Old Giant TCR vs new Vitus Dark Plasma VR

Anonymous

Hi guys, relatively new cyclist here wondering if an upgrade is warranted. I've been cycling about 2 months, putting up about 150m per week and getting faster with almost every ride.

Basically my first proper road bike is a few year old Giant TCr compact, alloy frame carbon forks. It has Mavic Ksyrium SL wheels and Compag veloce full groupset which is only 2 years old. There is nothing wrong with it mechanically, although it's maybe 5 or 6 years old so there are paint chips etc, and scratches in keeping with us.
It's a 54cm frame with a raiser stem and adjustable bars. I'm 5 foot 8 and never had any problems with comfort despite not having it professionally fitted. Never had it weighed, but it feels light to me, similar weight to a friends De wilier Izoard xp

However I have been offered a 1 year old Vitus Dark plasma VR for probably £150 more than I could get for the Giant. It is a full carbon frame, a 52cm. Full 105 groupset and Easton wheels (I presume bottom of their range) Bike weight allegedly 8.2kg
link here
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=49203

Basically there is nothign wrong with my Giant, and I'm pretty quick on it for a newcomer. But I have slightly itchy feet and the appeals of a newer shiner bike is there.

I have some concerns firstly that despite being newer and carbon, it may be slower than the bike I have? Also, the Easton wheels I sincerely doubt are are good as my own Mavics and being compag vs shimano, I can't swap them over.

Any advice appreciated

pedrojake

Tough call Hutchy. Better bike with worse wheels or vise versa. The Vitus (as far as I know ....) didnt come with Eastons as standard, think they used entry level Pro-Lites, so it could be a case of they have already been upgraded to Eastons. At the same time they are unlikely to be as good as the SL's. Then comes the Veloce v 105 topic. Ive always ridden Shimano and have no experience of Campag, but would rate 105 very highly. Some would say its 'above' Veloce because it higher in the range, others will say thats fine but Campags better....

If you can, borrow the Vitus for a couple of hours and ride the two back to back and see how you feel. FWIW if it was me I would make the change and work / save towards changing the wheels back up to the level you have just now. Others will no doubt say stay as you are if you are comfortable and with the adjustments etc.

Thats actually probably no help at all is it?

keef66

Assuming after a test ride you feel the Vitus fits you well enough, buy it, swap the wheels and sell the Giant?

(I'm sure the requisite freehubs could be sorted out?)

I saw one on the roof of a car next to me at the lights a couple of days ago. Quite tasty looking.

Anonymous

Thanks for the advice guys, it's appreciated.
That's pretty much my dilemna. It looks like a shimano freehub for the mavic and an compag freehub for the easton to do a swap would be £100. So Price to change bikes the swap free hubs to keep the better wheels would be £250.
I'm not sure the vitus warrants it, but the lure of a newish full carbon, good looking bike is strong.

keef66

You could always swap the wheels and the groupsets over.