Newbie help please for Great British Bike Ride
Aquavista
Posts: 2
Hi - totally new (first post alert too :shock:) to this so treat me gently please 
Am a mid-forties male, years and years out of the saddle, but deperate to get back into it and properly. Am reasonably fit, reasonably athletic, having done a fair bit of gym work over the last year, and did Kilimanjaro just last month (and no "if Chris Moyles can do it, anyone can do it" snipes!!).
OK, so I am looking for some road buying advice, and I have just signed up to do the Great British Bike Ride from Lands End to Twickenham in September. So 320 miles then in 4 days. All I need is a bike!
Having looked around this forum and elsewhere for a short while, I seem to have everyone's favourite budget of £1,000. I have also narrowed down my shortlist a bit to the following:
CAAD 8
CAAD 9
Bianchi Via Nirone C2C
So that's it so far. I have been out and test ridden a Raleigh Avanti u6 (seemed to fly along to me, but it missed something somehow), the Trek 1.5 (I found it pretty lifeless), and the Bianchi above (but with Ultegra so a bit above my budget with that groupset, but really liked it). I then jumped on the CAAD 8 and it absolutely put a smile on my face in an instant. It felt right, it felt like it was part of me somehow. So the Cannondale was definitely my choice from those.
I like the visual appeal of the CAAD 9 over the CAAD 8 however (and the comments from people on here saying to choose the best frame you can, and that the CAAD 9 is 'better'). However, I don't need (in fact no real interest) in 'racing' per se, and also son't really want too much of a stiff/taut position such that after 320 miles in the saddle (if I make it that far) I feel like I am close to death. Will the CAAD 9 be too 'racy' for me? Is the CAAD 8 that much better? Is the C2C a better more sedate style still? Am I barking up the wrong tree and should I be looking at something much more 'sportive' or even touring in style altogether? I don't need to carry anything on my trips, I just really want something that will get me up those hills in Devon and Cornwall the best, and give me the most enjoyment, with some speed still on the flats and downhills along the way.
Any and all advice much much appreciated - thank you in advance.
Cheers...
Am a mid-forties male, years and years out of the saddle, but deperate to get back into it and properly. Am reasonably fit, reasonably athletic, having done a fair bit of gym work over the last year, and did Kilimanjaro just last month (and no "if Chris Moyles can do it, anyone can do it" snipes!!).
OK, so I am looking for some road buying advice, and I have just signed up to do the Great British Bike Ride from Lands End to Twickenham in September. So 320 miles then in 4 days. All I need is a bike!
Having looked around this forum and elsewhere for a short while, I seem to have everyone's favourite budget of £1,000. I have also narrowed down my shortlist a bit to the following:
CAAD 8
CAAD 9
Bianchi Via Nirone C2C
So that's it so far. I have been out and test ridden a Raleigh Avanti u6 (seemed to fly along to me, but it missed something somehow), the Trek 1.5 (I found it pretty lifeless), and the Bianchi above (but with Ultegra so a bit above my budget with that groupset, but really liked it). I then jumped on the CAAD 8 and it absolutely put a smile on my face in an instant. It felt right, it felt like it was part of me somehow. So the Cannondale was definitely my choice from those.
I like the visual appeal of the CAAD 9 over the CAAD 8 however (and the comments from people on here saying to choose the best frame you can, and that the CAAD 9 is 'better'). However, I don't need (in fact no real interest) in 'racing' per se, and also son't really want too much of a stiff/taut position such that after 320 miles in the saddle (if I make it that far) I feel like I am close to death. Will the CAAD 9 be too 'racy' for me? Is the CAAD 8 that much better? Is the C2C a better more sedate style still? Am I barking up the wrong tree and should I be looking at something much more 'sportive' or even touring in style altogether? I don't need to carry anything on my trips, I just really want something that will get me up those hills in Devon and Cornwall the best, and give me the most enjoyment, with some speed still on the flats and downhills along the way.
Any and all advice much much appreciated - thank you in advance.
Cheers...
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Comments
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The best bike is the one that suits you and puts a smile on your face.
people can suggest things to try but the decision is down to you reAlly.
Try the ones you like again for as long as they'll let you take them out. If the caad 8 gives you the big grin again then it's probably the one.
I got that feeling you describe when testing my cannondale. It wasn't necessarily the most visually appealing but I kept going back to it as it felt the best to me.
You can't really beat that feeling of connection to the bike.0
