road bike help????

norma2000

Hi there, looki9ng for help buying my first raod bike. looking at
Felt Z100 (700) Sora gear
Claud Butler Vicenza(800) Tiagra gear
RIDLEY ORION (1195) Tiagra
SPECIALIZED ALLEZ SPORT 18 (735) Sora
Trek 2.1(1100) 105 gerar or1.5(880) Tiagra
Im semi fit run 5k twice a week and go to the gym when im able to.
im 5'6 tall so thinking 52/54 frame 54 seems a better fit.
should i go entry level or go the step up for better frame gear.
are there any otther options out there dont like giant, dont know why!
could do with some help here as i wana buy this week with cycle to work scheme.
Felt is best looking, ALLEZ gets great reviews, claud butler is great value.
Ridley is carbon might not notice the difference and Trek is nice but .......
please some just tell me which one to buy doing my head in!
cheers

Icyseanfitz

this probably the best specced new bike you can buy for 1k, l should be getting one next month

pointer28

Hi,

Can't decide for you but I do have a Felt Z100 and I love it, does exactly what it says on the tin.

Obviously it's built to a price, but it's a very comfortable bike and I'd happily spend a few quid on it next year to upgrade it rather than buying another bike.

Paul Kiernan

Are you restricted by your employer as to where you can buy from?

If you can buy online from the UK then this is nice -

http://www.dolan-bikes.com/road-bikes/Carbon/Hercules%20SE%20Road%20Bike?product_id=263

norma2000

cheers everyone keep them coming!

Icyseanfitz

whats your budget?

victorcarrera

The only one of the above I have is a Spech Allez in matt black with Sora/Tiagra mix and I really like it. I have Sora, Tiagra, Ultegra and Dura Ace on various bikes and I think Tiagra is the best value for money.
I do like the Canyon Icyseanfitz put up.
You are not alone. There is so much quality kit out there now we all get a little confused now and then and from what I know there is not a lot between bikes within a similar price range. I spent a week mulling over which of two biikes to buy and in the end I bought both and now I have 9.
The tax benefit or saving by going for a 1000 or 700 Euro bike with the BTW scheme might be the most significant factor to help you decide.

chakattack

norma2000 wrote: »

Hi there, looki9ng for help buying my first raod bike. looking at
Felt Z100 (700) Sora gear
Claud Butler Vicenza(800) Tiagra gear
RIDLEY ORION (1195) Tiagra
SPECIALIZED ALLEZ SPORT 18 (735) Sora
Trek 2.1(1100) 105 gerar or1.5(880) Tiagra
Im semi fit run 5k twice a week and go to the gym when im able to.
im 5'6 tall so thinking 52/54 frame 54 seems a better fit.
should i go entry level or go the step up for better frame gear.
are there any otther options out there dont like giant, dont know why!
could do with some help here as i wana buy this week with cycle to work scheme.
Felt is best looking, ALLEZ gets great reviews, claud butler is great value.
Ridley is carbon might not notice the difference and Trek is nice but .......
please some just tell me which one to buy doing my head in!
cheers

If you're 5'6" I can say with confidence that 54 is too big. I'd go for the Orion with Tiagra, it's a nicer fame and Tiagra works fairly well.

Don't touch anything with Sora - it doesn't work very well.

Also don't overlook things like wheels and tyres.

norma2000

budget is 1000 but will add to it if needed.
claud butler is a 53 with full tiagra.
would the trek 1.5 be worth the extra 80 ?
might be in the lead unless someone has had a bad experience?

Icyseanfitz

if its 1k get the canyon, you wont find better value, id know as ive haunted every bike site for the last 3 months comparing, if your willing to go over 1k planet x is another good choice

kuro_man

Lastest tiagra is now 10-speed so if you are buying a new bike, insist on that or a discount for 9-speed.

Its not just about the extra gears. 10-speed makes is easier to upgrade, 105 and above are all 10 speed.

ckeego

Icyseanfitz wrote: »

if its 1k get the canyon, you wont find better value, id know as ive haunted every bike site for the last 3 months comparing, if your willing to go over 1k planet x is another good choice

I know there is a bit of a lead in for the Canyon, but a grand for a VERY highly rated bike with full 105? It's a bit of a no brainer really...

