Looking for advice on which bike to buy for ~€1300

Lemag

Lumen wrote: »

The Canyon has better equipment than the Cannondale, but either would do.

Better wheels and tyres but probably not a better frameset. The OP will get a season out of the tyres and if they decide to upgrade the wheels at some stage they'll be sticking them on a lesser frame if they were to go with the Roadlite. For these reasons, I'd suggest the CAAD over the Roadlite. As you've mentioned, both will do. The actual difference is probably not worth fussing over.

Edit - I'd still go with the PX

velo.2010

There seems to be a slowly bubbling Canyon v Cannondale rivalry developing on this forum.....'the CAAD is better than the Roadlite.....the Ultimate AL is better than the CAAD....no, the CAAD 10 is superior to the AL.....'etc. etc.

Perhaps a Boards challenge - Canyon owners versus Cannondale owners. The winners get bragging rights.:D

Lemag

velo.2010 wrote: »

Perhaps a Boards challenge - Canyon owners versus Cannondale owners. The winners get bragging rights.:D

I'd be picking a fight with myself..

The CAAD10 is the top-of-the-line Cannondale aluminiun road bike. The Roadlite is not the top-of-the-line Canyon aluminium road bike. The Ultimate AL is.

Chips Lovell

coastwatch wrote: »

The Canyon Roadlite has the best equipment spec on the list, but it's a more upright / relaxed geometry so more comfortable for long spins or commuting, but probably not best suited to racing if that's what you had in mind.

velo.2010 wrote: »

Would have to disagree with that, if anything its the racier bike of the three listed. As stiff or stiffer than the other two - its big brother the Ultimate AL is anyway. You can get a longer stem if need be for a longer length to the bars.:)

Actually, Canyon themselves market it as having a more relaxed geometry (although claiming also it's good for racing:

The frame now has a somewhat longer head tube and a steeper sloping top tube. The elevation of the saddle is no longer so extreme and the upper body is therefore less outstretched. This makes long tours just that little bit easier to ride. Despite all this the Roadlite still remains a bike which is ideal for racing at the highest level.

If you look at the sizing charts the different geometry between the Ultimate Al and Roadlite is apparent.

Plastik

velo.2010 wrote: »

There seems to be a slowly bubbling Canyon v Cannondale rivalry developing on this forum.....'the CAAD is better than the Roadlite.....the Ultimate AL is better than the CAAD....no, the CAAD 10 is superior to the AL.....'etc. etc.

Perhaps a Boards challenge - Canyon owners versus Cannondale owners. The winners get bragging rights.:D

Jaysus I dunno, the last time there was a challenge like that set a guy on a MTB won !

velo.2010

Vladimir Kurtains wrote: »

Actually, Canyon themselves market it as having a more relaxed geometry (although claiming also it's good for racing:



If you look at the sizing charts the different geometry between the Ultimate Al and Roadlite is apparent.

Ah, so it looks like they changed it for 2012. Thanks for pointing that out. Still a racy looking bike and I wouldn't put the OP off buying one.

For the record, my Ultimate AL 9 frame is stiffer (and the same weight) than the Madone 5.5 frameset I sold off. The Madone did have a plush feel and the springy-ness did help it float up climbs but when I yanked it on the flat it did squirm a bit. Didn't stop Bertie winning a couple of Grand Tours on it! The Canyon transmits all the power (the little that I have) into the road without apparent flex. What little climbing I have done on it, it has felt fine if a little less comfy.

The spec on all the Canyon bikes is superb.

Lumen

Lemag wrote: »

Better wheels and tyres but probably not a better frameset. The OP will get a season out of the tyres and if they decide to upgrade the wheels at some stage they'll be sticking them on a lesser frame if they were to go with the Roadlite. For these reasons, I'd suggest the CAAD over the Roadlite. As you've mentioned, both will do. The actual difference is probably not worth fussing over.

Edit - I'd still go with the PX

I stand by my comment that the Canyon is better equipped, equipment meaning stuff other than the frameset. There is cost-cutting in evidence all over the Cannondale spec.

I've no idea whether the CAAD10 is a better frame than the Roadlite. Probably. Would you notice? No idea. I do know that those Luganos would go straight in the bin.

fat bloke

Yo Colm.

How about a build?

You could buy this:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056550138
and this:
http://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=37&idproduct=48915

That's 1000 euro, or less if you can 'aggle for ultegra and carbon.

Leaves you with 3 to 500 quid for saddle, seatpost, bars, and wheels.

fat bloke

It's an interesting question this actually. I've been thinking what I'd do myself if my bike was robbed or smashed or something, my budget would probably be similar, and it's always going to be a compromise.

I think regardless of what you buy you should be pretty happy with. It's just trying to find that one that you're really really happy with.

I must say I like the look of this. -Hollingsworth in Stillorgan.

http://www.mycycle.ie/tcr-composite-p/56546546546g.htm
http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bikes/model/tcr.composite.3/9310/49808/

The base level canyon is a lovely bike too. Neighbour has it about a year and loves it. Never an issue keeping up with fast long club spins. It is his winter bike though. If it was me i'd buy it no hesitation as my do-it-all slog out the miles bike. If I wanted something a little more special, I'd be inclined to push the boat out, frame-wise. Maybe the ultimate al canyon for example. http://www.canyon.com/_en/roadbikes/bike.html?b=2506
Or if you want to impress with lightness, the planet x's are lol-light for the money.

But like I said, either way you're going to have a nice bikes for yourself. You can always refresh it later and treat both it and yourself to a fancy set of wheels.

SWL

velo.2010 wrote: »

There seems to be a slowly bubbling Canyon v Cannondale rivalry developing on this forum.....'the CAAD is better than the Roadlite.....the Ultimate AL is better than the CAAD....no, the CAAD 10 is superior to the AL.....'etc. etc.

