Uneducated fool needing advice

xchudy_1325

Hi guys my first post so ill try to keep it short and specific

Firstly I'm in the market for my first road bike, as a complete beginner my research points towards a cpl of entry lvl bikes, my main aim is to lose the weight and get fit

I'm stuck on the giant defy 5 and the specialized allez models.

That said I'm half looking at the defy 3/4 and the allez sport as well, but are. These too much bike for me?

I will be looking to do easy 50miles a week with a view to joining a club but not to race but to get out on the weekends and put serious distance in and see. Where we end up so to speak

So thanks for reading and if I'm completely wrong in the bikes I'm looking at for what I want to do please please help this uneducated fool out

stinger53

they are both good bikes and great for beginning. go to your local bike shop and try them to see which you prefer riding. try all the bikes in your budget.

danlikesbikes

Welcome to BR.

In a nutshell none of the bikes you mention are too much for you & should fit the type of riding your are looking to do.

At that price point you do have lots of other options some might not be that well know though such as boardman, ribble. Plus the others that are around the same price point.

Important thing is how the bike fits and feels as even a bike in the same size from a different manufacturer/model will feel different. I always suggest that people get on a the bike and try it out first.

cauldo

I was in the exact same position as you 6 months ago, I researched a lot of bikes and learned about the different groupsets etc. In the end the best advice i got was to buy the one you like the look of best as no matter what componets it has if you dont love the look of it you wont ride it as much. So find your favourite and go for it! Taking up road cycling is one of the best things ive done in years!

I went for a bianchi via nirone 7 and absolutely love it!

elderone

Hi and welcome to the forum.The bikes on your list are all good bikes and will serve you well.Any bike is only as good as the engine,(you).The most important thing is fit,make sure its fits you properly.I have a defy and would recomend them to any one as they are more gt than race which is ideal for what you want to do.
dont forget to allow for kit in your budget and the cycling obsession to take over.
Good luck and enjoy.

danlikesbikes

cauldo wrote:

I was in the exact same position as you 6 months ago, I researched a lot of bikes and learned about the different groupsets etc. In the end the best advice i got was to buy the one you like the look of best as no matter what componets it has if you dont love the look of it you wont ride it as much. So find your favourite and go for it! Taking up road cycling is one of the best things ive done in years!

I went for a bianchi via nirone 7 and absolutely love it!

Not such good advice as you could end up with a say a race bike when you want a more relaxed sportive type ride.

Once you have a short list of bikes that suit your needs, if its a long list by all means take out those you dislike the colour scheme off and keep in any that you think look great. That way you will end up with a bike that suits your needs, if properly fitted you will love to ride & one that is not offensive to you when you look at it.

slowbike

The Allez is reasonably aggressive in it's position but isn't an all out racing bike - I'm happy with mine and I'm just looking at the usual upgrades - wheels & groupset as I'd prefer the 105 shifters with hidden cabling.

Danlikesbikes wrote:

cauldo wrote:

In the end the best advice i got was to buy the one you like the look of best as no matter what componets it has if you dont love the look of it you wont ride it as much.

Not such good advice as you could end up with a say a race bike when you want a more relaxed sportive type ride.

Once you have a short list of bikes that suit your needs, if its a long list by all means take out those you dislike the colour scheme off and keep in any that you think look great. That way you will end up with a bike that suits your needs, if properly fitted you will love to ride & one that is not offensive to you when you look at it.

Exactly - you're best finding the bike that you can fit rather than the one that looks the best but is uncomfortable to ride. The bike you buy now may only last you for a few years then you'll be yearning for a racier model.
Initially I didn't like the colour of my Allez, but now I'm happy with it (except for the knocks!).

styxd

cauldo wrote:

I was in the exact same position as you 6 months ago, I researched a lot of bikes and learned about the different groupsets etc. In the end the best advice i got was to buy the one you like the look of best as no matter what componets it has if you dont love the look of it you wont ride it as much. So find your favourite and go for it! Taking up road cycling is one of the best things ive done in years!

I went for a bianchi via nirone 7 and absolutely love it!

Yes, this is excellent advice. Just make sure it looks really nice, it doesnt matter if it rides like crippled donkey, you'll definitely still want to ride it if it looks really nice.

keef66

So choose a bike that fits you properly and which you like the look of.

There will be times when, due to the weather, illness or injury, you'll be unable to ride your bike. But you should still get a slight stirring in your loins when you look at the thing, and that in turn will make you want to keep it squeaky clean and in perfect mechanical condition.

It's a relationship you're embarking on here, not just a simple purchase.

smidsy

People in Suffolk obviously need to get out more :-)

Anonymous

I think you guys are giving cauldo a hard time. I do not think he meant get a crap bike as long as it looks good.
As has been said, all of the bikes mentioned would be good bikes. I took it to mean that as the OP does not really know what type of bike would suit him best yet, and that he should have a good look at them in the flesh and let his heart help out with the choice a little.
I certainly think its true that loving your bike gets you out the door on it more

As long as its not an out and out race bike I do not see why it has to be a relaxed comfy bike.
It often seems assumed that newbies have to 'start' with a comfy/low spec bike and then buy a new one later.

