some advice please.

scale20

Hi all,

Just been looking through all the 'advice on a road bike' threads, guess what, this is another one, but I will try to keep it different!

Im currently a mountain biker and hve been since year dot, but the thought of knocking out 40-50 miles on the tarmac is suddenly becoming more appealing. Mainly too keep my bike fitness up and start me off on a bit of a weightloss and 'tone up' regime.

I'm looking at bikes in the £550 bracket, and its my understanding that you get a good quality beginers bike for that? The Specialised Allez seems to get the votes on here. I take it by the name 'Allez double' or 'tripple' it means double or tripple chainset? Other bike Ive been looking at are the Merida 901 24 and the SCOTT speedster S50, what are your thoughts on these?

Its a bit of a groupset minefield out there too. What are the comparisons between road and MTB groupsets?

Oh and do I have to wear lycra and shave my legs? on a serious note though, any advicve on the above would be great.

Thanks, Martin

Bronzie

scale20 wrote:

I'm looking at bikes in the £550 bracket, and its my understanding that you get a good quality beginers bike for that?

Yes

scale20 wrote:

I take it by the name 'Allez double' or 'tripple' it means double or tripple chainset?

Yes

scale20 wrote:

Its a bit of a groupset minefield out there too. What are the comparisons between road and MTB groupsets?

Campag: Xenon (£212) > Mirage (£269) > Centaur (£438) > Chorus (£777) > Record (£1000)
Shimano: Tiagra (£230) > 105 (£340) > Ultegra (£437) > Dura Ace (£700)
Shimano MTB: Alivio > Deore > XT > XTR

scale20 wrote:

Oh and do I have to wear lycra and shave my legs?

No - whatever floats your boat

robmanic1

and you're not allowed to wear a camelback or a peak on your visor. Don't sk me why, you're just NOT OK!

doktorsteve

you must wear lycra if you are spending more than £250 - its functional

BUT

the peak on your visor shows you are expecting sun or want to keep the rain off yur glasses

and you have to remember your heritage and acknowledge anyone on a bike - road or mountain. Eventually those grumpy roadies will get the message.

don't forget Giants SCR - I think they made the range for people getting off mountain bikes! Easy riding position and a real smooth ride compared to my alu hardtail.

Look out for end of season price reductions if you want to get more for your money.

Rich Hcp

I went from a MTB to an Allez, well, I do both...

And I wear a Camelbak Slipstream

Don't wear baggy shorts on a roadie, though

My lid has no peak.....

jellybellywmb

Robmanic1 wrote:

and you're not allowed to wear a camelback or a peak on your visor. Don't sk me why, you're just NOT OK!

I have a visor and will not take it off .
and just to keep it real wear MTB shoes (Well actually can't afford 2 sets so hey ho)

Giant SCR is deffo worth a look if you want a comfortable riding position.
The Lyrcra will draw you in and before you know it you will be wearing Bibshorts and natty little armwarmers.

Steve_b77

doh double mouse press

Steve_b77

scale20 wrote:

Hi all,

Just been looking through all the 'advice on a road bike' threads, guess what, this is another one, but I will try to keep it different!

Im currently a mountain biker and hve been since year dot, but the thought of knocking out 40-50 miles on the tarmac is suddenly becoming more appealing. Mainly too keep my bike fitness up and start me off on a bit of a weightloss and 'tone up' regime.

I'm looking at bikes in the £550 bracket, and its my understanding that you get a good quality beginers bike for that? The Specialised Allez seems to get the votes on here. I take it by the name 'Allez double' or 'tripple' it means double or tripple chainset? Other bike Ive been looking at are the Merida 901 24 and the SCOTT speedster S50, what are your thoughts on these?

Its a bit of a groupset minefield out there too. What are the comparisons between road and MTB groupsets?

Oh and do I have to wear lycra and shave my legs? on a serious note though, any advicve on the above would be great.

Thanks, Martin

Martin,

Exactly the same position I found myself in a couple of weeks ago, mainly for the fitness and less risk of causaing myself some damage

I ended up with a specialized Allez Double, to be honest even though there's not a small fron ring, the road bike rolls that easily you don't really notice as on teh Allez the "middle" ring is 34t and coupled with a 28t rear cog it makes hills pretty easy.

i've also really noticed the fact even cheapish road bikes weigh bugger all

But one word of warning the brakes are nothing like hydraulic discs on yer MTB, so when you get on that after riding a road bike be most careful as I did a full un-intended endo

robmanic1

I wear mtb shoes and lycra on my road bike
baggies and mtb boots on my full susser
take the peak off my lid for road bike

A mixture off all of the above on my hardtail

Why, I've no idea.

Bronzie

doktorsteve wrote:

the peak on your visor shows you are expecting sun or want to keep the rain off yur glasses

NO!!! Wear a cotton racing cap under your helmet for added "Belgian hardman" kudos.

redddraggon

Bronzie wrote:

doktorsteve wrote:

the peak on your visor shows you are expecting sun or want to keep the rain off yur glasses

NO!!! Wear a cotton racing cap under your helmet for added "Belgian hardman" kudos.

Peaks are useless on the road, you should be aiming to look like this:

scale20

Thanks for all the replies .

I called into the Specialized concept store in Chester today to take a look at the Spesh Allez, nice bike but they could have varied the colours, Black looks too much like a butchers bike, so that ones off the list. I do l;ike the look of the Giant SCR though.

Going to see if my LBS have had the Merida 901 in tomorrow, try that on for size

Been looking at the focus's on wiggle, what are your thoughts on them?

scottchri5tie

Hello Guys im after some advice if possible, im in the process of buying a trek 1.5 double mainly for commuting but for fun aswell. Would I be better getting the triple for the extra gears or are they mainly as they say 'granny gears'

thanks for any help

scale20

I went for the Merida 901 in the end,

Called into my LBS yesterday and got a good deal, Bike SPD's, 2 bottles and cages and 2 innertubes, £500.









Just need to get out on it now and get used to it. Thanks for all the advice.

Nuggs

Robmanic1 wrote:

and you're not allowed to wear a camelback or a peak on your visor. Don't sk me why, you're just NOT OK!

[/quote]
Shirley the peak restricts vision when riding in the drops?