SRAM Road Options

domcarr
domcarr Posts: 85
edited December 2009 in Road buying advice
Hi

I am looking to buy a new road bike (after my current fixie) for general use (40-80 mpw) plus the odd long-distance ride (London-Paris) and could really use some advice.

My budget is around £1500-2000 and I preferably want a carbon frame and fork. I'm also a big SRAM fan - having used their kit on MTBs for years - so I would also be keen to get somethign with Rival or Force.

Any suggestions??

Cheers

Comments

  • hopper1
    hopper1 Posts: 4,389
    At that price, I'm pretty sure you could spec a bike, built to your choice.
    Contact Epic Cycles. I got a Cinelli Willin' from them. A little over your budget, but I could have got different wheels etc...
    You could also build your own, from many frame choices... :wink:
    Start with a budget, finish with a mortgage!
  • Tempestas
    Tempestas Posts: 486
    http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Focus ... 360037586/

    Sram Red and a Carbon frame, personally I prefer Shimano though :wink:
  • jamespiggot
    jamespiggot Posts: 69
    I have just bought a new bike with SRAM Force but haven't ridden it yet due to the weather. I did test the new Ultegra but didn't like the shifting on the rear derailleur it felt kind of woolly maybe due to the cables been routed under the handlebar tape. The other option is Campag Athena which is 11 speed now, can be fiddly to set-up (or so I'm told, haven't tried it myself). None of them are perfect are they, you just have to select the one you feel gives the best overall result, I guess you're familiar with double-tap which some people can't get on with. There is a review of these groupsets in the current Christmas edition of CW, might be worth reading that for further info? Good luck with your search.
    http://oxfordsportive.com
  • domcarr
    domcarr Posts: 85
    James, what bike did you get then???
  • rogerthecat
    rogerthecat Posts: 669
    I have used SRAM Force for a while now and they are the Mutts nutts, I also use 105's on another ride (SRAM much better). The mentioned Focus is a well spec'd bike for the brass, but shop around, I would reccomend Force over Rival, not used Red.
  • jamespiggot
    jamespiggot Posts: 69
    @domcarr Sorry, reading your question again I realise you 're after advise for getting a bike rather than just the groupset. What I did was to choose a frame then have the bike shop build the bike for me. I got a Cervelo R3 after trying several others, Bianchi Infinito and Cervelo RS, this was quite expensive but I already had wheels and was given a reasonable deal on the Cervelo frame. The interesting thing is they would have charged me more for the Ultegra 6700 even though the list price of Force is higher, this is presumably because the SRAM kit was being sold at a discount by the bike shop? Or Shimano are refusing to give discounts to their dealers?
    http://oxfordsportive.com

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