Cannondale Alloy Tiagra Disc 2015 Road Bike

sydneybound

I'm brand new to cycling and want a decent road bike to build up to doing a triathlon in the summer and then an ironman in about 18 months. I'm currently training for my fourth marathon so I like endurance work. I've cycled before on holidays only renting bikes and gone off and did 60-100k and really loved it so I'll start doing Sunday morning 7am spins of around 100k after my next marthon training finishes in April. So that's a bit about my background, I'm very green to the sport and need some pointers in regards to buying a bike.

I went into one independent shop and the owner was hard out trying to sell me a the new Cannondale bike at £1,800 (living in the UK at the moment) and said 'look if you buy a bike at £1,000 after 6 months you'll want to upgrade the wheels which will cost you £500'. It was nice and all but by the end I walked out thinking this cycling game is a tad too expensive for me. Then I visited cycle surgery and Evans who both suggested entry level bikes and a Tiagra Cannondale which is a decent bike but might not be the most comfortable over longer distances. There selling it at £640 and as its the 2015 model and they only have a couple left at that price so I'm kind of keen to buy in the coming days or so and wondered if anyone could tell me good or bad things about this road bike or offer advise in general?

paulgs

Tiagra is a good start point for a groupset but you should think about what kind of riding your are going to do. You might prefer an endurance type bike like a giant defy or a merida ride the frames on these for example have a bit of give built in to make then more comfortable. £1800 is big money for a bike the lbs dosnt sound like it was doing you any favours.

Lumen

Wouldn't bother with disc brakes on a bike for tri. They're mostly worse than rim brakes.

pedro_colnago

I picked up a Cannondale tiagra synapse alloy disc brake as a winter bike, il be upgrading a few bits on it as its a tad heavy, solid bike and I'm very pleased with it but I wouldn't be racing on it just train on it especially in winter. I would say as regards comfort it would be a comfortable bike as the synapse has a less aggressive set up. Ud pick up a caad 8 from evans for around the same money and would probably be better for racing or tris etc rather than the synapse disc as its lighter and a little bit more race orientated than the synapse

pedro_colnago

This is my synapse before I started to upgrade it. Lovely bike, bb30 crank and internal cabling for well well under a grand so I'm happy with it but it ain't racey tho. Il be upgrading the groupset to Ultegra with tecktro mech disc brakes and new fulcrum disc wheels

sydneybound

Thanks for the replies.

So my search has changed over night. A friend of a friend whose done a few ironmans advised to forget about the Tiagra and said go for a lower end 105 he gave me this as an option...

https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/road/endurace/2016/endurace-cf-7-0.html

I went into another shop and there's a clearance sale on the 2015 model of the Wilier GTR Veloce. They retail at £1,500 but I can pick one up for around the £1,000 mark. The guy in the shop said the Campagnolo components are much better than the regular 105 shimano (sorry, hope that makes sense) and the bike is unbelievable value for what it offers...

http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/wilier-gtr-veloce-road-bike-id85472.html

Out of the two which would you say is better? 

Again I'm looking for a good road bike for 75-100k spins on a Sunday morning. Triathlon in the summer than an ironman later down the line. I want to do all three with this frame. Don't mind changing handle bars or wheels later than the line.

Lumen

sydneybound wrote: »

The guy in the shop said the Campagnolo components are much better than the regular 105 shimano

i would weakly disagree with this. I like Campag (I have Chorus on my fun bike) and I like it well enough, but I think 11sp 105 is very good indeed.

I'd take that Canyon over that Wilier.

triggermortis

Canyon are a good brand and Rose is another good German online seller. I have a Rose and found their site very easy to use as it lets you alter the specs of parts.www.rosebikes.com

Eamonnator

sydneybound wrote: »

Thanks for the replies.

So my search has changed over night. A friend of a friend whose done a few ironmans advised to forget about the Tiagra and said go for a lower end 105 he gave me this as an option...

https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/road/endurace/2016/endurace-cf-7-0.html

I went into another shop and there's a clearance sale on the 2015 model of the Wilier GTR Veloce. They retail at £1,500 but I can pick one up for around the £1,000 mark. The guy in the shop said the Campagnolo components are much better than the regular 105 shimano (sorry, hope that makes sense) and the bike is unbelievable value for what it offers...

http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/wilier-gtr-veloce-road-bike-id85472.html

Out of the two which would you say is better? 

