what road bike?
Discussion
some background:
i started cycling in january and until recently [have been sent on a foreign job for a couple of months] was averaging 3-4 rides a week. usually 40-50km loops but started going further [100km] before it got too hot.
my bike is a triban 3 with zero upgrades. its fine for the price but i don't think it fits me correctly [i am 6'1 and bought an XL] and is uncomfortable. i'm in a quandary whether i find riding uncomfortable because the frame isn't suited to me or i'm just not suited to the general riding posture! was just looking online at cleats and shoes etc. so thought its about time i upgrade the bike as well.
i live in dubai so no hills. my cycling is 100% for fitness [and fun, i do enjoy it which is why i am happy to be buying another so soon] and other than a couple of triathlons coming up in winter [work charity thing] i have no intentions of competing. i just want a really great bike, well specced, comfortable but also harbouring sporting intentions if required. not an out an out racer or tri bike but also not a tourer. there's f
k all scenery where i ride and i like to push the pace as far as i can.
oh yeah, i also want it to look good! also the seller needs to be easy to deal with [remote purchase although i want a fitting] and do tax free shopping. intention would be to fly it back with me from the UK on my next trip home. normally fly into manc. but might have a work trip to glasgow soon.
i like the look of the boardman range which is handy as halfords would be ideal to buy from. the road pro carbon slr would be my first choice but the reviews i have read say that it is more of a pure race bike. the non slr seems to have a less aggresive stance and if they just did it with the all-integra setup of the slr then i would already be sold. does anyone have any experience with the non slr pro?
so, what other bikes should i be looking at? budget is £2k tops before discount/VAT back, happier nearer £1500.
TIA
i started cycling in january and until recently [have been sent on a foreign job for a couple of months] was averaging 3-4 rides a week. usually 40-50km loops but started going further [100km] before it got too hot.
my bike is a triban 3 with zero upgrades. its fine for the price but i don't think it fits me correctly [i am 6'1 and bought an XL] and is uncomfortable. i'm in a quandary whether i find riding uncomfortable because the frame isn't suited to me or i'm just not suited to the general riding posture! was just looking online at cleats and shoes etc. so thought its about time i upgrade the bike as well.
i live in dubai so no hills. my cycling is 100% for fitness [and fun, i do enjoy it which is why i am happy to be buying another so soon] and other than a couple of triathlons coming up in winter [work charity thing] i have no intentions of competing. i just want a really great bike, well specced, comfortable but also harbouring sporting intentions if required. not an out an out racer or tri bike but also not a tourer. there's f
k all scenery where i ride and i like to push the pace as far as i can. oh yeah, i also want it to look good! also the seller needs to be easy to deal with [remote purchase although i want a fitting] and do tax free shopping. intention would be to fly it back with me from the UK on my next trip home. normally fly into manc. but might have a work trip to glasgow soon.
i like the look of the boardman range which is handy as halfords would be ideal to buy from. the road pro carbon slr would be my first choice but the reviews i have read say that it is more of a pure race bike. the non slr seems to have a less aggresive stance and if they just did it with the all-integra setup of the slr then i would already be sold. does anyone have any experience with the non slr pro?
so, what other bikes should i be looking at? budget is £2k tops before discount/VAT back, happier nearer £1500.
TIA
Oxford Bike Works do both touring and general road bikes and will take all your measurements and build a bike to suit. The PDF catalogue on their site has a page detailing the measurements they need and the bikes range from about £1k to £2.2k depending on the model. I've been looking at one of their Model 2 models but haven't pulled the trigger yet as I've not decided on which "custom" colour I want.
Phil, at the risk of sounding like a stuck record, get yourself down to Revolution Cycles and have a chat with Desmond - he can offer invaluable advice, and guide you through the maze of what to buy/upgrade to. Might be that your current bike just needs adjusting, and if you do wish to upgrade he can talk you through the options. While not quite as cheap as online, I found their prices competitive, and you can actually talk to someone. Also they will honour any warranty work if ever needed...
shirt said:
i like the look of the boardman range which is handy as halfords would be ideal to buy from. the road pro carbon slr would be my first choice but the reviews i have read say that it is more of a pure race bike. the non slr seems to have a less aggresive stance and if they just did it with the all-integra setup of the slr then i would already be sold. does anyone have any experience with the non slr pro?
