Lidl bike versus the rest.

coolbeans

Hey guys,
Saw this bike http://www.lidl.ie/ie/home.nsf/pages/c.o.20092750.Road_Racing_Bike[/URL] and was wondering what you all think. Looking to get into road bikes after years of commuting sur l'hybrid! What you all think of this baby from Lidl especially when compared to Specialized Secteur/Allez, Kellys ARC, Giant etc all around the €800-900 mark. The components seem to be in another league altogether when compared to the above. Am I right or just misinformed?
Thanks.

niceonetom

For the love of god.

coolbeans

niceonetom wrote: »

For the love of god.

Alright, thanks, no need to be impatient. New here etc.

DJsail

Here we go again! Thought that bike offer was finished?

coolbeans

Nope, out the 6th of August. Last ones apparently.

DJsail

This has been covered to death before but you know it doesn't seem bad at all and are we just simply acting like snobs by focusing on the unknown frame, for the money it may be a nice ride with those components?

kenmc

DJsail wrote: »

This has been covered to death before but you know it doesn't seem bad at all and are we just simply acting like snobs by focusing on the unknown frame, for the money it may be a nice ride with those components?

But therein lies the problem: you don't get to try out the ride to see if it suits you before parting with your hard earned cash. You can say the same of online bike shops too of course, but many people starting out especially, have no idea of their correct frame size, and so rely on the expert (?) advice from their local bike shop to get it right. I doubt that Lidl offer any advice at all on the matter, nor would they offer the 6 week service either, which is required to keep it running true.
I'd say the consensus would be 'could be good, but too expensive a risk to take to find out'

Captain Havoc

kenmc wrote: »

But therein lies the problem: you don't get to try out the ride to see if it suits you before parting with your hard earned cash. You can say the same of online bike shops too of course, but many people starting out especially, have no idea of their correct frame size, and so rely on the expert (?) advice from their local bike shop to get it right. I doubt that Lidl offer any advice at all on the matter, nor would they offer the 6 week service either, which is required to keep it running true.
I'd say the consensus would be 'could be good, but too expensive a risk to take to find out'

I was hoping this would die a quick death but anyway. I went with the recomended frame size in the advert and it's perfect. I've done over 3,000km on mine now and not so much as a puncture. Looking back in retrospect, if I had €900 now to spend on a bike then it'd be the LIDL one.
Apologies for keeping this going
Jersey

DJsail

You know that groupset alone can cost the bones of about Eur600 on its own, add the wheels, pedals and any type of Alu Frame/Carbon fork combo with some sort of finishing kit and your wallet will feel far lighter after buying it than this!

Might buy it myself and paint over the name to save myself from any slaggin at the weekends!

BostonB

I've seen a few on the road. I was considering one myself. Or a Boardman and getting someone else to set it up for me. I'll probably get a more basic Giant or Trek though.

blorg

I have met a few people with the Lidl bike now, I think basically you need to compare it to what you could get online as that is the level of service/fitting you are getting... Saw Jerseyeire's one over the weekend and it looked like a very nice bike and had not yet spontaneously combusted If you could get a Trek or Giant with the same spec I would do that, but I would certainly not go for a 2200/Sora/Tiagra one above the Stratos... 105 and up you would have a debate.

coolbeans

Thanks lads, I'll think I'll risk it and invest.

copacetic

blorg wrote: »

I have met a few people with the Lidl bike now, I think basically you need to compare it to what you could get online as that is the level of service/fitting you are getting... Saw Jerseyeire's one over the weekend and it looked like a very nice bike and had not yet spontaneously combusted If you could get a Trek or Giant with the same spec I would do that, but I would certainly not go for a 2200/Sora/Tiagra one above the Stratos... 105 and up you would have a debate.

agreed, full ultegra is what €800 list, so prob pick it up for €600 with €200 wheels and €50 pedals and a €50 sella saddle. You are getting the frame for free.

You are looking at about 2.5k to 3k for a 'brand name' with that spec. The only issue I'd see with it is if you didn't like the frame, picking up framesets usually forces you to high end ones.

Lumen

copacetic wrote: »

You are looking at about 2.5k to 3k for a 'brand name' with that spec. The only issue I'd see with it is if you didn't like the frame, picking up framesets usually forces you to high end ones.

Ribble Sportive Carbon Road Frame, £365.46

OOTH, the Ribble Road Carbon Carbon Sportive Racing Veloce 10 Double is £1000 for the whole bike.

Captain Havoc

copacetic wrote: »

agreed, full ultegra is what €800 list, so prob pick it up for €600 with €200 wheels and €50 pedals and a €50 sella saddle. You are getting the frame for free.

You are looking at about 2.5k to 3k for a 'brand name' with that spec. The only issue I'd see with it is if you didn't like the frame, picking up framesets usually forces you to high end ones.

I priced everything before I bought it €990 was the cheapest and that didn't include the frame because it's an unknown. There'd probably be postage and packaging and assembly costs after that, I'd love to see you walk into a bike shop with all those parts and ask them to put it together.

copacetic

Lumen wrote: »

Ribble Sportive Carbon Road Frame, £365.46

OOTH, the Ribble Road Carbon Carbon Sportive Racing Veloce 10 Double is £1000 for the whole bike.

sorry, I meant a 'brand' name, eg if you wanted to buy a spesh, trek, giant or cannondale frame to 'brand' up the spec you'd be pushed toward the really high end frames as they don't sell the low end ones as framsets generally.

I had a quick look though and I do see a few nice frames on ebay for the €500 mark. A nice scott cr1 frameset there at the moment and in Ireland too.

<Must resist urge to go full carbon for no real reason>

Quigs Snr

Aha, so that was you on the Stratos at the Tour of Kilkenny then JerseyEire, I saw you talking to Blorg. My brother was on one too, although his was painted black (gotten direct from Ebay) with Scott Logos, I had from an old bike and was drawing admiring glances and questions.

In other words, people thought the frame looked great when it had a big name brand on it. Or to put it another way, snobbery is alive and well in cycling !