Ridely or Specialised first bike

beckerick2l

Hi,
I'm cycling a mountain bike for the past while (two years), it's an old steel frame and I do about 50K on a saturday. So I'm upgrading to a road bike. I would like to buy a bike with a good frame and that I won't want to upgrade next year, also maybe race it next summer. I'm using the bike to work scheme so it will be a big saving for me.

My question is what to buy?

Was looking at the Ridley EOS Tiagra ~999Euro.
http://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=0&idproduct=37843
Looks like a good gear set, stiff frame I'm told, I'm finding it very hard to find reviews not wrote by Ridely. If anybody has experience with this bike can they tell more?

My alternative is Speciallized Allez Sport ~974,99
http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBCProduct.jsp?spid=52850&scid=1001&scname=Road
Good frame I've read, alot of people seem very happy with the bike. Is it have a stiff frame, as stiff as the Ridley. Would they be uncomfortable? I'm currently cycling a steel frame so I may not notice?

Maybe i should bite the bullet and buy something more expensive like Ridley Icarus? This would be a real push.
http://www.ridley-bikes.com/pd/it/en-gb/1/229/road/Icarus%20SLS
Many Thanks.

Raam

Of the first two, the Ridley has a better groupset.

The Ridley is a triple, whilst the Spesh is a compact chainset. The order is this, from most awesome to least awesome...

Tunney's chainset, a double, a compact, a triple.

The second Ridley has an even better groupset and probably a lighter frame.

The question boils down to this...
do you want to pay more for a better groupset?

beckerick2l

Cheers Raam.
Its an extra 399euro for the Ridley Icarus, so I'm not sure i could stretch the extra for a group set and I may not even notice the difference.

Does any know is there much of a difference in the frames?

Flankerb

beckerick2l wrote: »

Hi,

My alternative is Speciallized Allez Sport ~974,99
http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBCProduct.jsp?spid=52850&scid=1001&scname=Road
Good frame I've read, alot of people seem very happy with the bike. Is it have a stiff frame, as stiff as the Ridley. Would they be uncomfortable? I'm currently cycling a steel frame so I may not notice?

.

That sounds very expensive for a Specialized Allez Sport?
They are going for about £720 on the english sites so it should be roughly around 850euro here. Are you sure its not an elite your looking at?

beckerick2l

Your right it was the Allez Sport Double not the compact. Bikes in Ireland have gone up by 10% in the past few weeks. Not sure if they have gone up in the UK.

What do you think?

Flankerb

It shouldn't matter at all there should only be about 20euro in the difference between compact, double or triple. What shop are getting this from and are stuck with having to buy from just that specific shop due to bike to work scheme? When I seen the original price you qouted I assumed it was the next model up an elite.

beckerick2l

I can buy from whatever shop I want. I was getting my price from Buckley's Roscommon.
I am willing to spend about 1K in total, so both were coming in ok.

Flankerb

I bought a 2010 Specialized Allez Sport last year and it only cost me about 800Euro. I have to say I was delighted with it, great bike did everything I asked of it sportives,racing and club spins. The only thng that let it down was the wheels had to change them after only a few weeks. Got a set of Easton EA50's and the made the bike for me. I see guys in the club riding ridleys now and they seem happy enough with them.
It just seem to be a big hike over last years prices. Shop around you never now what you might turn up.

beckerick2l

Thanks Flankerb. Most bikes went up by 10% in the past few weeks I think some went up by more.