1K Race Bike on Cyclescheme

Surfr

I've been entering loas of club 10s and 25s and the odd crit or circuit race this season on my 2010 Jake the Snake with slicks but next season I fancy getting a dedicated race bike with lower head tube geometry (to aid aero bar position for TTs as well as drop bar position for races) and lighter weight in general. I'm limited to Cyclescheme and 1K spending money (although might be able to wangle a couple quid over but not much).

With this in mind, what should I be looking at? I'd love a carbon bike but perhaps I'd be better off with a light decent Alloy frame at this price point. I'm after shimano gearing and preferably a 10 speed setup so I can swap out parts between the Jake the Snake (105 throughout). I'd also like to see a decent weight saving over the jake the snake. Fully built the Kona weighs in at around 22lbs.

LBS stocks Specialized, Trek, Giant but can get access to others.

I see the CAAD 8 105 comes in at 999 quid. How is it different to the CAAD 10?
Trek 2.1 looks OK but talks of a relaxed geometry put me off.
What else is there out there? Looking to buy Jan 2011

incog24

CAAD8 is a relaxed geometry 'sportive' bike. Not what you're looking for.

unixnerd

CAAD9 with Tiagra was 999 last time I looked.

Surfr

Shame about the CAAD8. So many bikes in this range seem to have relaxed geometry The search continues.

Unixnerd, CAAD 9 apparently low on stock and discontinued for 2011. PS Think I bought an Ultra 30 from you donkeys years ago! Can't be many Scots called unixnerd can there?

unixnerd

Aye, that'll be me :-) Still selling unix to the masses and making Win-doze users repent!

CAAD9 will be low on stock, I know Edinburgh Bicycle (in Aberdeen!) still had some recently.

CAAD10 is meant to be a cracker but from the photos I've seen the build quality has suffered in the move to Asian production. Cannondale welding used to be invisible, now it's not done with so much attention to detail. I'll stick to my CAAD5 for now :-) I think it's about 1299 or 1399 for one with 105 and I don't think there's a Tiagra version.

If it wasn't for your C2W scheme I'd say buy a used one. A lot of companies do nice alloy frames now without having to follow the pack and go for something mainstream. Pinarello do one I've read good things about, saw an Eddy Merckx or two on ebay (new, not used) recently.

kingrollo

Pinarello FP1 ?

Surfr

Hmm just playing with the Ribble bike builder and a Ribble 7005 Ultralite with Ultegra 6700 comes out at 1028 quid. Looking at the Pinarello now Kingrollo

Surfr

OK so the pinarello is 9 speed and over my 1K budget. Not really matching my requirements.

RIbble looking best at the moment. Pro Evo carbon with 105 group or 7005 Ultralite Alu. with Ultegra..

Avanti Roman

Ribble Evo Pro Carbon Special edition (
http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/specialed ... ERC&bike=1

Review:
http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/bikes/road/...

Or a Racelite and spend the saving on upgraded or second set of lighter wheels for race days:
http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/specialed ... ERC&bike=1

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sp/road-t ... ROLWHFR270

danowat

Spesh Allez?, pretty racy

kingrollo

Surfr wrote:

OK so the pinarello is 9 speed and over my 1K budget. Not really matching my requirements.

RIbble looking best at the moment. Pro Evo carbon with 105 group or 7005 Ultralite Alu. with Ultegra..

Ribble is always a good deal - but you can get the pinarello in your price range.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=51628

zippypablo

if you use cyclescheme at Ribble then you have to pay an admin fee. It used to be £50 but I'm sure it's more now. This is to offset the 10% commision that cyclescheme charge the shops.

Gingerflash

For a light race bike I'd agree with looking at Ribble and also Planet-X.

Someone mentioned an Allez. I had one, a 2008. Not racy in the slightest. Heavy, dead feeling frame, long headtube, high front end.

SDK2007

The 2010 Allez is now the same geometry as the Spesh Tarmac so is racy