"!Top 7 Road Bikes Under £700!" (Please Cast Your Vote)

bruith

Please help me decide which "entry-level" road bike i should purchase.

Feel free to make any other suggestions below thank you.
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Triban 5 2013 "£429"
( http://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-5-roa ... 39801.html )


Scott Speedster S55 2012 "£549"
( http://www.westbrookcycles.co.uk/bi...- ... 12-p194630 )


Specialized Allez Compact 2013 "£550"
( http://www.evanscycles.com/products/spe ... 63#reviews )


Trek 1.1 C 2013 "£550"
( http://www.evanscycles.com/products/tre ... e-ec040340 )


Giant Defy 4 Compact 2013 "£599"
( http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bik ... 833/56806/ )


Ribble Sportive 7005 "£610"
( http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/bbd/r...p ... BRA&bike=1 )


Felt Z95 2013 "£650"
( http://www.evanscycles.com/products/fel ... e-ec046334 )

crikey

You seem to be trying very hard, but the best advice is for you, yourself, on your own, to go and look at the bikes you like the look of and choose accordingly.

If you can narrow it down to a couple, then you could ask for some more help, but the above is essentially just a list from a catalogue and no one will have enough experience of all the bikes, or be interested enough to plough through them all.

The work you've put in to assemble the list is impressive, but your time would be better used to whittle it down to 2 or 3.

bruith

Thank you for the advice Crikey

crikey

I did just type out an adult, considered, mature suggestion which was close to being literature, but my computer lost it!

When you've decided on 2 or 3, choose the one that makes you go 'Ooooh'.

You've got to ride when it's cold and wet and you are tired; get the one that you love, not the most practical, not the best value, not the sensible option, but the one that makes you want to ride it!

bruith

The Giant Defy, Ribble Sportive, and Felt Z95 all make me go Ooooh. It's just deciding which one to order I do not have the option to try the bike here not many bike shops supply those brands unfortunately.

elderone

Im biased but for me its the defy.Has a very good frame for the money.

Anonymous

I would get one of these before they all go (if size is good for you)

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/felt-z75-apex-2012/

Saw my mates today and it looked V nice. The Mavics are 32 spoke and not 16 like in the photo (which he knew).

Tyres are white, not red, and seat stay meets top tube at the same point (not lower down the seat tube like in photo), both of which I think are better personally.

The spec is awesome for the money. 10 speed Apex (cables in bar tape, not oddly sprouting out of hood), BB30, full carbon fork and seat post.
Bar tape had big white squares on (black tape) which looked quite funky too.

Ride it for the summer, ride it for the winter, then get some sexy summer wheels next year ;-)

Woody_FX

ribble ftw

Mikey23

IMHO the defy 4 is tremendous value for money. It was my first road bike a couple of years ago and am more than happy to use it instead of my expensive full carbon jobby. In terms of performance, very little to choose. Easy to fit mudguards, racks etc so mine will be coming on holiday to France with me next month. 2300 is an ok groupset and I have only changed the tyres for some conti gator skins. I think any of those bikes will be good so try some out

Anonymous

All the wiggle Z75's seem to have gone now Did you buy the last one last night?

I have not seen the Ribble, but out of your list I would go for the Felt F95.
I am not as Felt/wiggle biased as it might seem, just that I have done a lot of research into budget bikes and these come out well IMO.

If you join British Cycling you can get the F95 for £572 on wiggle (so £600 inc. membership).
It has 2013 Sora, nice fork and decent weight.

Wiggle do promo's now and then too. I got an extra £50 off my daughters F95 and £100 worth of free crud that I sold for £40, so the bike cost me £480. I think I could have used Quidco too!


Let us know which you go for ;-)

Daz555

Sensa Romagna Custom from Merlin Cycles - I got mine for £660 but I think it has just gone back up over £700 due to exchange rate fluctuations.

Very very nice bike.

simonhead

What about a Fuji Sportif 1.1 Compact 213 Road Bike from Evans, its £720 but you can get a trade in for an old bike of £80

giant_man

Not going to vote cos I haven't ridden any of them ...

JACE100

I bought a Giant Defy 3 for £679, sora gears on the 2013 model dont have the thumb shifter anymore. This is my first road bike and love every minute of riding it.

paulg99

JACE100 wrote:

I bought a Giant Defy 3 for £679, sora gears on the 2013 model dont have the thumb shifter anymore. This is my first road bike and love every minute of riding it.

