A big thanks. Bike ordered

Bagggers

I have been lurking around the forums for a while. Keeping quiet and reading the answers to questions I had but which had already been asked and answered over and over. My initial list were

What bike for my style/needs (Carbo/Alloy, Sportive/Aggressive)
What Groupset (Level of equipment, Compct/Double/Triple)
Which wheels from my shortlist of RS80/Ksyrium Elite/Fulcrum 3
Computer (Std Cateye/Garmin500/Bryton R50/Garmin800 Cad & HR)

I managed to get everything I needed from the forum along with some well balanced arguments for and against the above that had me doing some deep thinking. That said, I took my time and let some of the discussions evolve before passing judgement and im glad I did.

I ordered my bike finally last night and went for

Ribble Grand Fondo
Ultegra 10 Spd Compact
Time Carbon Pedals
Garmin 800 with Cad & HR

Im moving into this from a Giant Defy 4 which I loved and if I could have found a Defy Adv 2 I may well have gone with that. Living a stones throw from Ribble, im not too concerned with the bad CS rep they gat as ill simply roll the bike through the front door if things go pete tongue.

Im 46 so wanted something relatively gentle in terms of geometry but will be doing Sprint Tri's throughout the summer and gave a great rural commute to work of 26 miles round.

Ill post some pics when I get them or rather when the bike is built but again a big thanks to those that contribute day in day out to some of the threads that have helped shape my decision.

napoleond

Oooh, I wouldn't have gone for that if I were you.

Bagggers

Quite clearly a good job you arent me then ?

Not really a helpful comment and one of the reasons I never got entangled in the debate before committing. For the record, if you were me, you would have "gone for that" because it would have fit your needs, your budget and you loved the look of it.

declan1

What wheels did you get then?

Bagggers

I ended up going for the RS80. It came down to cosmetics really as the reviews are so close to call that there wasnt much in it. I almost went for the Ksyriums but went in the showroom and compared the 2 and liked the look of the RS80's

napoleond

Bagggers wrote:

Quite clearly a good job you arent me then ?

Not really a helpful comment and one of the reasons I never got entangled in the debate before committing. For the record, if you were me, you would have "gone for that" because it would have fit your needs, your budget and you loved the look of it.

The humour appears to have been lost.

declan1

Bagggers wrote:

I ended up going for the RS80. It came down to cosmetics really as the reviews are so close to call that there wasnt much in it. I almost went for the Ksyriums but went in the showroom and compared the 2 and liked the look of the RS80's

Cool - I like the look of RS80s too. Almost like Dura-Ace

Bagggers

To be honest, I spent a ridiculous amount of time faffing around with the wheel debate and got frustrated a little. Liked the understated look of them in the end.

dnwhite88

Great choice mate, sounds like you did your background research quite well! Don't worry about the wheels, it will be the first thing you upgrade when funds allow anyway.

declan1

Bagggers wrote:

To be honest, I spent a ridiculous amount of time faffing around with the wheel debate and got frustrated a little. Liked the understated look of them in the end.

Yep, sometimes you just have to go "Sod it, I'll just get these" otherwise you'll just end up not getting anything :P

Bagggers

declan1 wrote:

Bagggers wrote:

To be honest, I spent a ridiculous amount of time faffing around with the wheel debate and got frustrated a little. Liked the understated look of them in the end.

Yep, sometimes you just have to go "Sod it, I'll just get these" otherwise you'll just end up not getting anything :P

Thats exactly what happened mate. 3 weeks lead time on the build too so every day I was messing around was a day later in delivery. Only waited a day so far and im getting agitated already. Looking forward to a summer (Assuming we will get one at some point)

declan1

Bagggers wrote:

declan1 wrote:

Bagggers wrote:

To be honest, I spent a ridiculous amount of time faffing around with the wheel debate and got frustrated a little. Liked the understated look of them in the end.

Yep, sometimes you just have to go "Sod it, I'll just get these" otherwise you'll just end up not getting anything :P

Thats exactly what happened mate. 3 weeks lead time on the build too so every day I was messing around was a day later in delivery. Only waited a day so far and im getting agitated already. Looking forward to a summer (Assuming we will get one at some point)

3 weeks? I have no idea how you'll wait that long! :shock:

Bagggers

declan1 wrote:

Bagggers wrote:

declan1 wrote:

Bagggers wrote:

To be honest, I spent a ridiculous amount of time faffing around with the wheel debate and got frustrated a little. Liked the understated look of them in the end.

