Road Bike Noob

[Al U]

I bought a hybrid at the end of last year for doing a mixture of road and off-road riding however it has not taken me long to realise that what I really want is to do a lot more road riding.

I am therefore looking to get a road bike, haven't decided whether to keep the hybrid yet but I am looking for an entry level used bike as shops don't really have much in stock at the moment.

I am looking at these three bikes and wondered if the more experience cyclists here can give me some pointers to help me choose. I have done some basic research about the groupsets.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mekk-Pinerolo-AL-SE-0-2...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Boardman-Team-Carbon-Ro...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Specialized-Allez-E5-20...

The Mekk one is in great condition, is pretty cheap, has a 9 speed cassette, but isn't the nicest looking of the three. I think it is probably the best condition out of the three but has some low rent parts on it here and there.

The Boardman one is carbon which I am a bit dubious about buying used, hard to spot micro-cracking etc. Also seems to be quite an old bike from some googling, but does have good bits on it like the Tiagra groupset.

The specialized one looks the nicest to my eyes, supposedly has upgraded wheels but the reviews of the wheels online aren't great. It's also the most expensive of the bunch.

Any thoughts?

[z4RRSchris]

How much you spending?

I would take the boardman of those, that tiagra groupset is decent enough.

[z4RRSchris]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Full-Carbon-Frame-Road-...

ill take this one for the £550.

[Al U]

z4RRSchris said:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Full-Carbon-Frame-Road-...

ill take this one for the £550.

Looking for something branded that started life out as a complete really, thanks for the suggestion though.

[Al U]

z4RRSchris said:

How much you spending?

I would take the boardman of those, that tiagra groupset is decent enough.

I'd like to get something around £500, the less the better obviously.

[snotrag]

The Boardman, definitely.

10 speed Tiagra is really nice, you get the same format levers as the more expensive stuff (without the exposed cables), American Classic Wheels are a nice upgrade and it has Conti 4 season tyres on which are also a good choice - it appears to have been owned by someone whos put money into it.

Also - not its 'advertised elsewhere'.

This means you dont need to buy it through eBay. Saves you both money. Make them an offer.

[echazfraz]

I reckon you live near me AI U as all of those came up on my recent search until I filtered by frame size!

I bought a Giant Defy 1 from Sonning Common for £400 in the end as it had:

a great groupset (Ultegra)
great reviews for its price at the time (2013) with a good combo of stiff / forgiving from an aluminium frame and carbon fork
new wheels and tyres (Mavic Cosmic) which seemed well reviewed if a bit heavy

One ride in and I love it - not the lightest, fastest, or newest out there but it does the job. Bit like me, so we're a good match already

[Barchettaman]

The obvious answer is a lightly-used cyclocross bike with rim brakes, and two wheelsets; one with road tyres, the other with nobbly off-road ones.

[Al U]

I spoke to the seller of the boardman and it was new in 2016, so 5 years old. The other two bikes are less than a year old, so it's better to have a higher spec older bike than a newer lower spec one right?

[gangzoom]

Al U said:

I spoke to the seller of the boardman and it was new in 2016, so 5 years old. The other two bikes are less than a year old, so it's better to have a higher spec older bike than a newer lower spec one right?

I wouldn't worry about age, a carbon frame that fits you will let you upgrade bits as go along.

This is my 2011 Trek, I've just had it serviced, added some Ultegra brakes at the end of the summer. The 105 shifters at a decade old still work perfectly despite me crashing it a few times. At under 8kgs, its still lighter than most brand new bikes.

Pedal bikes basically last forever with very little maintenance needed, especially if they are 'summer' bikes and not been abused in winter.

[mikey P 500]

Try searching for "merida ride"as they use same frame as specialised allez but seem to be far cheaper used, I sold a ride 500 (ultegra groupset alloy frame for £400 couple of months ago only 2 years old very light use) generally less searched for on eBay.

[Al U]

gangzoom said:

I wouldn't worry about age, a carbon frame that fits you will let you upgrade bits as go along.

This is my 2011 Trek, I've just had it serviced, added some Ultegra brakes at the end of the summer. The 105 shifters at a decade old still work perfectly despite me crashing it a few times. At under 8kgs, its still lighter than most brand new bikes.

Pedal bikes basically last forever with very little maintenance needed, especially if they are 'summer' bikes and not been abused in winter.

That looks decent. I was just thinking that should I be looking at newer models for the money I am spending. An example would be this ex-display Merida 94 that I found earlier, I think this is a 2014 model which makes me think it must have been on display for a long time. Seems they don't sell them new anymore.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MERIDA-RIDE-94-ROAD-RAC...

I like the fact that it is as new bar a few scratches, but I just want to make sure I am getting good value for my money if that makes sense.

Edited by Al U on Thursday 7th January 19:37

[Al U]

mikey P 500 said:

Try searching for "merida ride"as they use same frame as specialised allez but seem to be far cheaper used, I sold a ride 500 (ultegra groupset alloy frame for £400 couple of months ago only 2 years old very light use) generally less searched for on eBay.

I did see a Merida ride 94 that I've linked above. I don't think it uses the same frame as the latest allez like the one in my first post.

