almost a year on.....what next?

glasgowbhoy

I remember reading on here last year that after 6-12 months most people would be looking for an upgrade on their first road bike, well here I am.

I bought a Giant 2.5 Defy and got a good deal on it at just over £600. The price, the Tiagra groupset, the ride and handling on the test ride and the fact it could take full mudguards were all a factor in my choice.

I ride the bike daily, around 100 miles Mon- Fri, and about 60-80 miles on a Sat or Sun, along with a few sportives and Tri races. As you can imagine the bike has seen some action through the winter but has been cleaned and serviced regularly.

My point is that I will continue to use this bike on a daily basis but am probably now looking for a 'best bike' for long summer rides, races etc. I have been on a couple of friends carbon bikes and am not convinced about carbon frames(Yet). I have read about Titanium but never seen one. I agree that the set up of the bike like tyre choice, wheels
etc will have a lot to do with the handling/ ride comfort. This is a major factor for me as the roads I ride on are not runway smooth european paths, it's multi surfaced, pot hole riddled Scottish country roads.

I'm open to building from a F&F or an off the shelf bike.

Budget would be around £2K

Cheers

Anonymous

Cannondale Synapse (or a Six for a slightly racier geometry) would be good for the carbon choice.

The Planet X Titanium bikes are very good value with a good groupset.

jgsi

NapoleonD wrote:

Cannondale Synapse .

2nd -ed , monsieur

amaferanga

Kuota Kharma.

Evil Laugh

JGSI wrote:

NapoleonD wrote:

Cannondale Synapse .

2nd -ed , monsieur

3s

glasgowbhoy

Cheers,

Think I need to go have a look at this and get a demo then

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/can ... RRWidgetID

incog24

NapoleonD wrote:

Cannondale Synapse (or a Six for a slightly racier geometry) would be good for the carbon choice.

If the Defy is a good fit, I think a TCR might be a more sensible upgrade. The frame tests better than the Synapse (which has an 'interesting' fork to say the least), and is easily good enough to race on whilst being plush enough for Sunday riding.

Get the new TCR4 and then buy some 50mm tubs from wheelsmith or planet x and you'll be sorted!

I am assuming here that you're happy with the defy fit. If you're not, then obviously do shop around a bit more!

glasgowbhoy

incog24 wrote:

NapoleonD wrote:

Cannondale Synapse (or a Six for a slightly racier geometry) would be good for the carbon choice.

If the Defy is a good fit, I think a TCR might be a more sensible upgrade. The frame tests better than the Synapse (which has an 'interesting' fork to say the least), and is easily good enough to race on whilst being plush enough for Sunday riding.

Get the new TCR4 and then buy some 50mm tubs from wheelsmith or planet x and you'll be sorted!

I am assuming here that you're happy with the defy fit. If you're not, then obviously do shop around a bit more!

Cheers, the Defy is an okay fit. I have a M/L and had to shorten the stem to a 90mm to get a more comfortable fit. I can ride it for 4 hours and not feel too bad apart from the expected fatigue.

Would like to look at other brands like Cannondale etc too.

B1ghubba

http://www.epic-cycles.co.uk/Scott_CR1.html for carbon

SCR Pedro

I made the jump from an SCR to a TCR. I had already made several upgrades to the SCR2, including chainset, wheels and a few other bits; so perhaps I didn't feel the difference between them so much, but the TCR (alliance zero) is a totally different bike. It oozes quality, is lighter, stiffer, and is just as comfortable over long rides.

Even if you do want to check out other brands, I wouldn't overlook the TCR range.

Pedro

glasgowbhoy

Can soneone explain the differences between :

Giant Defy Advanced and the Giant TCR Advanced ranges?

That Scott CR range also looks nice.

I know that I can get a spin on Cannndale, Scott and Giant in Glasgow, so, that does help because it will all come down to what feels like the 'step up' and as everyone knows the one that looks best in your own eyes!

incog24

The TCR has a slightly shorter wheelbase, shorter headtube and steeper geometry. Steers a bit quicker and gets you in a slightly more powerful/aggressive position. BB stiffness and vertical compliance is the same for both. So if you're comfortable with the position on the TCR advanced it'll be just as comfy as the Defy advanced.

cougie

I was going to suggest the carbon TCR - thats what I have - and the ride on it is completely different to any other bike I've ridden. Its stiff and shoots off up the road - but you can ride over grids and gratings and hardly feel them at all. Its a very comfy bike for long rides.

glasgowbhoy

Thanks all,

So far it's

Cannondale Synapse
Giant TCR/Advanced
Scott CR

Anyone else care to throw in any others I should be considering?

