My very own "what road bike" thread.....
Discussion
Just because I know what an opinionated lot you are!...
so here is the deal, I have sold the Boardman aka the Halfords Special and am now looking for a new road bike. I have a budget of £2K but in true fashion that could go up by 10% or so dependant upon whether SWMBO notices...
So heres what I'm looking at.......
Dolan Ares (Sram Force and Mavic Ksyrium Elites options)
http://www.dolan-bikes.com/road-bikes/Carbon/Sram%...
I like this a lot, the frame is very racey, its basically a replica of Andy Fenn's race bike
http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/article/pro-bike-and...
3T finishing kit and the options above come in just over £2K.
Cube Agree GTC
http://www.cube.eu/en/road/pro-comp/agree-gtc-sl/
Dura-Ace?, wooooo! around 16.5lbs, not sure about the wheels, cant find much about them but they seem to be standard fit on a lot of their higher end bikes
Cube Super Lightning HPC
http://www.cube.eu/en/road/hpc/litening-super-hpc-...
better frame than the Agree, ultegra and lighter still... same wheels as above.
Ribble Stealth (Sram Force, some pimp Ritchey WCS bits and Ksyrium Elites) http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/bikebuilder.asp?acti...
another very racey frame but its so cheap, full customisation options are appealing...
http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/CBPXRT57RED/pl...
Planet X's new design, Sram Red....RED!!!! throughout, Planet X finishing kit but only £1600 leaving some cash for those RS80 wheels....
Moda Stretto, Sram Force and those AC420 wheels, which are, by all accounts effin' ace...
http://www.leisurelakesbikes.com/product/modastret...
Last option is a custom build using the Cervelo RS frameset but thats going to involve the 10%, distracting SWMBO and some compromises on the spec... looks like they have dropped it from the range for 2012?
http://www.thetristore.com/view_product.asp?produc...
Thoughts?.. its going to be used for everything from sunday rides, duathlons and 100+ mile sportives, yes some are racier than others but if Pros can get a comfy fit on them then so can I even if it means a professional fitting session.
so here is the deal, I have sold the Boardman aka the Halfords Special and am now looking for a new road bike. I have a budget of £2K but in true fashion that could go up by 10% or so dependant upon whether SWMBO notices...
So heres what I'm looking at.......
Dolan Ares (Sram Force and Mavic Ksyrium Elites options)
http://www.dolan-bikes.com/road-bikes/Carbon/Sram%...
I like this a lot, the frame is very racey, its basically a replica of Andy Fenn's race bike
http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/article/pro-bike-and...
3T finishing kit and the options above come in just over £2K.
Cube Agree GTC
http://www.cube.eu/en/road/pro-comp/agree-gtc-sl/
Dura-Ace?, wooooo! around 16.5lbs, not sure about the wheels, cant find much about them but they seem to be standard fit on a lot of their higher end bikes
Cube Super Lightning HPC
http://www.cube.eu/en/road/hpc/litening-super-hpc-...
better frame than the Agree, ultegra and lighter still... same wheels as above.
Ribble Stealth (Sram Force, some pimp Ritchey WCS bits and Ksyrium Elites) http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/bikebuilder.asp?acti...
another very racey frame but its so cheap, full customisation options are appealing...
http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/CBPXRT57RED/pl...
Planet X's new design, Sram Red....RED!!!! throughout, Planet X finishing kit but only £1600 leaving some cash for those RS80 wheels....
Moda Stretto, Sram Force and those AC420 wheels, which are, by all accounts effin' ace...
http://www.leisurelakesbikes.com/product/modastret...
Last option is a custom build using the Cervelo RS frameset but thats going to involve the 10%, distracting SWMBO and some compromises on the spec... looks like they have dropped it from the range for 2012?
http://www.thetristore.com/view_product.asp?produc...
Thoughts?.. its going to be used for everything from sunday rides, duathlons and 100+ mile sportives, yes some are racier than others but if Pros can get a comfy fit on them then so can I even if it means a professional fitting session.
...but if Pros can get a comfy fit on them then so can I even if it means a professional fitting session.
...although you'd have to go without the bespoke frames said pros also have
Try as many of them as you can before spending, and if you really want to get the fit right, get sized/fitted up before going anywhere near a shop. Doing so means you can see which bikes would be a good starting point WRT fit/geometry, and which would be a waste of time/money...
