Road Bike 2500 Budget

Klopp

I injured my knees a while back, nothing serious but I was advised to take a break from running so with that I got my old hybrid bike out the last 3 months and enjoyed it more than I expected. I can avail of the B2W scheme and I am now looking to get a road bike max budget of 2500. I am planning a trip to The Edge Sports in Cork this or next week.

magicbastarder

does the 2.5k budget include accessories (clothing, shoes, pedals, etc.)? you'll want a couple of hundred or more for that.

Squidgy Black

It’ll be more a case of what bike can you get in a size that’ll fit you that’s in stock vs what is the best bang for the buck unfortunately. Unless you’re willing to wait a few months for orders, which may not even arrive, stock levels are still atrocious with most manufacturers, particularly in that range

magicbastarder

i just checked the shop in question; they have five mens' road bikes between €1950 and €2500.

one of them, a cube axial, is only available in size 47 (which is probably an XS); two of them are last year's and this year's bianchi sprint (which seems to be racy geometry, so probably not for someone new to cycling; and one of them is also only available in a 47).

the other two are an orbea avant and an orbea orca, though availability at different sizes is not specified.

@OP - one thing to make sure of is to buy a bike that's the correct size. don't make the mistake of getting a bike that's the wrong size simply because your size is not in stock.

Squidgy Black

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119489120#Comment_119489120

Will be the same in most places, have been on the lookout myself for a new bike in a similar price range and it’s dire stuff.

Most shops won’t even take deposits or order bikes in because the distributors aren’t giving them delivery dates or are just telling them they’ll get what they’re given.

OP, best thing to do is have a look at a couple of the size calculators for different bikes, don’t take them as absolute measurements, but they should give you a rough idea in terms of what size bike you might fit

at1withmyself

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119489120#Comment_119489120

Just note that the shops website might not reflect the actual stock. Similar to cycle super store they normally sell more brands/products then listed online.

Klopp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119489081#Comment_119489081

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119489120#Comment_119489120

The budget is for the bike and the pedals and I will get the remainder I need including a new helmet. I did cycle for years and even abroad so not exactly new to me. I am aware not all shops will have stock or the correct sizes, I won't be just buying for the sake of it. If I remember correctly, new models usually come out around October and the previous models might be reduced to make room but again depends on availability.

Klopp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119489120#Comment_119489120

I spotted the Bianchi you mentioned alright. I am hoping they might have more stock available in their shop.

cletus

I dunno what it's like at the moment, but if you want a particular bike, be prepared to wait.

I ordered a bike in January, got it in July

beggars_bush

Go 2nd hand for a bike.

Buy equipment new.

That's always my advice to those looking to start into/back cycling

cletus

OP is using the bike to work scheme

CantGetNoSleep

With prices and availability the way they are, I'd still take a look at second hand and stick a wanted ad up here as you still see some great bargains. E.g. the Giant TCR that was posted last week is under budget and probably as good a bike as 99% of us ever need

Klopp

Thanks for all the comments and input. I am going to use the Bike2Work and throw some cash at it myself.

cletus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119489879#Comment_119489879

It's only under budget if the op actually has the cash ready to buy a bike.

If they are using the cycle to work scheme, it's unlikely they have the cash up front to buy

My new bike cost 2100. I had €800 (they knocked 50 quid off) in cash to pay for the bike when it arrived, but at no time did I have the full amount of cash for the bike

Klopp

I have the cash but i would rather use the B2W scheme if possible. I saw a Bike on adverts, Focus Full carbon road bike, €1,100, model is two years old? Merida road bike in Dublin, €1,500, not a make I ever come across.

Chartsengrafs

Merida, to my knowledge is not widely distributed in Ireland, but is a fine brand of bike.

I was in a similar boat to yourself perhaps 6 weeks ago, with my budget a fraction higher. Availability, as others have mentioned is a massive issue. I phoned most shops in Leinster I would say - some of which I've bought bikes from on the past. Bear in mind, this was 6 weeks ago but broadly speaking for road bikes in the 2.5 - 3.2k range (size M/L):

Cycle Superstore had next to nothing (maybe one Look bike in my size). Staggs had nothing, with stock coming in a few months. The shop in Clontarf actually told me that people aren't buying carbon frames anymore and to buy aluminium(!) Richies in Swords had a few.

Base 2 Race had a good number of bikes in my size, as did Wheelworx (who had quite a few). Hope this helps.

Klopp

I have looked a majority of the online bike shops mentioned. I hadn't thought of Wheelworx, I might give them a ring tomorrow and see what they say in regards my budget, options etc. I saw a few bikes on their site. I am based in Cork but go back to Dublin regularly.

CantGetNoSleep

I'd check Altitude in Waterford too - they show stock on their website and deliver

secman

Check Gary's cycles in Sligo, 2 club members bought there in the last 4 weeks, and they're in Gorey. One got a Trek emonda and other lad got Giant Propel.

beggars_bush

A lot of bicycle shops will have Humm or some other payment plan, even for second hand. I just don't think the BTW scheme is great value at the moment with the price of new bikes.

