Most upgradable Alu frame (£700-£1000)

Steve236
Steve236 Posts: 212
edited January 2013 in Road buying advice
I'm looking at full build, Alu bikes in the £700-£1000 range but with a view to upgrading components as and when funds allow. So, component spec is less of a concern than best quality frame available.

Interested to hear any opinions - based on recent Cycling+ review am looking at Cube Peloton, Scott Speedster, Trek Domane, and also Canyon Roadlite, Sensa Romagna.

It will be for fitness/sportive riding not racing which is why I haven't included the CAAD10 which I know is highly regarding in this bracket. Also, I'm not a big fan of huge Cannondale downtubes (although I know some of the above have these too)

Thanks

Comments

  • Minglok74
    Minglok74 Posts: 36
    Thought about getting a Bianchi Via Nirone 7?

    I got the Xenon mix version and over time have upgraded the parts. Used on the Ride Around London and also on my daily commute - comfortable bike.
  • bobones
    bobones Posts: 1,215
    edited January 2013
    I'd have a look at the Felt Z series. New comfort frame design this year. Z85 is a great looking bike with a modern frame design including tapered head tube and BSA BB (an advantage to many over BB30!).
    Felt-bicycles-Z85_BLK_USA_lrg.jpg
    Felt-bicycles-Z85_GRAY_INT-lrg.jpg

    If you were looking for something a bit racier I would have recommended the F series, particularly the F75 or F85.
  • gwillis
    gwillis Posts: 998
    Canyon ultimate al from the outlet is slightly over I've just picked up a 2012 with Athena and mavic equipes for £1150 seriously good bike road.cc voted the di2 bike if the year and if they one in your size its worth a look .
  • Hud69
    Hud69 Posts: 5
    Lapierre Audacio 400 gets rave reviews for the frame in most mags - £900.
    http://www.lapierre-bikes.co.uk/road/sp ... o-400-cp-0
  • the_fuggler
    the_fuggler Posts: 1,228
    Giant Defy? Seems to tick all the boxes. I really would try a CAAD 10 even if you subsequently decide it's not for you.
    FCN 3 / 4
  • Steve236
    Steve236 Posts: 212
    Thanks for the replies. I agree that I should try a CAAD10 before ruling it out (never having sat on a race or sportive geometry bike). Same goes for the Felt F series. There are a few aesthetic points about bikes I'm funny about - one is I don't like very big chunky down tubes (which Cannondale and the Giant Defy seems to have) and I don't like the compact, severely sloping top tube look either (which is why I think the Felt F series looks better than the Z series).
  • the_fuggler
    the_fuggler Posts: 1,228
    Well, ultimately bikes should be heart decisions in my opinion, so it's all about finding something that fits you well and makes you want to ride it. If chunky downtubes aren't your thing, no problem. Make sure you buy something that makes you smile when you see it. There should still be plenty to choose from in that price bracket, all with plenty of upgrade potential.
    FCN 3 / 4
  • passout
    passout Posts: 4,425
    Dale is nice but (despite the Ribble label) this looks great:
    http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sed/road- ... =conf_SERC
    Kiron used to highly rated, not heard of them recently.
    'Happiness serves hardly any other purpose than to make unhappiness possible' Marcel Proust.
  • Steve236
    Steve236 Posts: 212
    That Ribble looks to be one of the best value I've seen so far - especially as its possible to add Campag Centaur and still come in under £1000.

    Anyone have any experience of this bike? Opinions on frame comfort/handling. Also, I saw some people use it as a winter trainer - does it have guard eyelets?

    Thanks
  • passout
    passout Posts: 4,425
    There are a few different Ribble alu frames - the winter trainer (which takes full guards) is the most popular one.

    I've not ridden the one mentioned but once, on the road, spoke to a bloke about his & he really liked it - I seem to remember he said it was fast. I almost got one myself once but in the end got a carbon Ribble, sort of wish I'd stuck to my guns. Also check out their EM2 one.
    'Happiness serves hardly any other purpose than to make unhappiness possible' Marcel Proust.
  • Steve236
    Steve236 Posts: 212
    That's nice too, and its black. (although a bit flimsy apparently according to a thread on here from a few years ago)
  • petemadoc
    petemadoc Posts: 2,331
    Why not look at a carbon frame? the ribble new sportive looks to be a good choice and there seems to be some 2012 bikes around at silly prices, wiggle were doing a Ridley for £900 recently.
  • morrisje
    morrisje Posts: 507
    This site has some nice looking Cyfac frames reduced.

    http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Cyclezone-Onli ... 7675.l2563
  • napoleond
    napoleond Posts: 5,992
    Don't get hung up on race/sportive geometry. My bike is set up the same for everything. I.e comfortable.
    Insta: ATEnduranceCoaching
    ABCC Cycling Coach
  • Steve236
    Steve236 Posts: 212
    bobones wrote:
    If you were looking for something a bit racier I would have recommended the F series, particularly the F75 or F85.

    This has had me thinking about the alu F series Felts. Does anyone know whether there is any difference in the 2013 F75 and F85 frames? As far as I can see the bike differences are 105 vs Tiagra; Gossamer vs Vero chainset; carbon vs alloy seatpost; BB30 vs square tapered bb; short reach vs other handlebars.

    £375 difference seems a lot (compared to say £150 for the difference between the Tiagra Cube Peloton Pro and the 105 Peloton Race). So wondering if I've missed a more fundamental difference in the frames - there doesn't seem to be.

    Anyone have experience of the F85 (or 75, or both)?

Categories