The first road bike I bought was last years Boardman Team Carbon. Its basically the same as this years Pro Carbon, except that this year they have given it a pretty nasty grey paint scheme (rather than the classic matt carbon of last years). At 5'10-ish I had a Large, but was way too stretched - had to replace the 130mm stem with a 110 which helped matters (you may be ok with the Large). Otherwise, I loved it - 105 groupset was great, plenty enough for my skillz. I would still have it were I not knocked off the bike.I was paid-out in full and used it to upgrade to this years Pro Carbon SLR. A beautiful bike - only downsides visually are that the white paint scheme looks similar to models further down the range, and its covered in acronyms which I don't like (SLR, RPC, DRC, UDCM, E4P...). Otherwise, full Ultegra, right down to the wheels, for £1400 (when you combine BC discount with a Halfords promo). Im not experienced enough to know what a racey geometry really feels like - but ive done lots of 40/50/60 mile rides on it without any problem.
Well, I did get some knee pain, and went to a bike fit session at 7Hundred in Windsor who measured me up and then set my saddle correctly (about 7cm higher than I had it). They told me it would fix my knee pain and give me on average a 1mph speed increase. And they were spot on in both cases.
I went for the medium this time which suits me fine. One thing to be aware of is that the front gears are 53/39, rather than standard 50/34, which came as a shock on the first hills I encountered. Over time my thighs have got a big bigger which has made things easier!
So yeah, got for the Pro SLR!
The 'raciness' of the Boardman is at least partly because it comes with a 'standard' chainset and not a compact - although it does also have a low stack height.
If you're having fitting problems I'd seriously suggest getting a bike fit - a good one will give you your ideal measurements that you can then apply to the search for your new bike.
If you're having fitting problems I'd seriously suggest getting a bike fit - a good one will give you your ideal measurements that you can then apply to the search for your new bike.
james - i did pop into revs when i was looking before. their starter bikes were around £1k. i just feel i will get much better value buying from the uk. do revs charge for fitting? i hear wolfies don't regardless of whether you make a purchase [although i do need some bits and new shorts].
DC - thanks for that. i did prefer the matt colours as well [was hunting a 2013 cylocross team when home at xmas to no avail]. i don't mind the white though as the triban is white and i've got used to it. the full integra package is part of the draw and with the VAT off as well it's an £1100 bike which is a total bargain. certainly on price and specs i am failing to see much past the slr that's for sure.
DC/Gizmo - guess i need to get fitted and go from there [will try revolution james! or the bike hut at qudra]. long rides just don't feel comfortable. i have the saddle high but feel that i need the bars higher and closer in to me as well. at present tucking down feels awkward and so i rarely go down from the top bar. i think the xl triban is a 61cm, perhaps too much of a stretch for me.
as for specs, i'm fine with the general ranges [105, intergra etc] but things like gear ratios, stem lengths and even the term 'stack height' mean nothing to me!
DC - thanks for that. i did prefer the matt colours as well [was hunting a 2013 cylocross team when home at xmas to no avail]. i don't mind the white though as the triban is white and i've got used to it. the full integra package is part of the draw and with the VAT off as well it's an £1100 bike which is a total bargain. certainly on price and specs i am failing to see much past the slr that's for sure.
DC/Gizmo - guess i need to get fitted and go from there [will try revolution james! or the bike hut at qudra]. long rides just don't feel comfortable. i have the saddle high but feel that i need the bars higher and closer in to me as well. at present tucking down feels awkward and so i rarely go down from the top bar. i think the xl triban is a 61cm, perhaps too much of a stretch for me.
as for specs, i'm fine with the general ranges [105, intergra etc] but things like gear ratios, stem lengths and even the term 'stack height' mean nothing to me!
Hi Phil, depends how you define value - yes they maybe slightly more expensive, but you have the peace of mind if something happens there is someone locally to speak to - my frame cracked after 3 weeks, they replaced (actually upgraded) my bike and gave a courtesy bike while the frame was being delivered. No postage issues, no issues with how the frame was damaged etc... For me worth much more than a few £ saved... Also for the budget you mentioned that will get you a nice bike with at least 105 running gear.
Having said that, if you have a fitting you may find your current bike is fine - and this will be far cheaper than a new bike! Not sure whether Revolution charge for a fitting - I have never been charged, but another benefit of buying the bike from them.
