Which road bike should i buy.. with £2000.00

jez_clarke

hi guys and girls...

OK.. help me out here... am in a tizz!

i have no more than 2 grand to spend on a new road bike. I was thinking of buying a brand new Madone 4.5 (becuase i prefer the frame colour to the 4.7!).. (and then upgrading the chainset)
but a mate is talking me out of it and says i should spend a grand on a frame, 500 on wheels and 500 on saddle, seat post, bars etc.. (and put my old chainset on the bike until i can afford an upgrade)..

so what do you think.. building is no problem as i do my mbr's all the time, so for 2000 grand what's recommended..?

cougie

Personally I'd do something like spend agrand on the planet X carbon bike, and with the rest of the money - buy a hack bike/kit/trip to the tour.

Its diminishing returns once you've spent much over a grand I reckon. A 2 grand bike is not twice as good as a 1 grand one.

Anonymous

Ive got a scott S50 speedster with a triple sora groupset you can have for 2K, I'm happy to let it go.

Send your money now, bike later.

chriskempton

You'll get better advice if you say what it's for, and what you like and don't like (e.g. what draws you to the Madone 4.5). The first bit so that you get recommendations that are fit for purpose, the second so that you get something that floats your boat, You should get both of these things for 2k.

Chip \'oyler

cougie wrote:

Personally I'd do something like spend agrand on the planet X carbon bike, and with the rest of the money - buy a hack bike/kit/trip to the tour.

Its diminishing returns once you've spent much over a grand I reckon. A 2 grand bike is not twice as good as a 1 grand one.

How do you know?

Chip \'oyler

Going back to the OP

Have a look at the Viner Magnifica - great quality frame for around £1200 - with a Veloce build you'd come in well below £2k

http://www.epic-cycles.co.uk/Viner.htm

kingrollo

Pinarello FP3 - Without a shadow of doubt - nothing else compares

Chip \'oyler

kingrollo wrote:

Pinarello FP3 - Without a shadow of doubt - nothing else compares

Erm - it's above his budget!

And how do you know nothing else compares? Have you ridden every bike at the £2k price point?

jez_clarke

cheers guys for the advice so far...

what am i looking for someone asked..??
well, i typically ride 50-100 milers over the weekend/evenings so want something that likes the distance, is light and will also be able to take me over the alps next year as well as Lands-end-jo groats and other long rides..

I like the Madones for how they look and feel from the test rides i've had one them, but not to overwhelmed with the 4.5 wheels and 105 groupset... i'm not keen on the frame for the 4.7 and i feel 5 series is just out of reach for my budget..

brownbosh

Trek's always seem over priced to me.

stuaff

Chip \'oyler wrote:

Going back to the OP

Have a look at the Viner Magnifica - great quality frame for around £1200 - with a Veloce build you'd come in well below £2k

http://www.epic-cycles.co.uk/Viner.htm

+1. Just got one second-hand, love it.

Evil Laugh

Evans have the Madone 5.2 in pro and performance fit for £2000 at Waterloo shop.

Chip \'oyler

jez_clarke wrote:

cheers guys for the advice so far...

what am i looking for someone asked..??
well, i typically ride 50-100 milers over the weekend/evenings so want something that likes the distance, is light and will also be able to take me over the alps next year as well as Lands-end-jo groats and other long rides..

I like the Madones for how they look and feel from the test rides i've had one them, but not to overwhelmed with the 4.5 wheels and 105 groupset... i'm not keen on the frame for the 4.7 and i feel 5 series is just out of reach for my budget..

Well the Viner Magnifica should fit the bill - it is built specifically for Sportive riding

tenor

"what am i looking for someone asked..??
well, i typically ride 50-100 milers over the weekend/evenings so want something that likes the distance, is light and will also be able to take me over the alps next year as well as Lands-end-jo groats and other long rides.."

If paying that kind of money you might want a bike that is going to last a few years so forget carbon (last years cloth and glue creation is so passe) and go for titanium.
Again, Planet-X and Enigma can work within your budget.

Chip \'oyler

tenor wrote:

"what am i looking for someone asked..??
well, i typically ride 50-100 milers over the weekend/evenings so want something that likes the distance, is light and will also be able to take me over the alps next year as well as Lands-end-jo groats and other long rides.."

