Which new commuting bike......

fenboy369
fenboy369 Posts: 425
edited March 2010 in Commuting chat
First up its a commuting thread. Cos I'll be riding it to work and not racing on it (SCR aside) :D
Right then. My ride is 17-20 miles on rural roads, mostly A so I have a good surface to ride on. I enjoy it and had my 17 mile time down to 55-60 mins before Dec on my Kona Hybrid. Now I have the chance of a new bike I'm looking a drop handle barred road bike.
I carry my stuff in a Camelbak so no rack needed. It will be a spring to autumn bike so I dont mind having no mud guards, and if I need them I'll get the crud ones. Its also a Helfrauds C2W scheme, hence the Boardman at the bottom and they use Lesuire Lakes as a supplier of off list bikes. And they do all the ones I like.

Choices so far...

http://www.leisurelakesbikes.com/produc ... ?&id=13404
a Kona Zing Deluxe. I liked my old Kona, well made, lasted well and this seems a nice bike.

http://www.leisurelakesbikes.com/produc ... ?&id=11900
a Cannondale CAAD8 105. Had a 'Dale Mtb once and that was also a nice well made frame.

http://www.leisurelakesbikes.com/produc ... ?&id=12092
a Trek 2.1C. I really like the look of this bike.

http://www.leisurelakesbikes.com/produc ... ?&id=11946
a Wilier Lavaredo Mirage. Would the carbon rear stays be worth the drop in groupset?

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165710
A Boardman Team Carbon. Very nice groupset, and a nice looking bike.

Thats my short lust, :oops: , list! Fave at the moment is the Trek. It was the Wilier, but the Trek just looks right to me. I feel a trip to the shop to try them out.... :lol::lol::lol:
'11 Cannondale Synapse 105CD - FCN 4
'11 Schwinn Corvette - FCN 15?
'09 Pitch Comp - FCN (why bother?) 11
'07 DewDeluxe (Bent up after being run over) - FCN 8

Comments

  • DonDaddyD
    DonDaddyD Posts: 12,689
    This:
    http://www.leisurelakesbikes.com/produc ... ?&id=11979

    I would have said the one with 105, but I don't believe in paying over a grand for an Alu' bike.
    Food Chain number = 4

    A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game
  • rjsterry
    rjsterry Posts: 29,418
    DonDaddyD wrote:
    This:
    http://www.leisurelakesbikes.com/produc ... ?&id=11979

    I would have said the one with 105, but I don't believe in paying over a grand for an Alu' bike.

    FWIW I think I'd go for a high spec alu frame over a 'cheap' carbon frame, especially for a commuter. Cannondale alu frames are very highly spoken of and I would have said that you should test ride it first before you write it off as too expensive for an alu frame. After all, you can find steel frames for well over a grand - De Rosa Neo Primato £1299 F&F only IIRC. :shock:
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
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    Part of the anti-growth coalition
  • symo
    symo Posts: 1,743
    Planet X Kaffenback or Carbon SL
    +++++++++++++++++++++
    we are the proud, the few, Descendents.

    Panama - finally putting a nail in the economic theory of the trickle down effect.
  • DonDaddyD
    DonDaddyD Posts: 12,689
    rjsterry wrote:
    DonDaddyD wrote:
    This:
    http://www.leisurelakesbikes.com/produc ... ?&id=11979

    I would have said the one with 105, but I don't believe in paying over a grand for an Alu' bike.

    FWIW I think I'd go for a high spec alu frame over a 'cheap' carbon frame, especially for a commuter. Cannondale alu frames are very highly spoken of and I would have said that you should test ride it first before you write it off as too expensive for an alu frame. After all, you can find steel frames for well over a grand - De Rosa Neo Primato £1299 F&F only IIRC. :shock:

    How much of the price is brand? Sorry, that's just me trying not to be wrong. In truth I don't disagree with you. I do agree in principle. And also agree that you should test ride and be fitted for your bike.

