CB Boardman Pro Carbon Bike

[rich87]

Hi All,
Hope you had a good christmas.

I'm just considering purchasing the Chris Boardman Pro Carbon bike and wondered if any of you had any good/ bad things to say about this bike?

I'm buying the bike to use for a non- stop JOGLE ride which I'll be completing in May 2011 and I just want to get the lightest fastest bike possible for a budget of around £1500. Obviously the bike also needs to be able to put up with some heavy mileage.

I've been attracted to the CB bikes simply because it looks like you get the most bike for your money with this range. However, I wondered whether the quality of the bikes is of a good standard or whether this type of bike is even designed for this kind of mileage?

If the quality is a bit dodgy then I'd prefer to look at bikes with a slightly lower spec for the same price if it meant the quality of the bike would be more reliable.

All I've heard so far is that the standard saddle on the CB bikes is bloody uncomfortable and unfortunately you have to go through halfords to buy them - I'll put up with that though!


I had a look at one today and even the large frame seemed to look very small. They didn't have of the XL frames, while I was there to compare. Does anyone own one who could give some advice on which size to go for? The guy in the shop said they hardly sell any of the XL bikes as they're so big, but the Large frame did appear very small.


I'm also a little bit worried that as the CB bike isn't a compact frame it won't be very comfortable to ride over long distances, though I'm not sure how much of a difference this actually makes.

Thanks for your help - I'd welcome suggestions on any bikes you think would be a better buy for around £1500.

Rich
Follow me at www.richardwestover.com

 

[accountantpete]

Hi Rich and welcome - have you ridden a road bike before and how tall are you?

 

[cyberknight]

I had a look at one today and even the large frame seemed to look very small. They didn't have of the XL frames, while I was there to compare. Does anyone own one who could give some advice on which size to go for? The guy in the shop said they hardly sell any of the XL bikes as they're so big, but the Large frame did appear very small.

I'm also a little bit worried that as the CB bike isn't a compact frame it won't be very comfortable to ride over long distances, though I'm not sure how much of a difference this actually makes.

Looking at the website sure looks like a compact frame to me ( sloping top tube ), even if it is not compact frames are a fairly new idea , im sure all everyone managed on a standard frame for many years before that.I had a dynatech many years ago that was a standard frame and i regulary did 60 miles + on an afternoon ride.

If you are going to spend that amount of money definitely get them to get one in to try before you buy , they would be stupid to lose close to £1500 of sales because laziness.

Sizing from CB site ...( at the bottom of the sheet in the specs) as large is a 57 cm and an XL is a 58.5 cm erm
http://www.boardmanbikes.com/road/road_pro_carbon_rp.html
Without knowing how big you are etc it would be silly of us to say what frame size you need, you have to try it for size.

This site gives some useful guidelines...
http://www.competiti...ALCULATOR_INTRO

 

[rich87]

Cheers guys.

Pete - I'm 185m in height with inside leg of 91cm I think it was. I've got disproportionately long legs.

Yeah - the compact frame shouldn't be a problem I don't think, didn't realise it was a new concept though.

My current road bike is a giant scr 2.0 which I bought second hand off eBay. Got on with it pretty well so far. It's a 56cm frame, though I think it's slightly too small for me. It feels bigger than the 57.5 large boardman frame though which seemed strange.

 

[cyberknight]

Cheers guys.

Pete - I'm 185m in height with inside leg of 91cm I think it was. I've got disproportionately long legs.

Yeah - the compact frame shouldn't be a problem I don't think, didn't realise it was a new concept though.

My current road bike is a giant scr 2.0 which I bought second hand off eBay. Got on with it pretty well so far. It's a 56cm frame, though I think it's slightly too small for me. It feels bigger than the 57.5 large boardman frame though which seemed strange.

Depends on how the bike manufacturer/ seller measured the bikes in question you have the real measurement of the frame and the "virtual " measurement where you measure where the seat tube would meet the top tube if it were level .The n you have different top tube lenghts, stem lenghts etc etc.

Get them to get one in before you part with any cash.

When i say new i mean recent my dynatech was 20 years ago

 

[accountantpete]

The CB Pro isn't a compact per the geometry (see pdf file here).

You can compare it with the SCR geometry here.

With your long legs and shorter body you really need a relatively short top tube so I'd be looking at the smaller sized bike - but please try and have a test ride before buying.

The components on the Boardman will be fine - they do put some cheap finishing stuff on like the seat etc to keep the costs down.

 

[cyberknight]

The CB Pro isn't a compact per the geometry (see pdf file here).

You can compare it with the SCR geometry here.

With your long legs and shorter body you really need a relatively short top tube so I'd be looking at the smaller sized bike - but please try and have a test ride before buying.

The components on the Boardman will be fine - they do put some cheap finishing stuff on like the seat etc to keep the costs down.

I bow to your knowledge it just looked like a compact but what do i know ? .

