. As soon as they became available (in about '97 IIRC) I bought Hope Hydro's for my mountain bike and never looked back.

Rim brakes, in my opionion have always been on the edge of what's acceptable to ask of a large diameter, relatively unstable hoop; discs are undoubtedly the better engineering solution.

Having said that, the quality of the discs makes a huge difference: The Avid's I had on my Stumpjumper were hopeless - worse than V-brakes by a long way, but the Shimano XT's that replaced them are in a totally different league. Same with the Hope Hydro (C2)'s I have on both my ancient hardtail mountain bike and old Marin Mount Vison (see "1000 Bikes to Dream of Riding Before You Die" - that's my actual bike!). They are very good even considernig their age:

[dr_gn]

ALawson said:

dr_gn said:

I couldn't agree more about discs being way, way superior to rim brakes. As soon as they became available (in about '97 IIRC) I bought Hope Hydro's for my mountain bike and never looked back.

Rim brakes, in my opionion have always been on the edge of what's acceptable to ask of a large diameter, relatively unstable hoop; discs are undoubtedly the better engineering solution.

Having said that, the quality of the discs makes a huge difference: The Avid's I had on my Stumpjumper were hopeless - worse than V-brakes by a long way, but the Shimano XT's that replaced them are in a totally different league. Same with the Hope Hydro (C2)'s I have on both my ancient hardtail mountain bike and old Marin Mount Vison (see "1000 Bikes to Dream of Riding Before You Die" - that's my actual bike!). They are very good even considernig their age:

I broke three of those Marin frames, started with a quake 9, then got a mount vision and then two more. It got stolen from my parents with original bombers and big Un's all round. For a 1999-2000 bike it was lovely!

Disks will eventually replace rim brakes, and then there will be another aero development of non braked rims as well as aero callipers for the disks, weight reduction etc etc!

That frame has done a few thousand miles in the Peak district over the 15 years I was using it, never had any issue atall, even with the MK.1 swingarm. I did weigh less than 70kg for most of that era though. I'm currently struggling to keep below 75kg, and a road bike will hopefully help with this.

[dr_gn]

bigtomski said:

dudleybloke said:

Budget creep gets you Ti with hydro.

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBOOPICKRIV22HRD/on-o...



Only £1,279.99 with that discount code. Bloody bargain!

Edited by dudleybloke on Sunday 23 November 01:44

I'm looking for a similar type bike to the OP and if that had mudguard mounts that would pretty much be the ideal bike especially at that price!

I read some fourum posts abuot that bike, and one of them alluded to Planet-X adding mudguard lugs and tweaking the geometry more toward road use. I will find our some more tomorrow lunchtime hopefully.

[dr_gn]

ecsrobin said:

dudleybloke said:

Budget creep gets you Ti with hydro.

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBOOPICKRIV22HRD/on-o...



Only £1,279.99 with that discount code. Bloody bargain!

Edited by dudleybloke on Sunday 23 November 01:44

Get this!!!!!

And to counteract the added weight eat a few less pies

Might be able to get slightly lighter wheels to get it down to my target weight and still keep within budget. I do love that frame.

[dr_gn]

ALawson said:

75kg is my target, used to be 70kg before uni, 75kg when I left. I was 92kg 2 years ago, now stuck at 81, then again I still eat the wrong stuff but circa 5k km a year is loosing the weight nicely.

When I get to 75kg I might think about a new bike!

Two weeks ago, finally, I completely cut out crisps, chocolate, soft drinks and biscuits, and started running twice a week. I'm 44, and enough is enough. Every ache and pain is more and more noticable the older I get.The money I save will help to pay for this road bike so that I can get out more from home without having to pack the mountain bike in the car and drive first.