Thinking of getting a bike.........again

[sleaver]

So back in September I was posting on here asking for advice as I was thinking of getting a road bike as I currently run, but as I joints are starting to feel the constant pounding, I still want to stay fit. However, I didn't get one as it was sale time, none of the bikes I liked were in my size and I didn't want to pay full price at the time.

Anyway, fast forward to now and while trying to train for the Berlin Marathon, I've been thinking of purchasing now for a bit of cross training and to move across to cycling afterwards. Especially last night when I had a 3k walk home in the rain due to not being able to run anymore due to an injury that's suddenly appeared (which I know will need resolving)

I've seen a few bike and would just like some advice. I don't want to spend loads, £800/£900 max or less if possible, but I would like a bike that would last with a semi good spec for the money. From what I found out last time, I would prefer a Tiagra gears over Sora unless I can be persuaded otherwise.

From that, I've been looking at the following:

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/cannondale/caad8-6-tiagra-2013-compact-road-bike-ec042914
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/cannondale/synapse-6-tiagra-compact-2013-road-bike-ec042920
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/felt/f85-2013-road-bike-ec046306

I've also been looking at the following Specialized ones, but it seems you have to spend more to get what you get on others for less. That may just be me though.

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/specialized/allez-sport-compact-2013-road-bike-ec040965
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/specialized/secteur-sport-triple-2013-road-bike-ec040966

Any advice would be very much appreciated and also if there are any other suggestions.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

All nice bikes.

I'd go for one of the Tiagra equipped models of which all three are lovely but you really need to go ride them first eg the'dales are very different bikes to each other.

 

[cyberknight]

Yes all very good bikes and the only thing to do is sit on them and see which ones feels the best to you as they will have different frame geometries .All in all once you get to this price point your not going to get a duff bike.
many people rave about the giant defy bikes and i will go against the grain and offer (gasp) a halfords bike that i ride ....
http://www.boardmanbikes.com/road/road_comp.html
Slightly different as it runs sram apex groupset but this gives you a gear range that canget you up a cliff if you want .The boardman brand regularly gets top ratings by the cycle press for well built and very high specification for your money .
Another option is decathlon bikes that generally offer even more bang for your buck...
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/fc-3-road-bike-black-id_8221749.html
carbon with tiagra

 

[sleaver]

Thanks for the replies.

When it's said that "the 'dales are very different bikes to each other" does that mean geometry wise? Sort of similar to the different between Allez and Secture with regards to Specialize?

Also, what about this for a Decathlon bike? It's not carbon but it has a Tiagra groupset and it's a bit lower than my price range

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-7-road-bike-black-id_8239802.html

 

[cyberknight]

Thanks for the replies.

When it's said that "the 'dales are very different bikes to each other" does that mean geometry wise? Sort of similar to the different between Allez and Secture with regards to Specialize?

Also, what about this for a Decathlon bike? It's not carbon but it has a Tiagra groupset and it's a bit lower than my price range

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-7-road-bike-black-id_8239802.html

The dales, the caad has a racier geometry with a slightly longer top tube and slightly shorter head tube to give a lower more aero position compared to the synapse which is built with long distance in mined with "save" seat stays for comfort.Looking at their site at a 54 cm the difference is .5 cm on each.
The tribans are cracking bikes and i would buy one in an instant , the only thing to consider is a wheel upgrade as i know on the 3 and 5 people have said the wheels are basic, i cant comment on the wheels on the 7 but i bought a set of shimano r501`s which are a good entry level wheel set from ribble for £73 for the set and certainly were better than the cxp 22`s that were stock on my boardman.

 

[cyberknight]

With regards carbon , it nice but "cheap " carbon bikes tend to be made of lesser quality carbon and have lower spec equipment compared to a good alloy frame that tend to have better equipment.Sure carbon can offer more comfort but a good bike set up can sort out that .
i regulary ride club run/sportive distances and i am comfortable, well i was till i started fiddling with my saddle and fecked my fit up so its back to the old saddle !

 

[themosquitoking]

I'm going to be the first to say go for the Defy, £100 more than the bikes you posted but you get 105 instead of tiagra and it's a lovely ride.

