First road bike £500

[caterhamboy]

Hi, i'm looking at buying a road bike to get fit on, i have a budget of up to £500

so far i have my eye on

khs flite 300 www.khsbikes.co.uk/bikes/khs-flite-300

save some money and buy

Deacatlon triban www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/triban-3-173178017/

or a halfords

Carrera vanquish www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/


Have been looking for 2nd hand on ebay but seems a bit hit and miss, ideally want to buy soon. not going to be racing on it but likely to cover good distances.

Any advice appreciated.

[Zebrs]

No experience of the other two but I'd steer clear of the Carerra unless they've got their act together in the last year or so - OH has one and it's functional but is not the best built/equipped. I suppose you get what you pay for, in which case wait it out for something decent to crop up secondhand on eBay/ph classifieds.

[hullbilly]

Go and buy this months cycling plus, there is a whole article comparing £500 road bikes.

[PH5121]

I had a similar budget last year and bought a Giant Defy 3.

It is comfy, and suits me if I want to go out for a road ride rather than using a mountain bike.

[TonyHetherington]

I just clicked into this forum to ask pretty much the identical question. So thanks for doing that on my behalf

I've been looking at ebay for 2nd hand stuff - I don't know why, but I like the look of the Boardman bikes and they seem to go for under £500.

[TonyHetherington]

hullbilly said:

Go and buy this months cycling plus, there is a whole article comparing £500 road bikes.

Thanks, I'll do that.

[kazste]

i have just been going through this and think i have decided on paying a little extra for an Orbea Aqua. Looks like a very good frame with cheap components, my thinking being its easier to upgrade a rear mech, then the brakes, then something else than change a frame. managed to get a 2011 model for £590 from my LBS, but there seems to be a few 2010 models for £499 on the interweb assuming their the right size.

hope this helps and if anyone thinks i'm wasting my money please tell e quick as getting it by the end of the week!!

[shouldbworking]

£580, but pretty nice - I have one of these as a first road bike - quite easy to ride in my opinion

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/specialedition.asp?a...

[kazste]

I looked at that for me but out of my size until end of summer. Does seem good if it fits.

[Garlick]

kazste said:

i have just been going through this and think i have decided on paying a little extra for an Orbea Aqua. Looks like a very good frame with cheap components, my thinking being its easier to upgrade a rear mech, then the brakes, then something else than change a frame. managed to get a 2011 model for £590 from my LBS, but there seems to be a few 2010 models for £499 on the interweb assuming their the right size.

hope this helps and if anyone thinks i'm wasting my money please tell e quick as getting it by the end of the week!!

I ride a carbon Orbea Onix T105 (see profile pic) and have been very impressed with it. It's far superior to my previous Giant and I have recommended it to many. After a LBS saw my bike they decided to become a stockist themselves in fact.

If the quality of the model you are considering is anything like mine, I wouldn't hesitate

[langy]

Just got myself an Orbea Aqua T105, very nice

[kazste]

Cool sounds like I've got a bargain then should of been £635 but apparently it has a small mark on the forks so doing it for £590 they assure me its not a ding or crack so getting a lift to shop tomorrow so I can ride it back.

I sense pictures will be taken and posted soon.

[TonyHetherington]

kazste said:

i have just been going through this and think i have decided on paying a little extra for an Orbea Aqua. Looks like a very good frame with cheap components, my thinking being its easier to upgrade a rear mech, then the brakes, then something else than change a frame. managed to get a 2011 model for £590 from my LBS, but there seems to be a few 2010 models for £499 on the interweb assuming their the right size.

hope this helps and if anyone thinks i'm wasting my money please tell e quick as getting it by the end of the week!!

Where could you find the Orbea Aqua for that sort of price? I can't find anywhere near approaching thatnprice:

http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/product/27654/Or...

[kazste]

I'm looking at the t23 model which has shimano 2300 kit as can't afford more than £600, this is already blowing a hole in my £300 budget!
My thinking.is get the best frame and upgrade components when I get more into riding and funds allow as easier to change components than a whole frame.

[TonyHetherington]

Ah brill, thanks. Exactly the same sort of thinking I had!

[kazste]

No problem if you want will post what I think of it tomorrow as starting off with a 20 mile ride home, which might not be much to some but I'm a bit of a giffer!
Hoping that the 2300 is the same quality as my mtb xt groupset from 10 years ago!

Also if your struggling to find links for the t23 version let me know and I'll post them best price for a perfect condition one seems set at £635, and we all thought price fixing wasn't allowed

[TonyHetherington]

Please do, will be very interested to see what you think of it!

[TonyHetherington]

http://www.fatbirds.co.uk/detail.asp/sku=Bott-BS11...

That's the other bike I'm looking at. I know the owner indirectly of the local bike shop that sells them, and I mjst say they look bloody sexy! What are they like frame wise, does anyone know?

Just another thing to consider

[langy]

1st ride today, about 20 miles and a pure delight. Bit different from riding a Santa Cruz Blur LT

[kazste]

Looks like the 2010 model, prefer the colour schemes on the older model, especially the black/Orange combo.
But have been told that the new one is a compact and therefore better for hills?
beautiful bike really looking forward to tomorrow,if slightly scared about getting it home. If only it would fit in the boot of the elise!