Help with road bike choice

[Zippee]

Hi all,

I need some help with my next road bike. I have a budget of up to £1500 (incl £1k c2w) but would rather save a little on this if possible and would like the following;
Carbon frame – I want something a little forgiving on the country lanes.
Sportive position – something a little less full race orientated but still comfy and quick over distances. I’m 42 with a dodgy lower back ?
105 group minimum and ideally disc brakes.

I’ve narrowed choice down to a fair few but really don’t know a massive amount between them in terms of feel and comfort – spec wise in terms of group they are pretty similar, the main differences being around frames and wheels.
Any comments on any of these would be much appreciated. I tend to keep my bikes a few years before changing (my current Allez is 7 years old now) so a strong frame and decent warranty/customer service is also important.

Anyhow, the bikes are as follows, some of which I am familiar with (Cannondale, Trek, Giant) and some I’m not (Cube, Mekk, Fuji) but in all cases I’ve not ridden any of them. I can get the shop to get some in but it’s hard to line up 7 bikes in one go hence I’d love some real world advice especially if any of you have owned these before. I’ve specifically chosen 2017 models to enable more spec for my money and currently I’m leaning towards the Cube (cheapest) and the Synapse;

Giant Defy Advanced Pro
https://www.rutlandcycling.com/372086/products/gia...

Giant Defy 2
https://www.rutlandcycling.com/371646/products/gia...

Cube Attain
https://www.rutlandcycling.com/bikes/road-bikes/cu...

Mekk Pogio 2.8 (2018 model)
https://www.rutlandcycling.com/bikes/road-bikes/me...

Cannondale Synapse
https://www.rutlandcycling.com/bikes/road-bikes/ca...

Trek Emonda SL5
https://www.evanscycles.com/trek-emonda-sl-5-2017-...

Fuji Gran Fondo 2.1
https://www.evanscycles.com/fuji-gran-fondo-2-1-di...

Willier GTR Team Endurance
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/wilier-gtr-team...

Thanks in advance

Edited by Zippee on Thursday 11th January 13:47

Edited by Zippee on Thursday 11th January 14:10

[Daveyraveygravey]

If you're near an Evans, pay them a visit. They had the best policy of any retailer I could find when I was looking in terms of demo-ing bikes. You have to book it, and leave details and a credit card in case you go out for a spin and don't come back, but they also have a wide selection. A lot of bike shops have demo fleets, but they tend to be £2.5k budget, and that makes a difference. A lot of shops are also tied to only one or two brands, so you'll have to go to a few and it will be hard to make direct comparisons.

A carbon frame won't necessarily be more comfy at this price point. Ally and steel can still be made to cover long days in the saddle, and won't be too much heavier.

105 is the sweet spot in the range, and it is not too expensive to upgrade these parts as they wear out.

I can take or leave discs; when I was buying two years ago, a bike with discs would have meant lesser spec elsewhere. The rim brakes on my Propel are some of the best rim brakes i have used.

The Synapse is meant to be one of the best sportive bikes, a friend has one and loves it. In the Trek lineup, the Domane is more the sportive bike than the lightweight Emonda. Another friend has a Domane, he rode Paris-Brest-Paris and London-Edinburgh-London on it!

[yellowjack]

Out of the bikes in your list? The Emonda SL 5 all day long.

There's another thread running here... https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&... ...specifically comparing the Emonda with a Madone. Bigger budget, but the SL 5 shares a frame with the SL 6 that I have, it's only the groupset that's different, and maybe a few bits of window dressing.

Great bikes. I got mine from Pedal On, Tadley (near Reading/Aldermaston). They've got a couple in their sale, but you're looking at a 50 cm or a 52 cm frame there, I think. Any bigger and you almost certainly need to buy it somewhere else.

Try to arrange a test ride on one. I wasn't even considering buying a Trek at all, but the guys at Pedal On twisted my arm into trying it, and the way it felt on the road, the bike sold itself. I'd been looking at Cervelo, Storck, and Bianchi bikes among others, but none that I test-rode felt "right" at all. Mostly to "twitchy" at the front end. The Emonda was like a magic carpet by comparison.

If anything were to happen to my current Emonda, I'd buy another in a heartbeat.

Go on! Bust that budget! You know you want too...


https://www.pedalon.co.uk/acatalog/trek-emonda-sl-...
Yours for only £2,250, including a bunch of "free" stuff (of your choice) via their 'Podium Points' scheme.
It's also still cheaper than mine was in March 2015 too, even though it has the newer Ultegra 8000 groupset.

[snobetter]

There's no bad bikes there, try as many as you can, one will feel best. Probably the one for 25% more than whatever budget you set...

[ALawson]

Focus Cayo are pretty good.

Last years with disks and Ultegra.

https://www.jejamescycles.com/focus-cayo-disc-ulte...

