full carbon or just forks & recommend please

jmeadows

whats the pros & cons of full carbon vs carbon forks?
also i will be buying a bike for around 1k, been looking at dolan mythos, trek 1.7 and focus cayo, spesh seem good too? any opinions please?
bike will be for leisure/ fitness and maybe amateur races as well as long charity rides hopefully!

blorg

Full carbon will _probably_ be lighter than an aluminum bike with carbon forks. It may also have a more comfortable ride which dampens road vibration; I have had Trek aluminum and Trek carbon bikes with identical geometries and the carbon bike was a hell of a lot more comfortable.

Currently have a Focus Cayo as my road bike and very happy with it although it is not the "cushiest" carbon frame I have ever ridden. It does seem plenty nippy though.

A steel bike will tend to be heavier- this may not make much of an effective difference to your times but I can assure you that a lighter bike does feel more fun to cycle up a hill irrespective. They are also expensive, especially 853, I don't think I would be looking at steel for £1,000. I considered 753 steel for my tourer but ended up going for titanium.

I would not honestly put the Trek 1.7 and Focus Cayo in the same category, the Cayo is leagues ahead of that Trek. I would compare the Cayo more with the likes of the Trek Madone 4x series (my previous road bike before the Cayo was a carbon Trek 5000.)

Overall I think I would definately say go carbon and the Cayo is a great bike for the money; Planet X are also a good option.

I have done several long (200km+) rides on the Cayo and it was perfect for this use. Would certainly be a good bike for racing IMHO although I have only started this myself.

jmeadows

dj- thanks for that link, really helpful, a good eye opener.
much appreciated thank you!

jmeadows

thanks blorg too: the cayo seems to get a good write up and seems great value for money, will look at planet x too, the focus cayo is stocked at wiggle right? thats a downside as i would prefer to be properly sized to it, assuming somebody else would stock it though?
thanks again

blorg

Focus are exclusively sold through Wiggle in the UK and Ireland although they may offer you a 7 day "test ride" facility if you ask them.

Sizing is very important on a road bike and if it is your first, there is certainly a case for getting fitted properly and buying off-line. I bought mine working on the basis of knowing what fit from previous bikes.

I believe Planet X do sell through local bike shops so you might have some luck there. Have also heard good things about the Dolan Mythos, appears to be a perfectly solid Taiwanese carbon frame at a great price. Some professionals/Olympians ride the Dolans here and I have heard good things at third-hand!

jmeadows

blorg- yes i defo want to be sized right, dolan are based about 20 mins from where i live, think the mythos is full tiagra too which i believe is average to good?
thanks

blorg

Tiagra is perfectly OK and if you have a decent frame you can always upgrade later but I think I would spend the extra to get 105 or Ultegra, will probably be cheaper with the bike than upgrading later and 105 is a decent jump up (I'd say get Ultegra though as it is not that much more expensive in turn than 105.)

(The Mythos comes with different groupset options, I have seen reports of people buying it with Ultegra for 1,000.)

daz51

Talking of this subject.............

anyone seen the road bikes Kona are bringing out next year going back to the old style shifters on the down tube?

look nice as hell !!!!

I dont care what anyone says, Kona bikes ride lush !!!!!!!!!!

moray_gub

jmeadows wrote:

blorg- yes i defo want to be sized right, dolan are based about 20 mins from where i live, think the mythos is full tiagra too which i believe is average to good?
thanks

http://www.bikes-dolan.uk.com/


the Mythos is being punted for £999 with full ultegra spec looks a good buy at that price

here is the ful spec

* FRAME - Dolan 12K Full Carbon Fibre
* FORK - Dolan 12K Carbon Fork/Alloy steering tube
* HANDLEBAR - Deda Big Piega
* STEM - Deda Quattro Oversize
* TAPE - Deda Cork - Black
* SEAT POST - Alpina Carbon
* SADDLE - San Marco Skin - Black Prologo Choice - White/Blk
* SHIFTERS - Shimano Ultegra 10spd
* FRONT MECH - Shimano Ultegra 10spd
* REAR MECH - Shimano Ultegra 10spd
* BRAKE Calpiers - Shimano Ultegra 10spd
* BRAKE LEVER - Shimano Ultegra 10spd
* CASSETTE Shimano Ultegra 10spd
* CHAIN Shimano Ultegra 10spd
* Chainset - Shimano Ultegra 10spd (Compact 50/34 or Standard 53/39)
* BOTTOM BRACKET - Shimano Ultegra 10spd
* WHEELS - Mavic Askium Race 2008
* TYRES - Schwalbe Stevilo 23mm BLK


cheers
MG

jmeadows

mg/blorg/dj- thanks for replys and sorry for not getting back to you, have just got back from spain yesterday, i will have a good think for a few weeks now and decide which bike to go for & what to do with my mtb.
defo pros & cons to every bike but i suppose it comes down to personal pref'
cheers guys...