New bicycle help and opinions please

Bike 5

Hi All

Im new to this forum, it looks great!!

I was looking for advice please as im currently in the market for a new bicycle and im trying to decide between 4. Id rather just buy a decent bike now rather than upgrade each year. Id mainly use it going to and from work each day. Im currently using a Hybrid bicycle at the minute and im looking to purchase one good bicycle that will hopefully last me a while. The selection im looking at is as follows:

1. giant-bicycles.com/en-GB/en-gb/bikes/model/2014.giant.tcr.composite.1/14971/66532/#specifications.

2. giant-bicycles.com/en-us/bikes/model/defy.composite.2/14806/66183/#specifications.

3. fujibikes.com/bike/details/roubaix-13.

4. //gilligan-cycles.myshopify.com/products/claud-butler-morzine-road-touring-bikeslimited-edition.

Im pretty confident the first link is the better bike in my opinion from what i can google!. Could someone please explain what Shimano 105's, Tiagra and Ultegra. Finally would 11 speed Ultegra be better compared to 22 speed 105's.

I cannot post links due to forum rules so please put www. in front of above links please to review specs

Thanks in advance for advice guys

paulgs

Bike 5 wrote: »

Hi All

Im new to this forum, it looks great!!

I was looking for advice please as im currently in the market for a new bicycle and im trying to decide between 4. Id rather just buy a decent bike now rather than upgrade each year. Id mainly use it going to and from work each day. Im currently using a Hybrid bicycle at the minute and im looking to purchase one good bicycle that will hopefully last me a while. The selection im looking at is as follows:

1. giant-bicycles.com/en-GB/en-gb/bikes/model/2014.giant.tcr.composite.1/14971/66532/#specifications.

2. giant-bicycles.com/en-us/bikes/model/defy.composite.2/14806/66183/#specifications.

3. fujibikes.com/bike/details/roubaix-13.

4. //gilligan-cycles.myshopify.com/products/claud-butler-morzine-road-touring-bikeslimited-edition.

Im pretty confident the first link is the better bike in my opinion from what i can google!. Could someone please explain what Shimano 105's, Tiagra and Ultegra. Finally would 11 speed Ultegra be better compared to 22 speed 105's.

I cannot post links due to forum rules so please put www. in front of above links please to review specs

Thanks in advance for advice guys

Ultegra is the second best shimano group set and pretty much all you will ever need, 105 is the next step down and aagainit will do everything just as well as ultegra but would be a tad heavier. the giant TCR is a speed machine it has a geometry set up for low profile riding this may not suit you, the defy is a bike aimed at sportive riders a bit higher at the front bringing you more upright and in theory more comfortable over medium to long distances. I have a TCR its a great bike fast and handles well, the giants also come with a good warranty on the frame something else to consider.

Bike 5

Cheers paulgs for info

What about shifters 11 or 22 speed? What defy would be best overall as i wont be upgrading parts for lighter ones etc...id rather purchase bike straight off and be done. For the money is Giant brand the brand i should be choosing of should i be looking at others??. I appreciate Giant have spent millions developing frames etc where as some other manufacturers get an inferior frame and load it with 'Top quality parts'.

Bike 5

Cheers paulgs for info

What about shifters 11 or 22 speed? What composite defy would be best overall as i wont be upgrading parts for lighter ones etc...id rather purchase bike straight off and be done. For the money is Giant brand the brand i should be choosing of should i be looking at others??. I appreciate Giant have spent millions developing frames etc where as some other manufacturers get an inferior frame and load it with 'Top quality parts'.

paulgs

Bike 5 wrote: »

Cheers paulgs for info

What about shifters 11 or 22 speed? What defy would be best overall as i wont be upgrading parts for lighter ones etc...id rather purchase bike straight off and be done. For the money is Giant brand the brand i should be choosing of should i be looking at others??. I appreciate Giant have spent millions developing frames etc where as some other manufacturers get an inferior frame and load it with 'Top quality parts'.

The shifters are 2 x 11 = 22 speed. If you can afford ultegra go for it is top end only superceeded by dura ace, if you can't 105 is very good as well. Giant make v good bikes not the sexiest brand name but they manufacture and develop there own frames they are also the biggest producer of bikes and frames on the planet so the backup is there if you have an issue. Similar brands would be trek, specialised, merida, cannondale. There are the online retailers canyon, planetxs, Ribble, rose, they resell far east manufactured frames with nice parts attached if you know what you are doing you can get great value for money backup with issues could be tricky.

The best one to go for is what you can afford, but most people end up changing a few bits such as saddles, wheels, tires. Wheels are the best thing to upgrade most mabafactueres cut corners here and they will make the biggest difference to any bike.