[Zippee]

ALawson said:

Focus Cayo are pretty good.

Last years with disks and Ultegra.

https://www.jejamescycles.com/focus-cayo-disc-ulte...

It's lovely but £1500 really is my max budget

Thanks all so far

[smn159]

When I was in the market for a new bike I went and had a 'new bike fitting' at a guy called The Bike Whisperer in Newbury, who spent a few hours measuring me up, talking about the intended use / any injuries before recommending a bike based on the geo that would fit me best.

I had been sold on the idea of carbon but I ended up with an ally Canyon w/ full Ultegra for a bit less than your budget and have been most pleased with it.

[anonymous-user]

You can only really tell by having a ride on them

[hilly10]

I tried quite a few bikes on your list and the only one I felt at total ease with was the Trek Emonda SL5. It was reduced from £1900 to £1500 so that helped a little,but my budget to start with was a grand. By the way I have to lower worn vertebrae don’t know whether that’s any help. I am 63 now and went from 40km on my hybrid to 80-90km on the Trek

Edited by hilly10 on Thursday 11th January 14:34

[R1gtr]

This comes with Discs and Ultegra at just under budget-
https://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m7b0s6p8340/CUBE-ATT...

Or this which would leave you money to upgrade the wheels to a set of Hunt or Zondas and you would have a great bike for the money-
https://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m7b0s6p8341/CUBE-ATT...

[Zippee]

hilly10 said:

I tried quite a few bikes on your list and the only one I felt at total ease with was the Trek Emonda SL5. It was reduced from £1900 to £1500 so that helped a little,but my budget to start with was a grand. By the way I have to lower worn vertebrae don’t know whether that’s any help. I am 63 now and went from 40km on my hybrid to 80-90km on the Trek

Edited by hilly10 on Thursday 11th January 14:34

Thank you, that's very helpful.
I'm going to try and get some test rides sorted then.
Anybody any thoughts on the Wilier or Mekk brands?

[BoRED S2upid]

Zippee said:

ALawson said:

Focus Cayo are pretty good.

Last years with disks and Ultegra.

https://www.jejamescycles.com/focus-cayo-disc-ulte...

It's lovely but £1500 really is my max budget

Thanks all so far

I picked up a Focus Cayo as above no disks, carbon, ultegra reduced to £999 last year so it certainly can be done.

[Tri_Doc]

At £1500, can I throw in another bike choice. You can find some great discounts on 2017 Cervelo R2s at the moment, which, apart from the disc brakes, would give you a LOT of bike for the money:

https://www.nrgcycles.co.uk/60457/products/cervelo...

[Paul Drawmer]

If I had that budget - I'd buy this:
https://www.rosebikes.com/bike/rose-pro-sl-disc-ul...

I know, I know; it's not carbon. But it is well respected, and comes with hydraulic disc Ultegra.

edited to add
https://www.rosebikes.com/bike/rose-pro-sl-disc-ul...

Last year's version with Disc Aksiums 1400 euro

Edited by Paul Drawmer on Thursday 11th January 20:31

[DirtyHands]

I have a giant defy advanced. I can confirm that it is an excellent bike. Comfortable geometry but responsive too. I’ve done plenty of 160km days on it without any discomfort.

[Herman Toothrot]

I love my Ribble Sportive Racing, so comfortable after my old Planet X Pro Carbon, mainly due to the nice tall stack height. I see them come on sale frequently on the Ribble website with good setups, I got one in December and it had full 105 except brake callipers where they substituted FSA SLKs, which was nice as they are £188rrp, it was £899. That's hard to beat, 105, Askiums & the FSA SLKs on full carbon frame.

[z4RRSchris]

THIS IS THE BIKE FOR YOU

https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/road/endurace/endurac...

[Zippee]

z4RRSchris said:

THIS IS THE BIKE FOR YOU

https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/road/endurace/endurac...

Some serious budget creep going on there

[Madness60]

Similar age and dodgy back

I went for a Giant Defy Advanced with ultegra discs and a simple bike fit, just changing the stem by 10mm made the bike stunningly comfortable.

[yellowjack]

Tri_Doc said:

At £1500, can I throw in another bike choice. You can find some great discounts on 2017 Cervelo R2s at the moment, which, apart from the disc brakes, would give you a LOT of bike for the money:

https://www.nrgcycles.co.uk/60457/products/cervelo...

It was the 2015 version of that bike that I'd set my heart on buying when I ended up with my Emonda.

I test rode the Cervelo three times, hoping it would work out for me, but in the end I just couldn't get on with the twitchiness of the front end, no matter what we tried to change to make it work for me. Lovely bikes, at a decent price, but sadly not right for me in the end. It was with a heavy heart that I admitted defeat and began looking at other bikes...