If paying that kind of money you might want a bike that is going to last a few years so forget carbon (last years cloth and glue creation is so passe) and go for titanium.
Again, Planet-X and Enigma can work within your budget.

Can you explain this please. Where do you get this idea that carbon frames don't last long?

Steveorow

You could build it up yourself . Inevitably you spend £2K on a bike and then start changing bits eg wheels ; Stem ; Bars ; Saddle etc so it invariably costs you more than £2K .
A self build specifies exactly everything as you want ( assuming you have a basic understanding of your bike fit eg top tube length ; stem lenght etc ) .
Its also a rewarding exerience and you learn alot for how to fix your bike in the future ; not difficuclt even for the mechanically challenged with a little patience .

Here is what I built up this year with a budget roughly the same as yours ; albeit a lot of hours trawling the internet . The seat ; the Garmin and the pedals I already had ; everything else was brand new .

cal_stewart

very nice for the money

on-yer-bike

Steveorow wrote:

You could build it up yourself . Inevitably you spend £2K on a bike and then start changing bits eg wheels ; Stem ; Bars ; Saddle etc so it invariably costs you more than £2K .
A self build specifies exactly everything as you want ( assuming you have a basic understanding of your bike fit eg top tube length ; stem lenght etc ) .
Its also a rewarding exerience and you learn alot for how to fix your bike in the future ; not difficuclt even for the mechanically challenged with a little patience .

Here is what I built up this year with a budget roughly the same as yours ; albeit a lot of hours trawling the internet . The seat ; the Garmin and the pedals I already had ; everything else was brand new]

Would you recommend those wheels?

huuregeil

Looking at it a slightly different way, with 2 grand, the broad figures you'll probably want to keep in mind are:

Frame £800-£1000
Groupset £500
Wheels £300-400
Finishing kit £200-300

Given your usage, the practical consequences (with a self-specced or self build hat on)of this are:

Wheels. - LEJOG and alps and pleasure riding suggests a nice pair of handbuilts to me - robust, light, comfortable, confidence inspring on descents, repairable en route. Easy decision and £300-400 will get you a nice pair of wheels. (e.g. Excellights on Record hubs).

Groupset. Centaur, Rival, etc. is perfectly good.

Finishing kit. Personal choice.

Frame... Now, you usage criteria instantly suggests to me a custom build, either titanium or steel, and this is perfectly within budget. The main reason being: your usage is firmly in the comfortable racing bike category, however you want flexibility do longer trips, which means you might like (or like to consider) having braze-ons to fit a rack/mudguards, slightly more stable handling, comfort etc.. This doesn't mean you have to compromise a sporty ride, or indeed light weight for the mountains, but it does mean that there are relatively few off-the-peg options that fulfill these criteria with acceptable compromises. However, this is slap bang in the domain of a custom frame builder who should be able to build you a perfect frame to satisfy all your demands. Plus, if you're travelling (thus having a bike flung around by baggage handlers!) I'd much rather have a metal frame than a carbon, where damage is easily visible and possibly repairable, and certainly in the case of titanium or the tougher steels, more unlikely. £1000 at a good custom steel frame builder (e.g. Dave Yates, Roberts, +lots more) buys you pretty much the best that's going, and it will fit perfectly, and you get to chose the paintjob - it's certainly the option I'd seriously consider if I were in your shoes.

Steveorow

On-yer-bike

Re recommendatio for the EC7o SLs . Absoultley 100% yes ( considering I got them for £500 at CRC ). I just checked they appear to still have campag variants left at that price .

Not going to make sweeping unsubstantiated claims you sometimes get on here like best wheels full stop . I can only compare with other wheels I have or have had ; those being Crappy handbuilts ; Aksiums ; Fulcrum 7s; Ksyrium Elites ; Bontrager Race X Lites and these ..

I think they are brilliant at the price I got them . Wanted something that would give an Aero benefit but not a the full boona of a 60mm or 90mm rim . THey dont get blown about any more than the others in cross winds with the 38mm rim but you still get a percievable advantage . Seem to kick in above 22mph .and cruise along in 1 cog larger than the others ..

