Help! Looking for 1st road bike

Beavan7
Beavan7 Posts: 8
edited January 2013 in Road beginners
I am new to road cycling and looking to purchase my first road bike. I have a budget of £600, but need a little help on direction, do's dont's etc.

I have after a little research come up with a short(ish!) list of possibilities. Hoping that someone can help me eliminate a few from the list and maybe advise what i should be expecting for my budget.

Current list is;
Fuji Sportif 1.5
Specialised Allez
Boardman Road Race
Felt Z100
Felt Z95
Giant Defy 4
GT GTR 5
Cannondale CAAD8 2300
Cannondale Synapse 2300

Any advise on narrowing the list, direction, or even alternatives will be gratefully received!

Thanks

Comments

  • nochekmate
    nochekmate Posts: 3,460
    Find a knowledgeable pal to help you buy secondhand.

    £600 secondhand buys you a carbon frame and Shimano 105 level groupset and there is no reason why you cannot pick up something in VGC. £600 new does not get you anything like that spec.
  • thejimmymethod
    thejimmymethod Posts: 458
    nochekmate wrote:
    Find a knowledgeable pal to help you buy secondhand.

    £600 secondhand buys you a carbon frame and Shimano 105 level groupset and there is no reason why you cannot pick up something in VGC. £600 new does not get you anything like that spec.

    This. And of course the right answer to which bike is "The one that fits you best/you find most comfortable."

    If you must buy new, get in store and sit on a few, hopefully you have a good LBS who can help you out. Of that list, the Boardman is probably the best specced from what I've read and that and the Felt Z95 have a higher specced groupset than the 'Dales, Giant and possible the Spesh depending on your store.
  • tetley10
    tetley10 Posts: 693
    Go and find somewhere you can test each one. Ride them see which one is comfortable.
    Have you budgeted for the gear that goes with getting a bike? Locks, lights, pedals that sort of stuff.
    Road bikes rock!!!!
  • Beavan7
    Beavan7 Posts: 8
    Thanks for answers so far. Did think along the 2nd hand line, but a little wary as don't really know anyone i could use to help in that direction. Boardman and Fuji seem to have good spec in comparison as you have mentioned. Any makes to steer clear of?
  • smidsy
    smidsy Posts: 5,273
    Tetley10 wrote:
    Road bikes rock!!!!

    Not if everything is tightened properly. :lol:

    Sorry could not resist :oops:
    Yellow is the new Black.
  • tetley10
    tetley10 Posts: 693
    smidsy wrote:
    Tetley10 wrote:
    Road bikes rock!!!!

    Not if everything is tightened properly. :lol:

    Sorry could not resist :oops:


    Too true. My front brake was sticking yesterday. Wondered why I thought my legs had no awesome in them.
  • pkngster
    pkngster Posts: 17
    I tried the following

    Specialised Allez
    Giant Defy 4
    GT GTR 5

    I loved the specialised but the price tag was a little out of my reach, the GT felt a it funny and the right size frame just did not feel right, I went for a btwin Triban 3 to see how i would get on with road biking and love it!.

    Good luck on your road bike journey, my advise is test ride them first and go with what makes you feel confident in the bike.

    cheers,

    PK
  • alidaf
    alidaf Posts: 147
    Money spent now will be a better investment than future upgrades. The Defy range have changed a little in the last couple of years but it would certainly be worth stretching as far as possible to go up the range - try to get a carbon fork at the very least.
  • pride4ever
    pride4ever Posts: 510
    Leave it till youve a £1000 budget.
    the deeper the section the deeper the pleasure.

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