Bike 5

Cheers paulgs for all the advice its greatly appreciated. If i were to go for the comp defy 1 2014 which i think i may be, should i try getting a wheel upgrade then? what would you suggest as a fairly good wheel again i would rather do it now. Bearing in mind id be 13 stone (ish) !! in weight also i would be using the bike on our fantastic irish roads (Not!)...or sometimes i think of the roads as a big pothole with little pieces road in between but i shouldnt be to harsh because depends what road etc.

paulgs

Probably best going with what is on it they are prob sealed hub cartridge bearing with a 24 mm rim they will be robust, and weigh 1700 / 1800 grams, if you have to change them maybe look at the mavic range they start with the aksiums for about 200, ksyriums equipe for about 300 - 400 or the elite for 500 - 600. There is also DT swiss, Fulcrum, or you could go hand built, or shimano do a range of wheels ultegra wheels are about 300, but you really need to match them to your usage as the more you spend the lightest they get and the manufacturers have weight limits on them for a reason, high priced wheels would be aimed at people racing. Most of the prices I have indicated would be online a local shop will be higher I guess.

Hunterbiker

Get the bike use it and then look to upgrade the wheels. Winter is coming so tge stock wheels while not sexy will take the initial hammering.
In a bit you'll be lighter and it will give you a chance to decide what wheels you want.
loads of wheels out there for all budgets but also look into getting wheels made to your specification as well as off the shelf upgrades from known brands.

Bike 5

Thanks Hunterbiker

I just looked at the Ribble bikes paulgs mentioned, they are cracking looking bikes and decent money also the self build option is great the R872 Carbon looks amazing. Cheers for advice on wheels it does make sense to get going first then upgrade the wheels and tyres for different weather conditions etc

paulgs

I would agree with Hunter biker, the defy is going to have everything you need to get started from the machine point of view, but then there's the shoes, the clothing, computer, helmet, pump, bottles, cages, there is a never ending list of stuff. Buy the best you can afford and get out and ride is the best advice you will get.

Bike 5

Thanks all for replies - sound advice.

Fian

I would suggest you buy a second hand road bike for 200/300 euro before you invest significant money in a new one, you will be more informed by the time you come to choose your bike as to what will be right for you. You will then have it longer before you decide that you need to upgrade.

Where will you be cycling - what will you be using the bike for? Will you be heading uphill or do you live somewhere flat? Will you be commuting to work on it or heading out for longer spins at the weekends or both? What distances do you expect to travel?

Whatever you are doing remember to factor in a helmet, saddlebag and put a set of tyre levers and two tubes in the saddlebag.

Also bear in mind you will need to buy a set of pedals and shoes to match them, unless you have an old bike which you can canabilise a set of pedals off. If you are going to buy pedals for any of these bikes you would be better off not buying straight platform pedals but go "clipless". Be aware that most people fall over while using clipless because they forget to unclip at traffic lights or something.

Bike 5

Hi Fian

I didn't really want to buy a second hand bike as the 200/300 i would pay i would rather put towards new bike, good thinking though. It also wouldn't really suit as i have a fairly decent hybrid bike that i use at the moment so a third bike would just be hassle i think.

I would be cycling about 8 miles each day to work then hopefully about 20-30 at weekends for the time being as winter is approaching but by next summer i hope to be use to the cycling and a lot fitter etc. I will build up slowly and get into a routine.

I have a standard helmet at the minute also i wear a small backpack with drink, tyres, phone, small hand tools etc and also its reflective so its quiet useful, again i will refine this as time goes on.

I will start with the clip-less peddles as i cycle into the city centre where there is a lot of starting stopping but hopefully i will get another set for weekends where i will do a flat straight route.

Finally i know this is a rather personal question to put out here but im going to ask ..what weight would be ideal for a rider to be? I'm 6.o ft and 13 stone (ish). Obviously the lighter the better right?...I used to do some running quiet a number of years ago and when i often asked that question people generally said 'the lighter the better' but in saying that i ran with people of all sizes/weights and really enjoyed it which was the purpose of the exercise ultimately. Im going to use cycling as a hobby so i may as well get serious about it and be good at it!

Thanks Again

paulgs

Read a couple of the books / biographies by the pros they get fairly light I am 6,2" and a couple stone heavier I would say your bmi is in the green zone.

thejaguar

Wouldn't be too worried about the weight for now - I'm 6'1" and generally somewhere between 14 & 15 stone.
Closer to 14 these days to be honest and it makes a hell of a difference when the road points upwards.
At 13 stone starting out you'll be grand, and once you're doing more cycling you should see that go down.

I'm looking into a new bike myself, so thanks for the links - good place to get myself started.