Giving up cycling because.....

ram038

I can,t frigging decide which new bike to choose. Company has signed-up to the CycleToWork scheme with Halfords. I don't fancy the Boardman or the Condor.

I have 3 bikes on my shortlist

Wilier Mortirolo Mirage 2008
Orbea Onix Bira 2008
Focus Cayo 2008

Neither of these bikes can I get fitted for. My question is would it be foolish to just guess a size to order or could i base the size on a Cannondale Synapse which was judged to be my size, 53cm?
Also woch one would you choose?

Barry Roubaix

Is there any chance you could get to a shop to try the Wilier or Orbea. If you saw them in the flesh, had a ride, that would probably help you make your mind up.

ram038

closest shop that has an Orbea is in canterbury and they don't have the Onyx. I will pop in next weekend for a peruse anyway. Can't find a Wilier dealer anywhere near me.

venster

Where are you based?

Apollo Cycles in Tenterden stock Wiliers....

ram038

Based just outside Gravesend.

pdrolo

can't you have a generic fitting done ? - I had a bio racer profile done - then I just faxed this to the people who were supplying my bike - worked pretty well.

Barry Roubaix

pdrolo wrote:

can't you have a generic fitting done ? - I had a bio racer profile done - then I just faxed this to the people who were supplying my bike - worked pretty well.

You can also get this done at a Specialized BG retailers

cougie

I saw the Boardman hybrid at a duathlon today - its very very nice in the flesh.

doyler78

Are you sure you can get the Focus Cayo from Halfords because if your scheme has a £1000 limit then Halfords will not get it for you as the price on Wiggle's website isn't the important price it is the retail price which is £1199 and therefore above the limit.

Have you considered the new kid on the block, the Kiron Scandium. Gets a fantastic rating in this months C+.

venster

ram038 wrote:

Based just outside Gravesend.

If you decide to make the trip down there, i 'd check to see if they are open and whar stock they have.

I've turned up before and they've been shut and on other times their stock level has been low.

marcelino

ram038 wrote:

closest shop that has an Orbea is in canterbury and they don't have the Onyx. I will pop in next weekend for a peruse anyway. Can't find a Wilier dealer anywhere near me.

I found this a nightmare as I really wanted an Orbea but the nearest Orbea dealer never had what I wanted in stock. Perhaps next time

ram038

marcelino wrote:

ram038 wrote:

closest shop that has an Orbea is in canterbury and they don't have the Onyx. I will pop in next weekend for a peruse anyway. Can't find a Wilier dealer anywhere near me.

I found this a nightmare as I really wanted an Orbea but the nearest Orbea dealer never had what I wanted in stock. Perhaps next time

what did you do in the end?

musto_skiff

cougie wrote:

I saw the Boardman hybrid at a duathlon today - its very very nice in the flesh.

Was that the WhiteOak Event?

RSV_Ecosse

I think you might well be toiling to get those bikes listed from Halfords.

I had also been told from various sources, including a few people who "knew someone who worked there" that Halfords could source a wide variety of bikes that they didn't normally keep in stock. I was after a Cayo as well and upon further investigation, I ended up hitting a brick wall.

Was told in 3 different branches that although it had been done in the past, no they culd not source me a Cayo. Neither could they get me a Planet X Carbon or a Dolan Mythos.

They were however, very keen to push their Boardman range ( which I liked and admit I did consider ) as well as their top of the range Carrera Virago carbon.

Upon trying a few of my local, well known LBS' , again, none were keen to attempt o source a Cayo for me, preferring instead, to gently point me in the direction of the bikes they did normally stock, a lot of which were viable alternatives.

Bloke in a local Evans Cycles just smiled and told me "Nope.....no way" when I mentioned the Cayo. "Get one from Wiggle or no one, thats pretty much your choice" he said.

I eventually gave up with my shortlist of the Cayo, PX and Dolan and began looking at bikes that were locally available as there was no way I was buying onlineand just guessing at my frame size.

