New Road Bike.. Bang for Buck

shansey

Time i invested in a new road bike.. been doing the majority of training on the TT for the past two years as my normal road bike is on the way out..

Anyway.. only gonna spend 1,000 - 1,500 max and was wondering if anyone had seen any deals out there where i could get the max for my money..

i.e. would i be better off going for a less well known brand and get a higher spec that going for the felt/specialized etc

catweazle

You would get a decent second hand carbon for that price

I would be inclined to go after a good frame first and foremost - the groupset can always be upgraded eventually

ToTriOrNot

I am too on the look out for a road bike...officially will be my first..at present I am cycling on one that a friend left home for the year...a Giant Defy...I don't like it very much, hence the need for a new one, now i'm sure i'll stick to it. I checked a Cube Agree GTC Pro the other day, carbon, 105 groupset, nice bike..and I might bite the bullet and go for it..any opinions on it? Best of luck with the search Shansey.

joey100

Can be some good deals out there, especially if your not in a rush. I built up a scott cr1 pro, ultegra di2 with mavic kysrium elites for around 2200.

Westbrook have the frame for sale for around 680,

http://www.westbrookcycles.co.uk/scott-cr1-pro-hmf-carbon-road-bike-frameset-2013-p213658

11 speed 105 groupset from merlin for around 390

http://www.merlincycles.com/shimano-105-5800-special-offer-groupset-170mm-36-52-chainset-12-25-cassette-80109.html

Leave around 350 for wheels, saddle, seat post, stem and handlebars. Some you might be able to take off the old bike or get cheap second hand. (these where the first sites I checked so might be better value on the groupset). Plane x usually do cheap enough parts that you could upgrade later if you wanted too.

mossym

i don't like when people immediately post a bike that's more than the OP's stated budget. but i'm going to be guilty of it here

http://www.rosebikes.com/bike/rose-xeon-crs-2000/aid:754481#3H-14csI-14ctY-14clY-14clZ-163nY-14cld-14cle-14clf-14clg-14clh-14cli-14clj-14clk-14cll-14clm-14cln-14clo-14clp-14clq-14clr-14cls-1FboO-1FboP


i own a rose. love it. you'll do well to find another bike that offers not only the carbon frame and 105, but kysriums and ritchey finishing kit rather than some generic in house brand kit

if you want to go local, i'd seriously look at the cannondale models. they get my vote for best bang for the buck shop brand at the moment. the caad/synapse models are really nice

peter kern

shansey wrote: »

Time i invested in a new road bike.. been doing the majority of training on the TT for the past two years as my normal road bike is on the way out..

Anyway.. only gonna spend 1,000 - 1,500 max and was wondering if anyone had seen any deals out there where i could get the max for my money..

i.e. would i be better off going for a less well known brand and get a higher spec that going for the felt/specialized etc

if you do a search there was a thread a while ago I guess if you search for focus and cube you should find it.
but i would 2nd catweazel a 2nd hand hand bike at this point better to be bought 2nd hand if you dont go bike to work.

shansey

i'd prefer to use bike 2 work alright..

i got last bike in euro cycles .. they treated me ok..

Anyone any opinions on the specialized allez bikes? i'm a glutton for brands..

cannondale sounds good too

mossym

shansey wrote: »

i'd prefer to use bike 2 work alright..

i got last bike in euro cycles .. they treated me ok..

Anyone any opinions on the specialized allez bikes? i'm a glutton for brands..

cannondale sounds good too

first bike was a specialized, but was a mountain bike. every time i've looked at their road bikes you always seem to get a little less for your money than other brands. lots and lots of allez around, and they are a bit, well, meah.

peter kern

shansey wrote: »

i'd prefer to use bike 2 work alright..

i got last bike in euro cycles .. they treated me ok..

Anyone any opinions on the specialized allez bikes? i'm a glutton for brands..

cannondale sounds good too

hard to beat an old cannondale caad alu frame.

Chartsengrafs

The 2015 Cubes are exceptional value, I was looking for a friend recently and it was hard to beat them in terms of bang for buck. You could get a cheap bike from Germany I'm sure but it'd be some fun if it doesn't fit you right. Works for some, not for others.

LCD

Bang for Buck buying online is cheapest, fact!

However something brakes sending it back to whomever (carriage at your expense) is a lot of hassle. You need something minor fixed your local bike shop may do it for free if you bought it there. You need something fixed in a hurry your LBS will look after a customer who bought their bike there quicker than someone who walks in with an internet purchase.

I am lucky in that I have 2 good LBS near me, I genuinely like the people who work in them. I will pay extra for the better service in the long run, have gotten me out of many a last minute fix.

If your LBS are a bunch of ar$eholes you might feel differently.

