3 road bikes

avalanche

hi

im looking into picking up a decentish road bike for about 1000, i mainly use a mtb but am looking to go for the odd road spin as well so i figure this is a good budget for something that will last a while with decent gear,

at the moment im stuck between 3. what you reckon?

http://www.cycleways.com/store/product/41558/Specialized-Allez-Elite/

http://www.canyon.com/_en/roadbikes/bike.html?b=818
i have a canyon mtb which i find excellent so presume road builds are as good.


finally the old planet X although im a bit wary of carbon as im not the smallest of fellas.

http://www.planet-x-warehouse.co.uk/acatalog/C18_Offer_SL_Pro_Carbon_-_Large.html


i really dont know much about road bikes so would appreciate any feedback:pac:

by the way a question for you, which do you prefer mtb or road cycling and why??

i love the two and have bought a mtb as it better suits the environment im in at the moment but i think i nearly prefer roadbikes for gluiding around.

Chips Lovell

Planet X I'd say. Similar spec to the Canyon, but you get the carbon frame. Don't worry about carbon, it's built to take abuse.

Morgan

Another interesting option:

http://cyclingnews.com/tech.php?id=tech/2009/reviews/boardman_team_carbon09

avalanche

thanks morgan, had a look at that one before, it gets good reviews alright but not a fan of the look of the bike, shallow i know..:)

RobFowl

The canyon and planet x are both good bikes and good value. I personally think the Canyon looks better but am a big fan of carbon frames (after years of cannondale aluminum ones).
The specialized is nice but overpriced
The Boardman does get great reviews, though if you don't like the look then I'd say the planet x isn't for you either !
Overall (and shallow as it may seem) i'd go for the Canyon simply cos it looks gorgeous !!!
I think the finishing kit on it is slightly better than the planet x especially the wheels.

scottreynolds

boardman -- great kit. Although its going to end up about 1100.

blorg

That Boardman looks like a very nice bike, I would go for it over the others I reckon. Wonder what price Halfords have it at down here- you could always buy in the North though. £979 for that seems like a cracking bargain.

TinyExplosions

The Planet X comes in a fetching pink colour....

xz

I have a PX and I'm not a small fella either, although it is light, it is quite stiff and responsive, have stopped the front end from lifting when I get out of the saddle now that I am used to it.

avalanche

xz wrote: »

I have a PX and I'm not a small fella either, although it is light, it is quite stiff and responsive, have stopped the front end from lifting when I get out of the saddle now that I am used to it.

front end from lifting?? sounds scary...:eek:

the boardman does seem to have a good setup judging by the write ups although im not familiar with this SRAM Rival myself - any idea what is a similar level in campag or shimano gear - mirage? veloce??

and judging by a lot of your opinions its really between that the px and the canyon,

as for appearance i actually think the px looks pretty good although i might leave the pink one for tiny:o, the boardman in my opinion looks pretty ugly with the massive logo

so specialized overpriced then?

Aquos76

avalanche wrote: »

front end from lifting?? sounds scary...:eek:

the boardman does seem to have a good setup judging by the write ups although im not familiar with this SRAM Rival myself - any idea what is a similar level in campag or shimano gear - mirage? veloce??

According to the article on cycling news,

The gearing comes from SRAM's entry-level Rival groupset - and here 'entry level' doesn't mean 'poor quality'. It's about the equivalent of Shimano's Ultegra.

avalanche

Aquos76 wrote: »

According to the article on cycling news,

sorry missed that, really does look to be a great deal then,,

nortal

blorg wrote: »

That Boardman looks like a very nice bike, I would go for it over the others I reckon. Wonder what price Halfords have it at down here- you could always buy in the North though. £979 for that seems like a cracking bargain.

1,300 Euro in Carrick mines no chance would I pay that when you can get it for €1065 (Monday exchange rate) over the border

I am trying to decide to get a Boardman or lapierre R lite 400, so glad someone is comparing, the price difference is minimal at the moment

FrankGrimes

Can that Boardman be ordered online or is it exlcusive to (the not so exclusive) Halfords bricks & mortar stores?