    I was just thinking that at £1200 for a CAAD 9 it's more expensive than Ribble's and Boardman's carbon offerings (which never seem to get bad reviews) and for £500 more you could get a Cannondale 6 (with 105, aka Bikeradar bike of the year). It just seems the CAAD 9 is a little overpriced with 105. But everyone I've spoken to holds the frame in high regards.
    Food Chain number = 4

    A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game
  • il_principe
    il_principe Posts: 9,155
    Get the best frame you can afford for the money. Simp..... fecking meerkat.
  • Stevo_666
    Stevo_666 Posts: 61,204
    As you can guess from my sig I quite like Boardmans :) - theres another good review of the Team Carbon just out on the BR main page, though you might want to consider if it's ideal for your use as it doesn't seem to major on comfort. (IMO any bike with no suspension is a mild form of discomfort to a greater or lesser extent).
    "I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]
  • fenboy369
    fenboy369 Posts: 425
    Good ideas here. The comfort issue is kind of not an issue. I just get on with it. My old Kona was an ally frame with a steel fork. Buzzed a lot, but hey ho.
    I like the idea of a carbon frame, dont know if they do Planet-X bikes through the Helfrauds scheme though. I like the white framed ones...... But the Boardman is a very nice bike. Thats the problem, it looks very, very nice, and if there were any of the white Ltd ones about I'd probably have one of those. But everybody at work has got a Boardman (cos they are so good and well priced etc...etc) and I wanted soemthing a little different to every other bike in the rack.

    The high spec ally over a cheap carbon is kind of winning in my head right now. I work in aerospace so ally is a material I am very familiar with. I know what to look for in regards to corrosion and how to either sort it or stop it, but the life of this bike willl be a nice one :wink: so it wont be an issue.

    The price and brand thing, well, thats what its all about in the end. I dont mind paying for a well made bike. Steel, ally, carbon, ti (mmmmmmmmm) it doesnt matter too much. A high end, well made steel costs more cos 'people want ally frames' because thats what the industry tell them they want. I actually dont mind an ally frame, so I benefit from this.

    But I have been looking at a Trek piccy on the work pc all afternoon, so I feel it would have to be a really horid ride for me to say no now. But 2 weeks ago it was the Wilier. Arrgggggg..... help me!!!
    '11 Cannondale Synapse 105CD - FCN 4
    '11 Schwinn Corvette - FCN 15?
    '09 Pitch Comp - FCN (why bother?) 11
    '07 DewDeluxe (Bent up after being run over) - FCN 8
  • MrBlond
    MrBlond Posts: 161
    Or?

    http://road.cc/content/review/15437-genesis-equilibrium
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,370
    fenboy369 wrote:
    http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_502059_langId_-1_categoryId_165710
    A Boardman Team Carbon. Very nice groupset, and a nice looking bike.

    Bikeradar seem to like it

    http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... n-10-37560
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • fenboy369
    fenboy369 Posts: 425
    Due to the poor customer service/attitude from the Helfauds shop, coupled with the so far superb service from Lesuire Lakes, I'll be getting either the Willier or the Trek.
    Whats the better group set? Campagnolo Mirage on the Wiily or 105 on the Trek?
    '11 Cannondale Synapse 105CD - FCN 4
    '11 Schwinn Corvette - FCN 15?
    '09 Pitch Comp - FCN (why bother?) 11
    '07 DewDeluxe (Bent up after being run over) - FCN 8
  • DonDaddyD
    DonDaddyD Posts: 12,689
    105
    Food Chain number = 4

    A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game
  • fenboy369
    fenboy369 Posts: 425
    Thought it was, but you dont see much Campag on mtbs so I dont much about it. I'll ride both and see which seems nicer. The Willier has carbon seat stays, but the trek is all ally with a carbon post and forks, so that should take a little road buzz out, and an ally frame will last a few years.
    '11 Cannondale Synapse 105CD - FCN 4
    '11 Schwinn Corvette - FCN 15?
    '09 Pitch Comp - FCN (why bother?) 11
    '07 DewDeluxe (Bent up after being run over) - FCN 8
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    fenboy369 wrote:
    Thought it was, but you dont see much Campag on mtbs so I dont much about it. I'll ride both and see which seems nicer. The Willier has carbon seat stays, but the trek is all ally with a carbon post and forks, so that should take a little road buzz out, and an ally frame will last a few years.

