First 'serious' road bike

dceire

I've been doing more and more fitness work on my 30+ year old Raleigh Record Sprint and did over a week of the cycle against suicide this year. I've made the decision to get a bit more serious about it and do a few sportive and maybe join a club. I'm looking to get myself a sub €1000 bike on the cycle to work scheme and have a few in mind. I'm new to the world of modern bikes, having been on my trusty steel framed steed for several years now. I've listed a few below and would love to hear some opinions and feedback from the more experienced amongst you. I'm open to suggestion and brutal honesty is much appreciated

Probably my top 3 at the moment...

Giant Defy 1 2012 (€999)

Raleigh SP Comp 2013 Carbon (€945)

Sensa Romagna Special (€918) - could be a problematical website for cycle to work scheme


Another 3 that are getting serious consideration...

Specialized Allez Elite 2014 (€1000)

Giant Defy 2 2014 (€999)

Lapierre AUDACIO 450 Compact FDJ Replica 2013 (€999)


These two just for fun

Specialized Allez Sport 2014 (€940) - just looks great more than anything

Boardman Road Sport Bike (€625) - budget end of the scale

Seaneh

If you're looking to spend a grand on a bike with Tiagra there is only one answer here when it comes to which looks best.

Colnago Strada SL Tiagra in team Wiggle Honda Colours.


If you want a bike of similar spec but want to save monies, then there are other options like the Planet X RT-58 Alloy Tiagra and the SAB Classico SRAM Rival.

Or wiggle have:
Battaglin S11 105 with Fulcrum Racing 7's

Eastway R4.0 Apex 2013

And a few others.

I'd be springing for the Colnago though, just because it's fecking gorgeous.

The Battaglin is probably the best value for money over all and the SAB probably has the best groupset, but they don't have the cool points of the Colnago.

If you want to shop local(ish) the Planet-X can be bought from their shop in Athlone.

rollingscone

Buildabike on Capel St deal with Sensa by order

dceire

To throw another bike into the mix, any opinions on the KTM Strada 1000? I've been a fan of KTM as a motorcycle brand for a little while now and only recently discovered that they make road bikes too.

Does anyone stock these locally around Dublin?

t'bear

dceire wrote: »

To throw another bike into the mix, any opinions on the KTM Strada 1000? I've been a fan of KTM as a motorcycle brand for a little while now and only recently discovered that they make road bikes too.

Does anyone stock these locally around Dublin?

Richies in swords do KTM

dceire

t'bear wrote: »

Richies in swords do KTM

Cheers, gave them a call. They're selling them at €1099

jackstaff

Melvins in roscommon are selling the giant tcr 3 carbon for 999e couldn't believe my eyes that value wont be beaten just crappy it's all the way over there

dceire

jackstaff wrote: »

Melvins in roscommon are selling the giant tcr 3 carbon for 999e couldn't believe my eyes that value wont be beaten just crappy it's all the way over there

Really :eek: do they have a website?

Big Mig

Merlin cycles won't sell Sensa bikes to Ireland because Sensa have some dealers here! Also they heavily discount them because they can get them in by the truck load.
We run a small bike holiday company which use Sensa's as our hire bikes so can get you one if you want.
At about 990 euro we can't match the Merlin price but can do bike to work.
It takes about two weeks to get as they build them to order.

dceire

Big Mig wrote: »

Merlin cycles won't sell Sensa bikes to Ireland because Sensa have some dealers here! Also they heavily discount them because they can get them in by the truck load.
We run a small bike holiday company which use Sensa's as our hire bikes so can get you one if you want.
At about 990 euro we can't match the Merlin price but can do bike to work.
It takes about two weeks to get as they build them to order.

Cheers for the offer mate, great price, but I'd be looking to do it through the bike to work scheme. I actually found that the Sensa Romagna is available from the Dutch Bike Shop although, it's a good €150+ more expensive than Merlin. Cyclebike deal with them too and are to get back to me with a price.

That Giant sounds like savage value jackstaff, any idea what groupset is on that?

Hunterbiker

That Colnago Strada looks lovely!

flatface

Wow colnago for a grand, hard to pass up for cool points.

Hunterbiker

flatface wrote: »

Wow colnago for a grand, hard to pass up for cool points.

Online reviews seem keen ( pinch of salt and all that) but it seems to be more than a fancy name on mediocre frame.

jackstaff

dceire wrote: »

Cheers for the offer mate, great price, but I'd be looking to do it through the bike to work scheme. I actually found that the Sensa Romagna is available from the Dutch Bike Shop although, it's a good €150+ more expensive than Merlin. Cyclebike deal with them too and are to get back to me with a price.