Eventually came down to either a Cannondale CAD9, Bianchi B4P or Pinarello FP1.

Went for the FP1 in the end as I got a fantastic deal on it from Velo Ecosse in Edinburgh and I'm very glad I did go for the FP1 as its a superb bit of kit.

So when folk tell you Halfords can get you anything you want, treat it with the proverbial pinch of Sodium Chloride 8)

ram038

RSV_Ecosse wrote:

I think you might well be toiling to get those bikes listed from Halfords.

I had also been told from various sources, including a few people who "knew someone who worked there" that Halfords could source a wide variety of bikes that they didn't normally keep in stock. I was after a Cayo as well and upon further investigation, I ended up hitting a brick wall.

Was told in 3 different branches that although it had been done in the past, no they culd not source me a Cayo. Neither could they get me a Planet X Carbon or a Dolan Mythos.

They were however, very keen to push their Boardman range ( which I liked and admit I did consider ) as well as their top of the range Carrera Virago carbon.

Upon trying a few of my local, well known LBS' , again, none were keen to attempt o source a Cayo for me, preferring instead, to gently point me in the direction of the bikes they did normally stock, a lot of which were viable alternatives.

Bloke in a local Evans Cycles just smiled and told me "Nope.....no way" when I mentioned the Cayo. "Get one from Wiggle or no one, thats pretty much your choice" he said.

I eventually gave up with my shortlist of the Cayo, PX and Dolan and began looking at bikes that were locally available as there was no way I was buying onlineand just guessing at my frame size.

Eventually came down to either a Cannondale CAD9, Bianchi B4P or Pinarello FP1.

Went for the FP1 in the end as I got a fantastic deal on it from Velo Ecosse in Edinburgh and I'm very glad I did go for the FP1 as its a superb bit of kit.

So when folk tell you Halfords can get you anything you want, treat it with the proverbial pinch of Sodium Chloride 8)

That FP1 looks a lovely bike
Unfortunately I am stuck with Halfords as our scheme is with them. I have been given a phone number at Halfords to call re sourcing any bike. I am goiing to arrange a generic fitting and use that as a guide. How did you find the B4P, i understand that that is more race orientated than the C2C?

ukracer

if you ring up the halfords cycle scheme team they will tell you what bikes you can get and the list is pretty good. They also use leisure lakes as their supplier and i am getting mine ordered and colleced from the leisure lakes store nearest me.
i believe they also use wiggle

method

RSV_Ecosse wrote:

I think you might well be toiling to get those bikes listed from Halfords.

I had also been told from various sources, including a few people who "knew someone who worked there" that Halfords could source a wide variety of bikes that they didn't normally keep in stock. I was after a Cayo as well and upon further investigation, I ended up hitting a brick wall.

Was told in 3 different branches that although it had been done in the past, no they culd not source me a Cayo. Neither could they get me a Planet X Carbon or a Dolan Mythos.

They were however, very keen to push their Boardman range ( which I liked and admit I did consider ) as well as their top of the range Carrera Virago carbon.

Upon trying a few of my local, well known LBS' , again, none were keen to attempt o source a Cayo for me, preferring instead, to gently point me in the direction of the bikes they did normally stock, a lot of which were viable alternatives.

Bloke in a local Evans Cycles just smiled and told me "Nope.....no way" when I mentioned the Cayo. "Get one from Wiggle or no one, thats pretty much your choice" he said.

I eventually gave up with my shortlist of the Cayo, PX and Dolan and began looking at bikes that were locally available as there was no way I was buying onlineand just guessing at my frame size.

Eventually came down to either a Cannondale CAD9, Bianchi B4P or Pinarello FP1.

Went for the FP1 in the end as I got a fantastic deal on it from Velo Ecosse in Edinburgh and I'm very glad I did go for the FP1 as its a superb bit of kit.

