A Fun Dilemma.... Condor Italia, Ribble Sportive or CAAD X??

jimbo_akimbo

This dilema is currently giving me a lot of pleasure so I thought i'd spread the love....

I currently have up to £1100 to splurge on a new bike and I can't decide where to spend the wonga.

I currently own a Cannondale CAAD 8 (for Sunday best), a Specialized Langster (for the 10 miles blast to work) and a manky old Trek SU200 Hybrid which is destined for the classifieds.

What I'm looking for is something to replace the Langster for the daily commute, it's a fine whip, but energetic days see me spinning out too often, and i'd like to be able to keep up with the big boys. So here are my options so far;

Condor Italia - I went in today and hung around pinching tyres and stroking saddles.... nobody pounced on me so I bottled it and ran away... I was this close I tell you...

Ribble Sportive Carbon - It's getting so many great reviews its got to be a contender, but if I got this I think i'd have to save it for the weekend jaunts, and introduce my CAAD 8 to the school run.

And here's the wild card...

Cannondale CAAD X 105 - I know that a crosser isn't going to be the fastest boy on the block, but this is one great looking bike, and with the state of the roads in my part of West London being what they are, I think i'd appreciate the ride. I don't really have a desire to spend my Sundays running up muddy slopes with a bike on my shoulder, but by all accounts, 'Dale have specced this with the commuter in mind anyhows.

So that's where I'm at at the moment... What do you think 'Radar'ers, where would you slap your wonga?

Rich158

Mine would go on the Cannondale or Condor, Ribble are nice bikes but definately at the budget end of the market. I've owned a couple and they don't stand up to comparison with a Condor or Dale. The CAAD X 105 looks a stonking bike, that'd be my choice

kelsen

Rich158 wrote:

The CAAD X 105 looks a stonking bike, that'd be my choice

Agreed, they're are like hen's teeth though. Cannondale have a serious supply issue at the moment. The Synapse I ordered in January is not due until May!

rolf_f

Rich158 wrote:

Mine would go on the Cannondale or Condor, Ribble are nice bikes but definitely at the budget end of the market. I've owned a couple and they don't stand up to comparison with a Condor or Dale.

I'm a bit surprised at that. I honestly can't say that my Ribble Gran Fondo doesn't stand comparison to my far more expensive Look. It's a little heavier and the finishing kit is cheaper (mainly for C2W reasons and also that the special edition bikes with limited choices are so cheap compared to the standard builds Ribble offer) but really, the difference isn't so great. It's hard to fault the frames even at twice the price and many are sold by high end brands at much more than that. The build quality is pretty good and the frame is very well finished. They are absolute real bargains. I paid about £1100 for my full Centaur Gran Fondo and I struggle to fault it.

What sort of Ribble did you have and when?

jimbo_akimbo

Thanks for the feed back chaps, but the waters are still gloriously murky. I've heard that Ribble have a build em' cheap reputation, but recent reviews do appear to be glowing. I hope they aren't just polishing up the review models and shipping out shoddy rides to the customers...

I always assumed I'd treat myself to a carbon uber-glider when I lost 3 stone and went pro, but those bikes are looking tempting.... But then there's the Cannondale.....

iPete

I'm in a similar boat in terms of budget and desire for a Carbon Sunday best.

Short list is:

Cayo 105 or Ultegra 2.0
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/focus-cayo-105-ltd-2011/
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/focus-cayo-20-u ... pact-2011/

Planet-X Pro SL SRAM Force
http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... e-11-44473

Ribble Sportive Racing Veloce
http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... e-11-43812

..but if your spinning out, its not the bike

jonny_trousers

Go steel for a commuter.

mr_poll

If you think steel is the way to go then have a look at this:

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/genesis/equilibrium-20-2011-road-bike-ec024748?query=genesis

The 2010 version got a good write up with reservations on the wheels - this has been addressed for the 2011 version. Looks gorgeous IMHO, a tad over budget but Evans did have them at 1150 in December so a deal might be able to be struck or use the proceeds of the hybrid to add to the budget.

chrishd883

No experience of the Ribble but I do own a 2004 CAAD 8.

Bought a 2008 carbon Synapse to replace the CAAD 8 as the "sunday best" bike.
Guess what? It didn't.
I do use the Synapse but not often - events or for pure fun it's the CAAD 8 all the way!
Can't believe that a simlarly priced Ribble will be much better than the Synapse.

Not one to argue against a 'dale - but Cyclo X? think hard about it.
You'll probably end up fitting 23mm tyres and moaning about the canti brakes / v-brakes.
Bought a Tricross for the winter commute - does the job - but that's all I can say about it.
They're a jack of all trades, master of none.

If you're spinning out on the Langster - raise the gearing?

Not much help? Best advice - buy something you'll enjoy riding.
Not my idea - read it on this site - but good advice all the same.

jonny_trousers

mr_poll wrote:

If you think steel is the way to go then have a look at this:

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/genesis/equilibrium-20-2011-road-bike-ec024748?query=genesis

The 2010 version got a good write up with reservations on the wheels - this has been addressed for the 2011 version. Looks gorgeous IMHO, a tad over budget but Evans did have them at 1150 in December so a deal might be able to be struck or use the proceeds of the hybrid to add to the budget.

Always liked the look of Genesis bikes, but does this one take full mudguards (as does the Condor)? Also, how much more would the Condor cost?

rolf_f

jimbo_akimbo wrote:

Thanks for the feed back chaps, but the waters are still gloriously murky. I've heard that Ribble have a build em' cheap reputation, but recent reviews do appear to be glowing. I hope they aren't just polishing up the review models and shipping out shoddy rides to the customers...

No, they have a historically duff customer service reputation but that isn't borne out by feedback on here of late. I'd say they are a little ditzy - my bike, which I picked up in person, had wrongly routed brakes (I'd requested continental routing) and the wrong brake levers (I'd requested, and had confirmed, Campag 2010 and they'd put 2011 on - fortunately one of their display bikes had the last 2010 levers in the building so I had them make the corrections whilst I went off to pick some wheels up I'd bought from Ebay).

So, I would check, double check and triple check and get in writing everything before they send the bike or pick up in person. They were absolutely fine about sorting out the changes there and then even though they were packing for the bike show at the time.

Otherwise the bike has been spot on. I suspect you'd get a similar result from Planet X in Sheffield.

Or get a nice hand made, steel Bob Jackson. Frames are only £400.

jonny_trousers

Ah, just spotted the Italia is in fact aluminium - why did I think it was steel? - anyway, still go steel for the commute. That Genesis is looking even nicer now.

clarkey cat

The Fratello is steel

squeeler

I've had a Ribble Sportive with Centaur groupset for a couple of years and can't fault it, I haven't experienced higher priced (road) bikes to compare it to though.

Not sure I'd recommend it for commuting though, no rack mounts, no space for proper mudguards etc. Maybe the Cannondale crosser is a more practical option?

jimbo_akimbo

Big thanks all.....

It looks like the 'Dale is inching ahead... i'll let you know where the money goes.

kelsen

jimbo_akimbo wrote:

Big thanks all.....

It looks like the 'Dale is inching ahead... i'll let you know where the money goes.

Good choice. Like I said before though, be prepared for a lo-oooong wait!

jonny_trousers

clarkey cat wrote:

The Fratello is steel

That's the fella! Top all rounder.