I am a lucky man who needs advice !

M1keez

Thanks to Heir Hunters and my wonderful Mother in Law I am £1500 pounds better off.
She told me there is one condition , make sure you spend it on bike stuff!
I have a Forme Vitesse.
http://.bikeradar.com/gear/catego...tesse-11-43327/url]

.Aluminium frame , 105 , Mavic Cosmic Elite wheelset.
I have been thinking of getting a Carbon Bike .
I have never rode one so do not what all the fuss is about.
My question is at this price point, Will I notice the difference in weight and ride quality ?
I average 200 miles a week , some hilly stuff .
I am a short rider and get up hills quite quickly when out with some local lads but on the flat
they have Carbon Bikes and leave me for dead .
This could be me and my weakness.
I love my Forme Bike , but on our roads it can be quite harsh .
Will a Carbon bike help ? Will it soak up the buzz, Will I be faster ?
Since adding the above wheels I have noticed I roll a lot quicker over average.
If so which one , Comfort , priority number One and Speed second.
So many questions i know but i do not want to make an expensive mistake.
I am prepared to wait and save a bit more if required .

ALaPlage

I'm sure you'll get lots of different opinions but I can only give you my experience.

I had a Boardman aluminium framed bike with carbon forks. I loved it. Having ridden a friends carbon Trek I could instantly feel the difference. Lighter bike and less road buzz - really noticed the lightness going up hill. I had a similar budget to you and after looking at all different types of bike new and second hand I opted for a lightly used Trek Madone 5.9. Best thing I ever did. 3 years on and also in a fortunate position to buy a new bike I have just ordered myself a brand new 5.9 with Di2 Ultegra.

I've tried Pinarello, Cube, Wilier, Bianchi and Specialized. I thought I,d go for something a little more exotic as I was treating myself however after all the test rides none of the bikes had the comfort and fit for me than the new version of the bike I already have!

I would recommend you try a few different bikes out in local Bike shops that fall within your budget. If you can find a Trek 3.5 I'd recommend wholeheartedly and it has had great reviews. The Cubes seem great value and although I test rode the litening at £3400 it was very good and a close runner to the Trek for me. The bikes in your budget in their range look good. Comes down to fit and feel and personal preference however I believe you will notice a difference with a carbon frame bike.

You could always buy a frameset which will get you something higher up the range and switch the components and wheels off your other bike unless of course that is to become the winter bike

Whatever you end up doing enjoy the purchase procedure and the search for your new steed. It's great fun

si2k2000

A carbon road bike won't make you faster on the flats, plenty of training will do that. However carbon bikes are certainly better at transferring the power down due to their stiffness.

As said above either look for a frameset and swap over the components on keep an eye on the classifieds for a decent second hand bargain.

jaffa666

cannondale carbon synapse. go and try one .then buy one.

M1keez

Thank you for some great advice and your time .
I know a lot is to do with the rider .
I am not expecting to be sprinting like Cav !
I am more of an Endurance cyclist .
I have seen a Trek 3.1, 105 , in my LBS.
£1500. Is it best to save some more for a higher spec Trek ?
They also offered up the Specialized Tarmac for £1400 , Tiagra though .
Is a Trek 3.5 much better ?

ALaPlage

M1keez wrote:

Thank you for some great advice and your time .
I know a lot is to do with the rider .
I am not expecting to be sprinting like Cav !
I am more of an Endurance cyclist .
I have seen a Trek 3.1, 105 , in my LBS.
£1500. Is it best to save some more for a higher spec Trek ?
They also offered up the Specialized Tarmac for £1400 , Tiagra though .
Is a Trek 3.5 much better ?

Trek 3.1 a great bike with all the race bred technology development just not as higher grade carbon and components as the higher series in the range. The more you spend typically the lighter the bike. If you can find a 3.5 then possibly worth paying that bit more for but following the great reviews in the press I think they are rarer than finding hens teeth. If you like the feel and fit of the 3.1 I think you'd be delighted with it. Really comfortable ride on all the Madones.

Have a ride of both and make your decision. I love my Trek experience so a little biased but tbh I don't think there is much between either bikes you mention. Tiagra is a little heavier than 105 and is 9 speed versus 10 speed 105. In my experience there is no discernible difference in shifting between the two systems although if a full groupset the braking on the 105 is a bit more efficient. I find the Trek bikes I have ridden all are extremely comfortable and great for endurance riding. I ride 100 mile Sportives and have done London to Paris and the ride is great. Good comfort levels for long distance and very stable downhill and cornering.

Enjoy your search and most of all enjoy your ride when you finally take the plunge

mallorcajeff

from what ive learnt a 1500£ used bike gets you a hell of a lot more than £1500 does in a shop and there are plenty of used bikes with literally a couple of hundred miles on them. Now the prices are getting like cars and the difference between a new car and a one year is huge, pick the right used model and you get so much more for your money. I bought a £6900 bike for 3k a year old with literally 800 miles on it. No way could i buy that new.

