Specialized Secteur Elite, Trek 2.1 or Boardman Team Carbon

[gregster]

I will be getting my C2W voucher next week and have looked at all 3 of the above mentioned bikes.
I'm having real trouble deciding between them. I'll be using it for commuting, general fitness - 60+miles a week, and sportives. Get the feeling the Trek will be a little bit racey position wise, so kind of last at the moment, especially as I have previously had lower back pain.
I'm leaning towards the Boardman Carbon, as it is carbon with reasonable SRAM components which I can upgrade later, but I've got a carbon frame as a starting point and it has received lots of good reviews from those in the know.
The scheme limit is £1,000 and I am in no way allowed to add to get a £1,500+ carbon bike, so really need to decide.
I've done as suggested and taken all 3 out for a spin (Trek 1.7 as 2.1 not yet available but essentially the same) and like them all - how they feel/ride/shift/handle etc, but stuck in the final decision.
What would you go for?
Thanks for your advice.

 

[Garz]

The boardman will feel more 'racey' than the trek, but is will be miles better component wise. I dont think you can attach mudguards to the bike either, and you may be able to on the trek im not sure.

I own a boardman comp and have done about 1200 miles so far with a 100 mile charity event. Not so sure it would be great for a commute though!

 

[I am Spartacus]

Not so sure it would be great for a commute though!

Depends on how much actual commuting you are going to do and in what weather etc etc.

The alu Boardman is cheaper and almost as light.. which is what I am probably aiming for as a dedicated road race/training bike (on a definite budget!)...

Subjecting a road bike to day to day chores and grime and grit.. well I'd have a 'rat' bike for that job... £50 from the local bike recycle charity

 

[Garz]

Depends on how much actual commuting you are going to do and in what weather etc etc...

Subjecting a road bike to day to day chores and grime and grit.. well I'd have a 'rat' bike for that job... £50 from the local bike recycle charity

So your agreeing with what i said then!

 

[I am Spartacus]

absolutely.....+1 commuting on it today for instance... blue sky out there....

 

[MacB]

I'd definitely agree with the 2 bikes option otherwise you'll have to make a sacrifice somewhere. Just my take:-

commute - you want something that'll soak up the bumps, easy to maintain and fit for purpose. Sturdy bike, larger tyres, steel frame, takes rack and guards, drop or trekking bars to give hand position options. Consider a single speed or hub gears to reduce maintenance. Pricewise the skies the limit, mine ran in around the £1500 mark in the end, I built it up myself, all new parts, not a cheap way to go. But my commute's 20 miles each way and my 9 speed hub gear was a big expense. For a shorter commute I'd get a cheapo old bike with a decent frame. If you look in my profile you'll see an old Raleigh I got for £20 at the tip, it's got a working SA AW 3 speed hub. New wheels using an SA 3 speed hub, puncture proof tyres, decent rack, trekking bars, new brakes, single chainset, saddle. About £300 and you can build up a bombproof commuter, that'll be comfy, weigh in around the 13kg mark and be surprisingly nippy.

weekends, evenings and occasional commutes - as nice as you can afford, I'd go partial carbon, full carbon or titanium(possibly high end steel). You really need to try as many as possible and aim for a frame you'd consider worth upgrading the bits on.

Treat commuting as a workout and you'll be surprised how much more enjoyable the weekend bike becomes. Personally I'd hate to climb on my commuter at the weekends as well.

 

[andyfromotley]

BUY THE BOARDMAN!!!!

i was in exactly the same position as you two months ago, but useless halfords couldnt supply me with a boardman before my scheme ran out.

You'll get a fantastically specced bike, carbon frame, universally good reviews and C+ winner of bikes for a grand. I think this bike will become one of the all time classics.

BUY THE BOARDMAN!

 

[MacB]

BUY THE BOARDMAN!!!!

i was in exactly the same position as you two months ago, but useless halfords couldnt supply me with a boardman before my scheme ran out.

You'll get a fantastically specced bike, carbon frame, universally good reviews and C+ winner of bikes for a grand. I think this bike will become one of the all time classics.

BUY THE BOARDMAN!

totally agree as long as you then get another hack bike for commuting on

 

[johnnyh]

ask 10 people the bike to buy and you will get 10 answers weighted with the bike they own

Go test ride, buy what feels good to you. They are all gonna be reasonable machines at that money...

oh yeah, and then buy the Trek

 

[gregster]

Just come back from Halfords, Maidstone very happy. Rich there was very helpful, knew all about the Boardman (incl the spoke nipple problem - which has now been sorted?) and the components, setting up, indexing etc. They only had a large in store and I really wanted to try the XL (longer top tube) as the large just felt a bit cramped, I'm 6'4, and he was happy to get one in just for me to try and compare it against the L!!!
Even the guy at my LBS said get it as it's carbon and can upgrade as and when and he was not going to get the business from me as cannot accept the C2W voucher.
Thanks for all your input everyone, just what I was looking for.
Oh, won't be much 'commuting' either!!!!

 

[amnesia]

I bought the Boardman Road Comp with my C2W scheme this year... next year I will be going for the Team Carbon. I can't see anything else for £1k beating it to be honest.

Sounds like you found a good Halfords too

 

[gregster]

The guys at Maidstone were ompletely different to the mongs at Chatham! Nice to find someone actually interested in the bikes and customer service. Chatham wouldn't even talk about a test ride!!!