£1000 to burn, what to buy?

lycraholic

Around January I'll hopefully have a budget of around a grand for a nice shiny road bike, and I'm looking for advice as to what to get.

I need it to be
1.) Big enough, I'm 6 foot 5!
2.) Strong enough, particularly in the components, I give out a lot of power
3.) Light, fast, shiny, beautiful etc.

I've been looking at the follwing as starters:

Cube Attempt 2011: great components, not as keen on the sloping toptube. No idea how good the frame is

Wilier La Triestina Mirage: beautiful, plus I can get it at a 10% discount from my LBS. But are the components any good?

Planet x?

Focus Cayo, I emailed Wiggle and apparently for the foreseeable future the only 2011 Cayo they're stocking is the Ultegra £1500 version. Otherwise a 105-equipped Cayo for a grand or thereabouts would be by far my favourite.

Any other ideas from people owning these or similar bikes?

Thanks

StanwaySteve62

what kind of riding you doing?

MarcBC

Orbea Aqua T105

Monkeypump

Depending on your shape (long legs/body/arms, how they vary in relation to each other), you might struggle to get a big enough frame. I know - I'm the same size and had the same problem.

I ended up looking at manufacturers with larger frame sizes - Trek, Cannondale, etc. and bought a 64cm Trek 1.9 (over £1lk, and the 2011 equivalent is unfortunately more again). I love it, but others on here will dismiss it as a mass-produced symbol of hatred (possibly due to associations with LA).

The CAAD9 gets amazing reviews and has a dedicated following, so would also be worth looking at.

I didn't have a pro fitting, but tried loads of bikes (some in more than one frame size) before I found one that just felt spot on.

I had a long chat with Planet X who assured me their frames would fit, but after trying bikes with similar geometry I dismissed them as too small. If I could have tried one, maybe it would have been okay - give them (or Geoffrey Butler in Croydon) a call.

Would need to compare geometry and tube lengths, but interesting to see Wilier and Focus do a XXXL frame size (seems to be a 62cm though).

lycraholic

StanwaySteve62 wrote:

what kind of riding you doing?

TTs, 40-50 miles afternoon rides, and I reckon I'll want to do my first century soon.

MarcBC wrote:

Orbea Aqua T105

Looks nice, but at 9.2kg it does seem rather heavy. Would this be a bonus for a larger chap though?

Monkeypump wrote:

Depending on your shape (long legs/body/arms, how they vary in relation to each other), you might struggle to get a big enough frame. I know - I'm the same size and had the same problem.

I've got quite long legs proportionally, 36" inside leg if I remember accurately. Taling of Trek bikes, I had my eye on the 2.3 which is a beautiful looking thing, but the price has risen dramatically recently.[/quote]

MarcBC

Lycraholic wrote:

MarcBC wrote:

Orbea Aqua T105

Looks nice, but at 9.2kg it does seem rather heavy. Would this be a bonus for a larger chap though?

I weigh approx 18st so wanted a strong bike with a minimum of 32 spokes at the rear. Also Scott / Orbea are the only people I know of who do not weight limit on their carbon stuff. I do agree the bike is heavy, however. When I removed the rear wheel, I was stunned how heavy it was (even more than my MTB Mavic / XTR wheel) . Changing wheels or even the standard tyres should improve things later on.

MattMasters

Hi there

I am not the same size as you so not sure if these would be ok however I posted a comment on the forum too about this bike -

Bike Name: Dolan Mythos Road Bike - Sram Apex -Omega
Component Description:
Frame Dolan 12k Carbon Road Frame
Fork Dolan 12k carbon Road fork 1 1/8 Int, Carbon Fibre Blades.
Carbon Fibre Steering Column
Seat Post Alpina 12k Carbon
Headset Alpina 1 1/8th Integral - 45*45
Colour 12k Carbon Fibre, white decals, Gloss finish
Front Mech Clamp Alpina - Alloy - Black, 34.9
Seat Clamp Alpina - Alloy - Black
Chain Sram Apex
Chainset Sram Apex 50/34 Compact
Bottom Bracket Sram Apex, 68mm BSA
Brake Calipers Sram Apex, Dual Pivot
Levers/Shifters Sram Apex
Cables Clarkes - Brake + Gear, Black
Front Mech Sram Apex, Braze On
Rear Mech Sram Apex
Cassette Sram Apex 11-28
Spacers Alpina - Alloy - Black
Saddle San Marco Ponza cro-mo rails
Grips or Tape 3T cork ribbon/embossed 3T logo and 3T end plugs
Stem 3T ARX PRO aluminium 31.8 steerer 1 1/8'' with 6deg rise
Bars 3T ERGONOVA 31.8MM trple-butted aluminium 7075 T6
Inner Tubes Nutrak Inner tube Width: 18-23mmSize: 700cValve: Presta
Tyres Vittoria Zaffiro Clincher Road Tyre: 23mm & 700c, Black
Wheels Mach 1 Omega Semi Profile Rims - Shimano Hub - 32 Hole - Clincher

Its going for £1000 on the Halford Cycle to work scheme at the moment as opposed to the £1300 on the Dolan Website.