What about a trek 3.1?
http://www.evanscycles.com/products...oogle&utm_medium=froogle&utm_campaign=froogle

 

[amnesia]

I have the team carbon and love it to bits.
Saddles are always subjective so I wouldn't write off a bike because of something that's so easy to fix.

The pro carbon is the same geometry as mine, but a higher grade of carbon and the SRAM Force groupset is stunning on a bike of that price.
(It is also the same frame that won the gold medal at the 2008 Olympics... if it's good enough for Nicole Cooke then it's good enough for you.)

I can't see anything under £2000 getting close TBH (except maybe Canyon).

 

[accountantpete]

I bow to your knowledge it just looked like a compact but what do i know ? .

Sorry - wasn't having a go CK and said that all wrong.

It's only the head tube that's a bit longer pushing the bars an inch higher otherwise the "compact" SCR is actually a bit less compact re the top tube length etc. Which may be why the op found it smaller.

 

[cyberknight]

Sorry - wasn't having a go CK and said that all wrong.

It's only the head tube that's a bit longer pushing the bars an inch higher otherwise the "compact" SCR is actually a bit less compact re the top tube length etc. Which may be why the op found it smaller.

I was being serious you sound like you know more no offense taken as long as i get a mince pie !

 

[accountantpete]

I was being serious you sound like you know more no offense taken as long as i get a mince pie !

Sorry - just eaten the last one! Mind you I made them myself so that's quite a lucky escape for you

 

[rich87]

I like the look of that Trek Madone you've posted up there. Now I really can't decide! Any idea what the weight of this bike might be? Couldn't find it anywhere online.

I was speaking to one of the guys in a bike shop near me and he was very anti the boardman bikes (they're a trek stockist). He basically said the carbon frames on them aren't built very well and that the SRAM components bolted on are part of the entry line from Shimano - which was contrary to everything I've so far heard about the boardman bikes. Obviously he was biased, but I'm not sure how much to trust the Boardman bikes now.

Being a Trek stockist he was very adament about the much higher quality of the Trek bikes - particularly the much higher quality carbon frames. I don't know the Shimano lines very well - are the components on that Trek Madone a higher spec than those on the Boardman?

I'd also be attracted to the Trek as it's a 2011 model, where as the Boardman is from 2009 - though I don't know whether they've upgraded bits and pieces on it since then. There's also the advantage of not having to go through Halfords if I buy the Trek as, both times I've been in there, the staff haven't had a clue what they're talking about.

 

[cyberknight]

I was speaking to one of the guys in a bike shop near me and he was very anti the boardman bikes (they're a trek stockist). He basically said the carbon frames on them aren't built very well and that the SRAM components bolted on are part of the entry line from Shimano - which was contrary to everything I've so far heard about the boardman bikes. Obviously he was biased, but I'm not sure how much to trust the Boardman bikes now.

Being a Trek stockist he was very adament about the much higher quality of the Trek bikes - particularly the much higher quality carbon frames. I don't know the Shimano lines very well - are the components on that Trek Madone a higher spec than those on the Boardman?

Says it all ....Just a guy slagging off the competition so he can get a sale......


If i had the money i would buy the boardman if it fits, on the tinterweb search they basically say the sram on it is like ultegra (above 105) but its all down to taste.Try some the right size before you spend a penny i say .

 

[amnesia]

I like the look of that Trek Madone you've posted up there. Now I really can't decide! Any idea what the weight of this bike might be? Couldn't find it anywhere online.

I was speaking to one of the guys in a bike shop near me and he was very anti the boardman bikes (they're a trek stockist). He basically said the carbon frames on them aren't built very well and that the SRAM components bolted on are part of the entry line from Shimano - which was contrary to everything I've so far heard about the boardman bikes. Obviously he was biased, but I'm not sure how much to trust the Boardman bikes now.

Being a Trek stockist he was very adament about the much higher quality of the Trek bikes - particularly the much higher quality carbon frames. I don't know the Shimano lines very well - are the components on that Trek Madone a higher spec than those on the Boardman?

I'd also be attracted to the Trek as it's a 2011 model, where as the Boardman is from 2009 - though I don't know whether they've upgraded bits and pieces on it since then. There's also the advantage of not having to go through Halfords if I buy the Trek as, both times I've been in there, the staff haven't had a clue what they're talking about.

Bunch of arse IMHO...

SRAM is nothing to do with Shimano (and even the entry level Rival is comparable to Shimano 105 or better).
Not heard of ANY problems with the carbon frames either - like I said yesterday, Nicole Cooke won OLYMPIC GOLD on a bike with exactly the same frame as the pro carbon.

My only gripe with Boardman is Halfords, but then it wouldn't be as competitively priced if sold through an LBS.

 

[montage]

I've heard some stories of spokes coming loose fairly reguarly on boardman bikes, so if you could get somebody who knows a thing or two about wheels to give the nipples a good tighten after you bought the bike then that would be ideal