 

[sleaver]

I'd like to get 105 however I have to put my sensible head on and think of the other things I'm going to have to get as well

What about Trek bikes and if so what sort of model would I be looking at?

 

[themosquitoking]

But It's so sexy and light. My wife has actually caught me stroking it as i walk past, had to buy a very nice bottle of wine for her after that.

 

[vickster]

Defy 2?

 

[SpokeyDokey]

I'd like to get 105 however I have to put my sensible head on and think of the other things I'm going to have to get as well

What about Trek bikes and if so what sort of model would I be looking at?

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/trek/15-c-h2-2013-road-bike-ec040343

Really - just go and try them!

Don't get too hung up on kit. Tiagra is 100% damn good gear.

There is an awful lot of cods talked on the internet - twixt all the good stuff of course. I have TRP CX9 brakes, an FSA Gossamer Megaexo chainset and Giant SR-2 wheels on my bike - a quick Google will find heaps of negative comments on all of them. They all work fine and suit my needs perfectly

My experience: I've tried carbon (Synapse) and cannot tell the difference from ally. I've tried Tiagra/105/Ultegra and can't tell the difference. I can't tell the shifting difference between FSA and Big S chainsets. I have (recently) ridden a Madone with some very expensive wheels and can't tell the difference between them and my bike.

Maybe I am just insensitive - just go try the bikes and make your own mind up. Choose one, get riding and tweak as you go. Seriously, all those bikes are mighty fine bikes, it will be unlikely that one will not suit you.

You are right re "other stuff". £200/300 will easily disappear once you get the basics covered.

Good luck!

 

[sleaver]

Uh oh

http://www.ashcycles.com/site/giant...-goods?zenid=b8a2e1f54fee74b38293b02c60c0d42c

In other makes, I'd need a 58 frame so would I be going wrong with a 58.5 frame and would I be losing out by getting last years model?

 

[themosquitoking]

Not really, just had a quick look at the spec and the only difference that jumped out with the 2013 model was the chain. Possibly a different crankset too. If the frame ends up being too big by 5mm just get a shorter bit that holds the handlebars on (someone will be along shortly with the correct name for that bit).

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Uh oh

http://www.ashcycles.com/site/giant...-goods?zenid=b8a2e1f54fee74b38293b02c60c0d42c

In other makes, I'd need a 58 frame so would I be going wrong with a 58.5 frame and would I be losing out by getting last years model?

No - no loss. Reasonable deal with the free goods.

You could get a 2013 with 10% off quite easily btw but no free goods.

Tbh Sleaver - go to your LBS - you get any problems with a LBS bike and they are right there local and face to face to sort problems etc out.

You sound like me buying a bike - I dithered a whole year going round and round in circles getting nowhere; a year wasted tbh.

Go try a 'dale or two, a Trek, a Boardman and a Giant; one or more will suit you just fine (then it comes down to looks) but do follow the advice of someone in the shop who really knows what they are talking about re fit. If you think the salesperson does not know their stuff then ask to see someone else and if still the same then go elsewhere.

Look after any of these bikes and they will easily last a decade or more.

 

[sleaver]

Well I went to Evans this morning as my LBS isn't open on a Sunday and they don't have anything that Evan's doesn't.

I rode a Specialize Allez and it felt like all my weight was on my arms and a shoulders ached a bit. They put that down to using different muscles groups that I'm not used to, which unless I'm being nieve, could be right as with running you don't normally use your shoulders. I also tried Trex 1.1 which did feel more comfortable unless I was getting used to it.

My next did feel hunched up on both though. Could that be just because I haven't ridden a bike for about 20 years?

As they were the only ones they had in my size, I'm going to try the Cannondale and a Specialize Secture next week before making a decision.

One thing that did confuse me though was that the person helping me said that the Secture and Synapas are more competition orientated. Is that correct because I though the Allez and CAAD frames had the racier geometry?

The other thing was that he was saying I probably didn't need to worry about getting a Tiagra groupset and that Sora would be OK for me. While Sora would save me a bit of money, is it worth spending that bit extra?