Here are some suggestions from other forum users that replied to me -

Got to be the boardman for £1k - others are Planet x - and Ribble Sportive.

Failing that, why not go Campag? By that I mean consider the Pinarello FP1 Xenon - there's shops out there selling it at pretty much the same price as the Dolan and Boardman. I'm amazed there was only the one thread about it earlier this year when it was on Wiggle.

Not sure if this helps? I think I am going to go for the Dolan as Boardman has upped its price so not able to do that through the cycle to work scheme which is rubbish!

Thanks

Matt

andyoh

Lycraholic wrote:

Around January I'll hopefully have a budget of around a grand for a nice shiny road bike, and I'm looking for advice as to what to get.


I've been looking at the follwing as starters:

Wilier La Triestina Mirage: beautiful, plus I can get it at a 10% discount from my LBS. But are the components any good?

I have a 2009 Wilier La Triestina with Veloce groupset. I have covered around 1,400 miles on it this year and I have not had any problems at all. I test rode a couple of other bikes i.e. Trek, Giant & Cannondale but I knew I wanted the Wilier once I had ridden it, you will not be disappointed with one. The La Triestina has now become my winter bike as I have added another Wilier to the garage and am waiting on it arriving in a couple of weeks. As for Mirage groupset sadly I can't comment, however, a colleague has a 2010 Wilier Mortirolo with Mirage groupset and he has covered similar mileage this year and has not had a problem at all. Get out there and try to test ride all the bikes you have listed, that really is the only way to decide for yourself.

gregster10217

Saw this on the Chain Reaction site whilst browsing yesterday. Seems like exceptional value for money with more than £500 off for the 60cm frame.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=44403

Sorry if it's not of interest, but well spec'd with Ultegra running gear.

Bar Shaker

I wouldn't pay £1k for an unknown bike carrying Apex (or Sora). Rival/105 should be a minimum at this price and you may get Force/Ultegra, with a great frame, if you shop around.

deanobeano

I bought a Wilier Mortirolo Mirage for £1149 reduced from £1500 a couple of weeks ago - if you can stretch that far.

But instead of Mirage groupset I got mainly Veloce with Mirage shifters and a carbon Record front derailleur - this was all free upgrade from cycle surgery in Birmingham.

It's a great bike but I'm 5'11 and got a large frame. Apparently Wilier bikes are more compact so you may struggle to get one to match your reach, even the Wilier La Triestina Mirage you mentioned.

lycraholic

I've been talking to the chaps at Wiggle about the 105-equipped versions of the 2011 Cayo, they say they would have to do a special order from their suppliers at full price. Watch this space for how much that would cost!

I can'y help but think Wiggle are shooting themselves in their foot by only stocking the £1500 ultegra version. If they discounted the 105 version to under a grand, they would sell like hot cakes!

ShutUpLegs

Lycraholic wrote:

I've been talking to the chaps at Wiggle about the 105-equipped versions of the 2011 Cayo, they say they would have to do a special order from their suppliers at full price. Watch this space for how much that would cost!

I can'y help but think Wiggle are shooting themselves in their foot by only stocking the £1500 ultegra version. If they discounted the 105 version to under a grand, they would sell like hot cakes!

I'd keep an eye out in the next month or so for that Ultegra Cayo dropping 20%

lycraholic

ShutUpLegs wrote:

I'd keep an eye out in the next month or so for that Ultegra Cayo dropping 20%

Ey up, now if they'd just do that to the 2.0 I'd be a happy man...

MichaelW

You're a big lad, are these production frames big enough for you?
Why not invest in a frame that fits you well, maybe some long cranks and wide bars and use a lesser groupset or existing parts to get it going.

lycraholic

Apparently Wiggle ARE going to stock the Cayo 1.0, from January, at a price of £1099.

Sadly this will probably price me out, unless I can haggle successfully I can't afford that plus pedals and shoes.

lycraholic

Actually I've just noticed that if I get a student membership of Triathlon England (for £12) I automatically get 12% off at Wiggle. Hello Cayo 1.0!!!

ShutUpLegs

Lycraholic wrote:

ShutUpLegs wrote:

I'd keep an eye out in the next month or so for that Ultegra Cayo dropping 20%

Ey up, now if they'd just do that to the 2.0 I'd be a happy man...

It's up