(Another) Which First Road Bike Dilema

richk

Sorry, been done to death but I'm down to a choice of 3 at my budget & can't decide (shown in current order of preference):

Looking for a road bike to join the local CC on their Sunday morning runs (~45 miles) & going for a triple chainset to get up hills. All around/just under £300.

BTwin (Decathlon) Sport 2
Dawes Giro 400
Saracen Aravis

Anybody care to offer any advice/suggestions on any or all of these?

Thanks very much.

redddraggon

Have a look in Halfords, in that price range the bikes are rather good, I'm happy with my £280 bike from there.

acorn_user

The Saracen website says that the Aravis price is 400 pounds. On balance, I would prefer the Campagnolo Xenon gears of the Btwinn, but I would have to consider mudguard eyelets too. I know that the Dawes had those. you could also try and find an older 2006 Dawes Giro 300, which was a much prettier, better equipped bicycle than the current one. :weeping, what have Dawes done to their paint schemes?!:

nkirussell

I am new to road biking too myself and wanted to get a starter bike for less than 300. I went for the Btwin sport ltd. It was only £170, then I addded a new shimano hollowtech 2 bottom braket and shimano compact front chainset (better than having a triple IMHO) and some shimano r500 tiagra front and rear wheels with a new shimano sora rear cassette. This meant my bike was full shimaon sora group set with the addition of better Bottom braket and better chainset plus much better wheels. Bike now about 10kg. This has cost me £170 (bike), £63 (bottom bracket and chainset) £75 (wheelset and cassette) total = £308

This get you the same frame as the Btwin sport 2 but with better wheels etc

Anyway something to think about,

by the way wheels etc purchased from on line from ribble cycles

richk

Thanks for the suggestions. Went for the BTwin in the end because it was available locally so could try for size etc. Seems OK for the money (though have got to get them to adjust the from derailleur).