Yep, sometimes you just have to go "Sod it, I'll just get these" otherwise you'll just end up not getting anything :P

Thats exactly what happened mate. 3 weeks lead time on the build too so every day I was messing around was a day later in delivery. Only waited a day so far and im getting agitated already. Looking forward to a summer (Assuming we will get one at some point)

3 weeks? I have no idea how you'll wait that long! :shock:

Haha I know. Ill start nagging them from Monday.

declan1

Bagggers wrote:

declan1 wrote:

Bagggers wrote:

declan1 wrote:

Bagggers wrote:

To be honest, I spent a ridiculous amount of time faffing around with the wheel debate and got frustrated a little. Liked the understated look of them in the end.

Yep, sometimes you just have to go "Sod it, I'll just get these" otherwise you'll just end up not getting anything :P

Thats exactly what happened mate. 3 weeks lead time on the build too so every day I was messing around was a day later in delivery. Only waited a day so far and im getting agitated already. Looking forward to a summer (Assuming we will get one at some point)

3 weeks? I have no idea how you'll wait that long! :shock:

Haha I know. Ill start nagging them from Monday.

Just pop in every morning and ask "Is my bike done yet?" - they'll soon get fed up and make it quicker

smoggysteve

Well done on your purchase, I know you will enjoy it.

One thing I would like to add. I never can to this day understand the intricacies people go to when trying to buy the bike they want. Pouring over all sorts of things from wheel weight to stem length. I bought a BMW a few years ago. The config page on the website had everything on it but I still managed to decide what I wanted in a day. That was a 30 grand car. This is a bike FFS. Don't over do it.

Wirral_paul

SmoggySteve wrote:

One thing I would like to add. I never can to this day understand the intricacies people go to when trying to buy the bike they want. Pouring over all sorts of things from wheel weight to stem length. I bought a BMW a few years ago. The config page on the website had everything on it but I still managed to decide what I wanted in a day. That was a 30 grand car. This is a bike FFS. Don't over do it.

Wash your mouth out with soap young man!! A bike needs far more careful consideration and research than a mere car!! Tut tut

lawrences

make a thread in "your bikes" section with some pictures when you get it.

mr_joe0606

i got my gran frondo last month same spec just different wheels. its a brilliant bike. where do you do your rideing i live in preston.

Bagggers

mr_joe0606 wrote:

i got my gran frondo last month same spec just different wheels. its a brilliant bike. where do you do your rideing i live in preston.

Joe,

Not too sure of where im going to be honest. My family have lived in Blackpool forever but I am just out after 22 years in the Army so at the moment im commuting Blackpool-Kirkham a few times a week maybe 3 depending on what I have on at work. I have a sprint Tri in June so im covering distance and a half on most rides which equates to around 25-30 miles.

Bagggers

Wirral_Paul wrote:

SmoggySteve wrote:

One thing I would like to add. I never can to this day understand the intricacies people go to when trying to buy the bike they want. Pouring over all sorts of things from wheel weight to stem length. I bought a BMW a few years ago. The config page on the website had everything on it but I still managed to decide what I wanted in a day. That was a 30 grand car. This is a bike FFS. Don't over do it.

Wash your mouth out with soap young man!! A bike needs far more careful consideration and research than a mere car!! Tut tut

Im generally pretty much like Steve. Same thing with the Beamer, £35k car picked in about an hour and never looked back. That said, Ive had some fun picking the bike and bits so its all good. I think I just wanted to do this once and not regret what I had bought. Cant wait now

Lawrences: ill get some pics up as soon as I get it.

Azhar

Excellent bike choice. How long did it take from ordering before you got the bike buddy? I don't live far from ribble cycles and quite like the r878 I think s the model of the ribble bike I want

mr_joe0606

Bagggers wrote:

mr_joe0606 wrote:

i got my gran frondo last month same spec just different wheels. its a brilliant bike. where do you do your rideing i live in preston.

Joe,

Not too sure of where im going to be honest. My family have lived in Blackpool forever but I am just out after 22 years in the Army so at the moment im commuting Blackpool-Kirkham a few times a week maybe 3 depending on what I have on at work. I have a sprint Tri in June so im covering distance and a half on most rides which equates to around 25-30 miles.

nice well am from penwortham normally ride up and around parbold or belmont. look at rideing towards becon fell and longridge way soon.

Bagggers

Azhar wrote:

Excellent bike choice. How long did it take from ordering before you got the bike buddy? I don't live far from ribble cycles and quite like the r878 I think s the model of the ribble bike I want

Not got it yet. Ordered it thursday and was told about 15 working days but I wait and see. Im on a Giant Defy at the moment which is ok for my commute.