What road bike?

[Chris x]

Hi Chaps,

Started cycling properly last year and used a carbon Felt F7 bike (cheapest at the time - £620) I had purchased in 2015 (although only used it a couple of times until last year). Have racked up over 6000 miles on it over the past year and 6 months. Back in January, the gears started messing about after hitting ice and coming off. I've replaced the chain, derailleurs, bottom bracket. cables e.t.c. and the gears have never been right since. I started looking at replacing it in July this year, when the cable bracket randomly fell off, causing my feet to get caught up in the cables and over the bars I went! So I gave up on the bike and decided to splash some cash (well works money - cycle2work scheme ) and bought this: https://www.wiggle.co.uk/vitus-zx1-crs-di2-road-bi...

It arrived at the end of July and has been nothing but trouble. First of all, the seat post kept slipping down (even with slip solution!). After a 3 mile ride, the chain would no longer go up to the big cog (yay - more gear problems!). A week later at the local bike shop (they had do buy a new diagnostics box as its the latest di2?!), it was fixed after a mechanical and electrical trim. 400 miles later, it fails to shift up again. Back to the LBS, a mechanical adjustment and all is good again for 24 hours, where it fails to change up again. Finally throwing in the towel (persisted for the month as Wiggle are so st and responding to emails, plus I know its going to be a ball ache to send back and sort as they are now out of stock) as when riding back from work on Saturday, the crank came loose (which I am assuming was the problem all along with the gear changes). I was going to pay extra and get this after sending the existing bike back: https://www.wiggle.co.uk/vitus-zx1-crx-etap-road-b... , however Wiggles st service and after my complete lack of confidence of them assembling bikes - I want a refund.

The problem is that I don't know what to replace it with. I definitely want carbon wheels, frame, di2/etap - but the known equivalent is a couple of £k more.

What would you guys go for from previous bike above?

Currently looking at a Ribble SL R series, where carbon bike, 80mm aero wheels, custom paint, di2 ultegra and carbon aero bars comes in at £4700 or this from Evans: https://www.evanscycles.com/brand/trek/madone-sl-7...

The other reason for holding off and persisting with the new bike is the complete lack of stock from anywhere. Ribble has a delivery for end of November and the above Trek is out of stock in my size (i'm 6ft 2), but my LBS may have some stock - waiting to hear back from them.

Any other suggestions for makes/models?

The budget was £3k - ended up spending £3250. The above are pushing £5-£6k. That really is my absolute limit. I've looked quickly at 2nd hand but I don't want to buy someone else's problem and I wouldn't get the tax relief.


Thanks if you've made it this far


Edit:
Other end of the spectrum is to buy this and bin/replace every 12 months: https://www.evanscycles.com/brand/trek/domane-al-2...


Thoughts?

Edited by Chris x on Thursday 10th September 16:57

[BoRED S2upid]

Giant propel? Seems with these you get the model to suit your price point build quality should be good straight out if the box.

[MOBB]

What about Swiftcarbon?

Seem to get good reviews and some nice looking good value bikes

[IrateNinja]

Do not entertain the idea of spending that much without first getting a fit.

[jesusbuiltmycar]

Also consider Canyon - I’ve had an Ultimate with etap AXS for a year and I am very pleased ... The only downside is that there is nothing I can think of upgrading (it came with single price aero carbon bars, carbon wheels etc).

[Dnlm]

Saw Merlin Cycles had a few on sale in reasonable sizes that made pricey bikes attractive (Strada Duo, Colnago).

Rose is another d2c to comp with Ribble and canyon.

Specialized I bought off a couple years ago and found premium price - a bit of discount + good service made it a good experience. Walking away with one of these feels worth the extra vs a 2 month wait.

https://www.certini.co.uk/65596/products/2020-spec...

[oddball1313]

i'd avoid Evans and the other chain stores etc and go to a proper local bike shop for starters where they will probably have the skills to set it up right in the first place.

Then buy a Bianchi with Campagnolo Chorus EPS and WTO 60 wheels and job jobbed and bks to the budget

Edited by oddball1313 on Friday 11th September 08:56

[ukbabz]

I went for a Giant TCR Advanced Pro 1 and haven't had an issue with it in 6000km (well other than it's a bugger to get the tyres off the SLR-1 rims and GP5000 are a bugger to fit but isn't unique.)

Just had a look at the current models and the TCR Advanced Pro 2 (Ultegra mechanical, disk) comes in at ~£3k

[The Stiglet]

What sort of riding do you do? Do you race? Is it hilly? etc

Also, where are you based?

[anonymous-user]

Personally I’d avoid deep rims, they look ace but a good set of shallow rims are much more manageable for every day. I’d go with something nice and made of ti or steel for that price, even though I have a lovely, niche carbon bike, it’s a little soul-less for the money I spent.

Have a look at Enigma’s range, Colnago Master or the Cinelli Nemo

[Marcellus]

Before you decide which one to ultimately buy ride all the options and see which one feels the nicest and fits you the best.