Have a mate who would probably be interested as that is some bang for buck.

To be honest I think you'd be mad to choose a bike at that price based only on appearance.....hell, you could probably buy the boardman and pimp it out with your personal choice of bar tape, white saddle, tyres etc. and make it look well slick and still have a bike of better quality components for the same money.

RobFowl

nortal wrote: »

1,300 Euro in Carrick mines no chance would I pay that when you can get it for €1065 (Monday exchange rate) over the border

I am trying to decide to get a Boardman or lapierre R lite 400, so glad someone is comparing, the price difference is minimal at the moment

I'd go for the Boardman as the finishing kit is fabulous for the price.And The CW review was excellent.

paddyh117

hi all, I'm in a similar situation to the OP, in that i want to upgrade to a decent road bike at around that price point, but there's so much to choose from..

one bike that i haven't seen mentioned recently, but seemed to be very popular last year, is the Foucs Cayo...

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/triathlon/10/Focus_Cayo_105_2009/5360037591/

just wondering how this compares to the likes of the Planet X? is the Planet X worth the extra £200??

advice much appreciated

biker_joe

Not one for slating the Boardman frames, but CW bike reviews are always Biased !!! and usually full of Sh1t ! not that I am biased against CW !

Home:Ballyhoura

Sorry for the long post but here we go!!!.....

Hi guys, I was in Dublin for the first time in ages yesterday for the Cycling Ireland Junior testing day. Anyway, I popped into CycleSuperstore for the first time. Nice shop I have to admit but only one thing caught my eye (apart from all the bikes whcih I'd love but simply could not afford!). It was the second-hand Specialized Tarmac here. I have to email them about it for weight, exact model and year etc...but first I want to see what ye think of it!

I cannot find the exact model or year, but I do know that the closest thing to it that I found on the web was the 2006 Specialized Tarmac Comp as seen here (pictures on the right) and here (also here!). As you can see, it is not the exact same. The frame is very similar but decals are slightly different and the spec is completely different. I know it could have been upgraded (dura-ace rear mech, ultegra shifters, FSA carbon crankset and I think they were Mavic Ksyrium Equipe/Elite wheels.) but it still isn't the same bike. Does anyone know where I can find the original bike?

Anyway, what I really want to know is: IS IT A GOOD BIKE!?!? It is probably a few years old, but looks in great nick all the same (just a few scratches on the saddle). All the components look good and perfectly true wheels. It seems quite light (although not extremely), anyone have a guess at its weight before I email? (either a calculated guess or pick it up the next time you are in the shop!) I'm not sure if it is worth €1450 to be honest. I'd say it cost around €1700 new as this is what the similar 09 Specialized Tarmac Comp costs in Worldwide Cycles and CycleStore. Even better, this guy guy was selling is lower spec model for €1000!

So what you think, is it a decent upgrade for me coming from a stock Trek 1.5? I was also looking at a Wilier Izoard or Dolan Hercules which are closer to the €2000 mark so this is definitely a more pocket friendly option. Also, do you think I should bargain them down closer to the €1000 mark (or do CycleSuperStore even consider haggling?).

Any help would be great, so thanks in advance! I would genuinely really appreciate it! Cheers

EDIT: This is absolutely crazy, this guy posted here half an hour ago that he is selling is 2007 Specialized Tarmac Comp here on Adverts for a starting price of €1100...and will probably go for under the grand if I am correct. It is much too big for me but I learned one thing, CycleSuperStore are never going to get their asking price (confirmed by the fact that it is for sale nearly a year now!)

Aquos76

I also looked at the tarmac new and second hand but decided against it because I really wanted to get Ultegra at least. The 09 Tarmac comp only came with 105, and I also looked at this one second hand but it was too small for me. It may well suit you though

In the end I decided on the dolan hercules with Ultegra. Its been built this week for me.

scottreynolds

Home:Ballyhoura wrote: »

IS IT A GOOD BIKE.....

---

Also, do you think I should bargain them down closer to the €1000 mark (or do CycleSuperStore even consider haggling?).