If you can afford it I would not be afraid of spending a little more. So many people buy a bike, join a club, and then want a new bike!

The Boardman Race (should be 2013 Sora now) would be my choice at the £600 (ish) mark. Its £606 if you join BC first (£28) so £634 in total. Another option I liked was the Cannondale Synapse 2013 Sora that someone got a %10 discount on for £630.
I much prefer the Boardman spec myself though.

xchudy_1325

hi guys, many thanks for the reply's!

since posting this ive nipped to a local shop, cycle surgry and looked at the giant defy series,

i really really like the defy 3 top end of (my budget) with the shimano sora fitted and the levers look alot more erganomic on the whole, what has me stalling on this bike is that the assistant said it has a carbon fork, but on line is states "Advanced-Grade Composite, Alloy OverDrive Steerer" this is where the uneducated fool in me comes out is it carbon or giants aluminium alloy tech

is it worth the extra 200quid for the sora over the shimano 2300 gear set? when compaired to the defy 5

and last bit of a queary peddles! what to start with??? do i get clipless and some shoes? i have no idea

again thanks for reading through and offering advice very very much appreciated

keef66

"the assistant said it has a carbon fork, but on line is states "Advanced-Grade Composite, Alloy OverDrive Steerer" this is where the uneducated fool in me comes out is it carbon or giants aluminium alloy tech"

That means the fork legs are carbon (aka Advanced-Grade Composite) but the steerer tube is alloy. Which means it's a bit heavier than a full carbon fork, but also quite a bit cheaper. Alloy steerers are also a bit easier for DIY mechanics to play with.

xchudy_1325

keef66 wrote:

"the assistant said it has a carbon fork, but on line is states "Advanced-Grade Composite, Alloy OverDrive Steerer" this is where the uneducated fool in me comes out is it carbon or giants aluminium alloy tech"

That means the fork legs are carbon (aka Advanced-Grade Composite) but the steerer tube is alloy. Which means it's a bit heavier than a full carbon fork, but also quite a bit cheaper. Alloy steerers are also a bit easier for DIY mechanics to play with.

brilliant keef66, thanks for the explanation

MichaelW

Clipless pedals may be skill-overload for a newbie rider on a new style of bike. Stick with platform pedals and normal trainer/running shoes for a couple of weeks at least.
Budget for accesories: helmet, gloves, lights, lock, repair kit, pump, spare inner tube. Consider some padded bike shorts, wicking base layer, windproof jacket and a carry-along small waterproof jacket.
Mudguards are a bone of contention. People swear by/at them but if you are riding on wet roads they keep your bum dry, your clothes clean and following riders in the group happy.
If you decide on mudguards, get a bike with suitable tyre clearance and pref, some threaded eyelets for full-length, bolt-on style 'guards rather than clip on ones. You don't have to fit them but the capability is useful.
Some roadbikes come with race gearing, some come with lower gears which are ideal for endurance and fitness riding. These usually have a compact double chainset (34/50 teeth) rather than the race 39/52 standard.

keef66

Personally I'd go for the Defy 3 for the better groupset and carbon fork; only you can say if it's worth the extra money.

Spec says they come with some kind of pedals / toeclips. I'd give them a go first till you get the hang of the bike, then consider clipless pedals / shoes. If you do take to cycling regularly as you hope to, riding clipless does make it a more enjoyable experience.

Anonymous

Personally I would say the Sora is worth it if it is a 2013 model with 2013 Sora. Think the 2013 Sora is 3500 and the previous was 3400.
I have never bought a bike (unless on 0%) without at least a 10% discount. Even if its in accessories its better than nothing.
If they say the Defy is to much in demand to discount, just try elsewhere or get a different bike.

Anonymous

You might be better off going for MTB shoes/pedals (rather than road when you do go down that route) as they are often easier to clip in/out of and walk in.
I would avoid buying cycling 'shorts' personally. Get bib shorts or tights. You can get some good deals in online sales, and they are sooooo much nicer than just shorts ;-)

Mad_Malx

Would definately recommend mtb style SPD (rather than SPD-SL) clipless pedals to beginner. Gives you a much more connected feeling than flats, easier to use than old-style clips, cheap, and shoes that you can walk in.

Take note of gearing - very few newbies (or most not-so-newbies) are going to get much use out of their top gears on a standard crank. Personally I would recommend compact 50-34 at the front and 12-27 on the back for most terrains, but the debate will run on forever. You definately don't wont use a 53 front chain ring with a 12 smallest at back for some time.

Otherwise a decent quality bike that looks nice and fits you. As others say, you won't know what you want until you have done a few hundred miles.

