Which bike?

[montydruitt]

Hello!

I'd really appreciate some advice as to which bike to get.

Under a C2W scheme, I can't decide between a Raleigh Airlite 200 and a Dawes Giro 300.

I'm a relative newbie looking for a road bike for cycling to work and regain my fitness after an injury (long story!).

Any help would be gratefully received.

 

[simon_brooke]

Dawes Giro is an OK bike for the money. Until recently I wouldn't touch anything Raleigh put their badge on with a barge pole, but this year I've seen a couple of Raleigh bikes that looked quite good. Still, I would tend to prefer the Dawes.

 

[jay clock]

It's not much help, but there was a review of these two models (I think) plus one other in a recent edition of either 220 magazine or Triathlon Plus (which of course I chucked out about a week back....)

One of the three models they tested was head and shoulder above the rest. Can't remember which. From a personal point of view I would see if I could move up to the next price range and spend around £5-600 - you will get a much better bike. This is not about "just spend a bit more" - I have a £1500 Scott and a £500 Trek 1.2 and to be honest the Scott is not much better

(Have now looked at the mag websites and I think the review was in Triathlon Plus)

 

[Llama]

+1 spend a little more

 

[montydruitt]

Thanks for the advice.

These are the choices: http://www.cycletoworknow.com/cart/index/45000000/our-available-road-bikes

 

[SimonRoberts0204]

If you spend a little bit more (450) and go second hand, you can get a really good bike.

I got a specialized allez elite (2007) , in perfect condition, the equivalent of which today is costing £1100 for only £450...

 

[simon_brooke]

Thanks for the advice.

These are the choices: http://www.cycletoworknow.com/cart/index/45000000/our-available-road-bikes

The thing is, the 'name' on the bike is the name of the assembler, but all of these bikes are made of collections of parts from relatively few sources; the frame is the biggest and most obvious but it's far from the most important.

Really, you'd be better looking at it this way. There are three makers of bicycles in the world: Campagnolo, Shimano, and SRAM. OK, they don't make the bicycles - but they make the parts of the bicycles which make the bicycles significantly different from one another, and there's more difference between (say) a Cannondale bike with a Shimano groupset and identically the same bike with a Campagnolo groupset than there is between a Cannondale and a Specialized with the same groupset.

Having got that far, Shimano are like General Motors. They are a mass market maker; they provide a very wide range of models at a very wide range of price points. Some of it is rubbish, most of it is OK but none of it is very good.

SRAM are like Volkswagen: they too are a mass market maker, but they're engineering-led and they aren't competing at the cheap end of the marketplace. All their kit is at least OK and some of it is very good.

Campagnolo are like Ferrari. They only make racing equipment. Their cheapest stuff is good (but expensive); their best stuff is the best there is (but scarily expensive).

My advice? Don't buy a Vauxhall.

 

[Llama]

loving the car analogies!

 

[Theseus]

If the groupset is by "Power", you are driving a Trebant.

 

[tandemman]

I have a Giro 300 triple, I cover about 100 miles a week on it and it is completely reliable, and a nice ride. I have had it for 3 years and have only needed to change the chain so far.It is much less likely to get nicked as a "Ferrari " bike and in the real world of traffic etc, is just as quick around town as a "Ferrari" bike.If you want a reliable commuting road bike which, sadly has no rack eyelets, then for the money you can't go wrong.

 

[Ant]

Shimano are like General Motors. They are a mass market maker; they provide a very wide range of models at a very wide range of price points. Some of it is rubbish, most of it is OK but none of it is very good.

Waits for the fireworks to start

 

[montydruitt]

What about something like the Felt F95? Will I get VFM is I spend that sort of money?

 

[Ben M]

I have the Airlite 300 and my friend has the 200.

The 200 is the frame from the 100 with better components, whereas the 300 is a different frame. The 200 is quite a bit heavier than the 300.

Altogether they are pretty good bikes. But I would suggest spending a bit more if you can.

 

[Ant]

That Felt F95 looks like a nice bike. The groupset is a bit 'mix'n'match' though. How much of an issue that is I'm not sure but I wouldn't worry about it too much on my first road bike.

I wouldn't advise spending more than that either...unless you can afford it That price is pretty normal for a decent entry level road bike and should be sufficient for your needs. I'm sure you'll love it.

 

[Ant]

Just noticed that the Felt can take mudguards too, so if you decide to upgrade in a year or so you can use it as a winter bike.