Its a good looking bike I have seen it myself. The tarmac has many options in the range but also is available in a frame option. Most important thing is getting the correct size for you as a junior. It sounds like, from your posts, that you have some talent so I'd really make sure that you get the correct bike set up so I'd make that the number one priority.

As for haggling they are selling on behalf for a margin, usually 20%, so if its the correct bike and your happy with it make an offer. They will probably cal up whoever they are selling it for. The worse case scenario is they say, "900, you are taking the piss".

blorg

paddyh117 wrote: »

one bike that i haven't seen mentioned recently, but seemed to be very popular last year, is the Foucs Cayo...

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/triathlon/10/Focus_Cayo_105_2009/5360037591/

just wondering how this compares to the likes of the Planet X? is the Planet X worth the extra £200??

I had a 2008 Cayo and was very happy with it. They are a German bike though and so with the fall in sterling this year's entry-level Cayo comes with Shimano 105 while last year it came with Ultegra SL. The Ultegra version is substantially more expensive.

@biker_joe- would tend to be suspect of CW and indeed most magazine reviews myself, there are far too many good ones and you sometimes sense a reluctance to criticise... Wiggle stuff and Boardman seems to get a hell of a lot of coverage. Having said that Focus (last year) and Boardman stuff does seem to be fantastic value.

Home:Ballyhoura

Aquos76 wrote: »

I also looked at the tarmac new and second hand but decided against it because I really wanted to get Ultegra at least. The 09 Tarmac comp only came with 105, and I also looked at this one second hand but it was too small for me. It may well suit you though

In the end I decided on the dolan hercules with Ultegra. Its been built this week for me.

Thanks for the link...I'll see how I get on with CycleSuperStore first. I'm probably in between the 52 and 54 to be honest. My best bet would be to try both out and see which feels best.

As regards to the Dolan Hercules...how much did that end up costing you? It's certainly a lovely bike which I have been keeping an eye on for a while now! I might ask my LBS whats the best price he can get one in for me at! Thanks again

blorg

@Home:Ballyhoura- the Tarmac on Adverts is 105, the one in CSS is Ultegra with DA rear mech and a carbon chainset. That is quite a difference. Don't go by the "comp", etc. Specialized change this around every year, go by the spec. As for the bike in CSS, it is probably the best value secondhand bike they have in there at the moment- which means it is the least overpriced secondhand bike they have . I saw it yesterday myself (shopping for tyres) and it does look nice. €1,450 is not in my opinion a crazy price to ask for, I think it would have cost well north of €2k new in this country. If you got the bike for around €1,100 I think you could be doing well. The Comeragh one is also a good deal IMHO.

Home:Ballyhoura

blorg wrote: »

€1,450 is not in my opinion a crazy price to ask for, I think it would have cost well north of €2k new in this country. If you got the bike for around €1,100 I think you could be doing well. The Comeragh one is also a good deal IMHO.

Yes, it certainly isnt a ridiculously crazy price, especially when you consider what you said about the purchase price when new (and also including the upgrades). I think you are right about the €1100 mark, a good deal altogether at this price. Comeragh one is around this price, and so was the one on adverts and the one online was €1000 so I might make them and offer and see what they say. I was in a bit of a rush so I didn't get a real good look at it. It seemed ok size wise, although I would like to try out the 54 also. You didn't by any chance lift it to check out the weight? (Or could you do it the next time!). I will email them soon but I am very interested in its weight first...thanks!

blorg

Haha, I did lift it I think and it seemed fine, you should be able to work out the weight from searching on the interwebs. Most of these bikes are in the same ballpark. CSS are good about that sort of thing too, if you ring/email to ask they will weigh it for you. Bear in mind that _actual_ weights are always over manufacturer claimed weights, often by enormous amounts. I don't think the bike was upgraded so much as just Specialized change around their hierarchy every year, in the year that bike was sold I think that is what it came with.

Home:Ballyhoura

Aquos76 wrote: »

I also looked at this one second hand

blorg wrote: »

The Comeragh one is also a good deal IMHO.

