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First Road Bike.

Mark88Mark88 Posts: 5
edited January 2009 in Road beginners
Hi, I am trying to get my first road but not sure which one. My current bike is an MTB which is very heavy (15kg) with no suspension and gears are too high so it doesn't make riding uphill very fun.

I'm looking to spend around £500 and I have found 6 bikes.

Dawes Giro 400 - £359.99 http://www.ashcycles.com/power/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1009&currency=BP

Giant FCR 4 - £386.59 http://www.cyclestore.co.uk/productDetails.asp?productID=17271 Has flatbars so I would probably add aerobars.

BeOne Storm 2.0 - £399.99 http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=25458

Giant SCR 2 - £449.99 http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/product/13196/Giant_SCR_2_Mens_Bike_2008

Giant SCR 1.5 - £499.99 http://www.ashcycles.com/power/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=88_111_55_72&products_id=830

Giant DEFY 3 - £535 http://www.pedalon.co.uk/acatalog/giant_defy_3.html

What do you think of these bikes? Or are there any other bikes you would recommend?
I live in a hilly and windy area so I'm not sure if a double chainset would be okay or to go for a triple. My MTB is a double and lowest gear is 38 at front and 28 at back so even if I got a double I think it would be fine since those bikes are a lot lighter and more aerodynamic.
Thanks in advance.

Posts

  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    Ii bought a Scott Speedster S50 as my first roadbike. Sora triple, carbon forks and seatpost, cost £550. if you look around this time of year they are selling this years model cheap to make way for next year. have a look a www.pedalon.co.uk , good site with freebies if you buy a full priced bike. Hope this helps. :P
  • sicknotesicknote Posts: 901
    You could also look at these
    For the extra £20, I think the comp is a great deal and would have one myself if her in doors would not string me up :shock: :wink:
    Both on you budget too :D
  • The SpidermanThe Spiderman Posts: 5,625
    I`d choose the Giant SCR 1.5 or save some money and get a discounted Boardman road comp for £440.
    2006 Giant XTC
    2010 Giant Defy Advanced
    2016 Boardman Pro 29er
    2016 Pinnacle Lithium 4
    2017 Canondale Supersix Evo
  • fuzzynavelfuzzynavel Posts: 718
    The Spiderman wrote:
    I`d choose the Giant SCR 1.5 or save some money and get a discounted Boardman road comp for £440.

    I have a SCR 1.5 and only have good things to say about it!
    17 Stone down to 12.5 now raring to get back on the bike!
  • woody1545woody1545 Posts: 322
    Hi,

    I've just ordered the Boardman Comp for £440 from Halfords (with the 10% extra online discount). Like Sicknote says its great value.

    Halfords: http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165710

    This is the review from bikeradar: http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... p-08-22946.

    Have you checked to see if your company (or a friend/relatives if you're naughty) has a cycle to work scheme? You can get an extra 40% off on top!
  • simon_esimon_e Posts: 1,701
    I think you need to test ride (or at least sit on) some bikes. Strangers on a forum can't help you choose a bike any more than they can the colour of paint for your living room. Compare specs, prices and reviews, go meet some steeds in the flesh and it should all get a little easier. Make sure you get the right size.

    SCR 2 (triple) and SCR 1.5 (compact) are almost identical. Defy is Giant's 2009 name for SCR. Like Giant the Boardman bikes are good value and owners seem very happy.

    Have you read the sticky 'What Road Bike?' thread in this forum? And there's always the Search...
    Aspire not to have more, but to be more.
  • wiffachipwiffachip Posts: 861
    if you shop around you can get an SCR1 for under £600 on the net, mainly 105 gear and a nice 34/28 bottom gear, which seems pretty low for a double
  • Mark88Mark88 Posts: 5
    Thanks guys for the replies, I had a look at the "What Road Bike?" thread before I posted but your replies have helped :)
    The Boardman looks pretty good and there is a halfords nearby so I could go see it maybe.
  • The SpidermanThe Spiderman Posts: 5,625
    Mark88 wrote:
    Thanks guys for the replies, I had a look at the "What Road Bike?" thread before I posted but your replies have helped :)
    The Boardman looks pretty good and there is a halfords nearby so I could go see it maybe.