Then part with your hard earned cash on it!

[MockingJay]

BoRED S2upid said:

Giant propel? Seems with these you get the model to suit your price point build quality should be good straight out if the box.

I would second this, I've had a ridden my propel for 4500 miles this year without an issue. You can usually find a discounted model too.

[Chris x]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

Still unsure what to do - and looking at all of suggestions everything appears to be out of stock in my size.

I agree at buying locally, as I think I would get a better built bike, but the shop never answers the phone and they havn't responded to my enquiry online.

Old bike should go back next week as the box turned up from Wiggle yesterday.

Untitled by Chris Slatter, on Flickr

My Dad thinks he has fixed my old bike (i'd given it to him), so might give that a go to see how it is.

Half tempted to chuck some cheap carbon wheels back on it and forget a new bike all together. May revisit the idea again next year or when CV19 is out the way and stock comes back?!
Untitled by Chris Slatter, on Flick

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/700C-88mm-Full-Carbon-W...


?!

Edited by Chris x on Friday 18th September 10:57

[Chris x]

The Stiglet said:

What sort of riding do you do? Do you race? Is it hilly? etc

Also, where are you based?

Based in Bexhill. My commute is 6 miles each way, but I'll do a zig-zag route the whole way in and will aim for has many hills as possible.

Normal tide in is 20 to 28 miles in and 1800ft of climbing depending on what route I take. Same again on the way back.

[smn159]

IrateNinja said:

Do not entertain the idea of spending that much without first getting a fit.

This really is the best advice. You don't want to be spending that much and end up with a bike with geometry that doesn't suit you

[Chris x]

smn159 said:

This really is the best advice. You don't want to be spending that much and end up with a bike with geometry that doesn't suit you

How does that work? I'm 6ft 2, so fit in well within most XL bike frames according to the charts.

Local bike shop charges £80 for a bike fit and a Trek precision fitment (not sure what the difference is?!) is £140. Thought it was a bit steep. Was going to get a frame that matched my size and then adjust after riding to get comfortable.

I am however a complete newbie to all this....

[smn159]

Chris x said:

smn159 said:

This really is the best advice. You don't want to be spending that much and end up with a bike with geometry that doesn't suit you

How does that work? I'm 6ft 2, so fit in well within most XL bike frames according to the charts.

Local bike shop charges £80 for a bike fit and a Trek precision fitment (not sure what the difference is?!) is £140. Thought it was a bit steep. Was going to get a frame that matched my size and then adjust after riding to get comfortable.

I am however a complete newbie to all this....

Not all of it is adjustable though - you need to get the basics in the right ballpark

https://www.cyclingweekly.com/group-tests/road-bik...

[Bacon Is Proof]

Chris x said:

Back in January, the gears started messing about after hitting ice and coming off. I've replaced the chain, derailleurs, bottom bracket. cables e.t.c. and the gears have never been right since.

Bit late now but you probably bent the mech hanger (sacrificial part between rear derailleur and frame).
Probably could have fixed it for £10-15...

[okgo]

smn159 said:

This really is the best advice. You don't want to be spending that much and end up with a bike with geometry that doesn't suit you

Where has this come from?

This is like 2020's version of 'stiffness' being important.

ANY bike within a couple of CM either way can be made to fit any normal human. Of course buying one that is close so you don't require lots of setback, stack, reach adjustment is better, but it really is the latest thing that seems to have got into people's minds. Get a bike that's going to fit you roughly (that really isn't rocket science, for you its probably a 58cm frame, though a 56 would work if you wanted a more aggressive set up) based on the sort of riding you want to do, i.e. is it a pure race bike, or is it more of an all rounder etc, then just go from there, bike fits are useful, but this belief that there are bikes out there that are TOTALLY unsuitable for people is horsest IMO.

I've got a 56cm bike, a 58cm bike, a 54cm bike, all of them fit me, and they all have different geometry.

[smn159]

okgo said:

smn159 said:

This really is the best advice. You don't want to be spending that much and end up with a bike with geometry that doesn't suit you

Where has this come from?

This is like 2020's version of 'stiffness' being important.

ANY bike within a couple of CM either way can be made to fit any normal human. Of course buying one that is close so you don't require lots of setback, stack, reach adjustment is better, but it really is the latest thing that seems to have got into people's minds. Get a bike that's going to fit you roughly (that really isn't rocket science, for you its probably a 58cm frame, though a 56 would work if you wanted a more aggressive set up) based on the sort of riding you want to do, i.e. is it a pure race bike, or is it more of an all rounder etc, then just go from there, bike fits are useful, but this belief that there are bikes out there that are TOTALLY unsuitable for people is horsest IMO.

I've got a 56cm bike, a 58cm bike, a 54cm bike, all of them fit me, and they all have different geometry.

Strawman. Nobody said anything about a bike being TOTALLY unsuitable, just that it's better to get one that suits you fro the off - as you stated yourself.