Best bikes for €1,000 - 2015

kilty_lad

I'm about to make my first 'big' bike purchase and I want to make sure I'm getting the best bike for me. I'm going to be using the bike to work scheme and want to take full advantage of it so my budget is going to be in and around €1,000.

As well as *ahem* commuting to work, I'll be using the bike for duathlons, triathlons and long weekend spins so I'd like something that would cater for that

I have been to a couple of stores and done a bit of online research and have a few options:
Giant Defy 1 (could upgrade to Defy 0 also)
giant-bicycles.com/en-ie/bikes/model/defy.1/20115/79367/

Cannondale Synapse
bikestore.ie/road-bikes/road-bikes-mens/cannondale/cannondale-synapse-tiagra-blue-bike-2015.html

Scott Speedster 20
2wheels.ie/product/index/238348_SCOTT_Speedster_20_Bike

Specialised Allez Sport
hargrovescycles.co.uk/specialized-allez-sport-charcoal-2015-road-bike.html?awc=2828_1427892894_90256901e3637199f5c432bb599845d7

Each shop I go to, they rubbish all the other bikes except the ones they have in store so its hard to distinguish what is actually good. I'm hoping you guys can help me see through all the salesman BS and give me your recommendations.

Or is there much of a difference at all in the bikes at that price bracket?

Also, should I be paying extra for a custom fitting or should that be part of the overall price? One salesman said that a fitting should take 1.5hrs and another was able to 'fit' me in about 20 minutes.

#dazedandconfused

mcgratheoin

I'll post the obligatory Canyon mention here - I'm sure someone else will be along with Planet-X and Rose, but what about the
Endurace 6.0. Full 105 groupset for €1000

As to your other question in essence there's very little difference between bikes from different manufacturers. The groupsets are usually Shimano at that price so my advice would be to get the best available - there's a decent difference between entry level Sora and 105. (The Defy has 105 afaik.)

Anyone who genuinely rubbishes one of the bikes listed above is not worth listening to - they are all decent bikes, decent value and you will love riding whichever one you buy.

Lumen

mcgratheoin wrote: »

I'll post the obligatory Canyon mention here - I'm sure someone else will be along with Planet-X and Rose, but what about the
Endurace 6.0. Full 105 groupset for €1000

The Canyon alu bikes are excellent but for an extra 300 you can go full carbon (with the same 11sp 105).

https://www.canyon.com/en/roadbikes/bike.html?b=3694

lennymc

Lumen wrote: »

The Canyon alu bikes are excellent but for an extra 300 you can go full carbon (with the same 11sp 105).

https://www.canyon.com/en/roadbikes/bike.html?b=3694

Is that a record? Only two replies before the budget is blown.

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

Cube Peleton Race maybe?

mcgratheoin

lennymc wrote: »

Is that a record? Only two replies before the budget is blown.

Zero recommendations under budget http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=90274214

martyc5674

http://fitzcycles.ie/p/1558/cube-peloton

Cube peleton race...full 11speed 105 for 1K.
Hard to beat for the price
Marty

Schecter01

I was in the same situation as you and after a lot of searching I went for the cube peloton race as mentioned above, so much more bang for buck, and I believe they are selling out everywhere due to the value of components. Couldn't be happier with it.

kev1986

you can get much better spec bikes for the 1000 from the online german retailers canyon,rose and radon

Schecter01

But He would need to get himself fitted on those makes would I be right? I wouldn't risk buying your first bike online unless you got a fit for the same bike in a shop.

kev1986

if thats the case cube peleton race is the one to go for

rtmie

Schecter01 wrote:

But He would need to get himself fitted on those makes would I be right? I wouldn't risk buying your first bike online unless you got a fit for the same bike in a shop.

Can only speak from experience with Rose, but would not necessarily concur.
I bought first bike online with them. Lots of over and back via email with sales assistants who are experienced. You can provide them with measurements in detail, even from a bike fit. Plus they allow you to exchange stem and saddle after first few weeks if they don't suit.
Excellent product and service. To an extent my experience in LBSs I visited was hard sell on brand they had in stock, often from a young fella (maybe my luck of the draw) who made me feel like a non tech person shopping in Curries ("its all about the mega pixels missus"). Not true in all cases but can observation. Felt I got good info in one shop re Thompson bike which really tempted me but price gap between that and Rose was too big to bridge. Did consider Cube Peloton Race which is serious value, but at time I was in the market it had very long lead times.
Oh and before anyone jumps down my throat, I never engaged with an LBS without telling them I was considering online option as well as LBS, letting them know what I was looking at and seeing what could compare. Always told them to put as much or as little effort into me on that basis. I was flipping and flopping myself between which way to go.
Of course also depends on time of year. I was buying in Oct but by end Nov lots of LBS s had good discounts on 2014 stock, but that boat may have sailed for now.

