£500 Entry Level Road Bike

BobbyTrigger

i'm after a shiny new entry level road bike to blow away the cobwebs on a sunday morning. I have to admit that i know nothing about road bikes. I have at a £500 budget - been looking at the Giant Defy 4 in my LBS.

any thoughts? or can anyone suggest anything better?

thanks in advance.

Anonymous

If you like it and it fits you well - crack on my friend!

Giant are the biggest bike manufacturer in the world, they didn't get there by being bad...

You will get 101 suggestions but the bottom line is, you are riding it.

It's made better if the bike is from your LBS that you trust. That part is worth a fortune!

Have fun with it when you get it

StringS

Hi guys

Im new to the forum but i have done some researching in the last 4 months.

My friends both have road bikes, one has a Bianchi Nirone and the Other has a Jamis Ventura. They are the reason i am going to get one, im actually going to buy mine tomorrow and ive decided after visiting near on every bike dealers website and viewing nearly every single entry level bike out there that Halfords Carerra range is a stand out aloud range.

I will be getting myself a Carerra Vanquish 07 bike with Carbon Forks, Alu frame, Tiagra 9sp, the bike is going to cost me £450 from halfords but for what im getting i dont care if its made by monkeys! (which it probibly will be) as i can always take it to the LBS. Trust me when i say if youre not prepared to pay for a second hand bike then for a bike of this specification your looking at paying atleast £600 and maybe the rest just for the name more than anything, i have read everything there is on the net regarding Carerras and people who have them love them (especially winter bikes) and its only the people who DONT have them that give thema bad name, so take halfords out of the equation and your getting a bargain!

P.S. My firend who bought the Jamis Ventura got it for half price (£1200 down to £600) with ultrega and a lot of carbon, worth checking if you can afford it

www.buyabikedirect.co.uk

HillClimber101

i got a defy 3 '09 a couple of months ago for for £525 with £100 of shimano pedals, shoes and cleats. but the price may of gone up. still the giant defy is a great bike

juankerr

The Defy looks good or Spesh Allez for £540.

Essex Man

I have just got a defy 3 as a first road bike. I really like it - fast and east to ride.

Defy 4 to 1 all have the same frame.