Next C2W bike?
Discussion
Just looking for suggestions really, to make sure I've not missed anything!
Being C2W, the budget is £1000. From what I've seen so far, that gets me aluminium and 105, both of which I'm happy with. Not fussed about plastic as I've a Neilpryde and Planet X for that, and I have/had a steelie. I've had 105 on four bikes now and it's been perfect. I'd like to keep it Shimano for reasons of spares, and I like the hoods/shifting. Rim brakes only too: I CBA with two types of wheels and it's still early days for road discs.
Whilst I'm open to all suggestions, the only thing i'm looking at is fit. I'm a freak: a 5'7" shortarse with abnormally long legs, short torso, weedy and feeble arms, a neck that doesn't like being cricked backwards too much yet plenty of flexibility elsewhere!. I need a LOT of seatpost whenever riding something vaguely appropriate. This necessitates a lot of stack height to being the bars up. This means a "bigger" frame, which brings with it a longer reach, which doesn't work without a comedy short stem and the s
t handling that results. So instead I pick a (smaller) frame with a suitable reach, which normally results in a lower stack, which in turn necessitates a whole pile of spacers or a flipped stem. Rubbish. To fix this I've been looking at more "relaxed" bikes, and maybe as far as"endurance" bikes, which is marketings polite way of saying "MAMIL sportive nodders..." As painful as it is, it's all that'll really work without something drastic.
But without any more waffling, and not worrying too much about the above sizing this, any suggestions? So far I've found:
Trek Madone 2.1
Merida Ride 400
Merica Scultura 400 (slightly more pointy than the Ride 400 but looking at the geo I could just about make this work)
Cannondale CAAD8 (slighty "meh" version of the CAAD10)
Felt F75 (sizing might not work)
Cinelli Experience (no published stack/reach, so might need to investigate this further)
Various Dolans, Ribbles and Planet-Xs, all of which leave me cold :/
There've been others, but that's all I can recall right now. Cheers!
Being C2W, the budget is £1000. From what I've seen so far, that gets me aluminium and 105, both of which I'm happy with. Not fussed about plastic as I've a Neilpryde and Planet X for that, and I have/had a steelie. I've had 105 on four bikes now and it's been perfect. I'd like to keep it Shimano for reasons of spares, and I like the hoods/shifting. Rim brakes only too: I CBA with two types of wheels and it's still early days for road discs.
Whilst I'm open to all suggestions, the only thing i'm looking at is fit. I'm a freak: a 5'7" shortarse with abnormally long legs, short torso, weedy and feeble arms, a neck that doesn't like being cricked backwards too much yet plenty of flexibility elsewhere!. I need a LOT of seatpost whenever riding something vaguely appropriate. This necessitates a lot of stack height to being the bars up. This means a "bigger" frame, which brings with it a longer reach, which doesn't work without a comedy short stem and the s
t handling that results. So instead I pick a (smaller) frame with a suitable reach, which normally results in a lower stack, which in turn necessitates a whole pile of spacers or a flipped stem. Rubbish. To fix this I've been looking at more "relaxed" bikes, and maybe as far as"endurance" bikes, which is marketings polite way of saying "MAMIL sportive nodders..." As painful as it is, it's all that'll really work without something drastic.But without any more waffling, and not worrying too much about the above sizing this, any suggestions? So far I've found:
Trek Madone 2.1
Merida Ride 400
Merica Scultura 400 (slightly more pointy than the Ride 400 but looking at the geo I could just about make this work)
Cannondale CAAD8 (slighty "meh" version of the CAAD10)
Felt F75 (sizing might not work)
Cinelli Experience (no published stack/reach, so might need to investigate this further)
Various Dolans, Ribbles and Planet-Xs, all of which leave me cold :/
There've been others, but that's all I can recall right now. Cheers!
Not sure about fit, but full carbon and 105 for £1,000...?
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/mach-720-carbon-road-bi...
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/mach-720-carbon-road-bi...
AndyWoodall said:
Look at the Cube Peleton part of the range. Excellent.
Good call, I'd completely overlooked these. Sizing looks good too if somewhat irregular between sizes. I mean, the "47cm" being 2mm longer in reach than the "58cm"?! And the only difference between the "50cm" and the "53cm" being 15mm in stack? Odd!Full 105, with a dash of Ultegra and Mavic wheels? For £999, that's going to be hard to beat.
jamiebae said:
Genesis Equilibrium or Volant? Both fairly relaxed geo and a bit more interesting than a lot of stuff, although you won't get 105 on an Equilibrium at that price point the lovely steel ride makes up for it.
I'll be selling my (too long) Equilibrium frame, and fitting the bits to a smaller Equilibrium or Volant later in the year. Lovely bikes! This C2W bike will be a spare summer bike/potential race bike/source of 11sp groupset for the Neilpryde...el stovey said:
I've found a few places that will let you buy wheels or Di2 etc using cycle to work vouchers, it's worth phoning your local indi bike shops to check. If you're getting bored buying £999,99 bikes each year.
Having looked at this in great detail recently in advance of implementing it for my employer, what you're proposing would not qualify for the tax exemption and you'd risk HMRC assessing a tax liability. The same is true of being able to top up your voucher (even though at least one large provider promotes this as possible).
Jimbo. said:
jamiebae said:
Genesis Equilibrium or Volant? Both fairly relaxed geo and a bit more interesting than a lot of stuff, although you won't get 105 on an Equilibrium at that price point the lovely steel ride makes up for it.
I'll be selling my (too long) Equilibrium frame, and fitting the bits to a smaller Equilibrium or Volant later in the year. Lovely bikes! This C2W bike will be a spare summer bike/potential race bike/source of 11sp groupset for the Neilpryde...In your circumstances I'd probably get the best spec on the worst frame possible and pull it to bits, so Ribble/Dolan/PX alu with a decent group and reasonable wheels. You're barely going to ride the bike itself so I wouldn't worry too much on that front.
http://www.dolan-bikes.com/road/road-bikes/dolan-p...
That, with a wheel upgrade, just about hits the budget, it has nice finishing kit and would be a good source of parts.
Really though, you don't need another bike, why not pay £300 for a new 105 group set and a couple of hundred on some better wheels, it'll end up cheaper than a £1k bike on C2W and just mean one less kitchen ornament...
That, with a wheel upgrade, just about hits the budget, it has nice finishing kit and would be a good source of parts.
Really though, you don't need another bike, why not pay £300 for a new 105 group set and a couple of hundred on some better wheels, it'll end up cheaper than a £1k bike on C2W and just mean one less kitchen ornament...
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