Help needed picking first road bike

Ringo 68

Hi,

I am looking for a first road bike. At the moment I ride a Carrera hybrid that I use for leisure rides for enjoymemnt and fitness, mostly off road on a gravel cycle route. After getting constantly passed by the road bike boys on the 5 miles or so I do on the road I have decided that "if you can't beat them, join them"

I have done a fair bit of reading and have narrowed it down to 2 bikes.

Trek 1.1 (I have seen this for £475)
Boardman Road Race (£650)

Has anyone got any thoughts on these 2 bikes, or is there something I have overlooked?

£650 is the absoloute maximum I can go to.

Thanks.

Arghyrou

Specialized Allez? Good bike, fast and looks great, and the upgrades are good. Having said that head Boardmans are great value for money (components).
I can vouch for my great Allez though!

Ringo 68

Thanks.

Believe it or not, I was just looking at the Specialized Allez Sport seconds before I saw your post.

I local(ish) bike shop has both the Trek and Specialised in stock. I might have to go for a drive tomorrow.

Arghyrou

Definitely worth giving them a test ride, test the different geometry and feel.

Frag75

Hi Ringo,

I can also vouch for the Allez (I have 2010 Allez Sport) though I suspect that at that price point most bikes from major manufacturers will be of a similar quality and use the same level of components (2300/Sora), so test riding and deciding which one feels best really is good advice.

Might be a silly question, but I presume that you will continue riding your hybrid on gravel and stick to the road only on your shiny new road bike?

unixnerd

The Allze is a good bike but I'd go for a Cannondale CAAD8 with Tiagra. From 721 quid:
http://www.tritoncycles.co.uk/m14b280s6 ... S_GB/20188

You'd get it for less with Sora but Tiagra shifters are worth the extra. At your 650 budget most bikes will have Sora or 2300 groupsets. Tiagra lets you change gear when you're down on the drops, you can only change from the hoods on Sora.

Another thing is to look at used bikes on ebay or gumtree. 500-650 would get you something pretty good, likely a year or two old and barely used if you look around.

Frag75

I disagree with the statement about changing gear on the drops with Sora as I don't have any problems. I test rode the Allez Sport and decided I couldn't justify the extra £200 for the Elite with Tiagra. I seem to remember that the bike was supplied with shims to adjust the reach of the brake levers too. I guess it's just a case of riding with Sora and Tiagra and seeing what you feel most comfortable with.

Ringo 68

Frag75 wrote:

Hi Ringo,

I can also vouch for the Allez (I have 2010 Allez Sport) though I suspect that at that price point most bikes from major manufacturers will be of a similar quality and use the same level of components (2300/Sora), so test riding and deciding which one feels best really is good advice.

Might be a silly question, but I presume that you will continue riding your hybrid on gravel and stick to the road only on your shiny new road bike?

Yes mate. Hybrid for off road tracks and shiny new road bike just for the road.

Thanks for the replies. Plenty for me to think about.

5tu-pid

Hi Ringo

I have the Boardman Race and have no complaints.

It is my first road bike and I love it, my only issue is with the staff that sold me / service the bike at Halfords. This could just be localised but looking at other comments in other threads it seems to be a common thing.

Saying that I dont need to take the bike back there anymore so I need to make friends at my LBS.

The only thing I upgraded were the pedals to SPDs.

Stu

Ringo 68

5tu-pid wrote:

Hi Ringo

I have the Boardman Race and have no complaints.

It is my first road bike and I love it, my only issue is with the staff that sold me / service the bike at Halfords. This could just be localised but looking at other comments in other threads it seems to be a common thing.

Saying that I dont need to take the bike back there anymore so I need to make friends at my LBS.

The only thing I upgraded were the pedals to SPDs.

Stu

Thanks.

Halfords staff are not really an issue as I will set the bike up myself.
I do realy like the look of the Boardman, better than any of the bikes I have looked at so far. I just need to see the Specialised before I finally make up my mind.

AlanK

Can't say anything for the other bikes but both me and the wife bought last years Boardman Comps in the end of line sale and very happy with them.

From what I read before buying it they get good reviews and good spec for the money. Coming from a 35lb full Susa MTB it's a little daunting though lol

Pretty sure for 5-600 quid tho you would be hard pushed to go wrong with anything!

deptfordmarmoset

I've got a Boardman race and I find it very comfortable and assured on the road. However, the standard tyres - Vittoria Zaffiros - seem a bit slippery on ironworks even when travelling in a straight line so when the first puncture came along I swapped the rear tyre over to a Rubino Pro, which feels more secure. It's not a big issue though - I've got another tyre ready waiting to replace the front when the first flat comes along but until then it's just about ok.

It might be my untimely gear changing or it might be because I'm used to a triple, but I found it a little too easy to throw the chain on the compact. A dog fang seems to have cured that.

I think the frame is a little longer than usual which suits me perfectly, being long-bodied rather than long-legged. Despite the name, it's probably a bit too sedate for a racer but the big boys now seem to take longer to overtake me...

Horses for courses, of course, but I'm very happy with it.

El Selb

Reading this with great interest....had my '09 trek 1.2 swiped last week (only had it for 4 months, swines...) and now looking at the allez, another trek, carrera vanquish or for the first time today i started thinking about a boardman after checking them out in halfords. Think it was a Road or Race, carbon job for about 650.

The halfords sales staff both had boardmans and were glowing about them.

Ringo 68

Before i (finally) take the plunge has anyone any thoughts on this Felt that I have found for a pretty good price?

I can pick this up from a LBS for £539

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/felt-f95-2011

It is going to be either the Felt or the Boardman Road Race.