ALaPlage

mallorcajeff wrote:

from what ive learnt a 1500£ used bike gets you a hell of a lot more than £1500 does in a shop and there are plenty of used bikes with literally a couple of hundred miles on them. Now the prices are getting like cars and the difference between a new car and a one year is huge, pick the right used model and you get so much more for your money. I bought a £6900 bike for 3k a year old with literally 800 miles on it. No way could i buy that new.

I would echo these sentiments. My first Madone was a 2007 5.9 which would have set me back almost £4k if new but I got it at 18 months old and having covered less than 100 miles (seller had 7 trek bikes and needed to sell this to buy a project one). I paid £1300 for it. Worth a look at used bikes if you shop carefully. For example and I know over budget but there is a Madone 6 series with Dura Ace on EBay at present for £2k BiN or make offer. New version close to 5k.

sopworth

If you want to go down the used options, then why not have a look in the 'for sale' section here. There is a guy selling a Cube HPC Litening frameset for under £700 (I'm guessing he may come down further) and you could build a pretty awesome bike to build upon that frameset for well within your £1500 budget. Not saying that bike would be for you, but it's a though process to ponder maybe?
You can get some good wheel bargains on here and ebay if you are happy to wait and be patient.

**i'm no way connected with the guy selling the frameset, i've only just noticed it and would love to buy it.....but that could lead to divorce**

M1keez

Thanks guys , really great advice .
I have seen this bike http://www.bikesoup.co.uk/bike/trek-madone-5-9-trek-madone-5-9-2005-carbon-road-bike/url] ,£1000 Trek 5.9 , dura ace ,54cm ,500 miles .
What is the sizing like on Treks .
I'm only 5.6 with a 30in leg .
My Forme Bike is a 52cm.

ALaPlage

Can't pick up the link on my iPad but will have a look later on my computer Sizing I would say is pretty standard on Trek. I am 5'11" with a 32 inside leg and fit a 56 cm frame. I am only guessing but think a 54 may be a touch large. Hard to say really as it is also about reach across the top tube. This can be managed by altering the stem size but I think stand over will be as big as you can go with 30" inside leg and you may be better on a 52 frame. If bike advertised is local enough go and try it out..

ALaPlage

Ok I've seen it now. Price wise I'd say about the right asking price but worth offering a little less. Exactly same as my 5.9 including colour and aero frame. Good spec and will weigh around 15 to 16 pounds without pedals. If it is as described I would say its worth a look and leaves you pennies to spend on any upgrades you may like to do although tbh its a good spec and wheels are good. Despite original tyres as claimed in ad I would fit a pair of ultremo zx colour coded in red. They are great tyres and look awesome (yes I have them on mine).

Best thing is to go and look the bike over and get yourself a little test ride to see how it fits you.

Great bike and mine has served me well for 3 years. Only changing as I can afford to for the first time in my life and feel like treating myself. So two weeks and my new 2012 Madone 5.9 will be ready to collect.

ALaPlage

Pic of advertised bike



Pic of my current bike pre red ultremo zx tyres



Image of my new bike coming soon



Let me know how you get on or if any questions about the bike then happy to answer if I can

Crankbrother

M1keez wrote:

Thanks guys , really great advice .
I have seen this bike http://www.bikesoup.co.uk/bike/trek-madone-5-9-trek-madone-5-9-2005-carbon-road-bike/url] ,£1000 Trek 5.9 , dura ace ,54cm ,500 miles .
What is the sizing like on Treks .
I'm only 5.6 with a 30in leg .
My Forme Bike is a 52cm.

I'm also a short ar$e and ride a 50cm ... I'm 5'6" and my inside leg is 29" ...

Based on previous experience I'd go for the bike that allows you to stick a 100/110mm stem on ... I've had a couple of 52cm bikes before and both were standard geometry but measured differently so in effect my original Specialized was what I would call a 54cm compared to a 52cm Cannondale ...

It's all about top tube length in the end as I found that you soon get sore nackers riding on the nose of a saddle because you're too stretched out ... Having had a look at the geometry of the Trek I'd say you'll need a 52 or 50 cm, but obv. It's all down to your choice ...

I'd also not spend £1.5k on a second hand bike unless I knew the owner and how little it had been ridden ... You'll easily find a £2k bike discounted to your price range sonthat gets you Ksyrium wheels, a Fizik saddle, decent tyres and new Ultegra on a bike which is all you need to get you going ...

