Best Racer for 800 euros

youtheman

Folks, apologies if this has been done to death. I'm a reasonably fit guy (soccer once a week and gym 3 days a week, mostly rowing machine and exercise bike). With the impending summer I've decided to take up cycling (the 'boredom' factor of the gym is a major headache for me). I plan to do some solo cycling plus join up with a gang who cycleo n a Sunday (nothing competitive). I'm planning to spend approx 800 euros of a new bike and I've narrowed it down to the following two (though I'm open to suggestions of alternatives). Does anyone have any opinuion of one over the other.

Boardman Race at €810
http://www.halfords.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_11101_catalogId_15551_productId_789247_langId_-1_categoryId_212536
or
Giant Defy 3 at €800 euros
http://vccycles.com/road-bikes/203-giant-defy-3.html

Appreciate any feedback.

Lemag

This Merlin is a much better spec than the 2 which you've linked and, if you sign up to the VIP membership on the site (free btw) it'll come in 10% cheaper which will bring it below the two prices which you've mentioned.

Lemag

Btw, this which is also from Halfords is better than the one which you've linked.


Anyone here know of any nicely priced sram equipped bikes for a similar budget or cheaper other than the Canyon Roadlite 5.0?

Inquitus

youtheman wrote: »

Folks, apologies if this has been done to death. I'm a reasonably fit guy (soccer once a week and gym 3 days a week, mostly rowing machine and exercise bike). With the impending summer I've decided to take up cycling (the 'boredom' factor of the gym is a major headache for me). I plan to do some solo cycling plus join up with a gang who cycleo n a Sunday (nothing competitive). I'm planning to spend approx 800 euros of a new bike and I've narrowed it down to the following two (though I'm open to suggestions of alternatives). Does anyone have any opinuion of one over the other.

Boardman Race at €810
http://www.halfords.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_11101_catalogId_15551_productId_789247_langId_-1_categoryId_212536
or
Giant Defy 3 at €800 euros
http://vccycles.com/road-bikes/203-giant-defy-3.html

Appreciate any feedback.

Does your employer operate the B2W scheme? would enable you to get alot more bike for a spend of 800 yoyos.

lennymc

just in case you didnt know, if you buy a bike from halfords, and you have an axa discount card, you get an extra 15% off. If you dont have a card, an insurance disc normally gets the discount.

youtheman

Inquitus wrote: »

Does your employer operate the B2W scheme? would enable you to get alot more bike for a spend of 800 yoyos.

No, but they operate a scheme by which I can purchase up to 1000 euros of 'sports equipment' every year and they will reimburse me (via my wages so I end up paying tax on it, so it is roughly equivalent to the B2W scheme).

Undercover Elephant

Lemag wrote: »

This Merlin is a much better spec than the 2 which you've linked and, if you sign up to the VIP membership on the site (free btw) it'll come in 10% cheaper which will bring it below the two prices which you've mentioned.

Does anyone have any experience of Merlin bikes? Looks a very good deal for the components, but I can't find a review anywhere. I'm assuming they're not related to the custom titanium ones.

blorg

That is Merlin the UK bike shop who do their own brand frames. Generally good value. Unrelated to the US titanium frame manufacturer.

Jk_Eire

youtheman wrote: »

Folks, apologies if this has been done to death. I'm a reasonably fit guy (soccer once a week and gym 3 days a week, mostly rowing machine and exercise bike). With the impending summer I've decided to take up cycling (the 'boredom' factor of the gym is a major headache for me). I plan to do some solo cycling plus join up with a gang who cycleo n a Sunday (nothing competitive). I'm planning to spend approx 800 euros of a new bike and I've narrowed it down to the following two (though I'm open to suggestions of alternatives). Does anyone have any opinuion of one over the other.

Boardman Race at €810
http://www.halfords.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_11101_catalogId_15551_productId_789247_langId_-1_categoryId_212536
or
Giant Defy 3 at €800 euros
http://vccycles.com/road-bikes/203-giant-defy-3.html

Appreciate any feedback.

Cycle Surgery in Dundrum shopping centre have the Defy 2 coming in at about €850. €200 cheaper than everywhere else I've seen it.
Link to UK site : http://www.cyclesurgery.com/giant-defy-2-2011/aluminium/steel/bikes-components-bikewear/fcp-product/20525

ontheditch2

Going to piggy back this lads, let me know what ye think??

http://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=35&idproduct=38497
Lasts years model is about €730

OR

A ridley, costing about €720. i am after forgetting the name of the bike, but it hasd carbon fork, 3x8 gears, all usual shimano works, and the salesman said the wheels were very good.. i cant find the model, but imagine it would of been one of the cheapest in the range..

What do ye think??

Lemag

You'd have to give more details on the Ridley but the Lapierre which you've linked is way below the spec of the Merlin which I linked earlier in this thread.

ontheditch2

cheers lemag, have you dealt with them before??

gman2k

Very good value on the Merlin, even with the currency conversion.
I was in a couple of bike shops in Dublin today, just looking at what one can get for 800yoyos. The Merlin offer blows them clean out of the water.

stas

Got Defy 3 last summer and pretty happy with it so far. However I'm furious this Canyon wasn't around then (or I didn't know)! Or that Merlin ^^^ as a matter of fact.

ryan0380

I bought a hardtail MTB bout 10 yrs ago from merlin and it was fantastic and the frame is still in great nic. It was an Alu frame.

ThisRegard

stas wrote: »

However I'm furious this Canyon wasn't around then (or I didn't know)!.

Twas indeed around last year, well the 2010 version of it anyway.

coolbeans

I like this. It's a little different. The Canyon is a nice bike but they're very common nowadays. And yes, I am a bike snob. Let's just get that out of the way.

C3PO

coolbeans wrote: »

I like this. It's a little different. The Canyon is a nice bike but they're very common nowadays. And yes, I am a bike snob. Let's just get that out of the way.

You claim to be a bike snob ..... and you prefer a Kona to a Canyon? :rolleyes:

gman2k

coolbeans wrote: »

I like this. It's a little different. The Canyon is a nice bike but they're very common nowadays. And yes, I am a bike snob. Let's just get that out of the way.

Yes, the usual CRC offers....available in Munchkin and Gigantic sizes only - and at that they are not actually available! (Very good value all the same)

coolbeans

RPL1 wrote: »

You claim to be a bike snob ..... and you prefer a Kona to a Canyon? :rolleyes:

Exclusivity is the zenith of snobbery.