Some bike buying advice please!

LC7

Hi all!

Been reading here a while and everyone seems to really know there stuff so I was hoping ye could advise me on my first road bike purchase please!

I've been commuting 40 or so miles a wk on a Trek hybrid 7.2 for the last year and as my employer just brought in the bike to work scheme its time to upgrade while i wouldn't have much long distance experience in cycling the overall aim with the new bike would be to do the Wicklow 200 next june :eek: well hopefully anyway...

as the BTW scheme is a 1 in 5 year thing I'm gonna spend the full whack (€1000) on the bike, we can only buy from certain shops, not online. What I have narrowed it down to is:

http://www2.giant-bicycles.com/EN-GB/bikes/model/defy.2/4861/38959/

http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/road/1_series/15/

http://www.specialized.com/gb/en/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=47373&eid=4350&menuItemId=8096

and to mix things up a little....

http://www.corratec.com/en/bikes2010/road/race/dolomiti_tiagra_scb.php

Beacause they're all in the same price range I'd assume they would all give a similiar performance (all carbon forks, tiagra shifting etc) but I'd love to know what one ye'd recommend? I'm not too savy on the intricate details on bikes and there could be something I've not spotted! I love the look of the Specialized and would just favour that, I'd be fond of Treks as my own has served me well, but as regards looks, I think they're all lagging behind the Allez a little?

The corratec is a bit random I know, does anyone know anything about these bikes? Mikes Bikes in Dun Laoghaire is getting them in this Autumn, that model is priced at €950 so I guess its worth considering...

I'm not sure if this has been discussed on Boards but talking to a few cycling shops it seems that there is quite a shortage in certain 2010 bikes out there at the minute. Apparently the manufacturers didn't foresee the extra demand from Ireland and Britain due to the BTW schemes! Because of this there will be no Specializeds in Ireland til Jan 2010!! I'm a bit gutted over that cz I think the Specialized looks great! I don't think anyone could wait that long for a new bike could they?!! If so you're a better person than I! :pac: Delays for Giants and Treks are sporadic around shops but there would be no probs getting one if I decide to go for either.

Thanks in advance for the help folks, you tend to learn more stuff here than ya would in most bikes shops! Oops, did I just start the 'which shop' debate again? My bad

Thanks again!

xz

you can also buy Corratec here, and they are an Irish company, but there Corratecs are bit higher specced and priced
http://www.isport.ie/catalog_roadbikes.asp and this one in particular is in your price range at only €49 more than the Tiagra version you have mentioned and they sell the Tiagra one at €899 http://www.isport.ie/Product_Details.asp?ID=710
I was looking at the Corones myself last year, but bought a Planet X instead.

Any of the bikes you are looking at should offer the same performance, and choice would probably come down to what is more aesthetically pleasing to your eye.

If you are going to spend the whole €1000, why not go the extra few hundred on the 105 specced bikes, this of course has to come out of your own pocket though

LC7

Thanks xz, the prices on that website are low! my employers are doing the scheme through Bike to Work Ltd. so I can only shop in their designated shops so thats rules out using that website!

I had pretty much given up the idea of being able to get 105s in my budget. I'm kinda stretching things to have my budget at €1000 so I wouldn't like to go over it! What I could do is go the shop with the corratecs and say its available online for 999 wit 105s and ask could he do something similiar, the Defy 2 is €1075 anyway so if he could offer the corratec for something similiar that would be class!!

Lumen

Great first post.

Giant, Trek, Specialized, can't go wrong really. Since you're buying from a proper shop I'd take the time to have a few test rides and go with the shop which puts the most effort into ensuring that the bike fits and you'll be comfortable on it.

cdaly_

Bike to Work Ltd take something like 8% - 10% commission on the deal so you lose your haggling margin with the bike shop. Is there anything you can do to persuade your work to pay the bike shop direct? That should give you the haggling margin back...

petethedrummer

How retarded are these companies that they need to get an intermediary to partake in this scheme?

cdaly_

I'd say ill-informed. They don't have time to read up on the details of something like this and probably think there'll be too much admin. Broker comes along and says: "We'll handle all of the red tape for you..." and they bite.

LC7

I don't really understand what bike to work ltd do to be honest! all they have is one form that the bike shop write their quote and you return it to HR. I think you hit the nail on the head cdaly_, companies find it easier to just delegate it onto someone else.... Our company is quite large so I'm pretty sure they wont let me deal with the shop direct which is a pity, I find that most bikeshops tend to throw in something with a purchase, be it just a free tube even, its unfortunate to be losing that to the middle man!

@Lumen - thanks for the advice, yeah a test run is a must especially since its my first road bike. Thing is the deadline for submitting my bike request is in the middle of October so the Corratecs might not even be in stock then to try them out for size! With the Giants and Treks being in better supply in Dublin I might just end up having to go for them.

I'm finding it a bit frustrating that my decision has to be influenced by something as trivial as bikes not being in stock!!!

sibyrne

LC7 wrote: »

I'm finding it a bit frustrating that my decision has to be influenced by something as trivial as bikes not being in stock!!!

Yo dude everyone is finding it as frustration as you. It's a pain in the arse. I've never come across such a demand for bikes.

105 under a grand doesn't really happen and if it does your into a bad frame and finishing kit. Tiagra is absolutely fine, I've been riding it for 2 years and it is still perfect and I've never had a problem. I'm Riding a 08 Allez elite. The trek 1.5 is a nice Bike With Tiagra/Sora mix at euro 910ish. Although the Allez sport with full Sora for Euro 779 is very nice. What kind of riding are you planning to do?

velo.2010

The spec drop on the 1.5 from the old 1500 is incredible. Full Ultegra to a Tiagra/Sora mix!

sibyrne

velo.2010 wrote: »

The spec drop on the 1.5 from the old 1500 is incredible. Full Integra to a Tiagra/Sora mix!

