first road bike

philsalliss
philsalliss Posts: 175
edited November 2012 in Road buying advice
hi just after a bit of advice. ive currently got a fairly decent hybrid bike which i am starting to use more to cycle to work and for general fitness but tried a mates road bike and found it more comfortable and faster. how much would those with more knowledge than me recommend spending and what sort of components do i really need.

my commute is 6 miles each way and have a couple of ride outs in the week of 10 - 15 miles for fitness.
ive been looking around at second bikes and new stuff around 500 then i look at better stuff with carbon frames and so worth but am fairly sure in reality i dont need a carbon frame. also dont really understand benefits between compact an triple.

any advice or direction would be appreciated

Comments

  • Sprool
    Sprool Posts: 1,022
    There's a lot of choice on really good quality entry-level road bikes around £700 level, which will give you years of service. Is this the sort of price level your hybrid was?
    You may WANT carbon but you don't NEED it. UNless you want to start doing events and time trials, or have loads of money and want to spoil yourself, and why not, I would if I had it, I'd stick to Alu frame.
    Lots of heated debates about compacts and triples here. I'm a fan of triples, once the middle ring is set up sweet and thats not rocket science, I like the wider choice of gearing and it allows me a really low gear for the big steep hills surrounding me. If you are fitter and stronger and think that saving 120g extra weight by going for a compact will aid your performance, then you should go for it. I'd imagine the narrower, taller gears compared to a hybrid or MTB might be a bit of a shock at first. If you live in a relatively flat area maybe you are happier going for a compact. You could go for the sort of cassette and gearing that gives you similar top end and bottom end to a triple, but It is a big jump from one ring to the next.
  • philsalliss
    philsalliss Posts: 175
    Thanks mate I can afford to get a carbon bike but reality is don't need it and won't get the benefit in reality I bet. And money could be best spent elsewhere. How much do you need to spend for a good basic starter road bike? And what groupset do you recommend
  • zx6man
    zx6man Posts: 1,092
    The starter bikes like triban 3 from decathlon at 299 seem to be the steed of choise these days, and they are triples with full 2300 groupset.
  • philsalliss
    philsalliss Posts: 175
    Ill have a look but their site is down for maintenance at the moment
  • zx6man
    zx6man Posts: 1,092
    my road bike is a carrera tdf, 265 quid , almost same spec as the £500 trek/specialised offerings, but half the price and does for me to be honest for what its used for. Search this site for triban 3, I think a few guys have given pretty good reviews/pics of them
  • philsalliss
    philsalliss Posts: 175
    Will have a look started looking at 500 bikes then 1200 and realised I was getting a bit silly for what I actually need for now
  • smidsy
    smidsy Posts: 5,273
    philsalliss wrote:
    Will have a look started looking at 500 bikes then 1200 and realised I was getting a bit silly for what I actually need for now

    I don't see your point :P

    If you can afford something and it makes you happy who cares if you can use it to its full potential 8)
    Yellow is the new Black.
  • philsalliss
    philsalliss Posts: 175
    Ha I know trying to sensible which is unlike me ha
  • stannie
    stannie Posts: 167
    smidsy wrote:
    philsalliss wrote:
    Will have a look started looking at 500 bikes then 1200 and realised I was getting a bit silly for what I actually need for now

    I don't see your point :P

    If you can afford something and it makes you happy who cares if you can use it to its full potential 8)

    Exactly.
    If you think you are going to stick with it, and you want a carbon bike - go for it! What does more, does less. :mrgreen:
    ....................................................................................................
    Waterford RS-14
    Trek Domane SL6
    Ridley Noah SL

    A woman can never have too many bikes!
  • chadders81
    chadders81 Posts: 744
    Looks good for the money. Or have a look at Ribble.

    http://www.merlincycles.com/bike-shop/b ... -bike.html
  • philsalliss
    philsalliss Posts: 175
    Thanks mate was looking at the sensa range at merlin
  • Ricey83
    Ricey83 Posts: 103
    The Sensa Romagna is a really nice looking bike ans gets good reviews. I've just bought a Giant Defy 4 @£599 which also gets good reviews. here' a decent article going through the price ranges http://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/arti ... est-35756/
  • thegreatdivide
    thegreatdivide Posts: 5,807
    Probably the best Alu bike you can buy at the moment.

    http://www.canyon.com/_en/roadbikes/bike.html?b=3076

    IMO I wouldn’t buy a lower end bike just to see if you’re into this road malarkey because you’ll end up getting hooked, realising you should have bought the better bike and regretting it. It’s what happened to me!
  • zx6man
    zx6man Posts: 1,092
    thegreatdivide wrote:
    Probably the best Alu bike you can buy at the moment.

    http://www.canyon.com/_en/roadbikes/bike.html?b=3076

    IMO I wouldn’t buy a lower end bike just to see if you’re into this road malarkey because you’ll end up getting hooked, realising you should have bought the better bike and regretting it. It’s what happened to me!

    A bit much tho for a 6 mile commute witha few 10-15 milers. (Its a beauty tho)

    IMHO for what you are doing I would have thought the hybrid would do the job anyway.
  • Ricey83
    Ricey83 Posts: 103
    thegreatdivide wrote:
    Probably the best Alu bike you can buy at the moment.

    http://www.canyon.com/_en/roadbikes/bike.html?b=3076

    IMO I wouldn’t buy a lower end bike just to see if you’re into this road malarkey because you’ll end up getting hooked, realising you should have bought the better bike and regretting it. It’s what happened to me!

    On the other hand he doesn't get hooked he has a very expensive coat hanger.
  • smidsy
    smidsy Posts: 5,273
    thegreatdivide wrote:
    Probably the best Alu bike you can buy at the moment would be the CAAD10 but you can also get one of these
    http://www.canyon.com/_en/roadbikes/bike.html?b=3076

    IMO I wouldn’t buy a lower end bike just to see if you’re into this road malarkey because you’ll end up getting hooked, realising you should have bought the better bike and regretting it. It’s what happened to me!


    Fixed it for you :lol:
    Yellow is the new Black.
  • Noller
    Noller Posts: 3
    Check out Merlin malt rs at Merlin cycles.Same frame as Sensa Romagna with full TIagra gear.Had mine for a few weeks now,my first road bike also,and loving it
  • philsalliss
    philsalliss Posts: 175
    pretty much decided im going to go for a ribble just not sure which one yet. think im settled on going for a triple but am unsure whether to go for tiagra or spend a bit more and go for the 105. would i notice any difference for the extra 150 isn

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