garrilla said:
If you're going up to £1600 you could get
Ribble Build (Scuro HCR Carbon Road Frame + Deda forks + Ultegra everything + Mavic Aksium wheels + Easton Bars) - 59cm should be OK for you
peanut said:
yes but you can always upgrade the groupset to Ultegra . The key thing to bear in mind here is that about 6x different experienced cyclists actually rode the bike in all conditions for a week . Its not an armchair review like the others. Its a proper thorough hands on testing review you can trust.
well if the bike that good and not having to make the leap to 2 grand. from what i read i hearing nothing but good things from Giant on there high end bikes in all departments and you all praise them. the trouble is with 2009 bikes there not established, and there isn't much reviews yet as you know. i'm sure bike radar mag are decent, honest, know what they on about and it not a conspiracy theory hehe. they are all capable bikes and opinions differ. it still alot faith just on 1 review. review aside, bikes of that caliber i can't help but be impressed with the new Giant stiffer frame range and what do i know...the Shimano 105 is more than adequate and those SRAM are a mean gear set.
thinking longer term, if i go on a longer rides down the line. it probably be agony for me on something lesser. i now like the sound of stiff frame bikes that make fantastic racers but amazingly are still comfortable on a long ride, such as the Giant. what more could you want? i think it worth paying the extra for that but sounds like you got to pay nearer 2 grand for the privilege or it's a upgrade some time in the future. like the saying goes get the one you really want or you end up paying twice. as you say get a decent frame. the more i learn and read a grand bike wont do it all, now that i am thinking of longer rides as well. for abit more than my original budget you can hit the sweet spot. you welcome to flame me if you have or know a less expensive bike that will do all that. like i said before i like a bike from the off that i wont have to upgrade for a very long time apart from the cosmetics.
accountantpete said:
personally I'd get a decent pair of wheels/tyres - the rest of the package is not that important as the difference between frames etc is pretty small
for me i don't see point of buying cheaper bike then pulling the wheels off, to put some marginally better ones on. i am too noob to appreciate the difference and the prices scare me. if i going to spend fortune on wheels, am i just better off building a custom bike? i get bike of decent quality that comes with decent wheels in the first place and concentrate on getting fit. maybe you will say i still can't get decent wheels on that bike price hehe. replacing the wheels to better the fulcum 5's, 7's etc, which you get on a bike of that price range, would it not create alot more expense for little gain? i am on a budget so applying expensive wheels on a £1000 bike would not be better than buying say a £1600 bike with a better frame and the rest of better components apart from the wheels. i need to learn about wheels. you given me an idea. maybe if i collect parts, 1 part a month, i will have one hell of a bike at the end of the year
. now that patience.
get lighter components, upgrades etc. i mean where does it all end? the bike i get will be lot better than the ones were 10 years ago and in the end for me the enjoyment comes from the effort i put in, otherwise it's just unnecessary expense. i would like a cycle computer with a cadence meter built in though.
those boardmans might be the lamborghini equivalent for a grand but it doesn't instill confidence reading comments such as the staff not build it right, and not proficient in how to setup the SRAM gears.
halfords still sounds like mickey mouse. paying that much i prefer not take the chance and goto proper bike builders.
it seems that trek, scott, pinarello and a few others you got to pay a substantial amount to get decent components and don't represent good value(i understand you getting a decent frame,wheels.), when you can pick up a Ribble(as well as killer looks) as peanut suggested which i'm loving like everybody else. also punkypossum's suggestion a Planet X oh and i like that Wilier but that Ribble is calling...too small?
well i look at it as a saving. that would of suited my idea of having a decent less popular bike than others, one of reasons i don't want a Trek. maybe i need a custom bike after all, although reading reviews on certain bikes they sometimes mention on buying the parts alone, it would cost several hundreds pounds more. i like to get a good spec for the money.
thanks alot for all your help and suggestions everybody so far, keep them coming. i am progressing with abit of a wiser open mind. it's now a lesser choice but a harder choice. be nice to test them all hehe. i'm going to the lbs this week and jump on a few bikes so i have a clearer idea of size frame.