...although you'd have to go without the bespoke frames said pros also have
Try as many of them as you can before spending, and if you really want to get the fit right, get sized/fitted up before going anywhere near a shop. Doing so means you can see which bikes would be a good starting point WRT fit/geometry, and which would be a waste of time/money...
Edited by Jimbo. on Saturday 26th November 23:06
pablo said:
http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/CBPXRT57RED/pl...
Planet X's new design, Sram Red....RED!!!! throughout, Planet X finishing kit but only £1600 leaving some cash for those RS80 wheels....
!!! Flouro yellow please.Planet X's new design, Sram Red....RED!!!! throughout, Planet X finishing kit but only £1600 leaving some cash for those RS80 wheels....
They just look so good!! Having just splashed out on a Planet X Stealth, I'd say getting an initial fitting session done on any of the bikes you're looking at is key. Get along to some stockists and try out the demo bikes; £2k is a lot of cash for a bike and I, for one, was sweating when I eventually made my purchase! Even though I was positive it was the one I wanted!
For what it's worth, my stealth is an absolute weapon and a bargain for what I paid for it. The components are good spec, the build quality is good and the ride is brilliant. Instead of buying online, I bought through Bike Science and got a half-price Retul fit as part of the deal. Now my bike is perfectly set up and is very comfortable, even for such an aggressively set-up TT bike.
Good luck with choosing!
For what it's worth, my stealth is an absolute weapon and a bargain for what I paid for it. The components are good spec, the build quality is good and the ride is brilliant. Instead of buying online, I bought through Bike Science and got a half-price Retul fit as part of the deal. Now my bike is perfectly set up and is very comfortable, even for such an aggressively set-up TT bike.
Good luck with choosing!
Hmm, difficult to say - 2k is a lot of bike, so personal preference will come into it - same as a 30k "what sportscar" thread.
Personally, for that money, I would be looking at a second hand Cervelo/other superbike - maybe a year or two old, but I can't say that bothers me.
Recently snagged a Scott Addict sporting record carbon on Ebay for (well) under 2k, leaving enough to think about some new race wheels - It is going to be miles under the UCI weight limit when I'm done
My head said go for the decked out, new Planet-X, my heart couldn't say no to one of the best bikes mankind has ever made (all be it a few years old)
If you are willing to wait, there are massive bargains to be had.
Personally, for that money, I would be looking at a second hand Cervelo/other superbike - maybe a year or two old, but I can't say that bothers me.
Recently snagged a Scott Addict sporting record carbon on Ebay for (well) under 2k, leaving enough to think about some new race wheels - It is going to be miles under the UCI weight limit when I'm done
My head said go for the decked out, new Planet-X, my heart couldn't say no to one of the best bikes mankind has ever made (all be it a few years old)If you are willing to wait, there are massive bargains to be had.
Jimbo. said:
...but if Pros can get a comfy fit on them then so can I even if it means a professional fitting session.
...although you'd have to go without the bespoke frames said pros also have
Try as many of them as you can before spending, and if you really want to get the fit right, get sized/fitted up before going anywhere near a shop. Doing so means you can see which bikes would be a good starting point WRT fit/geometry, and which would be a waste of time/money...
You would be surprised how few pros have a bespoke frame. ...although you'd have to go without the bespoke frames said pros also have
Try as many of them as you can before spending, and if you really want to get the fit right, get sized/fitted up before going anywhere near a shop. Doing so means you can see which bikes would be a good starting point WRT fit/geometry, and which would be a waste of time/money...
Edited by Jimbo. on Saturday 26th November 23:06
Thanks for the comments, in no rush to buy....
How about one of these Cervelo RS framesets?
http://www.royles.biz/product/5723/Cervelo_RS_Silv... 58cm only
http://www.royles.biz/product/6425/Cervelo_RS_Whit... 54/56/58cm
I'm buying up bits to add to my Cervelo S1 frameset over the winter, you can get stuff for silly money on PX etc if you shop around and for £2k or so you'd be able to spec Force, 3T and some decent (but not great TBH) wheels.
http://www.royles.biz/product/5723/Cervelo_RS_Silv... 58cm only
http://www.royles.biz/product/6425/Cervelo_RS_Whit... 54/56/58cm
I'm buying up bits to add to my Cervelo S1 frameset over the winter, you can get stuff for silly money on PX etc if you shop around and for £2k or so you'd be able to spec Force, 3T and some decent (but not great TBH) wheels.
