Direct sellers

[Paul Drawmer]

I'm in the market for a budget bike (MAX £1500) and so far like the offerings from Canyon and Rose.

Can you recommend other direct sellers who make a decent alloy frame?

[OliilO]

Mountain bike or road bike?

If mountain bike, try Bird Cycleworks. Great value, good bikes and the best customer service i've ever had.

[Paul Drawmer]

Apologies; Road bike.

[Daveyraveygravey]

There's a third German company, name begins with N, can't remember it exactly thought.
Over here you could look at Planet X, Dolan and Merlin.

[Matt_N]

Bowman Palace R frameset is £695, leaves £800 for groupset, wheels and finishing kit, tight but do-able and wouldn't be another identi-bike ordered off the net.

Cannondale CAAD series is really worth looking at if you want alloy too.

[fuzzymonkey]

Paul Drawmer said:

I'm in the market for a budget bike (MAX £1500) and so far like the offerings from Canyon and Rose.

Can you recommend other direct sellers who make a decent alloy frame?

I remember when £1500 wasn't a budget bike...

[R1gtr]

If you are after aluminium try and pick up a 2017 Cannondale CAAD 12 Ultegra in the sales, great bike, love mine especially after upgrading the wheels. I got the disc version.

Edit- Pedalon has the Ultegra CAAD for 1299, leaving you a bit of money for a set of lightweight wheels in the sales.

Edited by R1gtr on Sunday 14th January 10:16

[Tom1312]

Decathlon.

Carbon with full 105 and good wheels for £1399 or Alu with full Ultegra for £1099.

I've not ridden them but have had a very good look at them in stores and they are genuinely nice looking and very well made bikes.

Best value bike I've ever found in a physical store.

Otherwise I'd say take your cash and go second hand for a full carbon Canyon Ultimate.

[theboyfold]

Why do you want to go direct? There are a load of interesting bikes within that price range.

https://www.wheelbase.co.uk/product/bikes-frames/w...

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/wilier-gtr-team-endurance-...

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/wilier-gtr-team-endurance-...

https://www.evanscycles.com/cannondale-synapse-car...

Decent spec if you want change to upgrade the wheels.
https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/ribble-sportive-rac...

I have the Di2 version of this bike, I love it.
https://www.swiftcycles.co.uk/8442/products/2017-c...

[BeirutTaxi]

Boardman Road Team carbon (road.cc bike of the year 2017)

https://www.boardmanbikes.com/gb_en/bikes/performa...

[The Rookie]

If you feel a degree of nationalism then Ribble or Planet-X.

I have a Planet-X London road as a commuter, although they a well publicised issue with the seat tube I was already planning on using a smaller post and shim so just got a shim to suite the actual size, other than that its a great frame, compliant ride yet stiff on the power.

[oddball1313]

you probably couldn't go too far wrong with a Giant defy

https://www.giant-bicycles.com/gb/defy-advanced-3

Edited by oddball1313 on Monday 15th January 17:17

[z4RRSchris]

Matt_N said:

Bowman Palace R frameset is £695, leaves £800 for groupset, wheels and finishing kit, tight but do-able and wouldn't be another identi-bike ordered off the net.

Cannondale CAAD series is really worth looking at if you want alloy too.

the bowman is a great bike.

mine was built up for under your budget using bits and bobs from ebay (bar the quarq)

[AyBee]

I want that frame

[Matt_N]

z4RRSchris said:

the bowman is a great bike.

mine was built up for under your budget using bits and bobs from ebay (bar the quarq)

I had your build in mine Chris, it's v.nice.

There you go OP, proof it can be done!

[z4RRSchris]

Matt_N said:

I had your build in mine Chris, it's v.nice.

There you go OP, proof it can be done!

totted my build up. dont tell the misses.

c£2350

frame: bowman palace R £675
wheels: 60mm U shape £306 (carbonspeedcycle on ebay)
brakes: sram red 2012 £50
front mech: sram force £33.97
rear mech: sram force £29
shifters: sram force 22 £115
cables: jagwire sealed £65
cranks: quarq £643
rings: rotor noQ £31
pedals: look keo £30
cogs: sram force 11-28 £54.99
chain: 1190 £50?
seat post: ritchey - i had this lying around prob £75
saddle:fizik r3 £80.40
bars: canyon h17 400mm £20
stem: 140mm ritchey £8
tape: £15
tyres: 25mm powers! £60

[Paul Drawmer]

Thank you to everybody for your suggestions....

I like the idea of making my own; my present bike was built up from scratch onto an old Trek frame. However, some of the complete bike deals are very competitive.

I admit there's not a lot of science behind wanting an alloy frame, it's mostly a notion of mine that a cheap carbon frame will not be as good but cost more than a really good alloy one. I would prefer a screw in BB.

I need a 'relaxed' frame set, so have been looking at those aimed at comfort, not out and out racing. At 71, I don't flex as much as most of you guys, but I still get a buzz out of tapping out a few miles. As I'm going for new, I like the idea of discs, and I do need 'climbers' gearing as I'm not as strong as I was.

Anyway; I need to sell a couple of watches to pay for this madness. I also need to get rid of a 6 weeks old cough/cold that's stopped me even riding the exercise bike in the garage!

[Sa Calobra]

Keep an eye on wheelbase. My Dale Supersix Ultegra was 1300.

I've often seen Synapse carbons within your budget.

[bakerstreet]

I'd go with a Cannondale CAAD or something Carbon from Planet X.

Giant Defy is also worth a look. I have had a Giant 2010 Defy since 2010 and not much is original apart from the frame, but its still a good bike.

[Paul Drawmer]

Not press fit BBs thank you.