CAAD 8 or other - £450 ish budget ? Advice please

dmont

Hi Guys,
This is my first post, so first off I like to say HI and how much I like this forum, full off great info !
I’ve been away from proper cycling for 20 years now ( god is it that long ! ) and I’ve started to ctw with this MTB : http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165499
Changed the tyres to Continental travel something, I just don’t get on with this bike at all..

My ctw is only 5 miles RT but I’d like a new bike, CAAD 8 and Gaint Defy 4 have caught my eye. I’d like to ctw every day ( using cycle paths, roads and the occasional park ) and in the evenings I’d like to do 10 > 15 mile cycles 3 times a week until my fitness is good… Through time I’d like to join a cycling club and get more serious with the miles/speed ( but not toooooo serious ).

Like I say the CAAD 8 Sora and Giant Defy 4 is what I’m looking at at the moment… Is there any others I should be looking at, either hybrid, cyclo cross or road racer I should be looking at.. Max budget is £450 ( not cycle to work scheme )..

Many thanks

Dmont

jeremyrundle

Just remember one thing, forget the selling price, imagine what it cost to make, at £400 the components after manufacture, shops commission, distributor etc is probably £100, you get what you pay for.

A decent set of wheels can cost £400.

For £400 I would also look (a) at local bike shops that offer good after sales service and (b) pre owned.

You could do a lot worse than this and get some slicks for the commute to work

http://www.leisurelakesbikes.com/produc ... ?&id=11901

Google it, it is less in other shops

Marcus_C

I had a short blast on a caad 8 shortly after new year. Fantastic bike but for commuting it's a bit too much of an out & out racer for my money, can you get a similar spec synapse for about the same price?

Also, Cannondale have some major supply issues at the moment.

dmont

Thanks for the advice there guys.

Jeremy, you're spot on with your advice, the link you posted... mmm nice bike ;o)

Thanks again

jeremyrundle

dmont wrote:

Thanks for the advice there guys.

Jeremy, you're spot on with your advice, the link you posted... mmm nice bike ;o)

Thanks again

I don't have one but I have seen MANY go down a run and they are great, look good, and look the part, I have ridden one at woodland riders (check the site) and it is s m o o t h

Marcus_C

Jeremy speaks a lot of sense, if you haven't decided what sort of bike to go for that's something you should sort out, for a 5 mile round commute, if you're more comfortable on a mountain based bike (hybrid or otherwise) then go for one, what else are you likely to use it for for example? Road bikes come into their own commuting wise when you have a commute somewhere approaching 20/30 mins each way etc. they tend to be more comfortable for longer at road speeds, I used to get cramp occasionally using a hybrid on a longer commute, probably also partly due to using a bike that was too small.

tailwindhome

Did anyone read the OP?

My ctw is only 5 miles RT but I’d like a new bike, CAAD 8 and Gaint Defy 4 have caught my eye. I’d like to ctw every day ( using cycle paths, roads and the occasional park ) and in the evenings I’d like to do 10 > 15 mile cycles 3 times a week until my fitness is good… Through time I’d like to join a cycling club and get more serious with the miles/speed ( but not toooooo serious ).

Go for the CAAD8 - the frame is more comfortable than the more race orientated CAAD 9 and is made by Cannondale who are pretty much the best in the business at aluminium frames. The spec is also a step up the Shimano ladder from the Giant Defy 4 .

Another optiom is the Kona Jake - a cyclocross bike with a great reputation - 2010 models where being discounted post xmas. It would be up to cycle path and park action but still be comfortable for longer road runs.


ETA Kona here (though shop around) http://www.cyclestore.co.uk/productDeta ... goryID=681

It'll test your budget but Tiagra is significantly better than Sora

Jeremy speaks a lot of sense

Not really

dmont

Thank you TailWind, I appreciate it.

I've decided on a Carerra Virtuoso ( http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... f5c8a1e076 )

I sized it up against a Trek 1.1 and Cannondale CAAD8 ( cost, looks and how it feels when sitting on it ), taking everything into account the Virtuoso won, it fitted like a glove and I have some money left over for some accessories... SPDs etc. Plus it's a cracking looking bike. I pick it up tomorrow so I'm quite excited now and can't wait to pick it up and get started on the miles !

Thanks again everyone..

Dmont