Recomend me a new bike

Rich158

OK boys and girls, it's new bike time

My old bike scheme is about to expire, and it seems criminal not to get another one going given the savings that can be made. Given our IT rules here searching through the day is out, I've already had one bollocking for that :shock: and being naturally lazy I though I'd let you lot argue it out and come up with a short list for me

I'm looking for something in the region of £1500, that's available from a shop in the cyclescheme somewhere in central or south London, Carbon would be nice, it should be race orientated, drops are a pre-requisite, definately no CX perversions, and I prefer the big S for groupsets (stand well back and let the flack fly)

Slow Downcp

Not Carbon, but CAAD9 would fit the bill. Never ridden one myself but those who have rate it higher than the budget carbons.

Monkeypump

Planet X?

They'll do a few builds for that budget and Geoffrey Butler in Croydon does them.

markshaw77

OK, just been through the same decision process (I ended up paying just over £1.5k for my Scott), but my purchase was ultimately more sportive/long-ride oriented (I'm no racer!), but here was the list that I considered (all LBS available)

Scott CR1 Team/Elite/Pro or Addict R4 (closer to £2k, but much more race oriented)
Orbea Onix
Trek Madone 4.5 (You've already got a madone though - right?)
Cannondale CAAD9 or Six Carbon
Felt Z5
Viner Galdius/Magnifica
Wilier Mortirolo
Spec Roubaix
Giant TCR

I test rode pretty much all of them, but ended up going for the Scott based on how it handled for me - it is yet to get out much, but it is a great bike.

Good luck!!

cuthbertrogergaylord

How about this - full SRAM red and the frame is great - £1570

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Sale/26/Focus ... 360037586/

:?:

il_principe

Pinarello FP2 2010? A little over budget but... well it's a Pinarello!

DonDaddyD

Kuota Kharma
Wilier Mortirolo
Bianchi Infinito or C2C
Trek 2.5
Planet X
Condor Cycles

Too be honest, is there a shortage of bikes? I just went to DeVer and Evans cycles and both seemed to have half the stock that they have had in the past.

il_principe

This is worth a peek Rich: http://www.londondynamo.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=3329

Rich158

markshaw77 wrote:

Trek Madone 4.5 (You've already got a madone though - right?)

The Madone is dead and it looks like I'll be taking the insurance co. to court in order to get a payout :twisted: This is a temporary measure that can be sold at little loss if the payout ever comes and will get me through the summer. Good list, it'll give me something to do over the weekend

Cheers for the suggestions guys, IP I'm not saying that Pinarello recomendation was predictable, but there are little known tribes in the Amazon who saw that coming

il_principe

biondino

Man, that Focus is a good deal. Can you do Wiggle? I can guarantee the bike is a good'un.

Christophe3967

Last year Cycling Plus voted the Giant TCR Advanced bike of the year IIRC, so that's worth adding to your possibles. I have a Madonne 5.2SL (06 model) which I love dearly but the Giant is a nicer bike to ride.

DonDaddyD

I would say Giant but there prices have gone up so much that even looking at them is like being slapped in the face.

A Giant TCR 3 with 105, £1950. The Giant Defy Advance 3 with 105 £1750.

Seems to me the worse thing to happen to Giant being sold in England was the Cycling Plus Bike of the year award. Giant's used to be reasonably priced and often marginally cheaper than Trek and Specialized.

(Kuota on the other hand have mostly stayed the same).

prawny

Scott Addict?

Van Nicholas Mistral? - Not carbon but oooooohhhh!

Gazzaputt

biondino wrote:

Man, that Focus is a good deal. Can you do Wiggle? I can guarantee the bike is a good'un.

+1

I own this model and although I've thrown a some major upgrades at it to get the weight down it's a great frame and fork. The SRAM Red is an awsome bit of kit.

Gutted I paid £2000 last summer for it as well!

cuthbertrogergaylord

Gazzaputt wrote:

biondino wrote:

Man, that Focus is a good deal. Can you do Wiggle? I can guarantee the bike is a good'un.

+1

I own this model and although I've thrown a some major upgrades at it to get the weight down it's a great frame and fork. The SRAM Red is an awsome bit of kit.

Gutted I paid £2000 last summer for it as well!

Out of interest what did you upgrade?

I've got the chorus version but am changing the wheels to fuclrum zeros in the spring time.

Clever Pun

Might need to add a few quid of your own though

Christophe3967

Clever Pun wrote:

Might need to add a few quid of your own though

Just get a contract with Sky - they want British riders. You'd have to have a blue one though. And Shimano. Ah well, maybe not such a good idea .

il_principe

*Swoons.

Rich158

Christophe3967 wrote:

Last year Cycling Plus voted the Giant TCR Advanced bike of the year IIRC, so that's worth adding to your possibles. I have a Madonne 5.2SL (06 model) which I love dearly but the Giant is a nicer bike to ride.

When I got my Madone 5.2 Pro I tested it against the Giant extensively and much preferred the Madone. I guess it's just down to personal tastes.

I'm erring towards the Cannondale, a Condor Acciaio, or maybe the Willier Motirolo, but I think the Condor may win. I need to be able to get any bike though the Cyclescheme as that will fund the first £1k so Wiggle is out, but Condor isn't

il_principe

Rich - the Mortirolo is a stunning bike for the money. Wonderful bike and one that I will always regret selling - although I did replace it with the Prince. Defo worth a test ride - it's illegal to hang Shimano on it though, SKY should be shot for put S on their Dogmas.


:roll:

cjcp

Slow Downcp wrote:

Not Carbon, but CAAD9 would fit the bill. Never ridden one myself but those who have rate it higher than the budget carbons.

Rich - if you want it for racing and a temporary measure so you can re-sell again, I'd go for the CAAD9 - super stiff from what I've heard.

