# Carrera TDF Or Vitruoso



## Xiorell (23 Jun 2011)

Both these biks are now the same price, the Virtuoso having been the higher priced one, but to me it looks like the TDF Limited Edition has a better spec? (full shimano drive, the Virt' having Prowheel chainset)


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## bobones (23 Jun 2011)

Not much in it really. If one had a compact chainset I'd go for that but I think they're standard chainsets. You should also consider the B-Twin Triban 3 from Decathlon. It's also £299 but has a triple chainset and a carbon fork.

This code will get you an extra £30 off the Halfords bikes at their website: NUSJUN11 or PPBIKE


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## colinr (23 Jun 2011)

Bike Radar recently (favourably) reviewed the TDF. They're both good for the money, though I think bobones might be onto something with the B-Twin, never hear a bad word about their stuff.


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## Adasta (23 Jun 2011)

The Virtuoso has also been given 4.5/5 by Bike Radar. I have one and it's pretty good.


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## cyberknight (23 Jun 2011)

both have compacts, i have ridden both and the virtuoso is nicer.


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## Xiorell (23 Jun 2011)

cyberknight said:


> both have compacts, i have ridden both and the virtuoso is nicer.




How so, Cyber?


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## cyberknight (23 Jun 2011)

Xiorell said:


> How so, Cyber?



the ones i had the virtuoso was lighter and although they had the same nominal size the tdf had a longer top tube and longer seat tube making it a stretch to ride , i certainly knew i was lugging the tdf up hills.


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## Xiorell (23 Jun 2011)

I thought there was only about 1/2 a Kilogram in it? Surely that wouldn't make much odds to the average joe?


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## Adasta (23 Jun 2011)

Xiorell said:


> I thought there was only about 1/2 a Kilogram in it? Surely that wouldn't make much odds to the average joe?



It sounds like you've already made your decision.


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## asturel131 (23 Jun 2011)

colinr said:


> Bike Radar recently (favourably) reviewed the TDF. They're both good for the money, though I think bobones might be onto something with the B-Twin, never hear a bad word about their stuff.




Bike Radar gave a much better review for the Virtuoso. Gotta say, I'm rather tempted myself as I am looking to buy my first Road bike (been riding a MTB for about a year) and from what I have read the Carrera are a great introduction to Road bikes and finances are currently quite dire so the Defy 3 I have been thinking of getting is probably out of the question. I know the Virtuoso has just been dropped to £299 but not sure how long that will last. My only concern is buying from Halfords after all the negative things I have read about them.Only ever read good things about the Carrera bike though.


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## Xiorell (23 Jun 2011)

Adasta said:


> It sounds like you've already made your decision.




Nope, genuine question about the weight, I thought it was just half a kg in it but then I may have got it wrong, could be half a tonne for all I know.

I'm looking at getting a considerabley higher spec bike all together, but, these bikes did get me interested when I first saw them, they looked alright for the cash, and I am making a "Plan B" in the event I can not longer justify* dropping good money on a fancy-pants bike 



*IE, just had to shell 180quid out on vets bills that I didn't expect


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## Xiorell (23 Jun 2011)

asturel131 said:


> My only concern is buying from Halfords after all the negative things I have read about them.Only ever read good things about the Carrera bike though.





Just put it together yourself, that's what I would do if I brought from Halfords after having built my mtb. That's more to do with impatience though, the guys in my local store could be the greatest mechanics in the world but, I couldn't wait 4+ days to ride a bike after shelling out money on it, knowing it was only a mile down the road.


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## cyberknight (23 Jun 2011)

Here we go ..

My review was based on the bikes i had and there was a difference, the new TDF is about the same weight by the look but has a 52/38 chainring rather than a 50/34 that the virtuoso has.
This means that hills will be more of a slog given that neither bike is light weight and i doubt you will need a 52x12 if your spinning at 90 rpm, i get 22 mph on the flat as commuting speed on 50x 17,topped out at 40 mph down a hill on 50 x 12.

I would suggest that you try both bikes for fit , even if they are the same "size" one maybe have a slightly different geometry so see which one fits the best.


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## asturel131 (23 Jun 2011)

Xiorell, I hear ya mate, I built my own MTB which I bought online a little over a year ago and it wasn't too much hassle to fit the handle bars, pedals and front wheel myself and I'm assuming that the halfords bike will just be the same.



Cyberknight, cheers for the info on the bikes. It probably would be best to go in and check them out for fit etc


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## colinr (23 Jun 2011)

> Bike Radar gave a much better review for the Virtuoso.




I found that but it was a couple of years old, didn't Bike Radar shift their scoring policy earlier this year so that things tend to score a bit lower and 4.5+ is saved for the really special things?


Either way, I know someone with a Virtuoso and it's a nice bike, seems to be the more popular choice.


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## tweedsteed (24 Jun 2011)

I've been riding a TDF for about a month now and it seems to be a fine first road bike (though saying that I haven't tried a Virtuoso)...I can't really see why the Virtuoso was more expensive in terms of kit so the choice may just be a much of a muchness. The top tube on the TDF is pretty long though, even at 6'3 with long vine like arms it sometimes feels like a stretch.

Go by colour! Yellow or blue! Yellow or blue!


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## Arsen Gere (24 Jun 2011)

I bought a TDF about a month ago for my work/winter bike. On our bathroom scales it came in at 12kg (26lb in old money) it was mid sized one 54. I assembled it my self with no problems, it took longer to get the wrapping off than put it together.

I wanted to transfer some bits from my old work bike to this one because I liked the saddle on the old bike. I took the seat post out and it felt heavy, it has steel fitting on the top so I swapped it for the old aluminium one on my old work bike - saved 4 oz, my old saddle was about 2 oz lighter too.

I rode it for a bit and it did not feel right ( I had my old spd's on with the same shoes), I measured the distance between the cranks and it was further. If you lay the cranks down they are curved so the pedals are further out than usual. 1cm on each side.

I think this is to clear the chain as the block spacing is larger than on my old bike. 

So I swapped the cranks and chain wheels back to the old 52/42 setup of my old machine and now its fine but its very close on the higher gear and I have had one lock-up when the crank it the chain, it pulls the derailleur forward. But the old chain ring was steel and the old Shimano 600 one was 8oz lighter.

The 36 spoke wheels are softer than the wheels I race on so soak up a lot of effort put in. The paint work was very good for a cheap bike.
Everything just worked when asseembled. I wasn't expecting it to be so easy.

Its a big jump between this and my racing kit, but there is a big jump in the price too. I think this is good value for money and I have had no problems with it. If you want to race, 600 quid takes you in to a much better bike, but for work or days out this is fine, I'm doing around 150 miles a week on mine without any problems.


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