Pinarello FP2 105 2011 or BH Bikes Prisma 7.8 Ultegra 2011?

MazJP

Hi all.
I appreciate that these sort of threads come up often, and you're more than likely completely sick of them. For which, I apologise in posting this.
However, I really need help!

I've been road cycling for the last 5/6 years (I'm 20 now) and have been happy riding my Lemond Etape Road bike. However, the time has now come to upgrade.
I'm looking at last years bikes to try and grab myself a 'bargain', with a budget of £1000-£1500. I'm hoping to get a bike that is originally worth around £2k.

I've been searching around and I feel these 2 bikes are the best ones I could find:
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/pinarello-fp2-105-2011/
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/bh-bikes-prisma ... 1-ex-demo/

They are priced at £1299 and £1259 respectively.

I'm hoping to race ironman next year, so need a bike that is light, strong and reliable. The lighter, the better, as I want a good climber. I'm not looking at aero bikes as I enjoy road cycling in its on right, and will be using the bike mainly for this, as well as triathlons.

If you could give me your opinions on which you would go for and why, or why not, I'd really appreciate it. If you feel there are better bargains out there, please enlighten me!

Thank you in advance.
Maz

MazJP

or perhaps the Cannondale six carbon 105?

http://www.scotbycycles.co.uk/bikes-c19 ... oogle#1909

£1350

noiseboyfeetman

Definately the Pinarello out of those two, the BH is ugly! However the Cannondale would well be worth a look, just get out a and test ride and see what you prefer, simples!

How about a Merckx?

http://www.tweekscycles.com/Cycle/Bikes/Road_Bikes/Eddy_Merckx_EMX1_105_Road_Bike_2011/915/5243
http://www.tweekscycles.com/Cycle/Bikes/Road_Bikes/Eddy_Merckx_EMX1_Veloce_Road_Bike_2011/915/12003

MazJP

Well the poll has made very clear to avoid the BH.
Noted!

Cheers for the reply noiseboyfeetman, I would love a Mercx, however the extra £150 doesn't seem to offer any large advantages over the cannondale or Pinarello (spec wise).

Hopefully going to pop to some local bike shops here in Cardiff (I'm here for uni) and see if they stock a pinarello fp2 105 or cannondale six carbon 105 and give them a test. However I'm not too hopeful that they'll have them in!

Have to admit, after reading bikeradar's 5* review of the cannondale, and seeing it got bike of the year, I am very much leaning towards that at the moment, although the pinarello looks shit hot...

Once again, your opinions are most appreciated!
Cheers.
Maz

ugo.santalucia

MazJP wrote:

Well the poll has made very clear to avoid the BH.
Noted!

Cheers for the reply noiseboyfeetman, I would love a Mercx, however the extra £150 doesn't seem to offer any large advantages over the cannondale or Pinarello (spec wise).

Hopefully going to pop to some local bike shops here in Cardiff (I'm here for uni) and see if they stock a pinarello fp2 105 or cannondale six carbon 105 and give them a test. However I'm not too hopeful that they'll have them in!

Have to admit, after reading bikeradar's 5* review of the cannondale, and seeing it got bike of the year, I am very much leaning towards that at the moment, although the pinarello looks shoot hot...

Once again, your opinions are most appreciated!
Cheers.
Maz

Biased reviews are worthless, check for users reviews, they're worth the bother to read. Magazines review products and pretty much say what the manufacturers want them to say. In case they have nothing to say, they say that it is lighter and stiffer than the previous model, which is often as true as completely irrelevant for the end user.
Personally I would go for the one that offers the best groupset/wheels for the money and the one with your favourite colour scheme... carbon frames are all the same... have you not noticed they all look the same? It is indicative of the differences between one and the other... exactly, the colour!

MazJP

Don't worry mate, I always check customer reviews aswell.
Although once again, all customer reviews are beaming for both bikes.

Groupsets are the same, the Cannondale has a wheelset that is 40g lighter, so not much in it really.
I'm trying to find official weights for them. It seems the cannondale is approx 19.06lbs (8.65kg) according to evanscycles, which seems rather heavy. But I can't find the weight of the pinarello...