Again I'm looking for a good road bike for 75-100k spins on a Sunday morning. Triathlon in the summer than an ironman later down the line. I want to do all three with this frame. Don't mind changing handle bars or wheels later than the line.

Some of those Wiliers come with motors That could be handy.

PersonalJesus

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-540-road-bike-105-id_8331275.html if youre not a brand snob decathlon doing brilliant value bikes. considering one of these myself.

pedro_colnago

As regards going from tiagra to 105 Yep it's a good upgrade but the price goes up with it, saying that the 11 speed 105 is very well regarded. And for most people 105 is as good as anyone needs. id certainly look at the likes of rose or canyon, great value to be had with them. Fitting and comfort might be an issue when picking a size tho

pedro_colnago

sydneybound wrote: »

Thanks for the replies.

So my search has changed over night. A friend of a friend whose done a few ironmans advised to forget about the Tiagra and said go for a lower end 105 he gave me this as an option...

https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/road/endurace/2016/endurace-cf-7-0.html

I went into another shop and there's a clearance sale on the 2015 model of the Wilier GTR Veloce. They retail at £1,500 but I can pick one up for around the £1,000 mark. The guy in the shop said the Campagnolo components are much better than the regular 105 shimano (sorry, hope that makes sense) and the bike is unbelievable value for what it offers...

http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/wilier-gtr-veloce-road-bike-id85472.html

Out of the two which would you say is better? 

Again I'm looking for a good road bike for 75-100k spins on a Sunday morning. Triathlon in the summer than an ironman later down the line. I want to do all three with this frame. Don't mind changing handle bars or wheels later than the line.

Depends on what groupset campagnolo it is. Shimano and campagnolo are both good, I wouldn't be swayed either way by groupset manufacture alone.

sydneybound

pedro_colnago wrote: »

Depends on what groupset campagnolo it is. Shimano and campagnolo are both good, I wouldn't be swayed either way by groupset manufacture alone.

It a campagnolo Veloce, picked the bike up for under £950 which I think is pretty good going for a full carbon frame.

pedro_colnago

sydneybound wrote: »

It a campagnolo Veloce, picked the bike up for under £950 which I think is pretty good going for a full carbon frame.

Good deal! Well wear with it!!

sydneybound

pedro_colnago wrote: »

Good deal! Well wear with it!!

Cheers! My more experience cycling friends say it's a decent frame and I'll just have to change the heavy wheels in time. They should be ok to learn on.

Can't wait to get out there, I'm like a kid at Christmas!

pedro_colnago

sydneybound wrote: »

Cheers! My more experience cycling friends say it's a decent frame and I'll just have to change the heavy wheels in time. They should be ok to learn on.

Can't wait to get out there, I'm like a kid at Christmas!

Yeah don't worry bout the wheels it's rare enough u get top notch wheels on new bikes anyway, use them til u get the new ones and I recommend campagnolo zondas, superb wheel and great value ul see the difference straight away. Ul have a top class bike with that set up

sydneybound

sydneybound wrote: »

It a campagnolo Veloce, picked the bike up for under £950 which I think is pretty good going for a full carbon frame.

Unfortunately my hunt for a bike continues....

The previous bike I bought was just a little too big for me and the guy in the shop said in time it would hurt my back. It was a large and I'm right I'm in between a large & medium. Very decent as I had already bought it online and I'm due a full refund now.

I want to go for a carbon bike around the £1,000 mark and stumbled across this, what are people's thoughts?

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/mach-740-carbon-road-bike-athena-id_8311384.html

Bigus

Decathlon bikes are generally very good for the money.

sydneybound

Bigus wrote: »

Decathlon bikes are generally very good for the money.

Yeah I've read a lot of reviews and they all say that while some people I've spoken to put their nose up at the brand which seems a little foolish.

The above bike is out of stock for my size medium so I'm now looking at this...

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/mach-720-carbon-road-bike-105-id_8339670.

£1,000 for a carbon frame and 105 components... Seems to have good reviews elsewhere on the net.