Best Road bike for £600-900?

[JonGW]

I used to have a Defy 3, but sold it last year. Now the weather is nice I really fancy getting back out on the road and going on some adventures around Wales.

I had a few issues with the defy, I found the cranks we're flexy and creaky, the wheels that came spec'ed we're flexy and the pawls on the rear hub went after a few months. I guess you get what you pay for..

I think I paid £575 for the Defy, this time I'm willing to spend more to get more reliable and better parts. I've got a budget of roughly £600-900, It really depends how much I can save up in the next 4 weeks though.

I was looking at the Bianchi Via Nirone series which I like purely because they look amazing, but the cranks specc'ed on most of them are square taper, ideally i'd like a external HT2 type system.

Any recommendations?

Also, I'd be nice if the bike was blue, so it matches my shoes!

Thanks,

Jon

 

[battered]

I would have thought that in the current climate if you walk £600-900 into your local Bianchi dealer they will be happy to swap the BB. I *think* they are a drop in fit, though I've not tried.

 

[accountantpete]

You can get the 105 specc'd Bianchi for a Grand

http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/product/27675/Bianchi_Via_Nirone_7_Alu_105_Compact_Bike_2010

It has an FSA external bearings based BB - but the wheels wont be much better than the Defy.

 

[montage]

planet x £999 job is great for the money - as is the boardman, but there will always be service issues etc with the boardman.

I'd buy local from your LBS

 

[Chrisc]

The bianchi is a loverly bike! You can get it in blue but it should have a bit of celeste on it really, and campag gears.. just buy some new shoes!
Mine.

 

[JonGW]

Hopefully if they've got them in stock, i'll be getting this -

But in the white/celeste/black colours.

It's at the lower end of my budget too at £675 so I can always upgrade the cranks If necessary. But i'll probably spend that money getting new shoes instead, haha!

 

[Chrisc]

For the extra £50 you could have the xenon like mine. Much better group than the sora methinks. Low end campy but tiagra comparable and shifts beautifully. Think low end rolls royce. PLUS the ambrosio wheels are better than the joytech. Again basic but serviceable and true running with narrower tyres.

 

[battered]

I take it "celeste" is the pale blue almost turquoise colour seen on Bianchis?

I like Bianchis, they look fab. The blue colour, less so. I need a new road bike after the old one got wrecked. Mind you, when the cash comes through from the insurance co something Italian may well be on the list.

 

[Chrisc]

Yep celeste is the signature colour of bianchi's. It's a marmite thing! I wouldn't like a full blown celeste coloured bike but a bit with the white is perfect.

 

[cyberknight]

Boardman road comp £699

You can always take it to the LBS for servicing as i do with my cheaper end carrera bikes.Plenty of bang for your buck and always get a very good rating in C+

 

[e-rider]

Focus Cayo 105 (Carbon Frame and Fork; Shimano 105 groupset) for 1K