SRC 1.5 or Defy 2.5

redddraggon

SCR is far better specced for the money. Go for the SCR

DonDaddyD

Hold on, your Dad is willing to drop £650 on a bike?

You may as well start looking at the SCR 1 that's the top of the range model and comes with 105 components. It should cost around £600 at a discounted price leaving spare change for a helmet, cycle shorts, D-lock, cycle computer, lights etc.

There may be better bike's from other manufacturers at that price range, I'll be back to edit this later. Always worth doing research.

Edit: If your £650 is all your Dad is willing to stretch to then go for the SCR 1.5 offers far better value for money and better overall specification than the Defy. The 1.5 is actually the equivalent of the Defy 2, the Defy 2.5 is the equivalent of the SCR 2, so buying a Defy 2.5 over a SCR 1.5 would be spending more money for a lower spec model from the same manufacturer. Also the SCR 1.5 is an outgoing model make sure you get some discount on the price (expect to pay £600 - £500).

If your Dad can stretch a little further (he's already in that price bracket) then have a look at Specialized Allez Sport, Trek 1.5, Bianchi via norone 105 (if Evans still has the model).

lochindaal

Edinburgh Bikes currently have the Specialized Allez Sport reduced from £699 to £499 which would give you some spare cash for other kit or upgrades

Fru T Bunn

They've got some big discounts on the SCR range here:

http://www.tredz.co.uk/ProductList.asp? ... ID=&Brand=

Just got a 2008 SCR 2 for £436

ris

you might be able to find spesh allez sports for 600, or maybe less (a few websites are marking them down further). this is an end of range mark down though, so the available sizes might be limited.

the allez sport is seems pretty close to the scr 1.5 in spec terms; both use tiagra kit, and a compact (double) crankset. the defy looks similarly specced, with a triple on the front.

for the sort of money you are looking at the gaint, specialized, bianchi and trek ranges are all fairly close in terms of quality and kit specification. to be honest you may as well go by which one you like the look of best because they are very close other than that!