Thinking of Buying A New Road Bike

Agent Smyth · 07-05-2019 2:46pm #1

I used to upgrade my bike when Shimano updated their Dura-Ace groupset but didn't last time as I felt that there was little or no real benefit to me at the time
But now I thinking that a lot has changed in the last couple of years that has me thinking that it might be time to change this summer or next.

My 3 main reasons for changing from my current bike is moving from Rim to Disc, Mechanical to Electric and Clincher to Tubeless.

I have narrowed down my selection to 3 maybe 4 bikes
Look 785 Huez RS, Orbea Orca, Cervelo R5 and maybe Giant TCR ADV SL
I'm also considering moving from Shimano to Sram

My issue with this move is not what I getting but rather where I'm coming from
My current bike is a Cervelo R5 VWD with D/A 9000 and I cannot fault this bike at all, even after 6+ years it still feels as good as the day I bought it.

So I keep wondering if I'll be spending a lot of money for very little gain
Has anybody made such a move and did they regret it ??

Lumen · 07-05-2019 4:16pm

I'd just stick e-tap on it and leave the rest.

If and when the wheels are worn out switch to tubeless if that floats your boat.

fat bloke · 07-05-2019 5:38pm

I've the same bike and similar thoughts, but no money to follow through

.

Your problem is that you will realise, if you haven't done so already that, since you bought your R5, high end road bikes have gotten much much more expensive, and quite a bit heavier. So you'll see your dream bike with electronic gears and disc brakes. Then you'll see the price tag, which will undoubtedly be approaching 5 figures. Then you'll reach out and pick it up and think "Ah for fcuk sake, my R5 is lighter than that!!!"

Having said that, you've gotten a lot of value out of your R5 if you have it 6 years. But if you have to sell it you'll be virtually giving it away. -I'm not sure that I'd shell out for etap to put on a 6 year old frame, you're always better off to buy a groupset as part of a build.

Yeah, it's a funny one. The R5 is super light, but it isn't stiff. Dunno what the newer models are like. I'm sure they're lovely, but given that you'll probably struggle to get 1500 quid for yours and you'll need 10 grand for a new one, I'm not sure the delta in price translates into a transformative riding experience differential.

Agent Smyth · 18-05-2019 12:29pm

Thanks for the replies guys

Lumen, while I have thought of your suggestion re the group set I'm thinking the same as fat bloke that it doesn't make sense to change to eTap from D/A 9000 on a 7+ year old frame (got it Feb13 so not 6+)

Fat bloke, I agree with you re the weight and price of the new bikes in so far as they are heavier and lot more expensive then 7 years ago
If I use the R5 eTap AXS as an example the weight out of the box is 7.3 kg which iirc is just slightly heavier then my current R5 7Kg
Re the price If I use the R5 as an example again the RRP I believe is 10.5k but nobody pays full sticker price and I would feel confident that I could get that down or fairly close to 8.5K
Both my bike shop and independent mechanic have indicated that I should be looking for about 3 to 3.5k for my bike, not sure if I totally agree with them but I don't think I'd struggle to get 1.5K

So when I factor in cash discounts and selling my own bike the cost of changing should be around the 6K mark which now has me thinking about the "Delta factor"

nak · 18-05-2019 3:17pm

I just did exactly that, had DA 9000 on my previous bike which I loved and have now switched to disc brakes, tubeless and will be electronic once the Di2 groupset comes back into stock. First ride (with Ultegra mechanical fit now - which isn't much different to DA) tomorrow!

gaffmaster · 18-05-2019 7:37pm

Another option: Keep your old bike and go for Ultegra Di2 on the new one. The addition of disc brakes means your new bike is going to be heavier anyway, and any money you save going for Ultegra over DA can be offset against keeping your 'climbing bike'.

nak · 18-05-2019 11:57pm

gaffmaster wrote: »

Another option: Keep your old bike and go for Ultegra Di2 on the new one. The addition of disc brakes means your new bike is going to be heavier anyway, and any money you save going for Ultegra over DA can be offset against keeping your 'climbing bike'.