That Giant sounds like savage value jackstaff, any idea what groupset is on that?

The groupset is tiagra. I got the tcr 2 with 105 in oct and find it great

Big Mig

We can sell the Sensa through the bike to work scheme for 990.
We are based in Wicklow so not too far away.

GTDolanator

The bike Institute on dorset st.DUBLIN 1 deals in sensa

dceire

Big Mig wrote: »

We can sell the Sensa through the bike to work scheme for 990.
We are based in Wicklow so not too far away.

Cheers, how would the spec compare, to what Merlin are offering here, at €990?

Big Mig

dceire wrote: »

Cheers, how would the spec compare, to what Merlin are offering here, at €990?

Same bike, same spec!

dceire

Big Mig wrote: »

Same bike, same spec!

Cool, I only asked as the Dutch Bike Shop had the Romagna Custom available at a cheaper price with Tiagra rather than the 105 offered by Merlin on the Romagna Special.

What's the name of the shop by the way?

mrsFitz

I'm sure if you ask the Dutch Bike Shop they'll match that price

dceire

I was turned onto this which looks to be a great deal but Canyon only seem to sell direct. This could be a bit problematic for the bike to work scheme right? VAT and all of that

Hunterbiker

Check the bike to work mega thread. I dont think it matters whether the vat number is Irish or German so long as there is one (Companies cant claim the vat back on bike to work). It all depends on whether the scheme run by your employer allows it.

dceire

Hunterbiker wrote: »

Check the bike to work mega thread. I dont think it matters whether the vat number is Irish or German so long as there is one (Companies cant claim the vat back on bike to work). It all depends on whether the scheme run by your employer allows it.

Yea, I've had a look on there and this is what it says:

Beasty wrote: »

Assuming the employer is registered for VAT in Ireland, and the bike is bought from an Irish retailer, the position is straightforward. The retailer charges 23% VAT, and the employer cannot claim it back. The same situation arises where the UK retailer is registered for Irish VAT (eg Wiggle)

If the employer is registered for VAT in Ireland and the bike is bought from a UK (or other non-Irish) retailer that is not registered for VAT in Ireland (which is often the case, the main exceptions being Wiggle and ChainReactionCycles), the employer should provide the retailer with its Irish VAT number. The retailer should then not charge any VAT. However the employer should then self-account for Irish VAT at 23%, and is unable to recover it. If the employer does not provide it's Irish VAT number, you end up paying both UK VAT (on the initial purchase) and Irish VAT (under the self-accounting system) - there is a procedure to recover the UK VAT paid but it is very messy and time-consuming, so it's better not to go there!

In all the above examples, the net position is that irrecoverable Irish VAT at 21% is suffered. It is perhaps important to note that if you are looking at prices with 20% UK VAT that come to just under €1,000, the extra 1% may bring you above the €1,000 threshhold. In this case, only the excess is a taxable benefit in kind.

The one situation where Irish VAT is not paid is where the employer is not registered for Irish VAT (not normally the case, but possible, particularly for low turnover or financial service companies). In this case the retailer charges UK VAT at 20%, but there is no mechanism for the employer to charge itself Irish VAT. Hence the VAT cost is 20% in this case.

I'd be very interested to hear from anyone who has purchased online for the bike to work scheme.

dceire

Although, the FAQ section of celticbikes.com states the following:

Q. Can a bicycle be bought anywhere, e.g. online from abroad, or will it have to be bought in Ireland or from a pre-approved selection of shops?
A. There are no limits as to where the bicycle should be purchased by the employer.

http://www.celticbikes.com/celticbikes/IrishGovernmentCycleToWorkScheme.html

bbari

Hi Guys,

I'm kind a beginner on biking, started 5/6 months ago, started biking around the estate and now I am doing 35km couple of times a week. I bought a used bike to see if i get in to biking and now I'm loving and hence thinking to upgraded.

Same as OP I started looking around from somewhere around €1,000 (Alez Sport/Elite) and now gone up to €1,580 (Race/Tarmac).

Tarmac is on special offer these days, its full carbon with Sora but Race is special grade Aluminum with 105 gear set.

I haven't a clue about shimano etc, I don't think I'll ever be doing racing etc, I don't think I'll be spending more money in future in upgrading components etc or I don't think I'll be selling/buying another bike in near future.

