First road bike with comfort in mind

[Deckitout]

I have been riding a hybrid and now want to add a road bike, I have only been cycling for 4 month so struggling a little understanding all the options available

Mainly to be used for fitness and rides of 20 to 50 miles 4 times a week

I would like to errr on the side of comfort so a bike with more relaxed geometry is my preference.

I will have a budget of 3000 ukp and would like a reasonably light bike.

I was recommended a Scott Foil 20 but read a review that it was not that comfortable

Can anyone give any advice on my requirements and possibilities. Preference is Carbon.

Thanks in advance

 

[Cyclist33]

Are you sure you don't mean three HUNDRED pounds?!

How much do you weigh and how much water will you need to carry? £3000 seems a tad ridiculous for what you describe you need. I got my first (comfort-oriented) road bike in the summer for £550.

Stu

 

[Shadow]

With that sort of budget and riding, you have loads of options. Go to your LBS and have a chat with them. Take a test ride on anything you like the look of. No doubt there will be specific suggestins to follow here, all of which are likely to be useful. But then go and test ride something. You can only compare alternatives by riding them.

 

[Deckitout]

I don,t see it as a ridiculous amount at all. I would like a carbon frame will high end components, I want to enjoy the ownership and for the purchase to last a number of years. My main criteria was for a more comfort orientated ride the main problem has been finding models at this price in stock to try out.

Are you sure you don't mean three HUNDRED pounds?!

How much do you weigh and how much water will you need to carry? £3000 seems a tad ridiculous for what you describe you need. I got my first (comfort-oriented) road bike in the summer for £550.

Stu

 

[PpPete]

Upper end of the Specialized Roubaix range would probably be a good place to start looking.
Also take a read of the advice given on this page (Especially Section 1) Ignore the fact it says "touring" because it discusses comfort oriented road bikes in general.
Also consider Titanium frame/Carbon fork as an option....

Also, whereabouts in the country are you? If you are considering parting with that much cash, members here can point you towards shops that can give you good impartial advice before you commit. If you are in the S.East then you can take my linking to a page on the Corridori website as a recommendation. If in the N.West, probably Hewitt (Leyland) is a good starting point.... Their Carbon Alpine looks gorgeous. Frank9755 of this parish has one.

 

[jay clock]

In spite of owning a £3k bike and having wheels with an RRP of £1350 (and five other bikes.....), I would urge you to buy something much less pricey. At about the £1k mark you can get a carbon bike (Planet X, Ribble). This will serve you well, and in a year to 18mths if you so fancy you can then go for something pricier, and keep the "old" bike for training. You will learn from that cheaper bike exactly what you like/dislike and what is comfortable for you.

 

[jay clock]

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/bikebuilder.asp?action=showframes&sub=conf_BBRC&type=RIBMO

or

http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/YBPXSLPRIV/planet_x_pro_carbon_rival_road_bike

 

[Deckitout]

Many thanks. spoke with Guy at Corridori, gave some good advice, I am in Essex

Upper end of the Specialized Roubaix range would probably be a good place to start looking.
Also take a read of the advice given on this page (Especially Section 1) Ignore the fact it says "touring" because it discusses comfort oriented road bikes in general.
Also consider Titanium frame/Carbon fork as an option....

Also, whereabouts in the country are you? If you are considering parting with that much cash, members here can point you towards shops that can give you good impartial advice before you commit. If you are in the S.East then you can take my linking to a page on the Corridori website as a recommendation. If in the N.West, probably Hewitt (Leyland) is a good starting point.... Their Carbon Alpine looks gorgeous. Frank9755 of this parish has one.

 

[dellzeqq]

I think it's a sensible question

If you look at a lot of 'road bikes' you see that, really, they're 'grand tourers' - lightweight, but ideal for riding all day. I'm with Pppete on this - the Roubaix is supersmooth with a forgiving geometry. I've seen people ride top end Roubaixs and Rubys (the women's equivalent) all day, and, in the case of one chap in to his middle years with just six months experience, all day for five days in succession. My better half moved straight from a hybrid to a Ruby Pro, and loved it from the word go. I'm not sure that I believe in the 'Zertz inserts', and I'd absolutely bin their own-brand tyres, but if you're looking for comfort you could do an awful lot worse, or spend an awful lot more.

The really important thing is to test ride it, and to get it from an LBS that will stand by it.

 

[jonathanw]

Italian?

Bianchi Infinito Ultegra 2012. Shimano components, not campag, and only a mere hint of celeste green. Nice relaxed geometry.

However, other Bianchi riders will ignore you, as apparently it is offensive to put japanese components on an italian bike, let alone ride one which is not green (my wife thinks I should have been ejected from the LBS when I asked for it in Black)

 

[HLaB]

Italian?

Bianchi Infinito Ultegra 2012. Shimano components, not campag, and only a mere hint of celeste green. Nice relaxed geometry.

However, other Bianchi riders will ignore you, as apparently it is offensive to put japanese components on an italian bike, let alone ride one which is not green (my wife thinks I should have been ejected from the LBS when I asked for it in Black)

I've got a similar 928 Carbon from their C2C range, its claimed that C2C range is more relaxed :-) Full celeste is OTT IMO but it goes well with black ;-) I do have Campy on it though ;-)

 

[jonathanw]

You have to look very hard to see any celeste green

 

[PpPete]

Italian?

as apparently it is offensive to put japanese components on an italian bike, let alone ride one which is not green (my wife thinks I should have been ejected from the LBS when I asked for it in Black)

maybe so - but use whatever components suit you best. I have a mix of Campag and Shimano componentry on a Chinese frame so I shall be cast out into the Outer Darkness

 

[derrick]

Bianche celeste and campy, it ain't a proper Bianche without them, LOL
Would have loved to have spent £3000.00 on my first road bike, maybe next year.
Go and have a coffe with Pual, see link below.
http://www.lepelotoncycles.com/

 

[jonathanw]

Bianche celeste and campy, it ain't a proper Bianche without them, LOL
Would have loved to have spent £3000.00 on my first road bike, maybe next year.

Yes I know

I'm a complete philistine. Ride an Italian bike, but just can't quite do it right. Have a look at the celeste campy Athena version of the Infinito....... Way too much celeste and white ( like an accident in a pastel paint factory) , and I wasn't sure if an 11 speed cassette was just too unpredictable/fiddly