Very stiff I cant flex them at all and Im a big guy and can flex the other wheels I mentioned .. Think thats down to the structural carbon rather than just a fairing like the Mavic Cosmic Carbone SLs wich I was also looking at . However they do soak up a substantial ammount of road buzz ( thats compared o the Race X-lites wih the same tyres ) .

The hubs are the smoothest I have had . When I spin the front wheel under no load it seems as though I could go make a cup of tea and drink it and it would still be spinning ..

There is no percievable differnce when climbing short sharp climbs compared to the Race X-lites ( which were my best wheels ) but the Race X-lites seem to be less energy sapping on longer climbs ; no surprise as there is approx 150 -200g difference . The difference is very marginal and could just be perception that the Eastons are not an out and out climbing wheel and he fact I have a 12 -23 cassette on these and dont have the benefit of a 12-25 on the Race X-lites .

Last but not least hey look like the dogs b@@locks . The side of he rims is unidirectional carbon but between the spokes the way iits layed up you see the typcal carbon weave . 8)

adukeofkent

Ive got about the same budget but dont have the balls to spend it as yet.
I have been talking to a friend who races and does well in circuit races and
is thinking about doing the pro circuit too. Basically he is much better than me.

He seems to think a carbon frame is a carbon frame, yes buy a lovely, sexy bike
like the Trek BUT he thinks Focus is the way forward.

Carbon frame, compact ultegra groupset for £1275 (Focus Cayo jobby). I would blow the rest on some really nice wheels to race or use on the sunday group ride. (probably because I could never afford nice wheels for my car in my wannabe boy racer days)

Yes there is not too much romance in internet buying but think of the wheels, the biggest saving in weight is found in moving weight. I was thinking of posh wheels from posh bikes but its all a fantasy.

Caligari_uk

jez_clarke wrote:

hi guys and girls...

i have no more than 2 grand to spend on a new road bike. I was thinking of buying a brand new Madone 4.5 (becuase i prefer the frame colour to the 4.7!)

Heh - I'm also in love with the frame colour of the new Madone 4.5.

Have you managed to see one 'in real life' yet, Jez?

majormantra

How about a PX Pro Road Ti with SRAM Red? You'll have £1 left over from your budget:

http://www.planet-x-warehouse.co.uk/?page_id=1288

Or you can spec a Ribble Sportive with high end Campag and carbon wheels. Or...

Matthew

jez_clarke

cheers dudes..
i went with the Viner Magnifica frame.. mmmmmmm, is sweet..

budget is going to be blown apart if i stick dura-ace on which i don't think i can resist..

giant_man

jez_clarke wrote:

cheers dudes..
i went with the Viner Magnifica frame.. mmmmmmm, is sweet..

budget is going to be blown apart if i stick dura-ace on which i don't think i can resist..

Infinitely better than the Trek I'm sure

Chip \'oyler

jez_clarke wrote:

cheers dudes..
i went with the Viner Magnifica frame.. mmmmmmm, is sweet..

budget is going to be blown apart if i stick dura-ace on which i don't think i can resist..

Good choice fella

Anonymous

Chip \'oyler wrote:

jez_clarke wrote:

cheers dudes..
i went with the Viner Magnifica frame.. mmmmmmm, is sweet..

budget is going to be blown apart if i stick dura-ace on which i don't think i can resist..

Good choice fella

Nice...

strodey

for that ammount go get fitted, you'd get it free of charge then narrow it down to the bikes that fit you rather than trying to fit a bike that won't!

Speed_King

That will give you a great ride but you could have also tried thinking about the specialized Tarmac pro or Comp fro about 1800 both have Dura-ace and nce looking as well ?

stuaff

Chip \'oyler wrote:

jez_clarke wrote:

cheers dudes..
i went with the Viner Magnifica frame.. mmmmmmm, is sweet..

budget is going to be blown apart if i stick dura-ace on which i don't think i can resist..

Good choice fella

+1 (funnily enough!).

Monty Dog

Viner - great choice and great to see you making an individual decision rather than following the flock and buying a Trek / Specialized / Giant / big brand bike like 90% of other riders.