I want a race / road bike - which one?
Discussion
Going to spend around 700ish, less obviously if I can get away with it! Ideas please as every shop i go into is suggesting different things.
Novice rider, longest ride has only been around 30 miles.
Inspiration required! Live in London and want to buy from somewhere that is signed into that cycle to work scheme, so Evans and cycle surgery are the obvious places but I guess most places are signed into it.
Novice rider, longest ride has only been around 30 miles.
Inspiration required! Live in London and want to buy from somewhere that is signed into that cycle to work scheme, so Evans and cycle surgery are the obvious places but I guess most places are signed into it.
When it comes to a road bike, size is far more importantant than it is for mountain bikes.
So the best advice is to really pop along to a shop and have a sit on a few.
To add as you said you've been in shops - is a road bike what you're after? They're very harsh to ride and any small bump in the road is amplified.
Something like a good specced rigid mountain bike would be ideal with some road tyres?
What sort of riding, ie would you take it down river paths, gravel paths etc? Or purely to ride into work and back?
So the best advice is to really pop along to a shop and have a sit on a few.
To add as you said you've been in shops - is a road bike what you're after? They're very harsh to ride and any small bump in the road is amplified.
Something like a good specced rigid mountain bike would be ideal with some road tyres?
What sort of riding, ie would you take it down river paths, gravel paths etc? Or purely to ride into work and back?
Edited by rico on Sunday 8th April 20:33
Not realy looking for a commuter. Perhaps it will help if I describe todays ride...
Local roads, all well surfaced. Then maybe 100 metres across a very dry, firm dirt footpath, then about 4 miles on sidewalk style stuff, paving stones and tarmac but not amazingly smooth. Up and down a few curbs but I could remove that from my ride if need be.
18 miles including some serious hills, twisty roads and a quick break at a mates house to get a fill up after idiot here failed to fill up my water bottle!
Does that make any difference to what I should be buying.
Oh, and Rico...
hope you doing well dude.
Local roads, all well surfaced. Then maybe 100 metres across a very dry, firm dirt footpath, then about 4 miles on sidewalk style stuff, paving stones and tarmac but not amazingly smooth. Up and down a few curbs but I could remove that from my ride if need be.
18 miles including some serious hills, twisty roads and a quick break at a mates house to get a fill up after idiot here failed to fill up my water bottle!
Does that make any difference to what I should be buying.
Oh, and Rico...
hope you doing well dude.rico said:
To add as you said you've been in shops - is a road bike what you're after? They're very harsh to ride and any small bump in the road is amplified.
Didn't notice this until today. Only started going on proper road rides a couple of weeks ago, and I almost got thrown off twice today because of the shitty road surface - and this is on my front sus MTB! Hi, I recommended both the Cannondale & Bianchis as I know they both produce good bikes that handle well, look & feel nice and have a good ride. Aluminium frames can be a little harsh after 30 or 40 miles and on broken up surfaces but I've found both of these manufactureres ali frames to offer a more comfortable ride than say a Giant or Specialized.
They are also on offer at the moment - excellent value for money (a little different to the regular Trek/Giant/Specialized default choice too).
You could possibly fit 25c tyres (as opposed to standard 22/23c) for a little more comfort. A cross bike could be a nice compromise but you may not be able to get such a good deal on one as they are less numerous.
They are also on offer at the moment - excellent value for money (a little different to the regular Trek/Giant/Specialized default choice too).
You could possibly fit 25c tyres (as opposed to standard 22/23c) for a little more comfort. A cross bike could be a nice compromise but you may not be able to get such a good deal on one as they are less numerous.
pappa lurve said:
Not realy looking for a commuter. Perhaps it will help if I describe todays ride...
Local roads, all well surfaced. Then maybe 100 metres across a very dry, firm dirt footpath, then about 4 miles on sidewalk style stuff, paving stones and tarmac but not amazingly smooth. Up and down a few curbs but I could remove that from my ride if need be.