I contacted your man about the bike, he said off of his scales the bike weighed 6.1kg...obviously wrong! Anyway, he said he would let it go for €950...not a bad buy if you ask me (although the red one looks much nicer) what you think?

short circuit

Home:Ballyhoura wrote: »

I contacted your man about the bike, he said off of his scales the bike weighed 6.1kg...obviously wrong! Anyway, he said he would let it go for €950...not a bad buy if you ask me (although the red one looks much nicer) what you think?

For me the Red one looks a bit faded ... almost like a red car which has been out in the sun too long ... a bit of car polish perhaps ..

The Comeragh one looks nice ... but bear in mind its a 53-39 with a 11-21 cassette ... I can only imagine the kind of power that guy was putting out ... or perhaps he was staying on the flats ..... regardless .. you are looking at least another 150 euro to get the chainrings and cassette (which also means the chain) changed for the junior regulations. I know .. all consumables ... but everything comes out of the pocket.

The cycle superstore one looks to have a larger cassette ... and overall you might be able to do a deal on a full package with them ...

Home:Ballyhoura

I contacted CSS asking for all the information they had in realtion to the bike and made an offer of €900. Their reply:

Hello,

The bike does not belong to us. We are not able to change the price.

We sell this bike on behalf of our customer.

All we can do is that we can try to obtain some using history of the bike.

The weight of this bike is 8300 grams (without pedals).
Best regards,

Luc.

So, it isn't the lightest bike in the world but still a kilo lighter than my Trek 1.5. I saw this guy selling his one for €2000! All I learned from this is that it is a 2007 Specialized Tarmac Expert and that it is pretty much stock compoents. Is €2000 a reasonable price for his one? If so, €1450 (for the red) and even better, €950 (for the Black comeragh one) seems like a bargain!

A bit off topic, and maybe a bit too personal, but I am having a bit of a problem with saddles sores. I am fairly sure it is from the Selle Italia C2 which just doesn't seem to suit me 100%. I doubt it is my nice Giordana shorts with the good chamois. I tried the Assos cream but it only helps a little bit. So, I am looking at a new saddle (I know, another personal thing). My club mangaer swears by Selle SMP (he has the Carbon version but says the others are good too, but still expensive at around €150). I have heard excellent reviews on the Specialized Toupe, which looks lovely and I sourced one of the nice ones from last year (no longer made in this colour) for €85. The final option is the world famous fizik arione which might be worth a go, but I think I might prefer something with a cutout. Let me know what ye think! Cheers

TinyExplosions

I have the Arione CX, and find it very comfortable, if a bit slippy when new, and would be happy to recommend it -there are others on here that didn't get on so well with the Fiziks though

FrankGrimes

Hi Ballyhoura,

This thread should give you loads of info on saddles. I went for a Brooks Swallow and though I'm still struggling with it at times, I'm hoping that's cos I'm still in the (lenghty if so) breaking in period and/or my positioning on the bike is incorrect. So I still have hope it'll work out for me but am kind of wondering if I'd gone for a saddle with a central cut-out if I'd be more comfortable by now.

Are you committed to buying a new/second-hand bike in a local bike store?

Take away the Specialized or Trek brand-names from those bikes and from my novice eye it's hard to tell what extra you're getting from those bikes over say a Planetx Superlight Carbon Pro or the Boardman Carbon for the extra >€600 you would be paying.

Captain Ahab

avalanche wrote: »

http://www.canyon.com/_en/roadbikes/bike.html?b=818
i have a canyon mtb which i find excellent so presume road builds are as good.

I like that canyon roadlite... would the campagnolo centaur on the 7.0 be would paying an extra €300 for?

DirkVoodoo

I wouldn't think so, if it was from Tiagra then yes, but in my eyes there is not a lot of difference between Ultegra and Centaur unless you just prefer campag or have 300 euro to blow.

Note: I didnt inspect the rest of the spec, but Ultegra, even though it's a Lidl brand now (:)) is fine and more than enough for most people.