Maybe it will suit the OP, but maybe not

griffin100

Revolve Bike shop in Gorey had a good selection of Treks last time I was in.

There’s a nice interactive tool on the Trek website that allows you select a bike by price etc. and you can then check with the listed retailers to see who has it.

My brother bought this bike off them a few weeks but in Ultegra for a bit more: https://www.theedge-sports.com/cycling-c18/bikes-c19/road-bikes-c20/orbea-orca-m30-2022-p32237

It's a nice bike and I was tempted to buy it myself last winter. Good value and ticks a lot of boxes. Not sure if it's in stock.

FWIW, I bought a bike off them before and the service was awful. The bike fit was all wrong and my back was killing me for weeks until a friend put the saddle up by a few inches. I had a few issues with the bike afterwards and the after sales service was comically bad and disorganised.

I gave them a second chance recently and brought a bike in for a service and have never had a worse experience in a shop.

I use McCarthy's in North Point Business Park now for all my needs and they are streets ahead in terms of after sales service and everything else you would want from LBS.

Giant in Ballincollig also worth a look but know someone else who had a very poor experience there recently, both in terms of the wait for the bike and the after sales service.

Your options will be dictated by availability, unfortunately.

Klopp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119492165#Comment_119492165

Funny you mention and it is in the back of my mind that my GF bought a hybrid from them and I am convinced they sold her the wrong size. I wasn't there she had no patience to wait. The bike looks too small, almost like a teenager's hybrid but maybe I am wrong.

I saw the bike you linked above and do like it. I am overwhelmed with the choice everyone is mentioning but i won't rush with whatever i do decide.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119492525#Comment_119492525

The Orca is as good as you'll get out there at the moment for that money. I did extensive research at the end of last year and couldn't find better. I've ridden the brother's (albeit a more expensive Ultregra version) and it's really nice. Carbon frame with bomb proof 105 R7000 groupset. If I were in the market for a bike and had that cash that's exactly what I'd go for. Orbeas come in odd sizes (51, 53, 55 etc) so be wary of that.

Whether they have it in your size or you want to go to that shop is another matter. I ended up buying a CAAD 13, which is a brilliant, fast bike, as I wanted the after sale service and reliability of the other shop. There was also a wait on the Orca, whereas the CAAd was in stock. They've resolved two issues for me already at no cost and are always a font of knowledge and information when I go there.

Overall, I suspect your choice will actually be very limited by availability. You need to be quick at the minute with in-stock bikes as they are flying out doors and ordering bikes that are not in stock is a fairly hazardous and often frustrating experience.

Klopp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119493542#Comment_119493542

I rang a shop this morning and talked about what I was looking for and they recommended a Giant Defy Advanced 3. I wasn't too sold and said I would think about it, didn't particularly like the bike. I rang another shop and they have the OREBA M30 in stock and available so I will take a trip tomorrow and see what I think. I doubt the shop will knock anything off the currently marked price? The more I look at and research it, the more I like it. I doubt I will find it any cheaper anywhere else, the shops seem to be similar in pricing.

They are quite different bikes.

The Defy is an endurance set-up for comfort over long distance. Wouldn't be for me, but each to their own.

The Orca has a racier, more aggressive geometry set up designed to go fast. You could easily use it for racing.

I'm also a former runner who got injured and took up cycling and got very much into it and it's a faster, aggressive bike that suits my style.

One thing to note about the Orca is the fully internal cabling which can be a pain and more expensive for repairs.

byrnem31

I cancelled a cube agree I had ordered on the ctw. Bought a canyon endurance 2nd hand for €950 with shimano 105 that weighs 7.7kg with peddles. It's better than anything out there that costs nearly 3k and will weight about 2kg more. It's definitely better than the 2020 giant defy I had. It's a 2015 canyon that was cycled twice and thrown up into an attic. It's literally a brand new machine and still had that green factory grease on it. Anyone that sees it thinks it's brand new.

What someone else has said, there are no bargains to be had on bikes now even with the cycle to work. But there are cracking bikes on adverts to be got for about a grand that they simply don't make anymore unless you want to pay stupid money.

hesker

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119496751#Comment_119496751

Best advice in this thread. New bike prices have gone insane. Rim brake lightly used with 105 is the way to go. Forget about C2W and save money in the process.

g0g

I can't disagree with the advice on buying second hand, but if you are dead set on new then I would recommend The Bike Shop (I have no connection!) in Wexford.

https://www.thebikeshop.ie/

I was looking start of last year for Carbon + Disc + 105 and tried so many places then found these guys with a few in stock. They carry Orbea, Giant, Bianchi and a couple of others. Looks like they defo have some Alu Orbeas in stock at the moment anyway - website shows stock by size. They were excellent to deal with.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119496751#Comment_119496751

Sounds like you got a great bargain, fair play! I trawled the second hand market for about 8 months looking for something suitable and only found chancers looking for too much or a few dud bikes. The second hand market can be a bit of a lottery but definitely worth it if you can get a bargain like you did. I'm sure there are sheds all over Ireland with barely used gems in them!