My new bike with discs and a cheaper groupset is 100g heavier than the older rim brake version.

magicbastarder · 19-05-2019 12:47am

that's about the weight of a single inner tube; or two if you're going for the expensive option?

gaffmaster · 21-05-2019 3:12pm

nak wrote: »

My new bike with discs and a cheaper groupset is 100g heavier than the older rim brake version.

You've done well there. Typically, I believe the system weight can be around 450 - 500 grams heavier. Owing to heavier disc hubs, more spokes, the discs themselves, hydraulic fluid etc. As well as the groupset being a bit heavier too.

What kind of bike is yours?

Cee-Jay-Cee · 21-05-2019 3:46pm

Agent Smyth wrote: »

Lumen, while I have thought of your suggestion re the group set I'm thinking the same as fat bloke that it doesn't make sense to change to eTap from D/A 9000 on a 7+ year old frame (got it Feb13 so not 6+)

Maths not your forte? Your bike is 6+ years old.

nak · 21-05-2019 5:39pm

gaffmaster wrote: »

You've done well there. Typically, I believe the system weight can be around 450 - 500 grams heavier. Owing to heavier disc hubs, more spokes, the discs themselves, hydraulic fluid etc. As well as the groupset being a bit heavier too.

What kind of bike is yours?

Specialized Tarmac

gaffmaster · 21-05-2019 5:40pm

nak wrote: »

Specialized Tarmac

Interesting. SL5 vs SL6 Disc?

nak · 21-05-2019 6:47pm

gaffmaster wrote: »

Interesting. SL5 vs SL6 Disc?

SL4 Vs SL6 disc

Agent Smyth · 21-05-2019 9:59pm

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

Maths not your forte? Your bike is 6+ years old.

It's the little things like that that remind me that I'm not as smart as I used to be :rolleyes:

Agent Smyth · 22-06-2019 10:39am

nak wrote: »

I just did exactly that, had DA 9000 on my previous bike which I loved and have now switched to disc brakes, tubeless and will be electronic once the Di2 groupset comes back into stock. First ride (with Ultegra mechanical fit now - which isn't much different to DA) tomorrow!

Hi Nak, I presume by now you've had a good few rides on the new bike
How do you find the new bike compared to the old??

nak · 22-06-2019 10:55am

Agent Smyth wrote: »

Hi Nak, I presume by now you've had a good few rides on the new bike
How do you find the new bike compared to the old??

Maiden voyage was the MB100, bike is awesome. Smooths out the bumpy Wicklow roads, climbs well so very happy.

Agent Smyth · 07-07-2019 12:06pm

Just wondering if anybody else has noticed that the price difference between Ultegra bikes and Dura-Ace bikes is way greater then it should be ??

I've come across a few brands where the only difference between the bikes is just upgrading from Ultegra to Dura-Ace but will charge you €2k plus for the privilege
I emailed one of these brands and asked why they are charging this amount when the only difference is the group-set and this is the answer I got

"The price difference between the two models you mentioned is largely due to the difference in component specifications. Using deeply discounted prices for Ultegra Di2 and Dura-Ace Di2 shift groups advertised by aftermarket retailers is not an accurate measure to compare price difference. If you price out the two groups at retail, the difference in price is more than the €2000 difference between the two models. Also, importation taxes and duties differ depending on the region you are in, so that also will affect retail pricing"

Agent Smyth · 01-06-2020 9:42am

Just thought I'd give an update on this
In the end and considering all the options open to me I pulled the trigger on 2 BMC teammachine sl01 disc bikes
I ended up doing a custom build on both bikes because it was cheaper then the off the shelf models with the same speck
Quite amazingly I contacted 3 bike shops and one dealer in Ireland about this and none of them showed any interest in pursuing the sale
So I ended up going online and buying from a bike shop in Germany at a price that was agreeable to me