Alternatively, how about the PX Superlight Alu frame. I'm pondering that one for my next alu.

DonDaddyD

I think the Mortirolo wins out. Yes I bought the Kharma, I liked its unrefined rawness.

I tried a Mortirolo the day I bought the Kharma. The Kharma feels brutal when accelerating, climbing, braking, sprinting. The Mortirolo sort of glides towards its goal. You plant the Kharma into and out of a bend, the Mortirolo sort of flows through it. Everything the Mortirolo did was smooth. The difference was fascinating and I could have ridden away with either.

Only reason I didn't go for the Mortirolo (other than prefering the Kharma because it felt more fun) is because I would have wanted it to be the Izoard. It's a little like buying a Porsche Boxster when you really wanted a 911, you can never truly love it. I don't get that owning the Kharma I'm just happy with it.

(Note I didn't say the Kharma or the Mortirolo was better than the other).

il_principe

DonDaddyD wrote:

I think the Mortirolo wins out. Yes I bought the Kharma, I liked its unrefined rawness.

I tried a Mortirolo the day I bought the Kharma. The Kharma feels brutal when accelerating, climbing, braking, sprinting. The Mortirolo sort of glides towards its goal. You plant the Kharma into and out of a bend, the Mortirolo sort of flows through it. Everything the Mortirolo did was smooth. The difference was fascinating and I could have ridden away with either.

Only reason I didn't go for the Mortirolo (other than prefering the Kharma because it felt more fun) is because I would have wanted it to be the Izoard. It's a little like buying a Porsche Boxster when you really wanted a 911, you can never truly love it. I don't get that owning the Kharma I'm just happy with it.

(Note I didn't say the Kharma or the Mortirolo was better than the other).

Ah DDD, that entire post is tinged with regret...

Clever Pun

Christophe3967 wrote:

Clever Pun wrote:

Might need to add a few quid of your own though

Just get a contract with Sky - they want British riders. You'd have to have a blue one though. And Shimano. Ah well, maybe not such a good idea .

shimaNO

Clever Pun

Rich158 wrote:

Christophe3967 wrote:

Last year Cycling Plus voted the Giant TCR Advanced bike of the year IIRC, so that's worth adding to your possibles. I have a Madonne 5.2SL (06 model) which I love dearly but the Giant is a nicer bike to ride.

When I got my Madone 5.2 Pro I tested it against the Giant extensively and much preferred the Madone. I guess it's just down to personal tastes.

I'm erring towards the Cannondale, a Condor Acciaio, or maybe the Willier Motirolo, but I think the Condor may win. I need to be able to get any bike though the Cyclescheme as that will fund the first £1k so Wiggle is out, but Condor isn't

my squadra was 1500 back in the day veloce base but fancy wheels etc... might be worth it for a few quid if you ask me.

DonDaddyD

Il Principe wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

I think the Mortirolo wins out. Yes I bought the Kharma, I liked its unrefined rawness.

I tried a Mortirolo the day I bought the Kharma. The Kharma feels brutal when accelerating, climbing, braking, sprinting. The Mortirolo sort of glides towards its goal. You plant the Kharma into and out of a bend, the Mortirolo sort of flows through it. Everything the Mortirolo did was smooth. The difference was fascinating and I could have ridden away with either.

Only reason I didn't go for the Mortirolo (other than prefering the Kharma because it felt more fun) is because I would have wanted it to be the Izoard (couldn't afford it). It's a little like buying a Porsche Boxster when you really wanted a 911, you can never truly love it. I don't get that owning the Kharma I'm just happy with it.

(Note I didn't say the Kharma or the Mortirolo was better than the other).

Ah DDD, that entire post is tinged with regret...

I knew someone was going to write that. My money was on either you or CleverPun.

I like the Mortirolo I really do but I couldn't own one because I could never truly love it.

I love the Kharma.

Rich158

cjcp wrote:

Slow Downcp wrote:

Not Carbon, but CAAD9 would fit the bill. Never ridden one myself but those who have rate it higher than the budget carbons.

Rich - if you want it for racing and a temporary measure so you can re-sell again, I'd go for the CAAD9 - super stiff from what I've heard.

Alternatively, how about the PX Superlight Alu frame. I'm pondering that one for my next alu.

I'm really tempted with the CAAD9, there's always the possibility that come the payout I'll have enough for a worthy replacement for the Mad one and will keep the whatever I get now for racing.

Lets be honest I was always going to keep it anyway

DDD I understand your quandry, I know if I get the Motirolo it might be a perfectly good bike, but it'll never be an Izoard

cjcp

Rich158 wrote:

I'm really tempted with the CAAD9, there's always the possibility that come the payout I'll have enough for a worthy replacement for the Mad one and will keep the whatever I get now for racing.

Lets be honest I was always going to keep it anyway

As I'm not a racing snake, and with the risk of damaging the bike in a pile-up, I'd buy a better bike for sportives than racing.

Oddjob62

biondino wrote:

Man, that Focus is a good deal. Can you do Wiggle? I can guarantee the bike is a good'un.

Noooo... I've got one. would hate to clash at the next social

Rich158

cjcp wrote:

Rich158 wrote:

I'm really tempted with the CAAD9, there's always the possibility that come the payout I'll have enough for a worthy replacement for the Mad one and will keep the whatever I get now for racing.

Lets be honest I was always going to keep it anyway

As I'm not a racing snake, and with the risk of damaging the bike in a pile-up, I'd buy a better bike for sportives than racing.

You speak sense oh wise one, having crashed the Mad one at Crystal Palace last year I'd be very reticent about racing a carbon bike again, well in Crits anyway.

That sounds like an entirely logical and plausible excuse for another two bikes doesn't it