Opinions on Carrera TDF road bike

[Benthedoon]

With regard to build quality and spec, I ran a Carrera Banshee FS MTB for 5yrs ('til it got nicked grrr!!) basic care kept her sweet.
Yes you get better components on a more expensive bike but just as often you pay the extra to ride a 'name'.

 

[Sittingduck]

Given the 20% discount at Halfords this weekend, the Carerra Vanquish for £399.99 is mightly tempting, for a commuter bike! Tiagra and carbon fork for less thank 400 quid... bargain! The red one in decathlon too for £299 looks like superb value, as it also has a carbon fork. Virtuoso & TDF have a Cro-Mo fork, hence 11.5Kg.

 

[LosingFocus]

[QUOTE 1393861"]
The deal is on all Carerra bikes. 20% off until Monday.
[/quote]

Oh FFS....

 

[mr_s81]

Given the 20% discount at Halfords this weekend, the Carerra Vanquish for £399.99 is mightly tempting, for a commuter bike! Tiagra and carbon fork for less thank 400 quid... bargain! The red one in decathlon too for £299 looks like superb value, as it also has a carbon fork. Virtuoso & TDF have a Cro-Mo fork, hence 11.5Kg.

Is the Vanquish much lighter than the Virtuoso? I'm assuming the frame is the same with the difference being the componentry and wheels? I have a Virtuoso which is used as an all weather commuter bike and I love it. Over 2k miles and nothing has broken, fallen off or disintegrated. A little bit of prevantative maintenance goes a long way!

I'm currently in the market for a wet weather training type bike to complement my Planet X Sram Red. Would the Vanquish be any better than the Virtuoso? I don't like the Sora shifters and also miss the carbon forks on the Virtuoso, but bar that it's a great bike!

 

[cyberknight]

Is the Vanquish much lighter than the Virtuoso? I'm assuming the frame is the same with the difference being the componentry and wheels? I have a Virtuoso which is used as an all weather commuter bike and I love it. Over 2k miles and nothing has broken, fallen off or disintegrated. A little bit of prevantative maintenance goes a long way!

I'm currently in the market for a wet weather training type bike to complement my Planet X Sram Red. Would the Vanquish be any better than the Virtuoso? I don't like the Sora shifters and also miss the carbon forks on the Virtuoso, but bar that it's a great bike!

Double butted tubing , thicker at the joins to make it stronger.
Better wheels
18 speed rather than 16
Tiagra shifters so you can change on the drops as well as the hoods
oversize bars to make it stronger .
carbon fork makes it lighter + takes road buzz away .

I had one briefly that i bough but the smallest size they do is the medium which is a 56 , i need max of a 54 (which the medium virtuosso is )

 

[mr_s81]

Double butted tubing , thicker at the joins to make it stronger.
Better wheels
18 speed rather than 16
Tiagra shifters so you can change on the drops as well as the hoods
oversize bars to make it stronger .
carbon fork makes it lighter + takes road buzz away .

I had one briefly that i bough but the smallest size they do is the medium which is a 56 , i need max of a 54 (which the medium virtuosso is )

Thanks for that! Overall did the Vanquish feel much different (nicer) to ride than you Virtuoso?

 

[cyberknight]

Thanks for that! Overall did the Vanquish feel much different (nicer) to ride than you Virtuoso?

I would say it was lighter , easier to accelerate and certainly took the sting out of the bad roads i ride on with the carbon fork.The shifters gave you the option to change on the drops .The extra cog on the back gave you a bit of a closer range so you keep in your optimal rpm band a bit easier.
Unfortunately for me it was just too big and i could not get a fit which was more to do with the fact i am short and bought a bargain bike that was wrong for me rather than anything else.
My next bike would be one if they did it in my size but they do not so i am looking at the boardman race on C2W as my next N+1.

 

[mr_s81]

I would say it was lighter , easier to accelerate and certainly took the sting out of the bad roads i ride on with the carbon fork.The shifters gave you the option to change on the drops .The extra cog on the back gave you a bit of a closer range so you keep in your optimal rpm band a bit easier.
Unfortunately for me it was just too big and i could not get a fit which was more to do with the fact i am short and bought a bargain bike that was wrong for me rather than anything else.
My next bike would be one if they did it in my size but they do not so i am looking at the boardman race on C2W as my next N+1.

Thanks Certainly sounds what I'm looking for.

Now, with the 20% off this weekend I just need to work out how to explain another N+1 to SWMBO!?!?!

 

[snailracer]

In the world of road bikes, spending more does not necessarily buy a more durable bike, it more often buys a lighter one. For example, a top-tier chainring is made of aluminium, which won't last as long as a much cheaper steel bottom-feeding one.

 

[italiafirenze]

My first road bike was a Carrera TDF, I loved it and polished it after every ride.

If you're not sure if road bikes are for you it's perfect, if you know you definitely want a road bike and will definitely put plenty of miles in then wait and buy something better because 6 months to a year down the line you'll be bitten by the bug and there's no going back.

My old one has done the rounds on Bike Radar and has been a starter bike for at least 4 people that I know of, I lost about £100 off the new price when I sold it, and since then, nobody has lost anything on it as second hand.

 

[Bonked]

I have one, I paid £299.99 and am fairly pleased with it. It does the job for me. It is on offer at £279.99, well worth it in my opinion.

Agree. Very good entry level bike and I bought a really good quality mens jersey that is a very good match from Suarez Clothing UK. They even call it the Carrera TDF!

 

[PpPete]

I just picked up an (almost immaculate) second hand one for £130
Bike that is, not the jersey

 

[Doyleyburger]

I have one and it is a fantastic bike for the money. But it is an entry level bike !
You will , like the way I'm thinking now, want to upgrade after a few months. I am going to upgrade after xmas for sure.
Be very wary of Halfords build quality tho. It varies from store to store. I have been riding a tdf since July but 6 weeks ago I got a new one because I discovered I was riding the wrong frame size to the one I ordered......just make sure you go over everything before you leave the store.
Buy mine if ya want. Still to have its 6 week service.... mint cond

 

[Nigelnaturist]

My bike a Viking Torino has coveredd 12,000 in the last 18 months, it had the usual new chains tyres cassette, upgraded wheels and from 7sp sora to an 8sp sora (triple) I avg 15-16 mph it weighs usually fully kitted out guards and rack about 15Kgs, any half decent bike is well capable of being ridden well enough for basic fitness, I even rode to London on it in 2008 from Dewsbury

 

[Bealz998]

I have a tdf and I love it, it's a great bike to get starter on, two of my friends have now brought one just to get out on it, i didn't know what to expect for a road bike but it's not as bad as I thought