Road bike up to £500 (edited to add - now bought thanks!)

grayo59

Help please.

I do weekly 25/30 mile runs on a 3 yr old halfords hybrid hack.

Want an entry level road bike that:-

Is cheap, durable has drop bars.

Talk to me about double/triple chainsets and pedals please.

And where to buy in Bristol.

Thanks.

Rich Hcp

I'd go to a good Local Bike Shop (LBS)

I'd recomend a Specialized Allez

milese

I'd recommend THIS

I bought a small last week, arrived in 2 days. I got a test ride in an LBS to check the size, but then ordered online to get the cheaper price.

Can't complain at nearly half price, and I get on with it fine.

Double chainsets obviously have fewer gears, less at the top and less at the bottom, but less weight. I've got a double and get on fine on all but the steepest of hills, but hopefully that will improve with time!

redddraggon

Milese wrote:

Double chainsets obviously have fewer gears, less at the top and less at the bottom, but less weight.

From what I've seen most doubles have a 53 ring as the biggest and triples a 52 as the biggest.

milese

redddraggon wrote:

Milese wrote:

Double chainsets obviously have fewer gears, less at the top and less at the bottom, but less weight.

From what I've seen most doubles have a 53 ring as the biggest and triples a 52 as the biggest.

My knowledges comes entirely from what I've learnt from my bike; I know that my biggest ring is a 50 and the triple has a 53. Not to say that this is the norm of course, I dont know.

top_bhoy

Milese wrote:

I'd recommend THIS

I bought a small last week, arrived in 2 days. I got a test ride in an LBS to check the size, but then ordered online to get the cheaper price.

Can't complain at nearly half price, and I get on with it fine.

Double chainsets obviously have fewer gears, less at the top and less at the bottom, but less weight. I've got a double and get on fine on all but the steepest of hills, but hopefully that will improve with time!

Fitted to a known brand name, that looks a fairly decent spec for under 500 quid, IMO!!

Only drawback to the larger rider is that it is only in 42cm and 46.5cm (the latter would do me though )

redddraggon

Milese wrote:

redddraggon wrote:

Milese wrote:

Double chainsets obviously have fewer gears, less at the top and less at the bottom, but less weight.

From what I've seen most doubles have a 53 ring as the biggest and triples a 52 as the biggest.

My knowledges comes entirely from what I've learnt from my bike; I know that my biggest ring is a 50 and the triple has a 53. Not to say that this is the norm of course, I dont know.

You've got a compact double, rather than a standard double then.

redddraggon

You sure the triple has a 53, Shimano standard triple is 52/39/30 and Campag seems to be 52/42/30.

After a brief glance on wiggle can't find a 53 on a triple

willbevan

redddraggon wrote:

You sure the triple has a 53, Shimano standard triple is 52/39/30 and Campag seems to be 52/42/30.

After a brief glance on wiggle can't find a 53 on a triple

Yea there are some 52/53 tripples

link below to one that has a tripple option (listed under the double)

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=10151

30/39/53

Mettan

Another option? - Focus Summit 2008

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.a ... mit%202008

Alu 6061 frame
Carbon fork
Compact 50/34 chainset
Shimano RS 10 wheelset
Shimano Sora group
9.8kg

Other alternatives (as has been mentioned) - Spesh Allez - Giant SCR - whatever you narrow it down to, compare specs in detail though.

grayo59

Done it - bought a Specialized Allez double for £449, reduced from £499 at Zero G (Garland cycles) in Bedminster Bristol.

Will collect early in the new year.

Thanks for your advice.