Now that I've put a lot of Km on them I'm delighted with my purchases bar one thing
With regards to the frames, I can feel no difference between the Cervelo and the BMC obviously there is a difference but to me they both feel and ride the same
Moving from mechanical D/A to electronic is a plus, two things I really like is that I can control the garmin from the hoods without touching the screen
And that the cables are fully integrated from hood to derailleur internally
But I think the two biggest upgrades for me are moving from rim to disc braking and changing over to tubeless tyres and moving up to 25c from 23c
Both of which allow me greater control over braking and grip when I'm out and about and have allowed me to take my riding experience to another level that I'd thought was beyond me

My only disappointment with these bikes is not with the bikes themselves but rather with BMC, one of my bikes is affected by the fork recall which nearly six months later is about to be replaced
The time that it has taken to replace the fork is annoying but my real disappointment and will stop me buying another BMC in the future is the fact that despite BMC having all my contact details and bike details they chose not to contact me directly but rather relied on word of mouth to spread the bad news about the potentially life changing fault in one or both my bikes

dinneenp · 02-06-2020 7:27pm

Throwing this in here as to not create a new thread, if should be moved let me know....

Bike ordered- Canyon Endurance AL 7.0.
So I need shoes & pedals.

Saw these LOOK KEO EASY TOUR DE FRANCE PEDALS on Planet X for £34. They any good or what would you recommend?
I have no idea what makes a good pedal, presumed they're all pretty much the same unless concerned about weight.
For shoes I may well go to a local store to get a perfect fit but if I don't- any recommendations?
Also road pedal vs clipless pedal- which to choose?

I currently have these for my current bike. The road bike that I borrowed from a friend has pedals for road shoes & I borrowed road shoes as well & like them. Velcro so quick on and off, lighter & more breathable.

Not sure if there's much advantage to road shoes & pedals (wrong terminology, I know) but would feel my bike is completed more with those pedals & shoes. Am I wrong?

Cheers,
Pa.

Tony04 · 02-06-2020 8:03pm

Shimano RS 550, have the exact same design as dura ace except it uses heavier materials. 54€ here https://www.mantel.com/ie/shimano-r550-spd-sl-pedals?autocomplete=1

Those look keos look nice and light and are good for the price but have an easy retention system so might not be the best for sprinting in if that matters.

Theres not really much difference between mtb and road pedals, maybe a few placings in a race at best. But as they're the exact same price you may aswell go for road pedals.

magicbastarder · 02-06-2020 9:59pm

dinneenp wrote: »

I have no idea what makes a good pedal, presumed they're all pretty much the same unless concerned about weight.
For shoes I may well go to a local store to get a perfect fit but if I don't- any recommendations?
Also road pedal vs clipless pedal- which to choose?

nope. the shoes pictured have SPD cleats (some people would refer to them as mountain bike pedals), and the pedals linked are look. they're incompatible.

SPDs are easier - the pedals are double sided, so easier to clip into, and the cleats are smaller thus you can buy shoes with the cleats recessed which make them much easier to walk around in.

note - SPD and SPD-SL are different beasts. SPD-SL are shimano's road offering; single sided and the shoes will have you doing the duck walk.

dinneenp · 02-06-2020 10:18pm

magicbastarder wrote: »

nope. the shoes pictured have SPD cleats (some people would refer to them as mountain bike pedals), and the pedals linked are look. they're incompatible.

SPDs are easier - the pedals are double sided, so easier to clip into, and the cleats are smaller thus you can buy shoes with the cleats recessed which make them much easier to walk around in.

note - SPD and SPD-SL are different beasts. SPD-SL are shimano's road offering; single sided and the shoes will have you doing the duck walk.