Perhaps a Boards challenge - Canyon owners versus Cannondale owners. The winners get bragging rights.:D

Absolutely, brilliant idea a test to judge the best alloy frame out there.
It’s also a brilliant idea because I am about to buy a new bike when I get home and they are the three I have shortlisted:D.

colm_gti

fat bloke wrote: »

Yo Colm.

How about a build?

You could buy this:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056550138
and this:
http://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=37&idproduct=48915

That's 1000 euro, or less if you can 'aggle for ultegra and carbon.

Leaves you with 3 to 500 quid for saddle, seatpost, bars, and wheels.

Good idea in theory, but I'm 6'2" so wouldn't fit on a M frame, and I know I wouldn't have the patience to wait around for bargains to turn up, parts to arrive and the bike to be built.

I popped down to thinkbike in rathmines this evening and had a good long chat with them about my options, and as I'm not buying on BTW, and I've found that most shops I've inquired in are willing to do a bit better on the prices, and if this is the case for cycleways too, it brings the specialized allez comp into my budget.

So I've whittled my list down to 4 bikes now.

BMC Streetracer SR01 105
Scott Speedster S20
Specialized Allez Comp
Felt f75

They all have very similar spec, full 105, less the brakes in the BMC and Scott, and less the chainset in the Felt. The BMC has easton EA30 wheels, seatpost and handlebars, where the scott has own branded carbon seatpost and Alexrace rims, and the specialized has DT axis rims. The felt has the lowest spec, but this is reflected in its price. Going to read up a bit on the above bikes and see what is said about them online, if anyone on here has had any experience with these please shout.

Unfortunately, thinkbike didn't have a 58cm frame in the BMC or the Scott in stock for me to try out, and I'm going to ring cycleways to see if they have a 58cm allez in the morning, and eurocycles won't have a 58cm f75 until next tuesday.

I'm happy to go for one of these over a carbon frame, and I don't really want to buy one over the internet as I'd like to get something this week if possible, and would like a proper fitting in the shop.

fat bloke

bmc would be an interesting choice. Very few of them about. The specialised tear drop silhouette (and its doppelgangers) is getting a bit old now to my eye

colm_gti

fat bloke wrote: »

bmc would be an interesting choice. Very few of them about. The specialised tear drop silhouette (and its doppelgangers) is getting a bit old now to my eye

Yeah it looks like a quality bike, what attracted me to it was it's apparent rarity (around Dublin at least), and to be honest for me at the minute it's between that and the scott, the BMC just pipping the competition on the basis that it has the better spec, but the scott looks damn sexy in the matte black/red finish. Both of these are in thinkbike and they're checking the availability of both for me in the morning, so I'll wait for them to get back to me and go from there I guess.

fat bloke

Joe Daly's Dundrum do BMC as well, if you wanted to hop the ball between two shops

colm_gti

fat bloke wrote: »

Joe Daly's Dundrum do BMC as well, if you wanted to hop the ball between two shops

Interesting, might drop by there on my way to college in the morning and see if they can do any better than thinkbike, thanks dude.

Plastik

Base2Race in Ballymount do BMC also!

colm_gti

Plastik wrote: »

Base2Race in Ballymount do BMC also!

Cool, nice one dude, I'll bell them in the morning too

colm_gti

Put a deposit on a bike this morning, the suppliers have it in stock, so should be in the shop today/tomorrow, built and fitted tomorrow/saturday, fingers crossed, so hopefully I'll be out on it on Sunday morning for a nice spin to break it in, so excited now, I can't wait:D

Thanks for all the help lads, much appreciated!

Lumen

A bike? C'mon!

Plastik

BMC? What's the spec and what colour did you go for!?

colm_gti

Lumen wrote: »

A bike? C'mon!

Hahaha yeah a nice bike, 2 wheels, drop bars and a saddle... :P

Plastik wrote: »

BMC? What's the spec and what colour did you go for!?

BMC Streetracer SR01 105

velo.2010

Jaysus, what happened to buying a Canyon or a Cannondale? C'mon lads we must do better pushing these bikes on here.

@Colm, good luck with the new bike.

Plastik

Very nice Colm, look forward to seeing it! Did they have it in silver too, it's almost Martini spec livery. There must be some dude in BMC likes his racing cars because the RaceMachine can be gotten in the Gulf Oil colours!

colm_gti

velo.2010 wrote: »

Jaysus, what happened to buying a Canyon or a Cannondale? C'mon lads we must do better pushing these bikes on here.

@Colm, good luck with the new bike.

Haha it turns out I need closer to a 60cm frame according to the chap in thinkbike, so the 56cm caad10 on special was a bit too small, and too expensive in cycleways, and I would rather have tried out a bike and gotten fitted to it properly in a shop than buy online, so that ruled the canyon out.

Hope I've made the right decision, I really like the look of the BMC anyway, and 105 is more than what I need, plus they gave me a good deal and 1 years free servicing and a few other goodies like bottle cages and multitool etc etc.

colm_gti

Plastik wrote: »

Very nice Colm, look forward to seeing it! Did they have it in silver too, it's almost Martini spec livery. There must be some dude in BMC likes his racing cars because the RaceMachine can be gotten in the Gulf Oil colours!

They didn't have the silver one for me to see in person, probably could have ordered it, but I really liked the black/red one and the supplier had one in my size in that colour so just rolled with it.

fat bloke

Beauty.

Nice one man.

colm_gti

fat bloke wrote: »

Beauty.

Nice one man.

Thanks bloke

Hungrycol

....and now you can ride the same brand as the current TDF champion :cool:!

Lemag

Good choice. Well done. Enjoy!

colm_gti