Which road bike is better? 1st road bike

newtowheels

Hey,

First off I'm female around 5.6".
I'm buying a road bike and don't have a lot of info. I'm not part of a club either so am limited at the moment on info. I want the road bike for fitness and want to cover a lot of ground. I'll be doing the ring of kerry cycle again too so want something that I won't run out of gears on. (currently have a 3rd hand old piece of crock that I run out of gears with while on the flat, so coming down a hill i'm always freewheeling )

I'm torn between two bikes around the same price range
Womens Specialized Dolce or a Trek 1.2 (mens) I'm about a 52 frame.
I'm getting the tripple ring in either bike.

All I want to know from you guys is which bike is better spec'd? Or which Bike from these two do you think is better for what I want it for. I'll be using it for fitness, cycling to work a few days a wk (12 miles each way). I'll be cycling about 40-50miles at weekends, I'll be using it for the Ring of Kerry cycle in July and I will be doing the cycling leg (40kms) for one Triathlon on it.

Thanks in advance for any advice. Spec's below

Trek 1.2 Specs (its not the WS)

Frameset Sizes 43, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62cm
Frame Alpha White Aluminum
Fork Bontrager Approved, carbon
Wheels Alloy hubs; Bontrager Approved alloy rims
Tires Bontrager Select, 700x25c (43cm: 650x25c)
Shifters Shimano Sora STI, 9 speed
Front Derailleur Shimano Sora
Rear Derailleur Shimano Sora
Crank FSA Vero 50/34 or 50/39/30
Cassette SRAM PG950 11-26, 9 speed
Pedals Nylon body w/alloy cage
Saddle Bontrager Race Basic
Seat Post Bontrager Alloy, Infinite Angle Adjustability
Handlebars Bontrager SSR VR Bend OS, 31.8mm
Stem Bontrager SSR OS, 10 degree, 31.8mm
Headset Aheadset Slimstak w/semi-cartridge bearings, sealed
BrakesetAlloy dual pivot w/Shimano Sora STI levers

Specialized Dolce

FRAME
Specialized E5, fully manipulated E5 SLX tubing, Designs for Women compact design, FACT carbon seatstays w/ Zertz inserts

REAR SHOCK
N/A

FORK
Specialized FACT carbon steerer and fork legs w/ Zertz inserts

HEADSET
Specialized Mindset Plus, 1 1/8" integrated threadless, cartridge sealed bearings, alloy 20mm cone w/ one 10mm and two 5mm alloy spacers

STEM
Specialized Comp-Set, 3D forged alloy, 4-bolt 31.8mm bar clamp, 4-position adjustable

HANDLEBARS
Specialized Zertz Women's Comp, 6061 alloy, short-reach drop, ergonomic top shaping, 31.8mm

TAPE/GRIPS
Body Geometry Bar Phat, cork ribbon w/ 2.5mm gel padding

FRONT BRAKE
Ultralight dual pivot brakes, Teflon pivots, forged alloy w/ cartridge pads

REAR BRAKE
Ultralight dual pivot brakes, Teflon pivots, forged alloy w/ cartridge pads

BRAKE LEVERS
Shimano 105, 10-speed STI, flight deck compatible

FRONT DERAILLEUR
Shimano 105, 31.8mm clamp, bottom pull

REAR DERAILLEUR
Shimano 105, long cage

SHIFT LEVERS
Shimano 105, 10-speed STI, flight deck compatible

CASSETTE FREEWHEEL
SRAM OG-1070, 10-speed 11-28t

CHAIN
Shimano 105, 10-speed

CRANKSET
FSA Gossamer MegaExo, 2-piece crankset

CHAINRINGS
50x39x30T

BOTTOM BRACKET
FSA MegaExo, integrated exterior cartridge bearings, alloy

PEDALS
Composite body test ride pedals

RIMS
Shimano RS-10

FRONT HUB
Shimano RS-10, QR

REAR HUB
Shimano RS-10, cassette, QR

SPOKES
Stainless 14g

FRONT TIRE
Specialized All Condition Pro, 700x23c, aramid bead, 120TPI w/ Flak Jacket

REAR TIRE
Specialized All Condition Pro, 700x23c, aramid bead, 120TPI w/ Flak Jacket

TUBES
Specialized standard presta tube

SADDLE
Specialized Lithia Women's

SEAT POST
Specialized Pavé II, FACT carbon w/ Zertz insert, aluminum head, 27.2mm

SEAT BINDER
Specialized CNC, alloy, 31.8mm clamp

Thomas_S_Hunterson

Second one.

Caroline_ie

I'd go for the Dolce, I have both Specialized WS and Trek Not WS but diferent models. Size wise, for me I have the smallest size, so it was pretty much the same )

105 Group set is better than Sora, You also will get a really good woman saddle with the spesh... and it's prettier

blorg

The Specialized is substantially higher spec, I would go for that.

They are not even close, I find it hard to believe they are same price range, very strange.

Apart from the groupset the Specialized has a higher frame with carbon seatstays which are meant to take some buzz out of the road.

newtowheels

Thanks everyone!

There is about 70 quid in the difference between then. The shop is offering a good price at the moment, just hope he can get the Dolce in, I hear the Specialized are on back order at the moment.

update = Dolce is ordered. Thanks again everyone for the feedback.

dmigsy

Wow, that's a great price for the Dolce. My gf is looking at road bikes at the moment. Mind telling me where you ordered your Dolce?

newtowheels

Sure. The Bike Shop, O'Connell St, Limerick.

72hundred

newtowheels wrote: »

Sure. The Bike Shop, O'Connell St, Limerick.

Haha, got my bike there cheap enough too. He (Joe) really does give very good deals and a very nice guy too.