Sorry if any confusion. I know my current shoes & pedals aren't compatible with the pedals in the link I provided.
I was just showing what I currently have ;if I bought compatible pedals I could use those shoes. But I like the idea more breathable/airy shoes.

a148pro · 02-06-2020 11:09pm

Agent Smyth wrote: »

Just thought I'd give an update on this
In the end and considering all the options open to me I pulled the trigger on 2 BMC teammachine sl01 disc bikes
I ended up doing a custom build on both bikes because it was cheaper then the off the shelf models with the same speck
Quite amazingly I contacted 3 bike shops and one dealer in Ireland about this and none of them showed any interest in pursuing the sale
So I ended up going online and buying from a bike shop in Germany at a price that was agreeable to me

Now that I've put a lot of Km on them I'm delighted with my purchases bar one thing
With regards to the frames, I can feel no difference between the Cervelo and the BMC obviously there is a difference but to me they both feel and ride the same
Moving from mechanical D/A to electronic is a plus, two things I really like is that I can control the garmin from the hoods without touching the screen
And that the cables are fully integrated from hood to derailleur internally
But I think the two biggest upgrades for me are moving from rim to disc braking and changing over to tubeless tyres and moving up to 25c from 23c
Both of which allow me greater control over braking and grip when I'm out and about and have allowed me to take my riding experience to another level that I'd thought was beyond me

My only disappointment with these bikes is not with the bikes themselves but rather with BMC, one of my bikes is affected by the fork recall which nearly six months later is about to be replaced
The time that it has taken to replace the fork is annoying but my real disappointment and will stop me buying another BMC in the future is the fact that despite BMC having all my contact details and bike details they chose not to contact me directly but rather relied on word of mouth to spread the bad news about the potentially life changing fault in one or both my bikes

As in the fork could break with serious consequences and they didn't contact you? Jesus I got contacted with a 1300euro bike. But that was bought through a Shop, maybe your purchase route saw you falling through their cracks?

Do you mind me asking you, you bought 2 new very high end bikes, spec'd differently - how so? Like different gears for climbing or?

And why do you say disc brakes make such a difference? I have ultegra rim brakes and think they're superb. I assume you're racing which I am not or anywhere near, but I can't imagine disc brakes making that much of a difference that I'd want to add weight or cost

02-06-2020 11:33pm

Not the OP but on hydraulic discs, difference in control, stopping power and how they function in the wet vs rim breaks.

At my level I'd never go back to rim breaks now, to hell with a few hundred grams weight gain, going up hill I'd be better served shaving weight off the engine

Agent Smyth · 03-06-2020 8:41am

@a148pro

I would agree with you re falling through a crack with regards to the shop because during the sales process the shop stopped been a BMC dealer and the sale as far as I'm concerned and I'm sure they'd be of the same opinion did not end well but that's a story for another day
But with regards to BMC and their obligations with a voluntary recall, when you buy a BMC bike they offer an extended 5 year warranty with their bikes when and only if you register your and your bike details with them,
which I did when I received the bikes, I thought and believed that if there is a warranty issue that BMC would contact all the registered users about the issue but obviously this didn't happen.
Whether that was a decision at management level or an oversight remains to be seen

Both bikes are speck'd the same for one simple reason (albeit an expensive one) bikes these days are about as reliable as they can be but when things go wrong, more often than not it can take weeks to fix for one reason or another. a perfect example of that is what has just happened to me with the voluntary recall I had just arrived in Almeria in Spain to spend the winter months riding there, had both bikes been affected by the recall I would have had to return home to Dublin but having the second bike meant I could continue on until the Spanish lockdown forced my return home

Re the rim vs disc brakes, Shimano rim brakes are about as good as you get but when you do make the change (and you will) you will understand what I and Enfilade are talking about
I'm not saying there is anything wrong with rim brakes, nowadays they are very good but disc brakes skip the "better" and go straight to the "best" in braking
With regards to the weight, the BMCs weigh 7.5 Kg fully kitted out which is half a Kilo to a Kilo more than my Cervelo's but can't say I feel it or notice it when I'm out riding and no longer think about it

Thinking of Buying A New Road Bike

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