    .....and ride it too. :wink:
    2006 Giant XTC
    2010 Giant Defy Advanced
    2016 Boardman Pro 29er
    2016 Pinnacle Lithium 4
    2017 Canondale Supersix Evo
  • Mark88Mark88 Posts: 5
    The 10% off sale ended in halfords so the Boardman will be £499.99 unless they give me a discount lol but I'm going there today anyway. I also found this bike http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=25459 same price as Boardman and reduced from £799.99 What do you think of it?
  • keef66keef66 Posts: 13,123
    That's a bargain. £500 for 105 kit (apart from the chainset).
  • cheeheecheehee Posts: 427
    Mark88 wrote:
    The 10% off sale ended in halfords so the Boardman will be £499.99 unless they give me a discount lol but I'm going there today anyway. I also found this bike http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=25459 same price as Boardman and reduced from £799.99 What do you think of it?

    Mark, I have just bought the BeOne click here:

    http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12598812

    Cheers

    Cheehee
  • giant_mangiant_man Posts: 6,878
    One of the Giants would be a good first road bike imo.
  • edhornbyedhornby Posts: 1,780
    although you'd be loking at them on the internet only.... have a look at Ribble cycles, they do some really good deals as well
    "I get paid to make other people suffer on my wheel, how good is that"
    --Jens Voight
  • Mark88Mark88 Posts: 5
    Hey, I got the Boardman comp yesterday although it was 2009 model, all the 2008 was sold out and 2009 was being sold as fast as it came in so I was kinda lucky. Cost me about £587 though and they guy gave me a helmet free.
    They were going to built the bike for me which would mean I have to come back tomorrow and it is kinda far to travel so I just took it home and built it myself. There wasn't any problems except the bolt that attaches the front brake to the forks was a little shorter than I would have liked.
    I haven't been able to take it out for a spin yet because I forgot to get the right pump :oops: can't wait though, the bike looks great and feels pretty light (i think it's lighter than 2008 model). I'll try to get some pictures once it's all done.
  • alanmck1971alanmck1971 Posts: 85
    I also bought a Boardman Road Comp yesterday and managed to get an '08 model. I have been following and adding to the threads over the past month or so and would like to thank all the imput and replies from all the formities. It helps a great deal to get others opinions when you are new to this game.
  • gkerr4gkerr4 Posts: 3,408
    well at least you got sorted - not the best value bike you were looking at mind, but fit is the most important thing.

    now start saving for the upgrades!
  • alanmck1971alanmck1971 Posts: 85
    gkerr4 wrote:
    well at least you got sorted - not the best value bike you were looking at mind, but fit is the most important thing.

    now start saving for the upgrades!


    Ok I have bitten. Tell me what is the best value bike I should have bought.
  • gkerr4gkerr4 Posts: 3,408
    i wasn't looking for 'bites'

    i dunno - there were links to full 105 bikes for lower cost than the halfords comp - £587 is a lot for a tiagra bike!

    that said they get good reviews and everyone who has one here seems to love it - and like I said, fit is important so getting to try one in a store is much better than internet order where you take a gamble with the fit.
  • EssexSuffolkEssexSuffolk Posts: 112
    gkerr4 wrote:
    i dunno - there were links to full 105 bikes for lower cost than the halfords comp - £587 is a lot for a tiagra bike!

    To balance that, however, I paid more for a Tiagra equipped bike. As gkerr4 also said, fit is very important and - I think - convenience as well. I could have trawled the country looking for a bargain, but my Giant was there, fitted great, so the deal felt right. Enjoy the bike!
  • giant_mangiant_man Posts: 6,878
    quote="EssexSuffolk"]
    gkerr4 wrote:
    i dunno - there were links to full 105 bikes for lower cost than the halfords comp - £587 is a lot for a tiagra bike!

    To balance that, however, I paid more for a Tiagra equipped bike. As gkerr4 also said, fit is very important and - I think - convenience as well. I could have trawled the[ country looking for a bargain, but my Giant was there, fitted great, so the deal felt right. Enjoy the bike![/quote]
    Absolutely! Fit is everything.
  • maruschesmarusches Posts: 129
    yeah i think the giant defy 2.0 is tiagra and the heap is £720 0dd so £580 aint bad
  • maruschesmarusches Posts: 129
    thing that put me of the defy was i wasnt sure on compact frame size as it has a real compact frame on it .but she does look good.has a good set of wheels on it to mavics i think i must admit it would look even better especially with a set of red fulcrum 7's on it :lol:
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