Anonymous

If you are joining a club you might want to hold off getting clothing until you see what gear (if any) your club does.
Some will do decent stuff at good prices, or you might just want the club colours

xchudy_1325

Carbonator wrote:

If you are joining a club you might want to hold off getting clothing until you see what gear (if any) your club does.
Some will do decent stuff at good prices, or you might just want the club colours

the only gear ive seen that i really really want is a welsh dragon short sleeved jersey haha, but gear wise i have enough base layers, tights ect from previous sports and already got padded cycling shorts so im in no rush for that tbh

only real equipment i want is a back pack with bladder, i dont want to be reaching down for water so feel thats the way to go, leaning towards an osprey viper model with enough room in the back for my water proof jacket multi tool inner tubes cpl of energy bars ect

Anonymous

You will probably be the only person wearing one of those on a club road ride.
You can get Camelbak vests to go under your jersey but I would not go further than that. Stick everything else in your jersey pockets or a saddle bag.

xchudy_1325

Carbonator wrote:

You will probably be the only person wearing one of those on a club road ride.
You can get Camelbak vests to go under your jersey but I would not go further than that. Stick everything else in your jersey pockets or a saddle bag.

had a look at the camelbak range lobo looks good not tiny but not big either and has a few small pockets to it aswell, im a cpl weeks of getting it yet so plently of time to do some more reading, its all im seeming to do at the minute lol,

cant wait to get out tho!

Anonymous

It was the Camelbak 'Racebak' that I was thinking of. Not one that goes outside your clothes.
I would go out with a club before you buy a reservoir system if most of your miles are going to be with the club. Its not really warm enough to need much fluid at the moment and I fear you may never wear it if you are the only one that has one. They are a bit of a pain to clean and usually not really worth the hassle IMO.

If you do get one, make sure you keep on top of keeping it clean/dry or it will go mouldy. The long thin brush set is handy. I use Milton rather than special cleaning tabs.
I found the insulated tube you can get a lot better than I thought it would be too

I have both types but have never used when out on a road bike. I probably will try the Racebak this year if it gets hot and I am riding like the wind. Feel it will be useful for time trials where you just need a sip every now and then.

pride4ever

Knock yourself out and get a brand rarely seen on UK roads lol.

Mikey41

Camelbaks on a road bike don't strike me as a good idea. I commute with a small backpack, which basically carries my lunch and sometimes clothes. If the bag is full, even though it's only about 3kg worth, I would not want to carry it for much more than 20 - 25mins, it would give me backache.

It will also give you a sweaty back and you will lose cooling from that area too. Frame mounted bottles work the best. If you're not confident about drinking on the move, stop for a mouthful and carry on again until you get more practiced at it.

xchudy_1325

pride4ever wrote:

Knock yourself out and get a brand rarely seen on UK roads lol.

sorry youve lost me

slowbike

Mikey41 wrote:

Camelbaks on a road bike don't strike me as a good idea. I commute with a small backpack, which basically carries my lunch and sometimes clothes. If the bag is full, even though it's only about 3kg worth, I would not want to carry it for much more than 20 - 25mins, it would give me backache.

It will also give you a sweaty back and you will lose cooling from that area too. Frame mounted bottles work the best. If you're not confident about drinking on the move, stop for a mouthful and carry on again until you get more practiced at it.

Really - 3kg for 20 mins? I carry mine for 35-40 mins and have taken it on extra detours home too - hardly notice it's there. But you're right - you get a sweaty back and it's nicer not carrying it.
Bottles on the bike - far easier to clean too - plus you can see how much you have left

Anonymous

xchudy_1325 wrote:

pride4ever wrote:

Knock yourself out and get a brand rarely seen on UK roads lol.

sorry youve lost me

I think what pride4ever means is that the same brands get talked about/bought as first bikes.
The bike world is full of different brands and I kind of know how he feels (if this is the case) although if it keeps coming down to those brands because they offer the best option, then I think its fair enough and up to other brands to improve their ranges.
The problem I have is when people gravitate to certain brands, because of the brand, and are not willing to consider all the options/find out more about whats on offer.
For me these brands are Trek, Specialized and Islabikes (for kids). I know they make some good bikes, but when I see people with them I just cannot help but think they have not really opened their eyes to what is out there.

xchudy_1325

I'm happy to look at other brands, I'm basing my decision to lean towards the defy 3 on reviews I've read and spec/cost ratio

Ill be getting the bike from cycle surgery, so if there's anything else I could look at please point me in there direction so I can grab info from all options

Anonymous

I think you are doing exactly the right thing. The Defy is very popular and a great bike.
I am trying to get a friend his first road bike so have gone down a similar path recently.
Best I saw for him (imo) was a Raleigh on sale on Wiggle lol. Would have been ideal and I nearly bought it myself for him to look at and then sell on ebay if he did not like it!
Reality is that you need to see a variety of bikes in the flesh for a first bike. My friend is starting to do that now and I would much rather he found one himself than went blindly with my recommendation.
For me the Boardman stands out (other than sale special that might pop up) on looks, spec, value and (not sure of a word for it but.....) brand placement.
None of the bikes mentioned are bad, just do some research (as you have), look at them all, and go with your gut instinct
If you cannot make a firm decision, buy the £300 Triban 3 from decathlon and ride it with a cycling club for 6 months.