This bike apparently weighs around 9.2kg. I think where I am new to road bikes I am just trying to figure out what are the best things to have, so obviously the bike should be as light as possible with decent components and on a personal level I'd like something as new and in as good condition as possible.

Just trying to find the right bike that hits that balance from the ones I am looking at.

[gangzoom]

I properly got back into cycling last year, after about 5 years off - daughter was born in 2016, there was alot of temptation to spend ££££ on a newer bike, but when I really looked at it road bike tech really hasn't changed that much despite all the manufacture claims, if a racing pro can save 30 seconds on a climb like Alpe d’Huez through a better bike that will them the yellow jersey, but as my wife very sensibly points out, none of us MAMILs are every going to even come close to wining the local Strava segment let alone get near pro level competition.

The biggest change seem to be disc brakes, which I would agree in winter is much better than rim brakes, hence I've not been on my road bike for about 3 months now but still using my hybrid. But even with disc brakes, do I really want the gears on my road bike to look like this?



Interms of 'value for money' the magic point appears to be a good frame, half decent gears (105s etc), and potential/willing to upgrade wheels.

I've ridden rubbish non branded gear bike to a friends DuraAce USPS replica road bike, the frame and wheels offer by far the biggest 'feel' upgrades.

Its probably all psychological but my Trek road bike feels so much nicer to ride with the DuraAce wheelset versus stock - the DuraAce wheel set is also nearly 10 years old!

Any bike around 8kg is light, to get below 7kg really light bu you need to spending ££££, my hyrbrid at 11kg feels like a very different bike to ride versus my road bike which is just below 8kg.

Get the best frameset you can, make sure its the right size too, the rest I really wouldn't worry too much. Upgrading what ever brakes that comes with a cheap bike to the latest 105 equivalent makes a big difference, not quite disc brakes, but in the dry not far off.

If you want something new for £1000, the Boardman 8.9 SLR looks really good. Carbon frame with internal cable routing, 105 components, over time add on some nicer wheels/brakes and you will have a fab machine.

https://www.boardmanbikes.com/gb_en/products/2341-...

[Al U]

I think I am going to go for something like a giant defy 2 used, have it for a while get some good miles on it and then go for something higher end but new if after having the giant for a while it's something I am doing a lot.

[Al U]

echazfraz said:

I reckon you live near me AI U as all of those came up on my recent search until I filtered by frame size!

I bought a Giant Defy 1 from Sonning Common for £400 in the end as it had:

a great groupset (Ultegra)
great reviews for its price at the time (2013) with a good combo of stiff / forgiving from an aluminium frame and carbon fork
new wheels and tyres (Mavic Cosmic) which seemed well reviewed if a bit heavy

One ride in and I love it - not the lightest, fastest, or newest out there but it does the job. Bit like me, so we're a good match already

I'm hoping to get something very similar to this tomorrow, will get some pics up if I do!

[Al U]

So managed to get this for £430 in the end, I believe it's a Giant Defy 2. Has tiagra groupset and is in nice condition as previous owner apparently only used it once for a charity ride. The condition definitely seems to support that.

Did a 40 mile ride on it on Saturday and I think it's just what I was looking for. Planning to get a bike fit and new seat next.

[echazfraz]

Al U said:

So managed to get this for £430 in the end, I believe it's a Giant Defy 2. Has tiagra groupset and is in nice condition as previous owner apparently only used it once for a charity ride. The condition definitely seems to support that.

Did a 40 mile ride on it on Saturday and I think it's just what I was looking for. Planning to get a bike fit and new seat next.

That looks lovely - nice one.

Where are you going to get a bike fit from? I've never had one, but my arse and toes are going numb on 20k rides, not due to cold, so feel like I could use one!

[Al U]

echazfraz said:

That looks lovely - nice one.

Where are you going to get a bike fit from? I've never had one, but my arse and toes are going numb on 20k rides, not due to cold, so feel like I could use one!

For me the main problem is the saddle really, it was really starting to hurt towards the end of the ride to the point I was trying to minimise my time on the saddle. I want to go to a place that will measure my sit bones and has different saddle options on site that they can recommend based on the measurements that I can try. I have a fat arse so that obviously needs to be taken into account.

I also feel like my bars may be too far away slightly so would expect a shorter stem would be recommended to get me in the right position, but looking to get that all figured out.

I've got my eye on a couple of places -

https://www.trisports.co.uk/bike-fit - This one is in Letchworth and looks decent. Wanted to call them this morning but they aren't open Mondays!

Will wait to call them tomorrow and if I am in doubt about going there was also liking the look of this place in Hertford -

https://www.fit-me-up.com/

Edited by Al U on Monday 11th January 09:00

[snotrag]

Looks like a great buy that, the Defy frames are very nice (same frame throughout the range for the Alloy version). Giant, like Cannondale, have long been masters of alloy.


Its hard to tell without a side on view but the nose of the saddle looks to be pointing up a touch - start by getting it dead flat, and from there try a TINY amount of nose down. It is also pushed quite far back on a layback seatpost - so as an alternative to a shorter stem (which will change the steering feel of the bike) you also have the option of sliding the saddle forward or a straight seatpost, effectively steepening the seat tube.

Edited by snotrag on Monday 11th January 09:07