Credit where due (Halfords) - Boardman Pro Carbon SLR
Discussion
Boardman Pro Carbon SLR is on 20% off offer atm and for those of us with British Cycling and able to purchase discounted Halfords vouchers thats one heck of a lot of bike for £1166:
Full carbon frame and fork
Full SRAM Force groupset
Magic Kyserium wheels
Good enough as it happens to get me out on a test ride as it was bang on the spec I was after and a blinding price. Sadly though the groupset spec wasnt to my liking - the Force was specced at 52/36 175mm crank with an 11/28 cassette and I didn't quite get along with it. Shouldn't have been a surprise really as its billed as a race bike rather than touring - short answer I missed my 50/34 172.5mm crank and 11/32 cassette. Id been prepared to consider swapping the cassette and rear derailleur for a medium cage 11/32 setup and ebaying the originals but changing the chainset/cranks as well is probably a step too much.
On the +ve side - it was considerably lighter than my existing aluminium boardman comp and much much stiffer but also more compliant over some of the bumpier sections I rode over. Its a cracking bike but sadly the gearing is just not for me which was a shame.
However.....a big thank you to Halfords in Farnham.....mindful that i was considering a rather big (to me) purchase they let me take it out on a 2 hour test ride. This was a massive help as a quick spin round the car park really wouldn't have allowed me to come to the above conclusion. Really great customer service - they even put a set of spd-sl pedals on so I could give it a proper ride rather than in trainers on test pedals. As an existing boardman customer of 2 bikes they recognised that I was serious about an upgrade but wanted to be comfortable with the geometry etc of the sir. Really disappointed not to be buying it but well done guys on your great customer service (feedback provided to HO as we all winge at poor service so only right we praise good service).
The search goes on.......ideal spec..... carbon frame/fork with Sram force or Campag Potenza 34/50 172.5mm cranks with 11/32 cassette - there really isn't much out there specced with sram at the moment
PO
Full carbon frame and fork
Full SRAM Force groupset
Magic Kyserium wheels
Good enough as it happens to get me out on a test ride as it was bang on the spec I was after and a blinding price. Sadly though the groupset spec wasnt to my liking - the Force was specced at 52/36 175mm crank with an 11/28 cassette and I didn't quite get along with it. Shouldn't have been a surprise really as its billed as a race bike rather than touring - short answer I missed my 50/34 172.5mm crank and 11/32 cassette. Id been prepared to consider swapping the cassette and rear derailleur for a medium cage 11/32 setup and ebaying the originals but changing the chainset/cranks as well is probably a step too much.
On the +ve side - it was considerably lighter than my existing aluminium boardman comp and much much stiffer but also more compliant over some of the bumpier sections I rode over. Its a cracking bike but sadly the gearing is just not for me which was a shame.
However.....a big thank you to Halfords in Farnham.....mindful that i was considering a rather big (to me) purchase they let me take it out on a 2 hour test ride. This was a massive help as a quick spin round the car park really wouldn't have allowed me to come to the above conclusion. Really great customer service - they even put a set of spd-sl pedals on so I could give it a proper ride rather than in trainers on test pedals. As an existing boardman customer of 2 bikes they recognised that I was serious about an upgrade but wanted to be comfortable with the geometry etc of the sir. Really disappointed not to be buying it but well done guys on your great customer service (feedback provided to HO as we all winge at poor service so only right we praise good service).
The search goes on.......ideal spec..... carbon frame/fork with Sram force or Campag Potenza 34/50 172.5mm cranks with 11/32 cassette - there really isn't much out there specced with sram at the moment
PO
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