    Try both twice, and pay particular attention to how comfortable you find the position of your hands. I used to have Campag Veloce and found it diifficult to ride on the hoods; not a problem for me with Shimano. Not the same for everyone though.

    Re the alu frame lasting, mine, um, lasted 18 months :oops: .

    The carbon seat stays supposedly aid more direct power transfer to the rear wheel and take some buzz out.
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • coopster_the_1st
    coopster_the_1st Posts: 5,158
    fenboy369 wrote:
    Due to the poor customer service/attitude from the Helfauds shop, coupled with the so far superb service from Lesuire Lakes, I'll be getting either the Willier or the Trek.
    Whats the better group set? Campagnolo Mirage on the Wiily or 105 on the Trek?

    I tried the Trek 2.1C and the CAAD9 at the weekend.

    Personally, I did not get on with the Trek, it just felt hard work. The CAAD9 was good but I tried a Defy 2 about 4 weeks ago and need to test that again before deciding on the CAAD9 as I remember the Defy 2 being a very nice bike.

    Hopefully I will be testing these at the weekend so I can make a final decision
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,064
    fenboy369

    Ribble sportive or grand fondo or the Planet X - each approx £1000

    seintro_SERC.jpg

    SERIBBLEGRANFONDOCAM_1_zoom.jpg

    Ultegra6700_600.jpg
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    If those Ribbles were a grand for the spec in the pic, even I would be converted to the dark side ;-)
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  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,064
    supersonic wrote:
    If those Ribbles were a grand for the spec in the pic, even I would be converted to the dark side ;-)

    Alas not but even so both the Ribbles still have good spec 10 speed for £1k I believe the planet x with dura ace was super cheap.

    All good light frames + forks
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • londonbairn
    londonbairn Posts: 316
    Coopster the 1st wrote:
    fenboy369 wrote:
    Due to the poor customer service/attitude from the Helfauds shop, coupled with the so far superb service from Lesuire Lakes, I'll be getting either the Willier or the Trek.
    Whats the better group set? Campagnolo Mirage on the Wiily or 105 on the Trek?

    I tried the Trek 2.1C and the CAAD9 at the weekend.

    Personally, I did not get on with the Trek, it just felt hard work. The CAAD9 was good but I tried a Defy 2 about 4 weeks ago and need to test that again before deciding on the CAAD9 as I remember the Defy 2 being a very nice bike.

    Hopefully I will be testing these at the weekend so I can make a final decision

    I thought Campag Mirage was terrible on my Wilier, just swapped it out for Ultegra SL, now the bike feels miles better.
  • N0bodyOfTheGoat
    N0bodyOfTheGoat Posts: 6,050
    Athena 11-speed for £999...
    http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/54cm-DHC-Racing-M ... 439e058ea1

    Tiagra 9-speed version £499...
    http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/54cm-DHC-Racing-M ... 439e058ea1
    ================
    2020 Voodoo Marasa
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    2016 Voodoo Wazoo
  • fenboy369
    fenboy369 Posts: 425
    No need to worry now. HR have cancelled my cycle2scheme as I already have a bike! They are such a great HR department. to55ers
    '11 Cannondale Synapse 105CD - FCN 4
    '11 Schwinn Corvette - FCN 15?
    '09 Pitch Comp - FCN (why bother?) 11
    '07 DewDeluxe (Bent up after being run over) - FCN 8

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