wasting my money??

[rsvdaz]

i popped into my LBS yesterday afternoon..they stock orbea..im presuming for my budget its the aqua?
they also had the spesh allez and the trek 1.1..all priced similar - which one would be the better?

I also popped into halfords this morning to look at the carrera....are the above bikes really £200 better?

 

[MadoneRider1991]

i popped into my LBS yesterday afternoon..they stock orbea..im presuming for my budget its the aqua?
they also had the spesh allez and the trek 1.1..all priced similar - which one would be the better?

I also popped into halfords this morning to look at the carrera....are the above bikes really £200 better?

1 word

YES!!!

you will feel a massive difference by spending the extra!

 

[rsvdaz]

so which of the 3 from the LBS would be best?

 

[MadoneRider1991]

if it was me i would go for the orbea, mainly because orbea still handbuilt there frame which makes them a better quality

 

[Ivan Ardon]

Eh? How do you get from here ->

mainly because orbea still handbuilt there frame

To here -> ?

which makes them a better quality

I'm not convinced there's a link.

 

[MadoneRider1991]

Eh? How do you get from here ->



To here -> ?


I'm not convinced there's a link.

that makes no sence

if a frames handbuilt its better that a factory built one

 

[Bruce]

so which of the 3 from the LBS would be best?

Ah you have me there, my main ride is a Specialized Tarmac Expert SL, so I have some affinity for Spesh too. Really they are all much of a muchness at that price point, and it may well just come down to which looks the best in your eyes.

PS I also Have an Edwards Rep in my garage

 

[cyberknight]

The virtuosso got best bike in a budget test last year .

You get a lot of kit for your money and assuming halfords set it up right it can be a sweet bike, i know of 2 people who have 1 and they love them for the price.

I had to be restrained form buying one myself when they dropped to £300.

I currently have a subway 1 and an old TDF 02 roady which i use for commuting and the road bike is maybe an average of 2 mph faster than a slicked hyrbrid on my route.

Depends really what you will use the bike for, me its purely a commuting machine so i would not spend a vast amount as by the time i have stuck guards,racks, panniers, lights, air horn etc and filled the panniers any weight saving the bike has will be negligible compared to all the junk i lug about and i would choose stronger wheels rather than lightweight stuff to bear the potholed roads a bit better.

 

[rsvdaz]

I actually got the Spesh Secteur in the end

 

[PpPete]

Nice !

 

[snailracer]

Has it improved your speed/journey times??

 

[rsvdaz]

the gearing was a lot different than the mtb at first and did take a bit getting used to but overall yes....a lot faster down hill and flats..im pleased with it

 

[snailracer]

the gearing was a lot different than the mtb at first and did take a bit getting used to but overall yes....a lot faster down hill and flats..im pleased with it

Did you notice any difference in journey times, yet?
I am curious because, in the context of bike racing (which I appreciate may be quite different from commuting), the fastest overall finishers are usually those who climb hills fastest, not those who descend fastest.

 

[BilboSmeggins]

If you're considering a Carrera Virtuoso, but am prepared to go up to £500, then why not plumb for the next one up. The Carrera Vanquish. I had a Virtuoso and loved it. I then purchased a Vanquish through the Cycle 2 Work scheme. It is an absolute belter. Reading reviews in the past it was said to equate to bikes costing nearer a grand. Worth a look surely......

 

[BilboSmeggins]

I actually got the Spesh Secteur in the end

Ah, I didn't see that bit .......