New Bike, some options, can't try all of them.

NDawn

I am toying with the idea of a new road bike, my last one was a steel Olmo with campag stuff which disitegrated long ago.

I bought a carbon scott MTB recently and for some reason have become a fan of carbon.

So I was thinking of spending £1000 on a new bike, something that will last and that I can upgrade eventually should the need arise.

I have been looking at :

Focus Cayo Ultegra 2009 for £1279.20
Cannondale CAAD something for around £999
Trek 2.1 £999 iah
Allez £999 ish
Boardman Team Carbon £999
Planet X SL Pro £1100 ish

Now I won't have much more to buy, I have all the gear pretty much and see the carbon attraction and I am thinking the planet X or the focus cayo. Neither of which I will be able to try.
But the others are accessible for me to try. I;ve never bought a bike without sitting on it and I know it is an important thing. I chose my Scott after realising it was perfect for me when trying it out over other offerings.

I'm just caught in the doldrums in the moment and can't make any further progress in my reasining to myself on which avenue to explore. There's also the issue of missing out on the Focus Cayo due to it being previous gen.

Thank you for any help

Edit Actually one more thing, I;m almost on the edge of the sizes, I'm around 174/175cm so putting me on the edge between a M and L. Is it better to have a slightly smaller frame than a larger one?

hopper1

I think you'll find the CAAD 9 is alu frame/carbon forks, but don't let that stop you as that and the Boardman will be the most highly rated in your list.

CarbonCopy

Yes Boardman or CAAD9 would be worth first to consider out of those.Well thats if i was buying.

Squillinossett

Depends what you want, see my sig, I have the boardman carbon and its a fantastic bike. I also have the alu trek.

TBH as much as I love the boardman, if it was my first bike, I feel I would go for the CAAD9, but the 105 for £1300. I have ready so many rave reviews on lots of sites about it.

If you want carbon though, like I did for my 2nd bike, I can recommend the Boardman, light, stiff, and top groupset for the price! I am very happy with mine!

For me the PX is well equipped, but ugly as sin....look like a bmx frame tbh.

NDawn

D'oh I knew the CAAD was alu forgot to add in there that I woudn't be limiting myself to just carbon That list was the main list I had put together from reding posts on here.

I think I'll go test the CAAD9 105 tomorrow hopefully and maybe the boardman as well.

Cheers for all the advice so far Yeah it's a tough choice, the trek does look nice and so does the boardman. Well I guess the proof of the pudding is in the .. sitting .. hmmm. I'll try a few out and see if Evans will measure my height properly.

CarbonCopy

Boardman in white 8)

gregster10217

Boardman Team Carbon, but then I've got one and love it. Doubt you'll get the Ltd Ed in white now though as only 500 were available.
It's my first serious bike for a number of years, and I am seriously happy with it. It has a fantastic groupset (best at the price range you're looking at?) is very light, stiff and responds well to an extra turn of speed. It also absorbs a lot of the road vibrations that I found would shake my teeth on my old bike.

dbg

For your height, M for the PlanetX, always err on the small size, you can easily make a small bike fit but if the frames too big your stuffed. The Planet X is superb btw, my bro has one and reckons its virtually as good as his Addict

dbg

For your height, M for the PlanetX, always err on the small size, you can easily make a small bike fit but if the frames too big your stuffed. The Planet X is superb btw, my bro has one and reckons its virtually as good as his Addict

kingrollo

Between the Planet x and the boardman out of those.

gabriel959

Out of those the Cannondale CAAD9 by some distance.

I prefer a top of the range alu frame than a bottom of the range carbon one.

NDawn

Cheers for all the advice. What do you all think to the Six Carbon or the Synapse Carbon, the synapse is more a sportive yes?

It's a bit more money on top, but no point buyhing now with the weather so changeable, may as well save up some more and wait a few more months and enjoy my MTB in the mean time

Evil Laugh

I have a synapse and it's a very comfortable bike, more sportive orientated yes. I've been out on it all day with no padded gloves or shorts and the last few miles were just as comfy.

However at £1800 for the bottom of the range model I'm not sure it represents great value compared to the Boardman for eg.

I paid £1200 for my 105 version in summer sales. I would still buy another if it got nicked as I love the feel of the bike but that's obviously my personal feelings. Well maybe I'd be at least curious to try an Infinto or a Hi Mod Synapse before buying again.



I'd be keen to try a Boardman if I were you, they look good in the flesh, I never considered one when buying last summer.

I'd also be a little cautious buying 105. I've had lots of trouble with the LH shifter not working and since breaking and I know I'm not the only one. I've got so fed up with it I ditched it for SRAM.

I'm sure for every one person who has had the problem there's loads that will be trouble free but it's worth considering nonetheless.

I'd want assurances from the seller that the known issues had been resolved and that if they did crop up I'd get a free shifter upgrade to ultegra sl or something.

PieterM

I believe you will be able to try the Focus under Wiggle's test-ride scheme.