Can you help me decide?

glasgowbhoy
glasgowbhoy Posts: 1,341
edited August 2009 in Road beginners
Can you help me decide on my first road bike that I'll be using for road racing and triathlon events.

Have read through a lot of threads on here recently

Have been riding a trek 6000 mountain bike with road tyres about 120 miles a week to and from work for a year. I really want a road bike now.

The bikes I have been looking at are all in the 500-600 price bracket

Specialized Allez. (am i better with the 18 or the 24?)

Trek 1.2

Focus Variado

Boardman Comp (although the Halfords thing really puts me off)

Thanks in advance

John

Comments

  • ian_s
    ian_s Posts: 183
    Some deals starting to appear - maybe worth checking out? I just got a sale booklet from Evans in the post yesterday. Some good deals on eg Scott and Cannondale if its what you are looking for.
  • glasgowbhoy
    glasgowbhoy Posts: 1,341
    thanks Ian,

    I thought the Scotts and Cannondales were starting at well above the £600 mark though?
  • batch78
    batch78 Posts: 1,320
    Boardmans the best spec for your money

    As your first road bike its essential to get it fitted correctly so I'd forget the Focus

    You'll be better off with a double not a compact for racing but doubt any bike in this price range will have that.

    How about looking at this one aswell? http://www.evanscycles.com/products/fuj ... e-ec018089
  • skyd0g
    skyd0g Posts: 2,540
    I have a Boardman Comp, and would say it's a damned good bike IMHO.
    But I am able to do virtually all my own servicing - anything I can't do (which isn't much) I would take it to a LBS, not Halfords. :wink:
    Cycling weakly
  • glasgowbhoy
    glasgowbhoy Posts: 1,341
    batch78 wrote:
    Boardmans the best spec for your money

    As your first road bike its essential to get it fitted correctly so I'd forget the Focus

    You'll be better off with a double not a compact for racing but doubt any bike in this price range will have that.

    How about looking at this one aswell? http://www.evanscycles.com/products/fuj ... e-ec018089

    Cheers, don't know much about Fuji but the components all look good.

    Call me shallow but I'm still pretty seduced by the framestlye and set up of those Allez.....

    http://www.evanscycles.com/products/spe ... e-ec019546
  • glasgowbhoy
    glasgowbhoy Posts: 1,341
    Also have the possibility of this if it's still for sale at around £450-500

    2009 model Giant Defy 2.5 Road Bike,
    Size M/L (53.5 cm sloping for up to 6' tall) grey/ black/ white frame.
    Very good condition.
    Used for training only 1000 (mainly dry) miles max.
    New tyres fitted
  • Bappio
    Bappio Posts: 11
    I've just recently opted for a Cube Streamer. Got this for £1050 with full Ultegra spec. Just waiting for the c2w voucher to come through before I get it....damn those Royal Mail strikes.
  • If you can use cycle to work then you're money will go loads further.

    I think Cycling + reviewed the Fuji recently - maybe look for it in tht reviews section on here - sure they had nothing bad to say about it.

    (All the best for 12:30 tomorrow, try to keep the score down, we're smarting a bit after our euro-disaster)
  • glasgowbhoy
    glasgowbhoy Posts: 1,341
    If you can use cycle to work then you're money will go loads further.

    I think Cycling + reviewed the Fuji recently - maybe look for it in tht reviews section on here - sure they had nothing bad to say about it.

    (All the best for 12:30 tomorrow, try to keep the score down, we're smarting a bit after our euro-disaster)

    Cheers, but hoping to change jobs in the next 12 months which would mean paying back any savings on that scheme no?

    Just hoping for 3 points. We're no great shakes ourselves. Still should have nought to get a decent start to big Toby's first season back in the SPHell
  • I'm pretty sure you would still make the savings on the instalments you've already made, so if you left after 6 months, you'd have to pay the remainder in full, but you'd still save 20% instead of 40ish.
  • You could prob get a Trek 1.5 09, As its 2010 is out now, phone around and you may get one on the cheap, and they are pretty light 2.
  • batch78
    batch78 Posts: 1,320
    The Allez ain't a bad bike, just not best bang for your buck, or particularly geared towards racing.

    It will however allow long training rides without breaking you, the compromise is yours!