Road Bikes £600 to £750 range

[2pies]

With the C2W scheme I think I can afford about £800 which can be used for a road bike and some equipment so I'll look at bikes in that price range.

Any thoughts on these bikes?

Specialized Secteur Sport 2010 - £650

Specialized Allex Sport Comp 2011 - £720

Giant Defy 2 - £725

Trek 1.2 C H2 - £700

Any others I should look at? I prefer these brands as I live near a Pearson Cycles who have them all in stock. Could look at other LBS' as long as they are part of C2W.

Thanks

 

[Banjo]

Trek 1.2 would be my choice but not at £700. Evans are doing them for 549 at the moment. It is better to buy from an lbs but not sure about that much better.

The trek has fixing points for mudguards and rack which may be handy to you.

 

[PpPete]

One of my son's friends bought a Secteur last year. Lovely looking bike. But the rear wheel was a P.O.S. Went back to the shop several times for loose spokes in first few weeks, and then irretrievably buckled 2 days into our JoGLE.
Bought a £60 replacement wheel (not Spesh) in an LBS in Aviemore, and no more problems.

To be fair the front wheel was extremely robust, even with a spectacular off, and others I've spoken to have had no problems, so it may have been just a one-off bad one.

He also looked at Trek 1.2 and a Giant (Defy 4 I think)

I thought the Trek was the best all-round package, partly because of mudguard clearances, but the welding on it looked distinctly "agricultural".

The Defy he looked at had a Steel fork so was heavy by comparison. Defy 2 has Carbon fork though.

The Allez will be a bit "sportier" than the Secteur, but possibly less comfortable on long runs.

All worthy bikes though - can only suggest you test ride them all.

 

[2pies]

Thanks for the feedback. I'll definitely try to ride them all and will also shop around a little to fiind some bargains. It seems that a lot of the 2010 models are being sold off at a discount but not sure how long stocks will last.

 

[Wornout]

My sirrus had a duff back wheel with numerous issues with it going out of true - i think there have been a few like this, perhaps just a batch.

 

[amnesia]

I would take a long hard look at the Boardman Team if that can be had on your scheme...

Excellent spec for the money.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/..._productId_501963_langId_-1_categoryId_165710

 

[Norm]

Specialized Secteur Sport 2010 - £650

I've got one of these, it's a lovely bike which beat (for me) the Defy that I tested it against... but there's the rub.

One of them will fit you and your requirements perfectly. The others can be made to fit.

Only you can figure out which one which fits you and your requirements, because they will be different to me and my requirements.

In general, if you are looking for something a little more relaxed, then the Secteur will score over the Defy or the Allez. If you are more interested in speed than comfort, the Defy / Allez will suit.

As a contrast to PpPete's issues, there's a whole bunch of Secteur owners on here and I don't think anyone has had issues with their own wheels. Mine has carried my 19+ stone arse for 1,000 miles without a problem.

 

[2pies]

Thanks. I definitely want to take a Secteur out for a test to compare it with the Allez that I rode this weekend. The Allez was fine but not that comfortable. But then, having ridden hybrid/mountain bikes for the last 10 years I don't expect any of them will feel like sitting on the sofa!

What is about the Secteur that makes it more comfortable? Is it the riding position or the frame?

 

[potsy]

Thanks. I definitely want to take a Secteur out for a test to compare it with the Allez that I rode this weekend. The Allez was fine but not that comfortable.

What is about the Secteur that makes it more comfortable? Is it the riding position or the frame?

Mainly a slightly more upright riding position + 25mm tyres as standard, also they have inserts in the forks to help with vibrations.

I did have a slight problem with the wheels on mine, more of a noisy spoke issue than anything, upgraded to Shimano RS10 under warranty and they have been great for over 3000 miles now

 

[Norm]

What is about the Secteur that makes it more comfortable? Is it the riding position or the frame?

As Potsy says, a bit of each. The Secteur's "zertz" inserts seem to do the job of taking buzz out of the front end, for instance, and the geometry is just a touch softer.

For example (and these comparatives are from the 2010 54cm models viewable here and here) the chain stay on the Secteur is 10mm longer and the wheelbase is 18mm longer, and a longer wheelbase makes for a less choppy ride although it isn't as sharp when pushing hard. The head tube on the Secteur is 10mm longer, so the bars are slightly higher, which is again more relaxed but less powerful. Nothing huge anywhere, just a slightly different emphasis.

 

[2pies]

So does the Secteur feel noticeable slower, is it more akin to riding a sporty hybrid like the Sirrus? Or would you just lose a couple of seconds to a sportier road bike in a mile sprint.

 

[Norm]

I would be very surprised if anyone could notice the difference without the use of a watch.

If you were out for a seriously competitive club-run or putting yourself against other riders on the clock, in which case both bikes are sub-optimal, then I think you'd struggle to tell the difference.

My point is that, if you are looking for a bike to do that sort of thing, then a focused ride like the Allez may be more appropriate. If you would prefer to cover that mile at a fair pace rather than a sprint because you want to do another 60 or 70 miles, then a "sportive" style like the Secteur may be better.

 

[potsy]

So does the Secteur feel noticeable slower, is it more akin to riding a sporty hybrid like the Sirrus? Or would you just lose a couple of seconds to a sportier road bike in a mile sprint.

It does when I'm riding it

 

[Garz]

I would take a long hard look at the Boardman Team if that can be had on your scheme...

Excellent spec for the money.

That or even the cheaper comp are really good value.

 

[crumpetman]

If you are getting a discounted bike (by that I mean a 2010 bike that is now on sale) through C2W then check with the retailer if they add on an extra charge. The online retailers I have looked at that go through cyclescheme add on 10% to sale bikes.

I tried a Giant Defy 2 last year and filled out all the paperwork only to run into some admin problems at work so I'm still on the look out for one or possibly a Giant Defy Alliance (£770 at tredz)