How much is too much?

Mountaineer204

I'm looking to buy my first road bike after a few years riding MTB's on trail centres and cross country. I have alot of time upgrading my current hardtail so am tempted to spend a bit more than might be the norm on a first roady so that I won't have to make many changes over the coming years.
How much would be say is acceptable to spend on a first road bike? I'm looking to use it for commuting as well as clubs rides (but not racing). I know that budget is often the limiting factor but I would be interested to see what people would spend if they could...sensible figures (not 2k on a first bike)!!
I've been looking at bikes ranging from £600 to £1500 because I want to buy a bike where I won't want to change the major components after a year.

Any opinions would be appreciated

hulla the hulla

So much will depend on personal circumstances it is difficult to say. What you think is appropriate may be very different to someone elses opinion.

Personally I spent just shy of a grand on my first bike but that is because I could and I like nice things. As it goes I've had some serious use out of it and I therefore feel vindicated in doing so (the wife may dissagree but that is another conversation). If I'd used it a dozen times and then stuck it in the shed to gather dust I would feel very different.

It is fair to say though that spending a little more now could save you money in the long run as if you really get a lot of use out of it or want to take the riding further you won't necessarily need to upgrade quite so soon.

Accordingly I have voted £600-£1000

Chrissz

Work out what you can actually afford and then spend a little more!

IMHO there's no such thing as too much" or "too little" - only what you are prepared to spend.

gmacz

First bike below £600.
You get a fantastic bike for that amount and it becomes a great second bike and commuter bike when you buy the new one a year later.

MikeWW

Just over £500
Would have been a bit cheaper in the mid term if I had spent more like £1k. But all depends how much you are going to use it
I don't mind rolling about on cheap wheels but prefer 105 as a groupset rather than Sora or below

Monkeypump

Just buy what you want - you don't need any of us to justify it.

Wirral_paul

£100 more than the wife allows............... and then you can join the rest of us and have a dirty little secret we keep from the other half!!

garrynolan

I only spent £195 but that was 1984-ish. Voted before I saw the context of your question. Would be spending the higher end of £600 - £1000 for similar bike nowadays...

Armoredinca

I was in exactly the same situation 18 months ago, looking at a Road bike coming from Mountain Biking and I compromised with price and found myself upgrading soon after 12months. I went for a Specialized Secteur, seemed to tick all the box's ok groupset, looked ok, sensible riding position but almost 1 month in I wish I had gone for carbon frame, slicker changing groupset, lighter frame and more racey riding position.

My advice would be buy an entry level 2011 carbon frame bike Trek 3.1/ Spec Tarmac / Focus Cayo in the sale £1000-1200 and put on a decent wheelset with the change.

I managed to haggle my local dealer into discounting a new 2012 Trek 3.5 (ultegra + 105) for £1450 and 2011 Mavic Kysrium Equipe for £270.

Peddle Up!

Could you include shillings and pence to make it more accurate? You did say first road bike.

gareth1234

Spent £250 on my first one, 6 months later I was buying again, this time in the £600-£1,000 price range.
The difference between the two is huge, so voted accordingly.

thescouselander

I only spent £200 on my first road bike. It was a Carrera virtuoso that was the previous year's model and it was also the display model so it was discounted from the original price of around £380. I still think that was an absolute bargain despite the fact I sold the bike long ago.

In the end I sold it on ebay for £170 so in reality it only cost me £30 and I got a good bit of use out of it.

charliew87

I've recently spent £700 on a my first bike.

From my research, £600-£800 will get you a good first bike which should last. I got a 2011 Bianchi Via Nirone 7, but a Trek 1.2 and Giant Defy 2 were the other options in that price range, all very good bikes.

Bear in mind accessories. You've probably got some stuff from your MTB, but I've had to spend £40+ on lycra, lights, helmet, gloves, shoes, pedals etc....

de_sisti

Second hand for £5 in 1979. Then bought a 3 speed Raleigh (straight handlebar) from
Sale Cycles (M/cr) in 1981 for £75.

edenchristopher

The answer to your question is that there is no such thing as too much. As others have written before me, it depends on your finances and your priorities. Just like restaurants, cars, houses.....the list is endless. Just enjoy what you buy and forget what others have got.

MarcBC

Any amount you can afford without resorting to (interest paid or deferred) credit or disadvantaging any other aspect of your life.

blackpoolkev

I spent just over a grand this time last year.I was aware that the wheelset and tyres were basic (most bikes in this price range are similarly compromised).However they served me well over the winter and were easily upgraded when summer arrived.
After putting 4000 miles on the clock I feel every penny was justified. If you are going to use it a lot, I say splash the cash!

Chrissz

Wirral_Paul wrote:

£100 more than the wife allows............... and then you can join the rest of us and have a dirty little secret we keep from the other half!!

Only £100 :shock:

If my wife knew the true cost of CF parts I'd be singing soprano :!: :!:

Wirral_paul

Chrissz wrote:

Wirral_Paul wrote:

£100 more than the wife allows............... and then you can join the rest of us and have a dirty little secret we keep from the other half!!

Only £100 :shock:

If my wife knew the true cost of CF parts I'd be singing soprano :!: :!:

Yep only £100 Chris. My brand new PRO Stealth Evo seatpost was only £25 and the full carbon 58mm Boyd aero wheels were £200 for the pair so in reality, £100 goes a long way.

Well thats what I told her about the price of carbon anyway...................... and the bank statements are hidden in work!!

EDIT: I hope she doesn't read BikeRadar!!

jameses

Managed to get this year's entry level Secteur for £400 about 6 months ago; love it to pieces, but now in the process of purchasing upgrades :roll: Probably worth spending a little more, if only because it will take you that much longer before you convince yourself that you *need* (want) to upgrade...