Secondly - My height is 5.10" , when you look at the Specialized guidelines, both of 54" and 56" are mentioned for this height i.e. its the height where the size changes from 54" to 56". I did go to one of the shops who sell Specialized, the guy in the shop said both of the sizes are ok so its my personal call! I am not able to me "personal call" at this stage as I know nothing about biking. This is something where you don't want to be going wrong! I tried both of the sizes on Elite, I felt like I'd more control when I was on 54" but I felt like i was sitting in a better position on 56"!

I know price differential b/w Elite and Race is €600 but I rather spend this extra bit now as oppose to be saving money now and then replacing the bike few years later. Having said I wouldn't like to spend extra money on something which I don't need.


I will appreciate if you can please help me in picking the right with the right size.

Many thanks in advance.

James 007

I too am only a beginner. I have jsut been cycling for over a month now, however I have been training hard for the ROK in July so I have gone from 10km in Phoenix Park to 5 10Km laps to the hills of Howth every 2nd evening. I have gone long distance over the last three weekends, 105km, 180km (got lost) and 140km yesterday Drumcondra to Glendalough and back through Roundwood etc.

Like you I made a decision to get a good Ultegra spec. bike for €2k, I got the Cube Agree GTC SL and I cannot fault it, and it looks good too. I did not want to be changing the bike after a year afer spending €1,250 on it. This bike I can hold onto for at least 3 years plus. I cannot post a link to the bike yet, but you can google it and see it in the Cube website.

G1032

James 007 wrote: »

I too am only a beginner. I have jsut been cycling for over a month now, however I have been training hard for the ROK in July so I have gone from 10km in Phoenix Park to 5 10Km laps to the hills of Howth every 2nd evening. I have gone long distance over the last three weekends, 105km, 180km (got lost) and 140km yesterday Drumcondra to Glendalough and back through Roundwood etc.

Like you I made a decision to get a good Ultegra spec. bike for €2k, I got the Cube Agree GTC SL and I cannot fault it, and it looks good too. I did not want to be changing the bike after a year afer spending €1,250 on it. This bike I can hold onto for at least 3 years plus. I cannot post a link to the bike yet, but you can google it and see it in the Cube website.

You're cycling for only a month but over the last 3 weekends have gone 105km, 180km and 140km. That's impressive to say the least

bbari

James 007 wrote: »

I too am only a beginner. I have jsut been cycling for over a month now, however I have been training hard for the ROK in July so I have gone from 10km in Phoenix Park to 5 10Km laps to the hills of Howth every 2nd evening. I have gone long distance over the last three weekends, 105km, 180km (got lost) and 140km yesterday Drumcondra to Glendalough and back through Roundwood etc.

Like you I made a decision to get a good Ultegra spec. bike for €2k, I got the Cube Agree GTC SL and I cannot fault it, and it looks good too. I did not want to be changing the bike after a year afer spending €1,250 on it. This bike I can hold onto for at least 3 years plus. I cannot post a link to the bike yet, but you can google it and see it in the Cube website.

180KM in ONE MONTH?!?! That's impressive! Your bike looks impressive too!

James 007

G1032 wrote: »

You're cycling for only a month but over the last 3 weekends have gone 105km, 180km and 140km. That's impressive to say the least

Yeah, hard work on the hills of Howth too. Most evenings twice lapping from the Sutton side and 3 climbs from the church side, approx 50-60km in total.

105km route - Drumcondra - Lap of Howth - Malahide - Lusk/Rush - Skerries - Balbriggan - The Naul - Ballyboughal - Swords - Drumcondra.

Toughest part was a climb in and around Ballyboughal/The Naul.

180km route - Drumcondra - Dun Laoghaire - Killiney - Shankill - Bray - Greystones - Rathnew - Ashford - The climb for Laragh - Laragh - Glendalough - LUNCH - 10km around lake - Roundwood - Enniskerry - Bray - Shankill - Killiney - Dun Laoghaire - Drumcondra

Toughest part of this route was the climb after Ashford enroute to Laragh. I had to stop half way up. Running out of water, only 2 500ml bottles with me, and getting lost several times, which added 30km to a 150km trip. I know its a small climb but from Shankill up to Killiney after 150km under belt was a bitch to do.

140km route - As above, only this time conquered the climb after Ashford in one go, didnt get lost, bypassed Enniskerry for Bray on way home as I started at 13:45. 5hrs 42 mins on bike, 61.8km/hr top speed, again not enough water, must invest in 750ml bottles.