18 miles including some serious hills, twisty roads and a quick break at a mates house to get a fill up after idiot here failed to fill up my water bottle!
Does that make any difference to what I should be buying.
Oh, and Rico... hope you doing well dude.
Local roads, all well surfaced. Then maybe 100 metres across a very dry, firm dirt footpath, then about 4 miles on sidewalk style stuff, paving stones and tarmac but not amazingly smooth. Up and down a few curbs but I could remove that from my ride if need be.
18 miles including some serious hills, twisty roads and a quick break at a mates house to get a fill up after idiot here failed to fill up my water bottle!
Does that make any difference to what I should be buying.
Oh, and Rico...
hope you doing well dude.I'd go for a rigid MTB or hybrid for that route. A dedicated road bike would be far too harsh IMO.
Pappa L - OK so you've got £700 to spend..........imo any/all bike manufacturers will make a bike for around that level...some will have a better frame and lesser wheels & chainset others wil have a cheaper frame and better chainsets & wheels but at the end of the day they're all much of a nothingness imo!!
In order of cost of frames they can be sumarised (I think as)
cheapest - Steel
next - Aluminium
then - Carbon
Most expensive - Titanium
You can also get mixes of any of the above (ie Alu fram with carbon front forks or rear forks etc etc etc)
Then you're into gears, the big question is Shimano or Campagnolo?
At the end of the day it's personal preference, my summer bike has Shimano and winter bike campagnolo. Alledgedly SHimano are cheaper, less durable and less precise but you're unlikely to notice. What you will notice is that Shimano brake hoods are bigger which for me makes them more comfortable.
What I would advise you to do is go to a bike shop that understands road riding and not just selling you a bike and have a chat with the owner as to what you want.
He should then put you out on a few different frames from different manufacturers with different chainsets for you to feel which is the most comfortable..........that is the key imo.........the quality etc etc etc will be the same(ish) but you need to be comfortable.
I love Bianchi (raced one as a teen) so was set on Bianchi when I bought a new road bike....I raced it for half a season and didn't get on with it...it was a blessing when I wrote it off (but that's another story entirely)....I replaced it with a Scott and feel so much more comfortable on it, my times improved and I ride it more than I did my Bianchi. Having said I love the Scott my winter bike is a Colnago (sp?).
I can't remember where you are but if you want a bike shop to look after you there's a member on here (Cycle Si - drives a blue Cobra) who owns a bike shop and who'll I'll more than happily introduce you to. If he can he will match any prices you see elsewhere!!
In order of cost of frames they can be sumarised (I think as)
cheapest - Steel
next - Aluminium
then - Carbon
Most expensive - Titanium
You can also get mixes of any of the above (ie Alu fram with carbon front forks or rear forks etc etc etc)
Then you're into gears, the big question is Shimano or Campagnolo?
At the end of the day it's personal preference, my summer bike has Shimano and winter bike campagnolo. Alledgedly SHimano are cheaper, less durable and less precise but you're unlikely to notice. What you will notice is that Shimano brake hoods are bigger which for me makes them more comfortable.
What I would advise you to do is go to a bike shop that understands road riding and not just selling you a bike and have a chat with the owner as to what you want.
He should then put you out on a few different frames from different manufacturers with different chainsets for you to feel which is the most comfortable..........that is the key imo.........the quality etc etc etc will be the same(ish) but you need to be comfortable.
I love Bianchi (raced one as a teen) so was set on Bianchi when I bought a new road bike....I raced it for half a season and didn't get on with it...it was a blessing when I wrote it off (but that's another story entirely)....I replaced it with a Scott and feel so much more comfortable on it, my times improved and I ride it more than I did my Bianchi. Having said I love the Scott my winter bike is a Colnago (sp?).
I can't remember where you are but if you want a bike shop to look after you there's a member on here (Cycle Si - drives a blue Cobra) who owns a bike shop and who'll I'll more than happily introduce you to. If he can he will match any prices you see elsewhere!!
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