So when folk tell you Halfords can get you anything you want, treat it with the proverbial pinch of Sodium Chloride 8)

Did you try phoning the cycle to work number they have? The people instore didn't know anything about it from my experience.

ram038

Spoke to Halfords C2C helpdesk and they said that I cannot get a bike on sale as they only deal with RRP. That means that I cannot get the Focus Cayo gutted. The chap on the phone gave me this list of bikes I can get

Scott speedster s30
Viner gladius
Specialized Allez elite
Cannondale CAAD9 105 (did not say which year0
Bianchi via Nirone alu Carbon Veloce (in white only)
Ribble Nero Corsa (looks very good value)
Could also get a bike from Dolan but quick search on web found nothing.

Two other candidates from bikehut

Cboardman Team
Condor Italia

what do you think is the best bike of that lot, looking for speed on the flat and climbs like a mountain goat? (obviously me being the weakpoint in the combination)

Has anyone managed to source a bike from Halfords not on the list and if so how difficult was it and did they try to fob you off onto their preference.
Sorry about all the questions but i would like to be aware of any ptfalls before I spend a Grand and end up dissappointed.

RSV_Ecosse

method wrote:

Did you try phoning the cycle to work number they have? The people instore didn't know anything about it from my experience.

No mate, I didn't even think on that. I assumed the guys at the bike hut would know the score. No one there mentioned that I should phone another particular part of the Halfords system for C2W, so I wasn't aware of it.

This is why I gave up with them and moved on to a list of my LBS that was on our works computer network.

I have to admit that the scheme we were signed up to was pretty good, allowing us to source bikes from almost any well known ( and some not so well known ) LBS from all over Scotland.

ram038 yeah, you will toil to get a Cayo from anywhere but Wiggle, who I believe ( I might be wrong ?? ) run their own particular Cyclescheme thing. They have the import and supply of Focus bikes pretty well tied up. Shrewd business sense on their part, but it can't be doing Focus much good as far as the volume of sales they could be making in the UK. 8)

The Bianchi B4P is a lot more performance/race orientated compared to their C2C range, which I guess means less comfort, higher performance ( although I'm still trying to get that round my head - As a newbie to cycling, I assumed the performance "engine" was the riders legs....lol !!! ).

My mate has a B4P and its a very nice ride, I have no idea of the figures, but it seems to feel heavier than my FP1.

However, I see the list you have doesn't include the B4P. I'll chip in my limited ( again, as a relative newcomer to bikes ) opinions on a couple of the bikes on yer list.

The Cannondale CAAD9 105 is a very good value for money bike, well specced and highly regarded. My local Evans had a few on special offer with about £200 off list price, all in Liquigas colours, I was sorely tempted.

The Via Nirone Alu Carbon Veloce is another cracking bike for the cash. It actually looks very good in white in the flesh and comes well specced. It looks a bit comfier than some of the other race orientated bikes I tried too.

The Ribbles, I only know of from the cycling media, they look stonking value for money and the Nero Corsa looks superb as well.

As far as Dolan go, have another hunt for the Mythos. It's a full carbon frame effort, which compares very favourably with the Cayo as far as spec and value goes.

Stick "Dolan Mythos" into a Google search and there are a few places come up with them in stock, maybe some will be near you.

To be honest, out of them all, I would be seriously looking at the Dolan and the Ribble, but thats only my own opinion.

Best of luck with whatever decision you make, keep us informed of what you go for and how you get on!!!

ram038

Has anybody got a Scott Speedster S30 and can they recommend it?

ram038

Life has a habit of kicking you when your down. I got a reply from Halfords yesterday telling me that they would not source me a Wilier Mortirolo under the C2W scheme( so much for just call us we be glad to help). What happened tonight on the way home to the station some guy pulled up in one, it is better in the flesh than the photos make out. Anyway got chatting to him while waiting for lights to change and he was clearly impressed by the bike, goes like a wippit climbs like a goat. Oh my shattered dreams. Thats my two top choices off my list now feel that what ever I get won't live up to my expectations. Off to Condor tomorrow hope that can rekindle my enthusiasm