First Road bike and i need advice please! :)

A Fine Gent

Hi considering buying a road bike for weekend cycling and maybe trying a triathlon in the future, I'm using a bike to work scheme and my company has been conracted to use the discount in the talaght cycle superstore, I've narrowed 3 bikes down and i'd realy appreciate your advice on choosing and comfort is a bit of an issue!

http://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=35&idproduct=39646
or
http://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=35&idproduct=40649
or
http://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=35&idproduct=39639
any opinions would be massively appreciated! Thanks in advance

triggermortis

For me the Cube has the best spec and looks the best then the Defy 2. Depends if you want a triple chainring or double (Cube is triple, Defy 2 is double, but the Defy 3 is triple).
I have a Cube Aerial with a triple and I never use the smallest ring even though I'm a wuss on hills, I think I've used it when I first got it to make sure it worked, but that's it.
Some people don't like the Sora gears but I've found them ok but i know no different. They work grand it's just different - there is a thumb lever to change one way and the brake lever moves in to change the other way, Tiagra has 2 levers on the brake, one for up and one for down - it just means it's easier to change gear when you're on the drops. If it was me choosing from this 3 I'd go with the Cube

bryaner

+1 on the cube, not that I know a lot but it's well speced up..

Coronal

You may hate me, but this is boards, so it has to be done:

http://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=35&idproduct=40665

If you're willing to spend the 1050 on the Defy 2, why not add another 100 and get a nice 10 speed groupset like 105

As regards the other bikes, I personally like the look of the Giant better, but the Cube is better specced.

sham2

I have the Peloton - bought incidentally from cyclesuperstore. I tried to get an Attempt but at the time about two months they were completely sold out every where and would be unavailable for months. Still the case as far as I know. That said I'm chuffed to bits with the Peloton. I do about 100km a week for fitness. The gear changing is flawless once you set it up correctly. Mine came with the cables too tight. The Tiagra brakes are excellent from my modest experience and don't even make the slightest noise whatsoever. It's light, fast and looks great. I do use the lowest chain ring a bit as I'm still a wuss on the big hills.:o

Make sure you register with cyclesuperstore online to get the loyalty discount. That should bring the full cost to you as €899, BTW not withstanding.
I have a Cube mountain bike as well. I did try a Giant Defy when buying but didn't like the feel of it. Also I'm 6' 3/4" and got a 60cm.

spurscormac

Is it just me or are the component specs on a bike getting worse for the money?

I bought last year - May 2010, and got full Tiagra @ €985, had a number of similar specc'd bikes in or around that price.
The Sora spec was ~€800 at the time, and a 2300 was ~€600/650.

Now it looks like the Sora is coming in @ over a grand, thats just crazy.

Are manufacturers just taking the piss due to the increase in sales from the B2W scheme and scamming inexperienced bike buyers with what they sell them?

Seems like a trend to me.

Jk_Eire

Never got why the Defy 2 comes in at €1050 in most Irish shops. Lower spec than last years model and a higher price. Then again, in my experience there seems to be a premium slapped onto buying bikes here.

Cycle Surgery in Dundrum have the Defy2 on sale for €695 at the moment.
Same price as what the Defy 4 sells for in most places around Dublin

In fact take a look at their UK site sale. Prices are in sterling and but I rang up the Dundrum shop and most of the prices are a direct conversion to euros + about €15 - €30 euro.

http://www.cyclesurgery.com/aluminium/bikes/fcp-category/list?resetFilters=true

Jk_Eire

spurscormac wrote: »

Is it just me or are the component specs on a bike getting worse for the money?

I bought last year - May 2010, and got full Tiagra @ €985, had a number of similar specc'd bikes in or around that price.
The Sora spec was ~€800 at the time, and a 2300 was ~€600/650.

Now it looks like the Sora is coming in @ over a grand, thats just crazy.

Are manufacturers just taking the piss due to the increase in sales from the B2W scheme and scamming inexperienced bike buyers with what they sell the
Seems like a trend to me.