Yeah but the price has dropped too.T he 1500 was around 1779.99. the 1.5 is only 910.

LC7

sibyrne wrote: »

The trek 1.5 is a nice Bike With Tiagra/Sora mix at euro 910ish. Although the Allez sport with full Sora for Euro 779 is very nice. What kind of riding are you planning to do?

I'll be doing a short commute to work/college every day which adds up to 35miles a week. Plan would be to (hopefully) do the WW 200 next year so come the spring would be heading off on spins whenever I could. Yeah the allez elite double was my fav but thats not in stock til January so not gonna wait for that! Cycleways hav a few randon specialized in stock so gonna head in there tomorrow and see what they have. Because its on the BTW scheme I'd like to get Tiagra, so that means its pretty much come down to either the Defy 2 or the Trek 1.5! Do ya have an opinion on the Defy sibyrne? From what I've heard around the giant seems to be better value for money...

sibyrne

LC7 wrote: »

I'd like to get Tiagra, so that means its pretty much come down to either the Defy 2 or the Trek 1.5! Do ya have an opinion on the Defy sibyrne? From what I've heard around the giant seems to be better value for money...

Defy 2 and Trek 1.5 very similar ride. Defy 2 over the grand mark me thinks. I'd always choose Giant over Trek cos I don't rate the cheap Bontrager kit. Although I think Defy 2 is also sold out and availability is going to be low until the new year.

The Defy 2 is full Tiagra with the Giant own brand connect parts which are surprisingly ok. Plus it has formula hubs with Mavic CXP 22 rims. Which are the next best things to open pro's. It is the better bike. If it is available

petethedrummer

LC7 wrote: »

Cycleways have a few randon specialized in stock so gonna head in there tomorrow and see what they have.

I think they have some Specialized Secteur's in the shop, should be around the same price as an Allez, probably a bit more.

sibyrne

Secteur Tiagra is 1298 and sora is 844

blorg

The "cheap Bontrager kit" is fine, certainly as good as the cheap Giant finishing kit if not better (I have bikes with both.)

petethedrummer

sibyrne wrote: »

Secteur Tiagra is 1298 and sora is 844

Ouch, where's the extra money going? The frame re-design and the Zertz?

LC7

I was in at Cycleways, Cyclelogical, Penny Farthing and ThinkBike today...all are really struggling to actually have any bikes to sell! there was a couple of secteurs in Cycleways petethedrummer but I didnt see any in my price range, im eager to get tiagra groupset cz i dont see myself upgrading soon! (he says naively :rolleyes:)

It was interesting, ThinkBike surprisingly still had a Trek 1.5 09 for €910 in stock in my size...frame is meant to be better than the 2010 model, gave it a test ride but said I'd hold off...may as well get a new model if its a once in 5 year purchase, plus 09 model doesnt have full tiagra. At this stage I dont see there being a whole lot different between the Giant and the Trek so according to what I've heard today it'll be a good bit easier to get the Trek so I think I'll end up going with that!

First time in a longtime on a racer today whilst testriding...it must be said that they are class!!!

sibyrne

Remember don't just buy a bike cos thats all they have. What size you riding?

LC7

sibyrne wrote: »

Remember don't just buy a bike cos thats all they have. What size you riding?

It would be a 54 frame in Treks, medium in Giants...I understand your point alright, it would be something I'd try to avoid! But when I seen a Defy beside a Trek on saturday, I dunno but the Giant just seemed less aerodynamic, I just preferred the look of the Trek! When the specs are all so similiar sure thats as good a reason as any to base your choice on?

sibyrne

LC7 wrote: »

It would be a 54 frame in Treks, medium in Giants...I understand your point alright, it would be something I'd try to avoid! But when I seen a Defy beside a Trek on saturday, I dunno but the Giant just seemed less aerodynamic, I just preferred the look of the Trek! When the specs are all so similiar sure thats as good a reason as any to base your choice on?

Course you gotta like it yourself as you are the one riding it.
54cm so i pressume you are 5'6" - 5'9". Remember Set-up is 50% of the bike.

You looking at the white/black 1.5?

LC7

sibyrne wrote: »

You looking at the white/black 1.5?

yeah thats the one-54 for a size 5ft 8in, i tried it on for size in cyclelogical and it seemed nice. i think iv seen nicer paint jobs on a road bike but its ok, not too stand outish for bike thieves etc. Thinkbike are ringing giant tomorrow for me to see how long it'd take to get the defy 2 in but its gonna be ages id say.

sibyrne

LC7 wrote: »

yeah thats the one-54 for a size 5ft 8in, i tried it on for size in cyclelogical and it seemed nice. i think iv seen nicer paint jobs on a road bike but its ok, not too stand outish for bike thieves etc. Thinkbike are ringing giant tomorrow for me to see how long it'd take to get the defy 2 in but its gonna be ages id say.

Far as i know January for all Defy's

aliocroc

Hi guys and gals,
Could i ask ye for some really basic advice??
I could be wrong but because of these shortages am i at risk of being sold a lemon!? an old stock or no name brand?
I've been offered a 59" no name bike (a name not on the internet atall-literally does not exist!) aluminum frame with carbon forks, deep set Gipiemme wheels, FULL sora groupset, full fitting and servicing for the year being bought under the bike scheme. They're looking for 750 bucks before the bike tax discount.
Really i dont mind that its a no name brand but i have no clue how important the frame is with a road bike and what to look for on a test ride other than comfort?? How important is the frame?

Thanks in advance folks, any help is 100% appreciated-i have no lue what to do next!?!?
Finch