ALaPlage

Crankbrother wrote:

I'd also not spend £1.5k on a second hand bike unless I knew the owner and how little it had been ridden ... You'll easily find a £2k bike discounted to your price range sonthat gets you Ksyrium wheels, a Fizik saddle, decent tyres and new Ultegra on a bike which is all you need to get you going ...

Good sizing advice from Crankbrother but best thing to do is go and try for fit to be absolutely sure. It is horses for courses on whether to buy new or used. The model Madone you are looking at was the top bike in the Trek range at the time. There was no 6 series Madones then and this is the bike model that Lance Armstrong won the 2005 TDF on. If condition on inspection is good and as described I would see no problem in buying used. My own experiences back this up with bikes and other stuff such as my camera kit - its been the only way I could afford quality kit and by inspecting closely before parting with cash And I have never had a problem to date. You can get a well specced carbon bike in your price range new and it depends on what you want from the bike. The Madone you found will be very light in comparison to a new sub £1k bike by at least 2 to 3 pounds I'd imagine. My Madone has the XXX lite bars and Ultegra 6700 throughout but otherwise is the same. It weighs under 15lb with the pedals and saddle on.

M1keez

This is my Forme Bike . What you say about top tube hits home.
I reckon I could do with a shorter stem on this .
How short can you go without effecting the handling and safety ?

ALaPlage

Don't know the answer to how short can you go. I believe that 90mm to 130mm stems is the standard range in 10mm steps but I am sure there is someone out there that has a more definitive and informed view.

M1keez

I also spoke with LBS the Specialized with tiagra is 10 speed now.
The new version has changed.

ALaPlage

Choices. Choices. It's fun but a little frustrating

Spec wise not much in it between the Specialized and the Trek and it really comes down to what feels right and floats your boat. If you want to stay on budget and want a new carbon bike then it comes down to that. if you can save a little more or add a couple of hundred to your pot then the Trek 3.5 gives you Ultegra groupset which I find is a smoother change than Tiagra and 105 but other than that the ride will be the same as the 3.1. Plus you'll have to search out a 3.5 as I believe Trek have none left other than what any bike shop may have in stock.

You really need a little test ride to tell you if it gives you what you are looking for and which bike feels right. If there are any Cube stockists near you then that is another range worth considering. You get a lot of bike for your money and I hear good things from Owners. I test rode the litening htc model and it was awesome. Weight unbelievably light however it just didn't feel as planted and comfortable as the Trek I finally decided on. It really comes down to what does it for you.

SonicHedgeHog

Having just bought a new Boardman Team Carbon from Halfords for under a grand perhaps I can offer a different perspective.

I spent hours watching used bikes come and go on eBay. Bikes looked great value until a flurry of bids came in with 2 seconds to go on the auction leaving someone paying very good money for a used bike. In the end I came to the conclusion that lightly used bikes represent terrific value if you are buying a bike that cost many thousands of Pounds when new, but when you get into circa RRP £1500 territory the savings limited. In addition you have the stress of getting it delivered or spending your day off driving miles to pick it up.

In contrast I wandered into my local Halfords armed with a massive arsenal of discount codes and cash back deals and said "I'll have one of those please and I'd like to collect tomorrow'. What a civilised way to get 35% off the RRP.

Your mother-in-law clearly wants you to have fun with this money. If you can get a great deal on a used bike then go for it, but don't think you have to pay list price for a new bike - there are deals everywhere.

Good luck and have fun.

M1keez

Thanks once again , I'm going to get myself down to LBS.
Try a few, be patient, report back and go from there .

galatzo

GET THE RIGHT SIZE.

I'm a similar size to you and have ridden plenty of bikes the wrong size including 54.5 which are far to big for us.
Unless you are a very weird shape I think it very unlikely you'd need bigger than a 52cm with between a 9 to 11cm stem. Remember reach on bars can vary by 1.5cm depending on the type and at our height all these little bits add up to make a big difference. Guys riding 58cm frames won't have as many issues with a frame thats 2cm out as we do so choose carefully.
You will get a lot of bike for £1500 used but then you may find a good deal on last years model in your size.
Or you could select your own mix of used and new compenents and build exactly what you want (or get the lbs to do it).
And if I were in your shoes I'd definetly get a ......

M1keez

Thanks for that , I have been told with Cube Bikes , I would need a size bigger is that right ?

ALaPlage

M1keez wrote:

Thanks for that , I have been told with Cube Bikes , I would need a size bigger is that right ?

Quite probably. I have heard the same and when I test rode the Cube Litening I needed the 58cm as the 56cm was too cramped. All other makes I have ridden I fit the 56 or 55cm (Pinarello). I would say start with a 53cm frame in the Cube to see how you feel on it. The GTC Pro is bang on budget and comes with Ultegra 6700 gruppo and DT Swiss wheels with finishing kit by Easton. So all good spec to start. Claimed weight of 8.1 kg although this will be without pedals.