People! Are you completely trying to info overload a complete n00b? If you are; it's working!
Now, in between looking at other recommendations in this thread, I'd been looking at the PlanetX website, because I can remember considering the On One Pompino when I thought I wanted a single speed bike - I didn't and bought the Plug 3. However, I did like the cut of their jib. However, whilst I can broadly get a handle on Shimano's hierarchy of components, I seem to be failing to do so with SRAM. I'd seen the RT-58, it's triple butted frame and full carbon fork, but with some of the disagreement on the relative merits of carbon v aluminium forks and my SRAM confusion, I'd discounted it, probably on the grounds of can't compute!
In my mind (a crowded and sometimes noisy place) I'd been having a bit of an internal conversation where I'd decided that Sora/Tiagra benefit was a bit of a sojourn. In other words, at my current ability level, I'd probably not notice the difference, whilst the foundation of a good frame/forks and whatever sported the best wheels, would probably serve me better in the long run, group set components apparently being throw-away cheap these days. Thus, I'd decided that as a bit of a stomach breather, I'd probably suit a more upright enduro, rather than race geometry - Bear in mind that both would be less upright than what I'm currently riding - so either will be a benefit in Fen head-winds - especially until I tame the belly.
Stop me if I'm getting it all wrong, okay?
Another thing I'd considered is that whilst 20 spoke wheels look cool, I have about 500m of asphalt planings (cinder in colonial) track to do, before I get to the billiard smooth miles of the MGB. I suspect that a pinged spoke on a 32 spoke wheel is annoying, but on a 20 spoke, it's game over and a walk home?
Further confusion is visited upon my ever decreasing cranial capacity by the surfeit of last years £7-800 bikes being discounted to £500, thus queering the already crowded key market price point of £500. I'm beginning to think that almost any other budget would have resulted in a smaller pool of suggestions to cull a result from! Hey ho.
Well, if we ignore that Planet X have clearly taken the photos to minimize the visual impact of the bird shoot welds, then the geometry (enduro), 54cm frame (suits 5' 10", 32" inside leg) and decent wheels, seems to put it immediately into the short list. That at least one person is dribbling about the Rival 22 group set, piques my interest. What/were does the Rival 22 GS sit in the scheme of things and why is it worthy of dribble? For the record, my personal preferences currently are in no particular order:
Sensa Umbria Tiagra
Verenti Belief SR 2.0 Tiagra
As ever, extra guidance required and welcome.
Russell
