€1300 to spend.

NickDrake

Hi guys

Finally managed to get the bike to work scheme sorted and I have about €1300 to spend on a racer.

Will be using it for sportives and 80-100km spins at the weekends and 50/60 spins during the week.

I looking forward to upgrading and I need to purchase from a bike shop in Dublin area as per the scheme so Planet X is out.

I suppose I am looking at Simano 105. Is ultegra available at this price.

Trek 2.1 looks a good purchase. Also saw a decent Wilier la triestina in Dundrum for €1350. Cube Attempt looks decent value too.

Are there better options? Better value options. Thanks in advance for the help.

Gilbert for the hat-trick tomorrow??

blorg

Specifically Dublin? As you can get the PX in I think Athlone, same prices as online.

garstmax

Hi, I just bought a Giant TCR 2, you should take alook, Solid Ali frame that you could add to over time, comes with a tiagra set up.

Bought it in Pennyfarthing on Camden street, check out the demo model.:D

ccull123

Hi,
You should def consider the felt z85. Has everything u are looking for and so much more. Price is 1200 and just saw it in wheelworx and eurocycles on Friday. Currently saving up to buy it:) so my view may be a bit biased

NickDrake

blorg wrote: »

Specifically Dublin? As you can get the PX in I think Athlone, same prices as online.

Oh really. Didn't know that. Anyone know where?

NickDrake

garstmax wrote: »

Hi, I just bought a Giant TCR 2, you should take alook, Solid Ali frame that you could add to over time, comes with a tiagra set up.

Bought it in Pennyfarthing on Camden street, check out the demo model.:D

Thanks but I would be looking at 105 groupset at least . That giant seems overpriced considering it only has tiagra

RobFowl

NickDrake wrote: »

Oh really. Didn't know that. Anyone know where?

http://planetxireland.com/

Planet X Bikes Ireland, Unit 17 Block B, Blyry Ind. Estate, Athlone, Co. Westmeath

Inquitus

I negotiated a Felt Z6 down from 1500 to 1300 at eurocycles, and think its a very decent bike for the money. I did swap out the Microshift shifters for 2nd hand Ultegras as I wasn't a big fan, but the Microshift ones do get decent reviews and some say are on a par with 105, I just like the shimano shift.

blorg

NickDrake wrote: »

Oh really. Didn't know that. Anyone know where?

This is the thread, they work with biketowork.ie too.

If I had a budget of €1,300 for a road bike I wouldn't even be considering less than carbon with a 10 speed group (105 or Rival+). I have had three road bikes for less than that, bought over the period from 2007. All cost £1,000 exactly (~€1,150), all were full carbon - a Trek 5000 with Ultegra/105/Bontrager mix, a Focus Cayo with Ultegra SL (ex 105 chain/cassette & Truvativ crank) and a Planet X with a full Ultegra 6700 group (which I still have and think is better than the Cayo and lighter than the Trek.)

@Inquitus- very good deal on that Felt. There was a time that there was simply no way you would get a 10-speed carbon bike at that price other than over the internet but local bike shops are becoming far more competitive in the last couple of years I think.

NickDrake

blorg wrote: »

This is the thread, they work with biketowork.ie too.

If I had a budget of €1,300 for a road bike I wouldn't even be considering less than carbon with a 10 speed group (105 or Rival+). I have had three road bikes for less than that, bought over the period from 2007. All cost £1,000 exactly (~€1,150), all were full carbon - a Trek 5000 with Ultegra/105/Bontrager mix, a Focus Cayo with Ultegra SL (ex 105 chain/cassette & Truvativ crank) and a Planet X with a full Ultegra 6700 group (which I still have and think is better than the Cayo and lighter than the Trek.)

@Inquitus- very good deal on that Felt. There was a time that there was simply no way you would get a 10-speed carbon bike at that price other than over the internet but local bike shops are becoming far more competitive in the last couple of years I think.

Thanks. The thing is being able to find them at that price here. I will look around but that seems a steal for the above. Haven't seen those prices around.

blorg

All were good deals certainly, and they were all online from the UK, but you can get stuff here in Ireland now for not that much more. Planet X is available from yer man in Athlone, the Felt Inquitus mentions is a branded carbon/105 bike he got at €1,300 and I have seen regular mentions of 10 speed carbon bikes being available in local bike shops around the €1,500 mark.

If you were looking at aluminium around the €1,300 mark but could get carbon at €1,500 and couldn't bargain it down I would unquestionably spend the extra money for the carbon. A carbon frame is a massive step up from aluminium and frankly more important than the groupset, especially for sportives and long spins. The only place I would think a good aluminium frame could be competitive is racing, where there is value in having a good stiff frame and you are not so concerned about it shaking the shíte out of you every time you go over a road imperfection. Carbon is lighter too, but generally the bigger benefit is comfort/ride quality.