Having said that, if you have a fitting you may find your current bike is fine - and this will be far cheaper than a new bike! Not sure whether Revolution charge for a fitting - I have never been charged, but another benefit of buying the bike from them.
Phil
Revolution do 2 types of bike fit, one by eye and the other using a video. Check with them but I think its 250 vrs 800dhs
I went for a fit and ended up buying a shorter stem, 90mm vrs 100mm and it made a massive difference to ride comfort
When I was looking for a bike, similar spec bikes were at least Dhs3000/4000 cheaper in the UK, expect to pay about Dhs600 for shipping from the UK and collect at the post office, there will be 5% duty to pay as well on collection
James has a valid point about warranty etc. but that's a chance you take I suppose.
Revolution do 2 types of bike fit, one by eye and the other using a video. Check with them but I think its 250 vrs 800dhs
I went for a fit and ended up buying a shorter stem, 90mm vrs 100mm and it made a massive difference to ride comfort
When I was looking for a bike, similar spec bikes were at least Dhs3000/4000 cheaper in the UK, expect to pay about Dhs600 for shipping from the UK and collect at the post office, there will be 5% duty to pay as well on collection
James has a valid point about warranty etc. but that's a chance you take I suppose.
hi jase. how is your riding coming on? more importantly are you going to need a slimmer race suit for barca?
james, value for me is determined mainly by spec against outlay. you just have to look at the figures for jason's planetx and it's a no brainer to buy from home. can carry it back for free and hopefully sneak it past customs at the airport too
warranty is a chance i'll take, i buy most big ticket items in the EU to save the VAT so am used to that anyway.
deffo going to get the current one set up and my 'ideal' measured so i know what frames will suit me best, but still looking at buying another rather than keep with the current one. rode a mate's defy before i left last month and it felt so much quicker and easier to ride. need to smash the cycle section at the work tri's as i'm cack in the water and hate running!
then once i have the new one i can then look at tweaking. 10mm stem doesn't sound much to me at all, surprising how such things make a big difference.
james, value for me is determined mainly by spec against outlay. you just have to look at the figures for jason's planetx and it's a no brainer to buy from home. can carry it back for free and hopefully sneak it past customs at the airport too
warranty is a chance i'll take, i buy most big ticket items in the EU to save the VAT so am used to that anyway.deffo going to get the current one set up and my 'ideal' measured so i know what frames will suit me best, but still looking at buying another rather than keep with the current one. rode a mate's defy before i left last month and it felt so much quicker and easier to ride. need to smash the cycle section at the work tri's as i'm cack in the water and hate running!
then once i have the new one i can then look at tweaking. 10mm stem doesn't sound much to me at all, surprising how such things make a big difference.
I moved my saddle back 10mm a little while ago because I felt I had a touch too much weight on my hands and I was getting numbness. Started getting knee ache because I was having to push 'forwards' in part of the stroke. Put the saddle forward 5mm and the knee pain stopped and the hands are fine.
Such a ridiculously fine art, sometimes.
Such a ridiculously fine art, sometimes.
my seat is as far forward as possible. i really do think the frame is too large. having done some reading i reckon a 57 would be ideal whereas the triban is a 61.
jason, which planetx did you buy? i really like the look and spec. of the rt-58 with the campagnolo chorus and it satisfies my pro-yorkshire politik to boot!
jason, which planetx did you buy? i really like the look and spec. of the rt-58 with the campagnolo chorus and it satisfies my pro-yorkshire politik to boot!
Ive have a Triban 3 (the original with Shimano Components). I wanted a new bike but didn't want to spend more than £1000. In the end I went for a Fuji Compact Sportif 1.1 which isn't to everyone's taste but suits me because it less aggressive and has wider tyres. I needed something comfy due to whiplash issues. The Triban wasn't fitted for me ether so I wanted to start from scratch.
What it has done is made me realise that for a budget bike the Triban really is very good. A friend has just brought a 500 so it will be interesting to see what he thinks.
Its worth having a good look round to ensure you are really happy with what you choose. I sometimes think I should have spend a little more but Im happy with both of them for now.
What it has done is made me realise that for a budget bike the Triban really is very good. A friend has just brought a 500 so it will be interesting to see what he thinks.
Its worth having a good look round to ensure you are really happy with what you choose. I sometimes think I should have spend a little more but Im happy with both of them for now.
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