new to cycling - first bike

nonshy

I'm new to cycling... in the last 10 years i've been on a bike once, and that was doing the coast to coast across the pennines on a 20 year old MTB with wheels which wouldn't look out of place on a tractor.


I'm looking to get into road biking, I enjoy the 'high' speeds and the climbs are ok as you know you have to come back down but all the bike 'jargon' means nothing to me!


I'm looking to spend about £1250 on a bike - i really like the cube agree gtc 2012 model (£1259) but having read various forums i notice it has triple crankshaft.... now speaking to a few people and reading various views on this some seem to think it's preferred when a novice and doing a lot of hills.... however others, friends included, said i'd never use the lowest gear and a compact would be better.


I'm 26 and played rugby, golf, football all my life, so pretty healthy and focussed on gym/weights for last 5 years... although i'm probably a bit too heavy to be a good climber (85kg, 5'9).


Would the agree gtc be a good starting bike? My speed on the flat I think will be my main strength.


What else should I should consider?


Many Thanks

maddog 2

compact should be fine if you have any basic fitness

Have a look at the CAAD 10 too, and the Giant TCR bikes.

13dsb

The CUBE is a fantstic buy, they have really knocked trek and specialized for 6 with this particular model. Fantastic price point for the spec.

I know first hand these bikes although not available till January are being reserved very quickly! Go get 'em

nonshy

The Cubes are highly rated by the few people I've spoken to - I'd like the Agree GTC but with the compact and not the triple crankset... the Pro has the Compact which is £1549... but the Race has a Triple £1799 (same as the basic agree gtc)... I don't understand why!!

tompo

You can get a 2011 Cube Agree GTC Pro Compact from Bikester for £1250.

http://www.bikester.co.uk/bicycle/road- ... 33951.html

I've just bought one and am well pleased.

Bikester is a German company and so the bike comes from Germany. I ordered last Wednesday and it was delivered on Monday.

They have other Cube models in stock.

Only downside is that being from Germany the brakes are opposite way to UK (Front is on left and back on right). Should be easy to sort out and I will be replacing the white bar tape with something that is not going to show every mark anyway.

I would recommend buying from Bikester

nonshy

tompo - thanks but using cycle to work scheme, so 40% off first £1000... has to be bought from uk.

thank you 13dsb and maddog also.

Tricky stuff this road bike malarky

Ilovebighills

Good luck trying to add your own money onto a C2W purchase, they've changed it now so you can't. Or at least the 3 bike shops in Portsmouth I tried wouldn't let me do it. Ended up going for an Orbea Aqua TTG and going to buy an ultegra groupset meself and stick it on.

nonshy

I spoke to the shop, they gave me a quote for £1000 bike, which i get a voucher for and then anything over the top i just pay there and then... think the gov haven't really administered it very well... letting people buy whatever bike they want to start with then saying you can only buy a bike to the value of £1000.

I'm using my bike to cycle to work and getting tax relief.... the shop are selling a more expensive bike and in turn putting more tax back into the economy

arlowood

Hinonshy

If you look on the Cube website you will see that you can have the Agree GTC specced as either a compact or a triple.

http://www.cube.eu/en/road/pro-comp/agree-gtc/

So if you talk nicely to your LBS,they may be prepared to order inthe compact version.

I wouldn't worry too much about the triple. You may be very gladof it at the outset to get you up some of the steeper hills until you have built up your cycling fitness a bit.

I have a Shimano triple on my bike (50/39/30) and was very glad ofthe granny gear when I first started to tackle some longer rides and a 100K sportive. Now Iam much fitter and about 10kg lighter, I find I don't need the granny ring on my normal riding. However I am thankful that it isthere for an emergency bale out if needed.

Also the triple gives you much closer ratios when changing front rings -so you can find yout preferred cadence bit easier than with a compact.

Chris James

I'd echo the comment about nice close ratios on triples.

Road triples and compacts have a similar range of gears, it just that they are distributed differently. You should be able to get up the hills with either. Likewise you should be able to get up a good speed on the flat with both too.

I really like my 52/42/30 triple as the 42 chainring is a good general purpose ring for spending much of the time in.

Compacts are the current fashion and there seems to be a slightly macho attitude by some that triples are for wimps. In my view a 34 tooth is effectively a granny ring so not sure how much bragging rights riding a compact confers!