FWIW, I'd argue aero is far more important than weight unless you are riding in high mountains, and I doubt there are too many decent 3k bikes out there at the moment weighing 9.7kg, even with disc brakes. People are obsessed with bike weights when shedding a kg themselves would cost far less than the marginal gains you get from reducing bike weight.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119496985#Comment_119496985

I'd say if you are experienced and know what you are looking for, by all means. However, even with the crazy cost of bikes at the minute, by buying new through BTW, you get a bike fit, first free service and a warranty. I think all these things are invaluable for a relatively new rider.

byrnem31

I definitely notice the 2kg difference between the defy and the canyon I have now when cycling. The canyon just flies over the road and feels much more responsive. Plus, I have to carry it up three stories when I cycle to work. Now is very different to buying 2nd hand than it was few months back. There are way more options out there as the panic has died down. And there are loads more bikes hardly cycled that people bought during the pandemic that are now not needed.

Klopp

I went to a bike shop today to go and look at the ORBEA ORCA M40 but it wasn't in this shop available they think another of their shops may have it and they will ring me tomorrow. They showed me two other bikes, a Trek Emonda SL5 disc, which was really nice but a bit pricey at, €3,100 and a Trek Domane DL4 and DL5 disc. I have no idea what to choose. I don't want to get the wrong bike and within a year look to change and upgrade.

CantGetNoSleep

The Domane is more of an Endurance bike, the Emonda is a race bike. Basically this means that the Domane will be a slightly more comfortable and upright position.

Both are good bikes - if you are going to be riding solo on rough roads or have any flexibility /back issues I'd go for the Domane. If you think you might join a club / race / take on other challenges it might be worth considering the Emonda.

The only downside is that all of them are above 9kg and above 10kg in the case of the Domane SL4. This is on the heavy side for the price but it is also the way the bike industry has gone at the moment so not sure what you can do about it if buying new. E.g. a few years ago you could get a rim brake Canyon Ultimate that was under 7.5kg for under 2k. In time you might want newer wheels etc to knock off 500g but that could be another 500€. Others will tell you to lose 2kg yourself but having a light bike still feels nice on the road.

If the bike shop couldn't explain the above to you on the difference between these bikes, I'd go for another shop however.

Klopp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119502566#Comment_119502566

The plan is to join a club, i know a few in it and they go out every Saturday and Sunday. I want to do a triathlon and it is something I would like to do provided I can get over my knee injury but that's something for next summer.

Thanks for the input from everyone, for learning so much so quickly, and for the great advice.

Large bottle small glass

2500 is a big spend if it's a lot of money to you and you are not experienced/informed or what type of cycling you are going to end up doing, what your fit will be like etc.

If I was you I'd buy a 2nd hand bike for 500 or so, ride it until the spring and make an informed purchase decision next summer. Join a club would be a good idea.

Getting wet before a cycle is an awful one 😃

You can be told certain things but it's no substitute for what you learn through experience.

Some good advice on this thread.

I moved over from running and just bought an entry level aluminium bike for 1k in 2018 and it did me fine for about three years. I got really into it and bought a 'good' bike last year and upgraded with good carbon wheels. The old bike is now on the trainer or goes out in bad weather.

There is no way I would spend over the 2.5k on a bike given your experience and the fact that there seems to be some doubt about how much cycling you will be doing. The Orbea is at the entry level carbon price and would be a nice buy for the price. No offence, but anything more expensive would probably be lost on you. I'd decide if you want comfort (endurance) or speed (race) and that will dictate a lot.

But, I wouldn't rule out the second hand market or getting a solid aluminium frame for much cheaper either. 2.5k is a big spend for someone with your experience. Good luck!

Klopp

So after some research and a lot of visits to shops, I opted for a Cube Attain SL and paid a Deposit, and under budget. I know some might disagree with my choice. I had to go with an alternative shop local to me that had the bike in stock and in my correct size. A lot of shops I visited and rang had very limited stock in my size with one place telling me I could be waiting up to 3 months with no guarantee.

For anyone thinking about purchasing a bike, my advice is to start the process and ring your local shops to check on stock and availability.

cletus

Nice looking bike. What colour did you go with? Well wear

Klopp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119580987#Comment_119580987

I went with the Grey/Black option which was my first choice. I saw loads of really nice bright colour bikes but not for me.

I now need to go and find some shoes for the cleats.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119580056#Comment_119580056

Nice bike, and a good choice. I have one and I would say it's ideal for what you are looking for.

Well wear and happy cycling.

byrnem31

Best of luck with it. I had a cube nuroad and it was a solid well built bike. Sick I ever sold it.