B1ghubba

Glasgowbhoy wrote:

Thanks all,

So far it's

Cannondale Synapse
Giant TCR/Advanced
Scott CR

Anyone else care to throw in any others I should be considering?

I suppose if you want less common makes you could look at Orbea
Spanish made and comfortable.
http://www.epic-cycles.co.uk/Orbea_Onix.html

Anonymous

Look 566 but I don't think any of those mention will be up to the standard of the Cannondale...

glasgowbhoy

Know very little about these guys but the bikes look awesome!!!!

http://www.epic-cycles.co.uk/Argon18_Krypton.html

guilliano

Do you really want a TCR if you have had to put a shorter stem on a Defy? The top tube on a TCR is longer and the head tube is shorter meaning more of a stretch. I'd go for a Defy Advanced personally, that way it's not really a change of geometry to get used to on top of everything else.

glasgowbhoy

guilliano wrote:

Do you really want a TCR if you have had to put a shorter stem on a Defy? The top tube on a TCR is longer and the head tube is shorter meaning more of a stretch. I'd go for a Defy Advanced personally, that way it's not really a change of geometry to get used to on top of everything else.

I do like my Defy, I've ridden a lot of miles on it in the last 9 months, I'm not discounting another Giant with a Carbon frame, however, the more I look I see other bike makes with better groupsets/components for the money. I'd also be quite interested to try out other brands to get a feel for them.
Interesting that no one has mentioned Specialized or Trek.

guilliano

In the road world there are so many good brands that the likes of Trek, Spesh et al are just another name. The big boys of the bike world as a whole (Giant included) are not quite so big in lycra land when you consider the road bike specialists as well. They do make some stonking bikes though.

glasgowbhoy

too stretched and racey coming from a Defy?

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/fel ... e-ec021697

Good price with Ultegra if the Frame is comparible with the Synapse/Giant Advanced?

glasgowbhoy

Does anyone have much experience with the Orbea Onix?

Have a dealer not too far away and they seem to have a good range of options on the range.

Nice looking bikes too.

B1ghubba

Glasgowbhoy wrote:

Does anyone have much experience with the Orbea Onix?

Have a dealer not too far away and they seem to have a good range of options on the range.

Nice looking bikes too.

A friend of mine has one and is very pleased with it.
I tried one when buying recently as had narrowed it down to Orbea Onix or Scott CR1.
I found the Scott a little more comfortable on the bumps but little between them tbh.

amaferanga

Glasgowbhoy wrote:

Thanks all,

So far it's

Cannondale Synapse
Giant TCR/Advanced
Scott CR

Anyone else care to throw in any others I should be considering?

Yeah, Kuota Kharma! The 105 or SRAM Rival will cost about £1500. Might want to upgrade the wheels straight away though....

keef66

I have seen this suggested so many times yet it still puzzles me. They build a bike to meet a particular price point, so for example you pay £1500 for it, but then immediately plan to replace the wheels. Would it not be easier to buy a bike with the wheels you want to start with??

Are all off-the-shelf bikes specced so that the wheels are invariably the poorest component?

amaferanga

keef66 wrote:

I have seen this suggested so many times yet it still puzzles me. They build a bike to meet a particular price point, so for example you pay £1500 for it, but then immediately plan to replace the wheels. Would it not be easier to buy a bike with the wheels you want to start with??

Are all off-the-shelf bikes specced so that the wheels are invariably the poorest component?

Yes I think that's generally the case.

glasgowbhoy

I'm also quite tempted to buy these F&F and build a bike up:

http://www.hedwheels.com/products.asp?cat=9

It is about 4 years old but it's a nice understated look and a good price platform to build from

janwal

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtop ... t=12692043
This for sale in the classified.I bought an SCR1 from him last year and his bikes are hardly used.Think he has just been made redundant so needs to sell so make him an offer.

glasgowbhoy

Thanks Janwal. It;s a nice bike but I ride a Giant and like the M/L. That bike is just a M.

glasgowbhoy

Anyone have one of these- Felt F4 ?

Looks a good deal :

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Felt_ ... 9671/#more

glasgowbhoy

off to have a look at this on Friday in Glasgow:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=44401