Sportive style bikes

pompey-dude

Hello Ladies & Gents,
I'm looking at, and trying out a few bikes that meet my criteria for a more relaxed, comfort orientated, sportive bike.
so far I have a short list of the following

Specialized Roubaix Elite or comp (have test ridden the Elite)
Cannondale Synapse 105
LeMond Buenos Aires Double (have test ridden)
Trek Pilot 2.1
Giant SCR 1.0 ( I have test ridden the 2.0)

anyone know of anymore that I should be looking at ? I really would like 105 or better
how do the likes of Ribble, Paul Hewitt, and Dave Hinde compare ?
any advice very much appreciated.
I used to ride a lot, but I'm only just coming back to it after about 5 years out, and my old steel framed, down tube shifter, jalopy is starting to complain, along with my back !!!

:? :? :? :?

neilv

Pompey-dude

I would also consider the Bianchi C2C (Coast to Coast) range as this is also designed for comfort. OK I have a carbon framed one but I did an 88km ride on Sunday with no aches or pains which I'm pretty pleased about as I had a disc prolapse 2 years ago!

johnbirkby46213

if u'v really taken bikes for a test ride then the answer should be realy clear. It was for me. I bouht the Rubaix. Easily as comfotable as my fabby steel bike.

John C.

Just look for a frame with a longer head tube and non aero wheels, you'll put your own saddle on anyway, as for kit I'd make sure it has a tripple chainset because that last hill on the hundred mile mark will be a killer even on a compact what ever the sales man tells you.

scapaslow

What's the best of the 3 you have tested so far?

I was recently in your position but was unable to find anywhere locally that could offer a test ride of anything i wanted never mind even have my size in stock. In the end i took to the internet and ordered a 2006 Cannondale synapse 105 which has been great. It has a compact. It is almost as comfortable as my steel fixie but not quite. Its been fast and reliable and a joy to ride especially on the hills.

As John C. says consider carefully how many miles and what sort of terrain you intend to ride on as well as your own fitness. Discount a standard double unless you are very fit or likely to avoid serious hills and choose between compact and triple.As you've been out for 5 years maybe a triple would be best in your situation. I've had no problems so far with the compact but haven't yet tried the 100 miler with endless hills. 50 miles has been my max so far.

The season for discounts is just beginning so grab yourself a bargain. I think Wiggle do a Focus Ergoride but i don't know what they ride like but as Focus seem to make well specc'd bikes at good prices it might be worth adding to the list. I think you can test them at home and send them back if you don't like them. Try and test both a compact and a triple if you can and keep in mind the Cannondale.

term1te

I have a Van Nicholas Euros, which I’m very pleased with. I think its been designed for the sort of cycling you’re after. I had to fiddle around with the saddle position to get the fit right, but I don’t get any of those niggly neck pains that I used to get after a few hours in the saddle.

I don’t think you can beat trying the bike out first and talking to a knowledgeable sales person. I thought I needed one size from the Van Nic website sizing charts, but ended up getting a slightly larger one when talking to the guy at the shop, stumpy legs and long arms (that’s me not the guy in the shop).

rdaviesb

I'd always go and get your bike fitted to you, so would recommend a trip to Mr Hewitt. You might not get as much bling, but you will be comfortable, which is the critical factor.

McBain_v1

Enigma Esprit - a bike that's made for Sportive's


I've got one, so perhaphs I'm a bit biased :?

pompey-dude

Well thanks for the replies.
Things have moved on since my last posting, I am now the very proud owner of a Lemond Buenos Aires Double.
But I've been on a bit of a journey to get to it.
After much reading of many posts on here, I decided to pay a visit to Mr Hewitt, for two reasons.
1. To try and get to the cause of the bad pain I was getting in right lower back and hip joint, (an unlevel saddle)
2. To get a fitting for a new bike. I had sort of made my mind up about getting a Titanium frame from the likes of Van Nicholas, probably the Euros.
My visit to Paul Hewitt's, was great, what a nice bloke. An odd eclectic, but great shop. But I felt just a little disappointed with the fitting. I don't know what I was expecting from it, but I felt it was a little "that looks about right" sort of thing!!
Any way we agreed on a frame and spec that I was more than happy with, although it was a little bit more than I'd hoped for.
I had to talk to the boss and see how she felt about it; unfortunately it was just a bit too pricey.
I still had this nagging doubt about the fitting though.
So I decided to visit the LBS with the Lemond and see about a fitting from them, and how it compared to the size of the Lemond.
The fitting with them was much longer and seamed to be a more thorough procedure; it was a "BikeFitting.com" one. The LBS then proceeded to set the bike up as per the finished print out, and sent me out on the bike. It felt quite wonderful and a total revelation.
To cut an already long story short, I purchased the bike with in budget, after some haggling.
I'm now riding longer and faster and without any pain, although there was some for the first few rides as muscles got used to new position.

So how come two different fittings come back with 2 different frame sizes? I can only assume that one is for horizontal and the other sloping top tube??
PH = 56
LBS (bikefitting) = 53
Any way I would defiantly recommend spending time getting the right sized bike and set up, the difference is so much better than I thought it could be.

nickwill

I couldn't disagree more with the last poster's comments on Paul Hewitt's fitting.
When Paul sits you on the jig, he is working to very precise measurements down to perhaps 1/2mm. The difference is that he is also testing those measurements in the real world, against how your position looks, and how it feels to you. He is also assessing your flexibility with regard to the position. As I understand it a lot of computerised fitting systems don't take into account all the parameters, e.g. though they measure leg length they may not take account of disparities between upper and lower leg length.
I went back yesterday for a refitting on my custom built Hewitt bike, because my position had drifted over the 5 years since my original fitting, what with new components etc. By the time my position had been tweaked a few mm here or there, the fit of the bike was perfect again.