1st Road Bike, Please Help!!!

golfprobiker

I am wanting to buy my first road bike and want to spend Around £600 - £800. I am wanting to cycle to work and do some charity cycles of around 50 miles. Have read many magazines and reviews but am even more confused. Have thought about the following bikes and don't mind buying 2010 models.
Trek 1.2, Giant Defy 3, Broadman Comp, Specialized Secteur, Cube Attempt. I don't know anything about good or bad bike parts. I think all these bikes have carbon forks?
Also any advice on frame size and triple or compact, I am 6ft tall. Would welcome any sound advise and hope i don't get more confused.

CiB

1) Go to your LBS and pick a couple that you like the look of.

2) Go for a test ride, if poss.

3) Buy the one you like the most

For that money these days you don't get a bad bike. Most advice here will be along the lines of "buy what I bought - it's great".

unixnerd

For your budget you'll get far more on a second hand bike. Loads of folk get a bike with good intentions then never use it! I got a 1200 quid Cannondale for 400, it was three years old but barely used. Look on ebay and gumtree.

If you live somewhere hilly get a triple, if not a compact or double is fine.

Don't try riding without proper padded cycling shorts. Saddles are designed for people wearing a bit of padding, won't be a lot of fun otherwise. They'll also wick the sweat away.

Bikes like the Secteur and Cannondale Synapse have a more relaxed riding position, you site a bit more upright. It's easier on the back for long rides or for those of us not in the first flush of youth.

Buy something you can fit mudguards to without a big fuss, a rack and panniers are ideal for commuting and much easier than a backpack. You might even be better off with a touring bike.

SimonPieman

I remember looking for my first bike, its quite an ordeal with so many nice machines out there.
Try and narrow the choice to 3 or 4 machines, then get yourself to a good LBS (local bike shop) who stock your choices, take them out for a test ride, which ever one your like the best, based on handling, comfort, etc. You must like it for both its spec and appearance, which ever one ticks all the boxes.
I love shopping for bikes!!

Baldgerry

I'd second the ebay route, I bought a 2010 Secteur Sport just before Christmas for £270. It's hardly been used at all and my logic was if I decided I didn't get on with cycling I'd pretty much get my money back.

As it happens I'm loving it, the bike is great and amazingly depite the fact I'm 49 and haven't been on a bike for 30 years I find it really comfortable (apart from the saddle but padded shorts almost sorted that!). Some of the money I saved is going towards a BG fit next week at the nearest Speciallized store. And a new saddle. The rest of the savings will go on various bits of clothing including waterproof trousers and a jacket.

Hope that helps.

Philby

As above, try as many as possible in your price bracket. You will get a better bargain secondhand, but a bargain is only a bargain if the bike fits you and there is onlt a small amount of adaptation you can make through the saddle and stem.

Again some the bikes you have identified have more relaxed (or upright) geometries than others in your list which have a racier set up.

At 6 foot you will be looking at either a 56cm or 58cm depending on the length of your body v legs. I am 6 foot and found bikes I tried at 58cm a little too stretched, and those at 56cm a little too small - I didn't go down the route of changing the stem length. I ended up trying a Bianchi Via Nirone in a 57cm size (Bianchi do unusual sizes) and it fitted me perfectly - some of their range are within your price bracket so might be another option to try.

ilm_zero7

golfprobiker
my first road bike was a Wilier - it got me into Italian stuff, and never looked back, but for a less biased view I would say a 2010 Boardman probably offers you the best all round value, and is possibly a better first bike than many 2nd and 3rd bike riders currently have

andyjr

I've just gone through a similar process & for it came down to the fact that having never had a road bike before I had no idea about set up. As such went to a few LBS and got a Trek 1.2 from there. If you know how to set the bike up for yourself, then going down the 2nd hand route would give better value for money, however if not, then LBS is the way forward as getting the set up wrong could put you off for good.

one_bad_mofo

I was all set to drop £599 on a Boardman Comp (having seen it go back up from £559 while thinking about it) when I headed to the London Cycle Show. That was forunate for me because while I was there I saw the Decathlon stand and the B'Twin Sport 3 (in my size too). I cheekily asked if I could get a discount on the display bike and was told yes. The RRP was £599 and I could have it for £500. Then I realised I wouldn't be able to get it home on the tube so decided to buy it online when I got home for the full price.
However, when I went to buy it online I couldn't find it listed on the Decathlon site. A quick e-mail to the store and I got a phone call back telling me how to order it and offering it to me at the show price. Result.
If you want more details on the bike - http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/sport-3-54-57-72884215/

aclintern

try before you buy and read up on road tests etc.

Cube is a beauty but perhaps better suited to more experienced riders, the Secteur or the Trek will be better for a novice with less twitchy and safer handling characteristics.

Your call, ultimately!

Triple chainset can often be a blessing!!!!

elgordo

Try a Ribble 7005

For around £650 you can get full Campagnolo Veloce groupset. For about £700 full Sram groupset. I am also 6ft and a 58cm frame fitted me great but they do have a size guide on their website.


Not the most beautiful bike but good enough for everyday use. I am very happy with mine.

navrig

My experience would take you away from 2nd hand. When I decided to get my first road bike I spoke to a friend who is a serious cyclist and is a triathalon coach. I asked him to look out for a decent 2nd hand bike for about £600. His advice was that for £600 I would get a perfectly acceptable first bike. I asked around and eventually a cycling colleague dropped Ribble's name into the conversation.

I compared their 7005 winter audax with equivalents from other manufacturers and found that I could get a Tiagra specced bike for the same price as the lower specced Sora bikes.

I sized my frame from their web guidance and then phoned Ribble to confirm that my interpretation was correct.

The bike came with the gears fully tuned and after fitting the pedals, turnign the handlebars and setting the seat it was working perfectly.

The problem with 2nd hand is you are potentially buyinf others' problems and the last thing you want to be doing is fiddling with the gears and brakes. You want to be riding.

Just my tuppence worth.