This from Paul's Cycles. They also have a 2011 Cannondale CAAD 8 Tiagra in your budget.

whitestar1

I am not surprised at how the voting is going here. The Giant Defy isn't a match for the Triban 5 2012 or for that matter the 2013 model. It's all about brand name recognition, which Decathlon B'twin doesn't have compared with Giant and Specialize. I would advise that you visit a Decathlon store and compare the bike with the others - you will be surprised with what you'll find.

Anonymous

whitestar1 wrote:

I am not surprised at how the voting is going here. The Giant Defy isn't a match for the Triban 5 2012 or for that matter the 2013 model. It's all about brand name recognition, which Decathlon B'twin doesn't have compared with Giant and Specialize. I would advise that you visit a Decathlon store and compare the bike with the others - you will be surprised with what you'll find.

People are voting for what they have, which is kind of understandable.

I agree with you to a degree whitestar, go and look at the Tribans for sure, but then maybe find a sale bargain or add a little cash and get the Triban spec on a bike of buyers choice.

SoSimple

JACE100 wrote:

I bought a Giant Defy 3 for £679, sora gears on the 2013 model dont have the thumb shifter anymore. This is my first road bike and love every minute of riding it.

+1
Had mine since January and although its my first road bike so nothing to compare it with but absolutely love it. Covered 800 miles and would highly recommend.

It's probably not the sexiest looking bike on the list but having ridden it in rain, wind and snow, it makes you want to get out and ride-which someone has already said has to be the acid test as so many bikes get sold after a couple of hundred miles.

duckson

Friend of mine has a Merlin Malt-R on order, full tiagra, carbon fork, Deda finishing kit for £600.

http://www.merlincycles.com/bike-shop/b ... -2013.html

SoSimple

That sounds like a lot of bike for the money!

♠ChumBucket♠

duckson wrote:

Friend of mine has a Merlin Malt-R on order, full tiagra, carbon fork, Deda finishing kit for £600.

http://www.merlincycles.com/bike-shop/b ... -2013.html

+ pedals & delivery?

duckson

It doesnt look that way but you dont get pedals with any (or many) bikes.
Delivery is £30.

Bagggers

Defy 4 hands down in my opinion. You would do well to have a test ride on them all but I went through the same a while back when getting a second bike. The defy 4 performs like a much more expensive bike in all respects. Maybe change the wheels as a first and early upgrade but eberything else is top drawer for the money.

bruith

you know what the difference betwen the defy 4 and defy 5 are apart from the £100, all the specs seem to be the same? Have a look on the giant defy website every thing is identical

Bagggers

Yes the 4 has Carbon forks the same as the 3 the 2 and the 1. Really is a fantastic bike. A much smoother bike over distance than the 5 or any of the other bikes in your short list in my opinion

Anonymous

So are you going for the Giant then bruith?

richk

I'd happily ride any on that list...

simon_masterson

whitestar1 wrote:

I am not surprised at how the voting is going here. The Giant Defy isn't a match for the Triban 5 2012 or for that matter the 2013 model. It's all about brand name recognition, which Decathlon B'twin doesn't have compared with Giant and Specialize. I would advise that you visit a Decathlon store and compare the bike with the others - you will be surprised with what you'll find.

Out of interest, what exactly do you think is better about the Triban 5?

In terms of brand recognition, Decathlon is also common as muck. There is nothing characterful or distinctive about a B'twin product.

bruith

Carbonator wrote:

So are you going for the Giant then bruith?

Yeah i think so buying it next week CAN NOT WAIT. Thanks for all the help guys

Anonymous

Is it because it won in the poll you did?

Have fun on the bike ;-)

Neil_aky

I rode a Giant and a Ribble (friends' bikes) before I bought my Triban 3 earlier this year.

Actually the Red Triban 3 is as good as many of the bikes on your list even if you spent more on it to change things which are not so good (wheels and tyres).

If I was buying now I would go for the new Triban 5, there are many other things to spend the money saved on to improve your cycling experience.

If you want to go for a brand then I would go for the Ribble - it's a great bike for the money and with their bike builder, you can make it a bit more personal.

If you haven't looked at (in the flesh) or ridden the bikes then I would say have a really good look at the Triban before you buy...