£500 to spend on group set

london-red
london-red Posts: 1,266
edited June 2009 in Road buying advice
Merlin Bikes has the complete Ultegra SL groupset for £499. So, the question is, would you pay this and run for the hills happy and content or would you buy some FSA SLK Ti brakes from Planet X for £85, an FSA SLK MEGXO Compact for £135 and mix and match the rest?

Or would you do somthing else entirely?

Comments

  • billy whippet
    billy whippet Posts: 171
    you should get centaur for £420
  • guilliano
    guilliano Posts: 5,495
    He has Shimano wheels so it would need to be Shimano or SRAM.....

    I think you can pick up an Ultegra groupset for around your price ......

    http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/?fn=produ ... goryId=159[/img]
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/guilliano/
  • london-red
    london-red Posts: 1,266
    that's right - shimano compatible only... not that i'd go for campag anyway :wink:

    thanks for the link, but that's one of my options as we are... just wondered if anyone had a view of any alternative options.

    cheers
  • Cheeky
    Cheeky Posts: 113
    guilliano wrote:
    He has Shimano wheels so it would need to be Shimano or SRAM.....

    I've used Shimano cassettes with my 10 speed Centaur set up no problem, so I'd go for the Centaur option..........but then I'm biased, all those cables sticking out everywhere, what a mess!
  • guilliano
    guilliano Posts: 5,495
    Would also be compatible with SRAM..... and their groupsets are getting good reviews.

    I have Ultegra on my bike so can heartily recommend it, but a cheaper option and nearly as good is 105, which means more bling with the change! :D
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/guilliano/
  • london-red
    london-red Posts: 1,266
    no way am i going to start mixing campag and shimano - imagine the dirty looks I'd get :D

    As for 105, i have that and tiagra on my current set up so really want an upgrade of some description....

    i can get the 2008 sram rival gs for £350, but for some reason it makes me nervous. http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/?fn=produ ... goryId=159

    and i am quite particular about this as well
    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=23007
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,666
    You can buy my Full Ultegra set up for 300 notes if you like...
  • Simon Notley
    Simon Notley Posts: 1,263
    I've heard bad things about the FSA chainsets, so I'd go with Ultegra.
  • london-red
    london-red Posts: 1,266
    ultegra or ultegra sl?

    and thanks for the note on fsa - good to know
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,666
    London-Red,are you referring to me? It's Standard 53/39 12-25 Ultegra. (Not SL)
  • Ash_
    Ash_ Posts: 385
    London-Red wrote:
    I can get the 2008 sram rival gs for £350, but for some reason it makes me nervous.

    Just in a matter of interest, why does the SRAM make you nervous?

    And, if you don't like the silver finish of the 2008 groupset, the more stealthy-looking 2009 version is also in your price range. Although, do you really want to pay extra for what amounts to little more than a slightly different finish? That said, there's no great difference between Ultegra and Ultegra SL either...
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    Why waste money on Shimano when you can get the better SRAM stuff for less?
    I like bikes...

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  • guilliano
    guilliano Posts: 5,495
    I reckon Redddragon secretly works for Fishers :wink:
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/guilliano/
  • Beatmaker
    Beatmaker Posts: 1,092
    Rival hands down for reasons of weight, tech and function.
  • Ash_
    Ash_ Posts: 385
    redddraggon wrote:
    Why waste money on Shimano when you can get the better SRAM stuff for less?

    Just out of interest, what is it that makes the SRAM stuff better? I'd like to know, and some quantifiable differences might help the OP make up his mind...
  • london-red
    london-red Posts: 1,266
    Sram: Is tidier than Ultegra and much lighter. However, there have been a few concerns over the quality of the BB and the longevity of the rear mechanism.

    Ultegra SL: Smoother gear changes (allegedly), quality build and what I'm used to - but heavier than Sram and, well, a bit dull.

    That's as far as I've got.

    Thanks for the replies, by the way, it's doing my head in a bit...
  • Ash_
    Ash_ Posts: 385
    London-Red wrote:
    Sram: Is tidier than Ultegra and much lighter. However, there have been a few concerns over the quality of the BB and the longevity of the rear mechanism.

    I suppose for your budget you could buy the SRAM Rival groupset, and get a better bottom bracket and still have change left over for a spare rear mech if you ever needed it. Or of course just run it 'as is', saving quite a bit of cash, and see what happens...

    I also take your point about Ultegra being a bit 'dull' (and soon to be replaced). I'm erring towards SRAM for my next build...
  • london-red
    london-red Posts: 1,266
    Okay - thanks for all the help and advice - I've taken the plunge on a complete Sram rival 2009 groupset. Not only have I changed brand (from Shimano) but I've even gone from a standard double to a compact (I don't know what came over me...)

    Got it for £450 from JE James.
  • Carlos13
    Carlos13 Posts: 152
    I have a Tiagra triple groupset, if I upgraded to Sram Rival does anyone know what the weight saving would be? My bike weighs 21lb with pedals, which seems heavy to me, keen to see if I could lose decent weight from it by changing the groupset, as I have no need of a triple.
    08 Commencal Meta 5.5.2
    On One Scandal single speed
    08 Specialized Tricross Singlecross
    Felt CA1
    70s Claud Butler Campag Gransport - Fixed conversion
    Various other junk

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