So Confused Over New Bike Options - HELP!!

thegodplato

My mate has convinced me we need to do Lands End to John O Groats as our mid-life crisis!! So I need a decent road bike for around £500 to £800 which I know isn't a vast sum of money but hey ho. Have looked at Specialized Secteur Sport 2001 and tempted by Ribble ones too. Thing is its been a while since I've ridden a road bike as currently have an off the shelf Raleigh mountain bike. Looking at all the options, I'm getting more and more confused. Like :

1) Compact Groupset or not - what difference will that make? And it could 170, 172.5, 175, etc

2) cogs 11-25, 13-25, 14-28, etc - will I really notice any difference?

3) Shifters - Shimano Sora, Tiagra or at a push Ultegra. Will I notice any difference

Even all the options on tyres is maddening!!

Help, help HELP!!!

ollyridesfirst

Best thing to suggest is to go and get a bike set up for you (or at least pay for the measurements so you can look around). The crank length (170, 172.5, 175) is just as important as anything else on the bike.

As for the compact or not, that depends on your riding style, how you are with hills, how fast you want to go etc. A compact has rings of 34 teeth and 50 teeth, whereas a normal double has 39 teeth and 53 teeth (sometimes 54), so the standard double wont be very friendly in the hills if you struggle anyway. Same applies to the rear cassette....if you want easier hills, go for the bigger cogs, but then you have bigger gaps between gears.

Personally....if you're not too keen on hills and plan to do a JOGLE, i'd suggest a compact front and maybe a 12-25 or even 12-27 rear cassette. Get set up right, and it'll be well worth it.

Don't forget to test a few saddles as they can make or break you at that sort of distance

slowlanejane

I'm sure you will get lots of techy responses to this from experienced riders on the forum. All good advice based on their individual experience and preference, but as buying a bike is a very individual thing, so go with what fels good for you. I'm still a novice and not very technical so can't comment too much on the comparative benefits of one over the other. I can give you the benefit of my few years getting into this sport.

1. It's really addictive and expensive. the bike is the start, you'll spend double by the time you've got all the bits you need. If budget is tight, stay at the lower end so you have enough left for non bike essentials, see next item. If you dont have the £ for these then the chances are you wont ride as much because you won't feel comfortable enough.

2. Really good padded shorts make a big difference. They are worth the extortionate price tag. And go straight for cleats and proper bike shoes. Just get used to them before you ride. I practised in my dining room hanging onto chairs. I still managed to crash while stationary, indoors!

3. Shifters - Sora is good, Tiagra is better. How much of a difference it makes and whether you'd choose a bike on it only you can know for yourself, by trying them. My nephew has Sora on his bike. It's perfectly OK and probably a million times better than what you're currently using. I have one bike with Tiagra which is def better that the Sora, enough for me to factor it into a bike choice. I have another bike with Campagnolo Veloce, equivalent to Tiagra. I like both but prefer the Veloce by a long way. However, I wouldn't not buy a good bike because it had Tiagra. Ultegra is expensive, so if your bike has it then possibly another component has been compromised to fit it in the budget or just adding a few hundred to your overall price tag. Again, whether its worth it is for you to decide which you cna only do by trying it.

4. Groupset- I chose a bike that fitted (I'm quite small) which came as a complete bike with standard groupset. I loved the minor alterations and soft changing between gears, but just couldn't manage hills, because there weren't enough of them (gears, that is). Option 1 - fit a triple, option 2, fit a compact. + and - to both, went for option 2. I waited nearly 2 years to do this as a) it was really expensive and b) I wanted to see if I could get fit enough to use the standard (never did). I replaced the groupset after a crash when I needed to do some major repairs anyway. I miss the tiny gear changes but can manage almost any hill, but still can't do a 1 in 3. If I were doing LE-JoG I would def, DEF get a triple. Many would think this excessive but I'm just an ordinary weekend warrior rider and for wind-in-you-face & uphill-all-the-way fatigue days, I think I'd need the third chainring in my arsenal. But that's just me.

To sum up, on your budget you'll be buying a complete bike so wont have all the component options to pick & choose from. The most important aspect of the bike is the fit, because you're going to be riding it for an awful long time. Your budget is spot on a highly competitive price bracket in the market with some really good all-round bikes available, so you should have some good choices.

Can't stress enough you go to a good local bike shop - pref one that stocks different makes or they'll inevitably lead you to the brand they sell, and discuss your plans with them. Let them advise you on components and bike models suitable to your current state of fitness, traning goals, and your size - and go ride some bikes to get a feel for what you want. Try a few options in the shop before you commit. Any good LBS will make a turbo available to you to get on bikes and see how they feel. If they don't, go to another shop!

By the time you've trained enough for LEJoG you'll be on your 2nd, 3rd set of tyres anyway so time to work out those details along the way.

Enjoy this wonderful sport and show us your new machine when you finally get it.

gmacz

Just read this section, it is all here with lots of different views etc.
Here is mine, buy a Giant defy triple.

slowlanejane

Yes I was thinking Giant Defy too.

thegodplato

Thank you for the help so far guys. And now I have another bike to consider it seems - the gIant Defy Triple. But which one!!

jsands294

I have a Giant Defy 4 Triple 2012. Cost me 620 but got it for 400 under cycle to work scheme. It feels fantastic, if set up right that is! Can tackle any hill and I mean any hill and can power down on the flats. Its a nice light frame and the gears are easy shifted if set right by your bike shop. The components that come with it suit it well, very comfortable.

Im a first time rider but have done a little bit of training before hand such as crossfit training. Was cycling my mum's Trek before that for about a month or two, and I can feel even difference with the Giant! I can easily climb steep hills without getting out of the saddle and can fly down the flats.

If your budget can stretch, get the Defy 2 2012. It about £800 I think but it has better components than the Defy 4, although it doesnt have a triple chainset. But I love my Defy 4

Up to you buddy!

godders1

Is it assisted or will you have to carry luggage?

If the latter then you'll need something with rack fixings (which will rule out lots of road bikes) so I'd be thinking more fast tourer/audax bike than pure road/racer, in fact I'd be looking at that type of bike regardless; a bit more upright, clearance for wider tyres (more comfortable), option to fit mudguards etc.

Something like the Tifosi CK7 (within budget) or Kinesis racelight T2 (a bit over budget)

http://www.damianharriscycles.co.uk/pro ... Road-Audax)/CK-7-Audax

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

gmacz

If you like a white bike, Defy 3 is a triple with carbon fork.
Now done 1307 miles on mine and nothing has gone wrong and nothing has needed adjusted. Clean and lube only.
That would get you from the top of uk to the bottom and back to the top again.

slowlanejane

thegodplato wrote:

Thank you for the help so far guys. And now I have another bike to consider it seems - the gIant Defy Triple. But which one!!

Go to a Giant stockist, try them all. Buy the one you like!

jameses

Godders1 wrote:

Is it assisted or will you have to carry luggage?

This makes a big difference. I ride a Secteur, which is very comfortable as far as road bikes go (so I'm told), but I'm not sure how it would cope with long days on the road with 20kg+ of luggage sitting over the wheels. If I'm touring, I use my trek hybrid. Cost less than half the Secteur (so about the same once panniers, racks, decent tyres, spd pedals and shoes and touring bars taken into account), more comfortable riding position, stupid low gears (28x34!) for the hills. Did me well enough for 5000 miles around NZ with minimal maintainance.

But road bikes are much prettier...

Have a great LEJOG, will have to do it myself one day.