I should be revising but I'm spending all my time looking at bikes and prices, trying to work out which to choose!
This is my first BIG investment in the road world, so I want it to count!!!

ugo.santalucia

MazJP wrote:

Don't worry mate, I always check customer reviews aswell.
Although once again, all customer reviews are beaming for both bikes.

Groupsets are the same, the Cannondale has a wheelset that is 40g lighter, so not much in it really.
I'm trying to find official weights for them. It seems the cannondale is approx 19.06lbs (8.65kg) according to evanscycles, which seems rather heavy. But I can't find the weight of the pinarello...

I should be revising but I'm spending all my time looking at bikes and prices, trying to work out which to choose!
This is my first BIG investment in the road world, so I want it to count!!!

Just to interfere with your line of thought.... light is not necessarily better and 8.5 kg is a fairly light bike. It's not easy to build a 7Kg bike that doesn't fall into pieces at the first pothole or the first time you drop it. The latest carbon frames lack... carbon... testimony is the fact that you can rip off the seat tube just by having the chain stuck while shifting. Rule weight out of the equation, + or - 1 Kg is your normal body flucutuation day by day, so it's not that relevant in a bike, unless you do hill climbs for a living.
Again, same components, then go for the best colour scheme ofr for the brand that offers the best customer service (lifetime warranty on the frame or similar)

saintdracula

Well if it's for triathlon I'd forget all of them and get this:

http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/produ ... _Bike_2011

Better still, bikeradar actually reviews them - TWO model years, 2011 and 2009.

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... -11-43165/

It's cheaper than the above two, has more appropriate geometry, and probably rides more excitingly. Yes, it's alu, but the frame material isn't an end in itself(unless you're a carbon tart), just a means to an end, and if it rides better than the other two, that won't matter.

Keith1983

Pinarello for me, there's not much in it spec wise as you say and I love the paint scheme on the red, white and blue !

MazJP

Cheers ugo, that's a good point regarding weight. I'm popping to my local bike stores at the weekend to see if they stock either of these 2 bikes, to see which one really looks best in real life. And also if I can a test ride. I think it is how you say, going to be down to looks if they both feel the same...

Saintdracula, I did say in my first post that I didn't want an aero bike, as I'll be using the bike mainly for road cycling dutys, however I would want a road bike that would handle the ironman distance (180km). I don't think that Cube would suit the kind of riding I wish to do.

And I hear what you're saying Keith, those Pinarellos are dam nice aren't they...

small_bloke

I bought the same Pinarello FP2 from Wiggle 6 weeks ago when they were doing 40% off so got the bike for £1200. Sadly it wasn't available in British Cycling colours back then which is really ace looking.

Good points. Nice and stiff due to massive tubing and a brilliant bike for £1200.

Bad points. It's a rubbish bike if you pay the full £2000. Just not worth that kind of money. For a 2-grand bike it's heavy for some reason. Awful budget Shimano R500 wheelset which cost about £80. I would expect it to have a £200 wheelset.

I bought Pinarello 44cm frame which weighs about the same as my Boardman Team Carbon 2009/10 bike 50cm. To be honest my Boardman feels lighter in the hand when lifting. The bathroom scales say they are the same at 7.9kg inc pedals. But bathroom scales are designed for weighing heavy objects so wont be that accurate for a bike, never the less it's a comparison of the two.

The Boardman climbs really well, Pinarello feels a little more sluggish. On the flat they both feel the same.

In summary my Boardman is a £1000 bike with SRAM Rival. The Pinarello is supposed to be a £2000 bike with 105 groupset. The Pinarello offers poor value at twice the price but excellent value if below £1400.

The wiggle user reviews aren't always very objective? Most people give a good review because they've just spent lots of money and therefore excited at their new purchase.

Overall I would recommend the Pinarello FP2 at current wiggle price £1300. Be careful with size choose 3 - 4cm below your current due to the way Pinarello state their measurements. (centre-centre).

FP2 is a 5-star bike at £1300. (it's only a 3-star at £2000 though)

MazJP

Cheers small_bloke, that's the kind of response I've been longing for! Really informative, cheers!
Going to sunset bikes in Cardiff tomorrow (hopefully), and I believe they both stock the cannondale and pinarello. So going to have a feel for them and hopefully get a small test ride.

Cheers for your view though, appreciate it, good to know what it rides like properly, rather than just someone giving a first time feel of it.