I've ridden 52/42/30, 50/39/30, 48/36, 50/34 and 53/39. The 50/34 is actually my least favourite (as I find my typical cruising gear leads to poor chainlines) but they are all okay.

nonshy

arlowood - many thanks, I had the cube brochure and in that it is listed as only a triple!! No mention that there are other options!

chris - it does seem a macho thing to have a compact.

If you have a triple over a compact do you lose speed top end? I.E can you select a harder/higher gear on compacts compared to triples?

thanks again!

Chris James

It depends on your cassette / chain ring combo.

For example, on a 50/39/30 triple then you will have exactly the same top gear as for 50/34 compact if you have the same cassette - e.g. 12-27. Your hardest gear in both cases would be 50/12, where a turn of your cranks results in 50/12 (4 and a bit!) turns of your wheels.

Some compacts ship with 11 tooth cassettes, but you can fit one on your triple just as well. I personally am not keen on 11 teeth as I don't feel the chain wraps that well and fewer teeth means more wear.

You get harder gears by having bigger chainrings and smaller rear sprockets and easier gears with smaller chainrings and larger sprockets. My triple has a 12-25 which runs fractionallly lower and higher than a normal 50/34 compact with a 12-27 cassette.

If that is as clear as mud then google Sheldon Brown gear Calculators and have a play.

nonshy

many thanks for the information! really is a help

hopefully my legs will be on par with robert fostermann come 2016

nonshy

has anyone bought/tried ribble special edition bikes?

the ribble gran fondo or sportive?

centimani

Hiya nonshy...
I'm in the market for a new bike around your budget...i looked long and hard at the Gran Fondo, its a fabulous looking bike, and perhaps i'm being a but unfair here, but i research my stuff perhaps a little too much and read about cracks developing near the rear dropout. The general concensus is they are probably cosmetic, not structural, but it kinda put me off...shame because it really is a lovely looking bike. My heart is set on the new Bianchi Impulso Veloce when it comes out early next year...have to see if i can wait that long.

Re your transmission Qs...sounds like you have good fitness anyway, i'd recommend a compact, mainly because they are easy to adapt as you cycling fitness improves...you'll probably find yourself using a 34T inner ring less with time, you can then just replace it with a 36/38 or 40 T...in minutes, for less than £20.

Re the top end speed Q...assuming the compact or triple chainring size is the same, ie 50T, and your cassette smallest sprocket is the same..ie 12T, the output is the same, compact or triple.

nonshy

thanks centimani.... what is making you opt for the Bianchi Impulso Veloce? if you don't mind me asking!!

nerm

Hi Nonshy,

I was in a similar position to you a couple of years back and went for a Planet X pro carbon for about 1k. Ice done a few thousand miles on it now and have found it fantastic!

If I was in your situation I'd go for the same as I, keep some of your change from1.25k and buy a few extra things that will make a difference to your new bike, such a pedals and shoes which could easily cost you £250. You may also want to have a bike fitting too that could cost you up to £100 but could pay back with injury free and more powerful riding.

Neal

centimani

nonshy wrote:

thanks centimani.... what is making you opt for the Bianchi Impulso Veloce? if you don't mind me asking!!

Not at all...i saw one in my LBS, fell in love with it.
I already have a C2C Via Nirone Xenon, previously had the non C2C version as well. Fabulous bikes, sturdy and dependable, good looking too. I am a Bianchi lover. I'm looking at something a bit better, by current one gets used for commuting as well and time and mileage has taken its toll, its looking a tad scruffy.

The Impulso will be the same geometry, something i'm comfortable with, and when you look at the frame construction, i had to ask the guy in the shop...is that alu or carbon framed ? Its been built with a new process that gives a very clean look. One look at the headtube, you think its carbon, but its alloy.

Thinner seatstays should give a more comfortable ride and i wanted a better groupset this time.

Curved toptube is what does it for me, i love them. The Gran Fondos similar in style, but i am quite 'workmanlike' with my bikes, i love them but dont treat them with kid gloves...i just reckoned a CF frame would get abused by me. :oops:

R8JimBob88

Look no further!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/270861882342? ... 1555.l2649

I'm selling my Ribble New Sportive that I bought in March this year. Let me know if your interested