I've been told it's the rising cost of aluminum by bikes shops. I don't buy it really. Even carbon framed bikes have gone up. There have been rises in steel prices sure, but this seems more like captialising on a resurgence of cycling popularity, adding a premium because of bike to work, and recouping the admin fee charged by 3rd party bike to work facilitators like biketowork.ie . A bike shop owner in town told me he has very little room to haggle on prices if a bike comes through biketowork.ie or similar sites, since they take about 8% as a referral fee.

happytramp

spurscormac wrote: »

Is it just me or are the component specs on a bike getting worse for the money?

I bought last year - May 2010, and got full Tiagra @ €985, had a number of similar specc'd bikes in or around that price.
The Sora spec was ~€800 at the time, and a 2300 was ~€600/650.

Now it looks like the Sora is coming in @ over a grand, thats just crazy.

Are manufacturers just taking the piss due to the increase in sales from the B2W scheme and scamming inexperienced bike buyers with what they sell them?

Seems like a trend to me.

Haven't we learned anything in this country over the last couple of years! Overspending on bikes during the boom only to find in a year or so (once the bottom falls out of the biking market) that our bike are worth a quarter of what we paid for them. Well be stuck with them and won't be able to sell them for love nor money. Now is a terrible time to buy! Wait a year or so and this country will be full of unused bikes (many of them half finished). In fact I bet that soon you'll be able to buy a Giant Defy 2 in Leitrim for €450.:D

Johnners1878

happytramp wrote: »

In fact I bet that soon you'll be able to buy a Giant Defy 2 in Leitrim for €450.:D

You'll be more likely to get a house than a Giant for that price in Leitrim ....

A Fine Gent

Jk_Eire wrote: »

Never got why the Defy 2 comes in at €1050 in most Irish shops. Lower spec than last years model and a higher price. Then again, in my experience there seems to be a premium slapped onto buying bikes here.

Cycle Surgery in Dundrum have the Defy2 on sale for €695 at the moment.
Same price as what the Defy 4 sells for in most places around Dublin

In fact take a look at their UK site sale. Prices are in sterling and but I rang up the Dundrum shop and most of the prices are a direct conversion to euros + about €15 - €30 euro.

http://www.cyclesurgery.com/aluminium/bikes/fcp-category/list?resetFilters=true

Do they have all of the bikes they have online? Some amazing deals in there!

Jk_Eire

A Fine Gent wrote: »

Do they have all of the bikes they have online? Some amazing deals in there!

I know, I was surprised myself by some of the prices. That's why i rang up. In the Dundrum shop, on display they have moslty Giant's, Wiliers, and Marin from I've seen while visiting. While checking out bikes in store, they've said they do Treks and Specialized, when I asked about bike recommendations in my price range. I think they just get them in through the UK. Assume the sale prices apply.

slowcyclist

triggermortis wrote: »

...and I never use the smallest ring ...

What's this with the never use the smallest ring; this is the only ring on my bicycle that has forward gears. I've never used the other rings. I believe one is for reverse, and maybe the other neutral? I haven't had much use for reverse yet, but I'm looking forward to using it.

Holyboy

Hmm, a lot of prices are going up or spec coming down, its a mixture of raw material prices increasing and fuel prices too, most bikes that arrive in this country come via the UK and Irish shipping costs are huge! Also labour costs are increasing in places like China, so in the next few years you will see parts coming from India and quality falling! It probably wont affect the higher end bikes or branded products but on the lower and mid range bikes it will be issue I think! Thats my two cents any way:)

A Fine Gent

It seems that the cyclesuperstore have none in stock at the moment but they do have this cube http://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/showsearchresults.asp?idCategory=35&order=3
They said i can wait till october for the next years models but I cant see myself holding onto the money for too long without spending it on something else!

Chipbutty

Just bought this http://www.marreybikes.com/en/road-races/733-specialized-allez-comp-compact-.html a month ago. Happy so far.

hurlersx

Any advice on first race bike. Think the Ribble Bianco Carbon looks fantastic, but unsure about carbon frames, guy at work thinks this is a great bike and carbon is the way to go. Also the Bianci Via Nirone aluminium frames look really nice. The Canyon Roadlite 6 has a great spec, as does the ROSE Pro-2000, both coming in at around 1050. Any advice out there?
THanks