That gruppo is basically the last series Ultegra, Ritchey bars, bullet proof Mavic wheels, nice tyres, a Selle Italia saddle...

The only bad feedback I've heard are about the stems..Apparently if it is not right, you can only deal with Canyon...

It's a bit of a gamble online with sizing, but if you know someone riding a Canyon (and the numbers are growing every day) try and get a spin on one and see how it fits you...

Beautiful bike...

Lumen

ckeego wrote: »

The only bad feedback I've heard are about the stems..Apparently if it is not right, you can only deal with Canyon...

I think the Roadlite uses a conventional steerer/headset/stem. The freaky one is on the Ultimate AL and CF. There are compatible stems from Syntace, Ritchey and maybe one other, I forget. Anyway, not an issue for the Roadlite.

Wheely GR8

How are local bike shops at servicing bikes like canyon that are obviously online only ?

Icyseanfitz

dont see why they would have any problem servicing them as long as they get their servicing fee, a bike is a bike

norma2000

Thanks again for replys. not sure if Dept of Edu will deal with Canyon but will send email to find out!
If not would u guys go for the claud and see if i get into Racing etc or just go with trek 2.1 for the 105's
any other 105 bikes out there for similar money?

Paul Kiernan

norma2000 wrote: »

any other 105 bikes out there for similar money?

Well, there's this, sexiest bike this side of Saturn. Should fit you like a glove.

Icyseanfitz

ah right so your getting the bike through the bike4work scheme yeah? i know one or two lads here where able to get a canyon through it but i dont know the ins and outs tbh, if you cant get a canyon through it just pop into a lbs and ask their opinion (id try a load of different shops to get different opinions though)

norma2000

Forme Vitesse Road Bike 2011 for 750??????

norma2000

Paul Kiernan wrote: »

Well, there's this, sexiest bike this side of Saturn. Should fit you like a glove.

lovely bike but just outside price!

norma2000

Okay got it down to
Claud Butler Vicenza
Kona Zing Delux 2010 49 frame good price
Forme Vitesse rd bike
thanks for ur advise.
any more info welcomed
night!

mp31

chakattack wrote: »

Don't touch anything with Sora - it doesn't work very well.

Mine seem to work fine for me...maybe not as good as Tiagra, 105, Dura-Ace etc but the gears do their job well for me.

coolbeans

mp31 wrote: »

chakattack wrote: »

Don't touch anything with Sora - it doesn't work very well.

Mine seem to work fine for me...maybe not as good as Tiagra, 105, Dura-Ace etc but the gears do their job well for me.

Ya, Sora works just fine.

ednwireland

coolbeans wrote: »

Ya, Sora works just fine.

same here 1 sora shifter and 2 derailliurs and a crankset seem ok

norma2000

bought a forme Vitesse today for €825, any thoughts
http://www.formebikes.co.uk/bikes/road/vitesse.php
seams like a good spec, nice looking.
went with 53 frame, like i said im 5'5 but was a better 'fit'
cheers!

Paul Kiernan

Looks like a lovely bike. Good luck with it. Excellent price for a bike with the new 105 groupset which IMHO is so good it really makes Ultegra redundant. If I was to be really, really, picky I would say that the wheels and tyres are not up to the standard of the rest of the bike (but for that price they have to cut costs somewhere). I'd be inclined to spend €40-50 on a set of Continental or Schwalbe tyres and keep a lookout for new RS10 wheels on special at under €100. But then, as I say, I'm really, really picky:pac:.

PS I presume you bought it from boardsie Tackleberry down at Fitzcycles?

norma2000

yea fitzcycles, will upgrade when replacing, what are Fitzcycles like?

Paul Kiernan

TBH, I haven't had a huge amount to do with them, I tend to do most of my shopping online:o. But they seem well-organised and knowledgable. It must be very difficult for any LBS (esp. an Irish one with rents, rates, wages, etc.) to compete with big online retailers from UK and Germany. But their Forme range are great value and a few people here have bought them recently.

norma2000

best shop i have delt with so far. best info with no bull****.
will let you know how i get on!
always like buying something different!

Wheely GR8

Must take a trip to that shop myself ,they seem to have a nice selection of bikes.