Bottom line is down to personal outlook. Generally I have always being comfortable buying stuff online (probably from growing up in a small rural town with no record shop and having to buy the records mail order 30+ years ago) and am the type to do loads of research. Even at that I did agonise a bit but lots of info available esp from good people on here will help.
And despite my minor gripes lots of good people in LBSs too.

Dm1

I have a 2012 Allez. The frame is fantastic gets a great rating in every review, and is a lovely bike to ride stiff responsive and quick.But I have more or less upgraded everything else. Groupset to 105 wheels to Fulcrum 3's. So despite loving the frame the fact that I have spent much more up grading the bike than it originally cost. I would not go for the allez.

rtmie

Oh and just to clarify, reason LBS on brands they stock being more expensive than the Rose/Canyon/whatever options are all genuine, not suggesting lads are over charging.
On many brands AFAIK they are paying markup to an Irish distributor/importer which is an additional leg over what would be in the bigger markets like UK and Germany.
Oh and depending on how your bike to work scheme operates may be getting fleeced for a (good) few percent by the people operating the voucher schemes.

kilty_lad

Thanks for all your input.

Seeing as its my first bike and I am fairly clueless when it comes to getting the right fit, I think I'm better off getting the bike from a shop in Dublin instead of online. Even if it does cost an extra few quid, I'd rather have the piece of mind that someone who knows what they're doing has fitted me.

I must check out to see who stocks the Cube Peleton. But going by some of your comments, there isn't a whole pile of difference when I'm spending that much money

martyc5674

kilty_lad wrote: »

Thanks for all your input.

Seeing as its my first bike and I am fairly clueless when it comes to getting the right fit, I think I'm better off getting the bike from a shop in Dublin instead of online. Even if it does cost an extra few quid, I'd rather have the piece of mind that someone who knows what they're doing has fitted me.

I must check out to see who stocks the Cube Peleton. But going by some of your comments, there isn't a whole pile of difference when I'm spending that much money

fitz cycles stock them...see link i posted earlier...apperently they are good to deal with...

xebec

kilty_lad wrote: »

I must check out to see who stocks the Cube Peleton. But going by some of your comments, there isn't a whole pile of difference when I'm spending that much money

In Dublin they're available from Fitzcycles in Stillorgan, Cyclesuperstore in Tallaght and Cycle Surgery in Dundrum.

Schecter01

Don't forget to haggle a few bits thrown in, I got my peloton in Mcgloughlins cycles newbridge, and they have a deal for €260 I got pedals, shoes, saddlebag, bottle holder/bottle, shorts, Jersey, cleats etc. But make sure you research the market price In other shops. In Euro cycles I went int they told me they would sell me €150 shoes for €100 and a Scott bike that was €1150 for €999, when his supposed discount prices were actually the standard prices for those items elsewhere , giving me he illusion of a deal thinking I was stupid and wouldnt research he prices.

Schecter01

I hate when my text scrambles like that, I meant shoes down from 150 to 100 and bike 1150 too 999.

cython

xebec wrote: »

In Dublin they're available from Fitzcycles in Stillorgan, Cyclesuperstore in Tallaght and Cycle Surgery in Dundrum.

As far as I can make out CSS have actually stopped stocking Cube this year, and only have old models from previous years left in stock. Now maybe they will order them, but I was down there a few weeks ago and stock was poor, and there are none or nearly none on the website any more.

g0g

If it's any use to you, I tried to create a spreadsheet listing all the € 1K options a few years ago. I'm guessing model names/details might have changed a bit since then, but maybe it'll give you ideas of other brands to consider.
THREAD
SPREADSHEET

gaffmaster

I recently bought a Planet-X RT-58 for £799.
Carbon Frame and Fork.
Ultegra 6800 shifters and derailleurs.
FSA Gossamer cranks and brakes.

If the exchange rate moves they way it's expected (according to a taxi driver), that'll come in for under a grand euro soon enough. The spec I bought is gone from their website, but they change builds and have different deals on what seems like a weekly basis. Here's the current RT-58 with Shimano Tiagra.