If you can get away with a 56cm http://www.canyon.com/_en/outlet/article.html?o=AS...
Cervelo and maybe try and get a deal on a 2010 S3 frame from somewhere rather than the 2011 RS frame?
Better to spend as much as poss on the frame then upgrade bits as you go... always gives them something to buy on the Xmas and Birthdays plus you can sneak the odd component in througout the year keeping it fun and not getting bored.
That was my thinking with the S3, still riding Krysium Elites though and not managed to get the funds together for a nice Zipp808/404 combo...
Better to spend as much as poss on the frame then upgrade bits as you go... always gives them something to buy on the Xmas and Birthdays plus you can sneak the odd component in througout the year keeping it fun and not getting bored.
That was my thinking with the S3, still riding Krysium Elites though and not managed to get the funds together for a nice Zipp808/404 combo...
Ha. That was my thinking exactly when I picked up my 2010 R3 frame (also helped to justify it as it was the last one before they brought in the longer headtube/relaxed geometry and the more aggressive geometry suits me better). Thought I'd get the frame, take my time building it, maybe put some cheaper parts on and take a long, relaxrd time getting the parts I wanted.
Once the frame was sitting there though, I went a little mental and have absolutely crippled myself building my dream bike over a period of a couple of months. Easily 2.5x over budget...oops!
Once the frame was sitting there though, I went a little mental and have absolutely crippled myself building my dream bike over a period of a couple of months. Easily 2.5x over budget...oops!
If be heading straight to canyon.
They are the same frames as the cervelos anyway aren't they?
If the best rider in the world can win everything on a canyon, what's not to like?
As ever though, the rider will make the difference, my toe dipping in racing proved that yesterday. I won on a Ribble lol, there was some serious kit there!
They are the same frames as the cervelos anyway aren't they?
If the best rider in the world can win everything on a canyon, what's not to like?
As ever though, the rider will make the difference, my toe dipping in racing proved that yesterday. I won on a Ribble lol, there was some serious kit there!
This Carbon Guerciotti with Campag Record looks a great deal for £2k (if the large size fits):
http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/YBCLKRAK/guerc...
http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/YBCLKRAK/guerc...
Wasn't the legal battle over a patent dispute about a patented seat tube design? Unless there was something else that went on that I've missed (quite possible!) then it's hardly the same as being the same or even vaguely similar frames. As opposed to the well known De Rosa/Ribble/Deda et al situation.
Edited by Uriel on Sunday 27th November 17:09
okgo said:
Google it, there was a huge legal battle
Over the fact that the rs Cervelo frame
And the carbon canyon one were the same etc...
Not quite. It's a battle over whether Cervelo semi-square profile downtube infringes Canyon's patent. Over the fact that the rs Cervelo frame
And the carbon canyon one were the same etc...
Canyons used to have a rep for being bone crushingly stiff. Zero vertical compliance.
PX and Ribble have reps for being flexy. Having seen a mate flex his PX BB area far too easily, I'd steer clear.
Dolans - hmm. Heard them described as wet spaghetti, but you see a lot of them on track, so they can't be soft.
Dunno anything about Cube.
Why the RS and not the R3 or S1 or S2? ££? Have you looked at Orbea? Or Kuota?
Of the frames listed, I'd take the RS, but then I would say that. If it were me I'd go for an S1.
Wheels: provided they stay true, wheels last a long time. I'd suggest looking for some second hand wheels on weight weenies (they are an obsessive lot there who generally look after kit. Campag or Fulcrum rims are pretty bullet proof, so = a good second hand buy). Gruppos you can pick up in a box set of everything for a single bike. Don't go mad on a gruppo. It's functional kit with marginal weight savings as you spend £.
And fit is pretty easy if you have a good sense if where your comfort v power sweet spot is. It's not that hard to find.
Edited by anonymous-user on Sunday 27th November 17:25
Edited by anonymous-user on Sunday 27th November 17:34
Edited by anonymous-user on Sunday 27th November 17:35
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