Also I firmly believe this article I recently read "A report by economist Jim Power had shown that a euro spent in a locally owned shop was worth three times more than one spent in a British or German chain"

tunney

LCD wrote: »

Bang for Buck buying online is cheapest, fact!

However something brakes sending it back to whomever (carriage at your expense) is a lot of hassle. You need something minor fixed your local bike shop may do it for free if you bought it there. You need something fixed in a hurry your LBS will look after a customer who bought their bike there quicker than someone who walks in with an internet purchase.

I am lucky in that I have 2 good LBS near me, I genuinely like the people who work in them. I will pay extra for the better service in the long run, have gotten me out of many a last minute fix.

If your LBS are a bunch of ar$eholes you might feel differently.

Also I firmly believe this article I recently read "A report by economist Jim Power had shown that a euro spent in a locally owned shop was worth three times more than one spent in a British or German chain"

Agree completely. You are lucky with a decent LBS. I know of none in Dublin.

Tango ended up getting abused and threatened in his LBS last night. So he has no LBS now either.

An LBS needs to add value, I have struggled to find an LBS since 2010 or so. I've given up and will do the work myself.

sconhome

LCD wrote: »

"A report by economist Jim Power had shown that a euro spent in a locally owned shop was worth three times more than one spent in a British or German chain"

I think Jim Power is now my BFF

griffin100

I'm in a similar boat to the OP and am tempted by this.

When you do as little cycling as I do it's more about how the bike looks than anything else

MojoMaker

Shansey if you're going Bike to Work there are a couple of Giants within reach of that budget that would be lovely upgrades from what you have without breaking the bank.

http://www.giant-dublin.ie/en-ie/bikes/model/tcr.advanced.1/20119/79353/ - €1800 or the one immediately below it in the series for €1500.

A wheel upgrade would be a smart move at some point down the line - Fulcrum 3s or Campy Zondas would transform those models.

shansey

tunney wrote: »

Agree completely. You are lucky with a decent LBS. I know of none in Dublin.

Tango ended up getting abused and threatened in his LBS last night. So he has no LBS now either.

An LBS needs to add value, I have struggled to find an LBS since 2010 or so. I've given up and will do the work myself.

completely agree.. i'm all up for going to the LBS over a chain but they have to provide what the chains does not and thats friendly service.

So many local businesses act like they don't give a **** and aren't accommodating and then wonder why people buy online

shansey

MojoMaker wrote: »

Shansey if you're going Bike to Work there are a couple of Giants within reach of that budget that would be lovely upgrades from what you have without breaking the bank.

http://www.giant-dublin.ie/en-ie/bikes/model/tcr.advanced.1/20119/79353/ - €1800 or the one immediately below it in the series for €1500.

A wheel upgrade would be a smart move at some point down the line - Fulcrum 3s or Campy Zondas would transform those models.

They are very nice.. what are the other good stores around dublin? Cycleways etc? Would like some kind of a fit too that is reliable..before going for a proper fitting

MojoMaker

You'll get a lot of divided opinions on that question for sure

I know a lot of people say they won't set foot in Wheelworx for example yet they shift an awful lot of TT bikes to folks at the start line of major events around the country....ssshhh don't say a word

The lads in Bike Hub in Howth closed late last year unfortunately, Paul Norton would have done a proper fit on anything bought there - but alas gone now.

Aidan Hammond would sort you out with a professional fit independent of any bike store you buy from, once it's within the general ballpark for you - i.e. you don't buy a 60cm frame when you need a 54 etc - he can get any bike to fit you comfortably for around the €100 mark. Well known and recommended here too btw.

okane1

Get yourself a nice Canyon with the upper end of your budget,

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

shansey

any love for planet x bikes??

tunney

shansey wrote: »

any love for planet x bikes??

No.

You get sh1t frames, poor components and a Durace rear mech.

Not sure if this level of honesty is allowed under the new charter?

shotgunmcos

tunney wrote: »

No.

You get sh1t frames, poor components and a Durace rear mech.

Not sure if this level of honesty is allowed under the new charter?

Is that based on what you have read/heard or what you have experienced?

I had a PX frame and no problems. Definite bang for buck in my experience

RJM85

tunney wrote: »

No.

You get sh1t frames, poor components and a Durace rear mech.

Not sure if this level of honesty is allowed under the new charter?

Front mech is usually good quality too tbf

noc231073

RJM85 wrote: »

Front mech is usually good quality too tbf

Planet X crap frames and really poor customer service ... From experience ..

gerfmurphy

Like mojo maker said for a fit Aidan Hammond.
Very helpful knowledgable guy.

shansey

i know its a bit bog standard but Giant Defy 1??