I've only done one 30k spin on mine so far. Very impressed.

mcgratheoin

Maybe g0g could update the spreadsheet or open it for editing? Either that or maybe it could be embedded in the FAQ sticky as a table. It's a very useful resource to have and I've referred quite a few people to it.

Johnnio13

I am in the same boat.
For the record CycleSuperStore don't have cube. They have Lapierre, Giant and Cannondale. And a poor stock under €1k. They only had Lapierre Audacio 300 FDJ Road Bike 2015 that they were pushing.
I was in the shop looking as I also had my eye on a Merida/KTM in other shops but lads on boards pointed me at the Cubes for the same money.
Going to take one for a spin tomorrow.

g0g

mcgratheoin wrote: »

Maybe g0g could update the spreadsheet or open it for editing? Either that or maybe it could be embedded in the FAQ sticky as a table. It's a very useful resource to have and I've referred quite a few people to it.

I'm pretty sure it's always been open for others to edit, but if not please let me know and I'll try figure it out. Anyone is more than welcome to edit it and no doubt it could look a lot better and have more info!
EDIT - found out how and made it free to edit if anyone wants to.

meisce

cython wrote: »

As far as I can make out CSS have actually stopped stocking Cube this year, and only have old models from previous years left in stock. Now maybe they will order them, but I was down there a few weeks ago and stock was poor, and there are none or nearly none on the website any more.

I got my Cube there at the end of January, but as you say they had to order it in for me.

kilty_lad

Great to see there's a general consensus among everyone :-)

I'm going to do the rounds tomorrow and call into a few stores armed with all of the above valuable information! At the moment the Cube Peleton and Giant Defy are top of my list based on feedback and the poll. Those aside, it sounds like I should be looking for something with a 105 groupset, decent set of wheels and try not to get distracted by offers on the additional stuff like shoes, lights, etc

I'll let you know how I get on!

cython

Penny Farthing on Camden Street also have Cube in stock if you're looking for a city centre option, having just been in there at lunchtime.

CramCycle

gaffmaster wrote: »

If the exchange rate moves they way it's expected (according to a taxi driver), that'll come in for under a grand euro soon enough.

Not that soon I would expect, if ever again the way it is actually going.

Looking at Fitz myself, just deciding between the Peloton race and their Stevens bikes

For those who have the Cube Peloton, is the geometry suitable for racing or is it too relaxed?

devonp

Scott Speedster 20

was going for a Stevens Vuelta b4 xmas but went for Canyon carbon instead(way over budget mind!)
what price is the stevens stelvio now? if your a climber, triple ring i think ?

CramCycle

devonp wrote: »

was going for a Stevens Vuelta b4 xmas but went for Canyon carbon instead(way over budget mind!)
what price is the stevens stelvio now? if your a climber, triple ring i think ?

I am looking at the Aspin here: http://www.fitzcycles.ie/p/2160/stevens-aspin-custom

kilty_lad

True to form, I went (slightly) over budget and put a deposit down on the Giant Defy 1. It was the first bike I tested and after trying Lapierre, Specialised and Cannondale models, the Defy was still my favourite.

Just have to wait a few weeks for my bike to work to come through! Thanks for your advice, much appreciated!!

AlanDeGenerous

Went into Fitzcycles to get a Cube Peloton Race last weekend. They're having some stock issues at the moment though, and said they wouldn't have it in in my size (60) until mid June. So they've begun ordering in the Cube Peloton Race SL in bulk, and gave me a deal on it for €1,075 (RRP is €1,150) which I was pretty chuffed about. Great lads in there.

lennymc

They gave you 25 quid off?

AlanDeGenerous

I meant RRP of €1,150 :pac:

colm_gti

lennymc wrote: »

They gave you 25 quid off?

Go back to bed lenny

Einstein?

Just wanted to ask if the boardman range circa EUR 999 is worth it when compared to some of these bigger brands?

WillyFXP

Einstein? wrote: »

Just wanted to ask if the boardman range circa EUR 999 is worth it when compared to some of these bigger brands?

Boardman bikes are very good quality, they need a reseller transplant though.

lennymc

colm_gti wrote: »

Go back to bed lenny

it was edited :P

Schecter01

The Peloton race is sold out everywhere so most shops are letting the SL go for 1050, main diff is mavic wheels, stem and ultegra rear mech.

In finding the position really comfortable but dropped the bars 2cm down coz of the longer head tube.