ZoomZoom

Am in the market for a road bike, would say that it my first proper one. Am looking at £500 ish to spend on a 2nd hand one that has sat in someone's garage for a few months.

daxplusplus

Depends on a lot of things .. but would you be happy commuting on an expensive bike?

Think about where you'll store it, the hammering that it may take? What about all the crap stuff you'll have to put on it? (lights, mud guards). If not happy doing that then get a decent commuting bike (second hand for say £400+) and splash out the rest of the cash on a pampered road bike for the rest of the time.

Thats what I would do.

In fact that is what I'm doing .. the only problem is that I don't have the cash to get the expensive road bike but hey what the heck, my commute on my 2010 Trek 1.4 is awesome (cost £400 but TBH I've then spent over half that again on kit).

Good luck.

kev77

£1200 on my first steed!

then a massive amount over the next 12 months upgrading and fettling!

desweller

Bought my aluminium BeOne as end-of-line from CRC for £500, it was very nice apart from being a bit big.

I'm still using the same parts but transferred over to a smaller carbon frame; it's worked nicely so far!

Wulz

I went for a trek 1.5 at £675 2009 model. Good little machine. After about six month i knew i wanted something a bit better so after another six months i picked up an ultegra equipped Kuota Kebel for about £2100 ish.

After about six months i was a bit fed up with the sora shifters relative to the feel and operation of the Ultegra so i fitted a set of 105 to the trek. I also picked up a set of Cosmic Carbones for the Kebel. So now i have a 1.5 trek with 105 shifters with the set of Aksium race fitted which came with the Kebel and the now super nice posh bike for when i feel its right. The trek serves as an excellent communter/winter ride and i never feel that my bikes are either "too good for the weather" or "not good enough" to really let rip when the weather/occasion allows. Could not be happier.......well for now

Ok my journey is not what you would call cheap, but for my available funds and for how happy ive been since starting my road biking with the trek. I honestly don`t think i would do anything different. Some guys could feel the same with cheaper spec bikes and i could if i had to. But i had the funds and believe i have achieved vaule for money thus far.


My total spend over two years is £3690 ( this is just bikes, wheels and 105 shifters).

So spend what you can afford and you will be happy!

Cheers

marcusjb

I bought second hand when I decided I wanted a road bike again - this was a couple of years ago.

Spent around £400 on a second hand Pinarello Treviso. Was a lovely bike.

Needless to say, the bug really bit and I ended up riding more distance events, so wanted something a little comfier and only once I'd worked out what I really wanted out of a road bike did I think about buying new.

You'll never get it right first time - so don't stress over it, buy something for £3-500 second hand - as long as it's the right size and in decent condition, you should get a fantastic bike for that money. Learn what you want out of a bike, what you like and don't like and then start putting money aside for your next bike. Either sell the other one to contribute or relegate it to commuting/winter duties.

griffsters

I've made a few errors in my first year or so road cycling, i'm now on my third bike.

My errors have mostly been about sizing, geometry and what riding I wanted to do. When I first wanted a road bike I just thought a bike is a bike isnt it? Read some reviews about what was good and what was not and bought..only to find that they were too stretched and uncomfotable for my aging body.

In a nutshell with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight i'd ask yourself whether you want to be a racer or more fitness / sportive / comfort oriented. Then seek out bikes with suitable geometry. Then do all the measurements (competitive cyclist website or somesuch)thing so you have a rough idea of what bike size would suit your body then go and sit on some and ride if possible to see what 'clicks'.

I found this the most difficult bit as being on the small side most bike shops didnt stock or have built the size I wanted to try, hence I found it nigh on impossible to test out the bikes I wanted.

Now settled with a Cannondale Synapse Carbon 105 from the sales this year and its like a breath of fresh air compared to my previous bikes. Love it, but it took me a while and a few quid to get there. Everyone says it but getting the sizing and geo right for you is absolutely the number one priority. Once that is right spend much as you can afford.

derosa

Peddle Up! wrote:

Could you include shillings and pence to make it more accurate? You did say first road bike.

Ditto. Can't remember how much my first bike was 40 years ago

logitech208

I bought the 2011 Raleigh Airlite 400 from Wiggle for the bargain price of £539 with 105 Groupset on it so well happy as it has gone back up in price now.

A few of my mates have mocked the raleigh badge but is better spec'd than there branded Allez's they ride.

DesB3rd

First time out I spent £250 on second-hand a Giant SCR2, '08spec. all Tiagra & upgraded wheels. Nice enough.

There was money in the bank to spend, say, £800+ but inretrospect I'm glad I didn't; I would have been more precious, probably to the extent that I wouldn't have commuted, gone out on bad/wet roads or sullied a pretty thing with the necessary but fugly winter tires. i.e. something more expensive would have looked a lot nicer, and that would be a ideal - I would have spent a lot of time just looking at it...
:roll:

I'd do the same again; get the cheapest do-all-cum-hack roady (ally frame, tiagra+ level groupo, get some nicer wheels as & when but good tires immediately) you can lay your hands on and see how the road riding thing goes. That wouldn't let you down at a sub-racing level, more bike is edging into the realm of diminishing returns, but if you itch for something shiny & new then it's a comfort that bikes at this level are highly sought after S/H, so you can get the bulk of your money back.

CambsNewbie

Mine was a Boardman I got in the Xmas sales at Halfords, got £150 off it bringing it under £600.

For me it was a fine line between buying something expensive and decent enough that I'd be motivated to make sure I used it and not too expensive in case I didnt like it as much as thought I would. The fact that I'm on here tells you I love it. I also keep a mental note of how many times I have used it, then divide it by the cost to work out how much each ride costs! That way I can justify to myself how much I spent.

Where that line falls for you is going to vary according to disposable income and financial commitments.