advice on new road bike needed

TigerTom

we've got a cycle 2 work scheme and so I'm looking for a new road bike. We have to buy through halfords, so I can't buy a ribble (I asked), but most other bikes are apparently available?

All I actually want is a bike with some gears that I'd be comfortable using, ideally with a good gear ratio, but that could always be corrected later. Ideally I'd like a bike with a wide range of gears because I like to go fast and I can't manage a really high cadence and I like a nice easy gear to get up hills

I've been looking round and I really don't like the Shimano Sora method of changing down the cogs, so that seems to rule out all the cheaper bikes. The gears where there's a second lever inside the brake lever look more usable to me. Thus the cheapest bikes that I can find are £500 or more, which is admittedly a bit more than I wanted to pay, but still possible.

I've read all that I can see on this site and a couple of others and I've found these bikes that at least possibly meet my needs, but I'd be very interested in anyone elses comments, and advice.

Halfords Carrera Vanquish £500

Halfords Boardman road comp £600

Giant scr 02 £545

note that I'm pretty big and heavy - 6'2" and 16.5 stone. Should I be worried about a road bike's strength, particularly the wheels?

Nuggs

Out of those three, I'd say the Boardman would be best. C+ has given it some great reviews.

I'd discount the Carrera.

IMO, the Specialized Allez should be on your shortlist too.

FSR_XC

Nuggs wrote:

Out of those three, I'd say the Boardman would be best. C+ has given it some great reviews.

I'd discount the Carrera.

IMO, the Specialized Allez should be on your shortlist too.

What Nuggs said

sicrow

If you can get almost anything then something like a Specialized Allex with a Triple would be Ideal, its approx £500 and whilst not a full groupset it is Tiagra shifters I think which may be what you are looking for

Go to a local bike shop that sells Specialized and have a good luck & trial ride you'll know better then It's certainly better than the list you have

others to consider with Triples could be

Trek 1.2
Giant SCR

TigerTom

unfortunately the specialised allez triple whilst being the right price has the shifters that I don't like
similarly for the Trek 1.2T

something else that's just I've just noticed - how come all the bikes in this range seem to be black?

TigerTom

sicrow wrote:

.whilst not a full groupset it is Tiagra shifters I think which may be what you are looking for

To try and clarify.

I've seen what I believe are the sora shifters and in order to change to a bigger cog you push the brake lever inwards - and similarly on tiagra (and everthing else?)

but to change to a smaller cog there is a small switch on the inside of the brake lever hood. This seems absolutely fine when you're riding with your hands on top of the handlebar, but if you put your hands on the bottom you can't reach the gear change. I just don't like this. In fact it seems positively silly to me because presumably you're trucking along at a fair speed if you've got your hands on the bottom, and then you've got to reach round the entire end of the handlebar to change up one gear.

On the tiagra shifters there seems to be a second lever inside the brake lever which you push inward to change to a smaller cog (well I think you only have to tap this to change) This method seems much better to me because I can change with my hands either on top or on the bottom.

FSR_XC

Allez Compact chainset is Tiagra:

http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=33692

Same as the Boardman:

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yrn_124467

Allez has a bigger spread of gears, but Boardman has a better quality 105 rear derailleur.

Steve_b77

I've just bought a Specialized Allez and it's superb, you're right it does have the shifters where you have to hit a small lever to change but you get used to them very easily.

If you are set on a Boardman be warned that alot of Hlafords (well the ones in Cheshire) won't even let you take one for a little spin round the car park. Whereas the Specialized Concept store in Chester let me wander off on the Allez just by leaving my moby as a deposite

Suffice to say customer service, the fact it felt bang on right away and that i have a spec' MTB swung it in favour of the allez.

I rode the trek 1.2 and it seemd a little bit harsh, but maybe thats just me :?

judokev

STEVE_B77 said

If you are set on a Boardman be warned that alot of Halfords (well the ones in Cheshire) won't even let you take one for a little spin round the car park,

This is very true they must think we are all thieves I was told I could try it in the shop? but I have speant about three weeks looking at loads of sites now and should end up with a much better bike but if I had liked the one they had I would have just bought it?

Thanks Halfords

Judo kev

TigerTom

does anyone know the size of the cassette on the boardman comp bike?

I've got the SCR 02 info front 30/39/50 back 12-25
but the halfords web site only lists the front size (50/36)
Is it the same cassette at the rear as the giant - they both seem to say Shimano HG50, but I've see different sizes on the web for cassettes with that number.

mivecboy

Hi,
I am in a similar position, ie with around 500 to spend on a new bike. I have looked at the scott s60 but another member on here said it was rubbish.

would that be on a shortlist ?

thanks, Phil

TigerTom

mivecboy wrote:

Hi,
I am in a similar position, ie with around 500 to spend on a new bike. I have looked at the scott s60 but another member on here said it was rubbish.

would that be on a shortlist ?

thanks, Phil

for me it has the wrong sort of gear shifters.

As far as I've seen here and in other forums the Specialised Allez is a well recommended bike (but has the wrong shifters for me), the boardman comp has had good reviews but are probably out of the price range - they were available at 10% off - i.e. £540 for the last week if you bought on line but that offer has finished althougth I'd bet that it'll be repeated sometime - maybe not until late summer though?

I think I'm going to end up getting the giant scr02, which is a lot more than I originally wanted tp pay but seems like a decent bike for the money (and is available in our cycle2work scheme)

To be honest I have no idea which I'd choose between the boardman and the giant if they are basically the same price (£540 vs £545) but I've got £550 to spend so it looks like the giant for me.

redddraggon

Nuggs wrote:

Out of those three, I'd say the Boardman would be best. C+ has given it some great reviews.

I'd discount the Carrera.

IMO, the Specialized Allez should be on your shortlist too.

Why discount the Carrera? They are well specced for the price, and the only shortcoming of Carrera tends to be the Halfords link and poor set up by the shop - both of which apply equally to the Boardman.

meanwhile

TigerTom wrote:

note that I'm pretty big and heavy - 6'2" and 16.5 stone. Should I be worried about a road bike's strength, particularly the wheels?

The likely weak spot will be the wheels. The more spokes you have on them the better; look for 32 or 36. Even more important is the protective air you have around. Try to find a road bike that will allow you fit *real* 38mm tyres if you - Contis and Schwalbe tend to be honestly sized. You probably won't in a racer, but try. Buy the bike with fast rolling 32s fitted, eg Conti Sports. Or even 38mm Marathon Supremes. At your weight you may well be uncomfortable riding a bike with less air than this. (I weight about 220lbs; I know.)

Another point to consider is braking. If you're riding in difficult traffic where emergency stops are likely and/or on hills, you may want something that brakes better than the average racer. This again means wider rubber as well a different braking system.

A rider of your weight can find a racing bike that makes a good commuter, but there are issues you have to pay attention to. If you can't meet these goals from your limited choice of bikes, consider buying another type of bike, eg a hybrid with a racer angled frame and racer gearing but more powerful v or disc brakes and room for wider tyres. You could easily switch a bike like this over to Midge Bar type drops (google them, if this sounds interesting.)



And test ride your bike. Heavy riders bring out the worst in a bike in many ways - some frames become very uncomfortable and start transmitting road noise as a nasty hand and ass stinging buzz - yes, even if they have carbon forks. The answer is to fit wider tyres, but you're screwed if the bike can't take them.

meanwhile

Btw, if you go about £100 higher I think you could get a Cotic Roadrat. The dropbar version could be ideal for you. Tough as hell, v or disc brakes, as wide tyres as you want Ok, up to 45mm), designed for bike messengers, cyclocross - anything that needs tough, fast, and great brakes. Google it. The great thing is, Cotic - an ultra cool boutique bike maker - have a deal with Halfords so you can get their bikes through them! You might not even need the extra £100 if you really scrimp and get heavy but tough hybrid wheels; the Rat frame and fork are £300, I think.

TigerTom

thanks meanwhile - thats good advice. Because of it I started thinking of getting a hybrid instead of a straight road bike. i.e. to get a slightly tougher bike to cope with my ample frame :? . Thus I wondered about the Giant FCR02, but then a friend pointed out that basically it has the same frame and wheels etx as the SCR02 that I was already thinking about.

mivecboy

Picked up my new SCR2 today and very very happy with it indeed.

TigerTom

well I've decided on the SCR02, now I've just got to decide on the frame size - I can't quite decide between the 55 and the 58.

mivecboy

I am 5'10" with a 30 inch inside leg and went for the 50cm. I think you'd need to sit on one and see what suits. I thought i'd get away with the 55.5cm but it was too big and didnt feel "right".

Harveytile

I am 6'3" (or 6'2" if I slouch) with 38" inseam. I currently ride a 58cm frame. I will be looking to buy a new bike shortly (probably cyclocross) and the shops I have spoken to have pointed me towards either another 58cm or a slightly larger 60cm frame. My current bike is 17 years old, 520 Reynolds, has full 105 groupset complete with down tube shifters, and original Ambrosio (spelling?) rims on 36 spokes, and 25mm Conti Gator Skins Ultras. Even with my 16.5st bulk, I haven't been able to break it. The forks flex a bit under heavy braking and the steel frame just soaks up the bumps. I think she'll get jelous sitting in the shed when the new lady arrives...

The people love the cycle to work scheme.

(Edited inseam to correct length)

the_hundredth_idiot

I'm going to be using the Cycle to Work scheme later on this year. One pleasant surprise I've had so far is that some independent bike shops take Halfords vouchers.

Not sure how this can work and haven't actually put it to the test yet but, when picking the brains of a guy in the bike shop near my office, I confessed that I felt guilty taking up his time as I wouldn't be able to actually buy the bike from them (but would buy lots of bits and pieces - new kit, etc) and the guy in the bike shop said not to worry as they take the Halfords vouchers.

I've since also had another bike shop in the West End (London) tell me the same.

If there is a proper bike shop near you, why not check with them as that'd widen the choice.

THI