Asking the hive mind for "proper" bike pointers...

MonkeyMonster

So I asked for the full voucher's worth and so now to decide on...

http://www.cyclesurgery.com/pws/UniqueP ... CTRK0573RK
or http://www.cyclesurgery.com/specialized ... duct/45463
or http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/CBP ... _road_bike
or http://www.evanscycles.com/products/can ... e-ec042915

asprilla

Which one fits you best?

bigmat

I'd go Planet X out of those. Madone and Secteur pretty ugly, CAAD8 last generation alu - might as well go last generation carbon if you have the choice. Decent levl of kit on the Planet X as well.

MonkeyMonster

Asprilla wrote:

Which one fits you best?

not tried any of them yet - is there owt in london that stocks the planets to try?

asprilla

Apparently they opened one at Bike Magic in Whitechapel in May 2011.

Bike Magic's closing down sale took place in August 2011.

bigmat

MonkeyMonster wrote:

Asprilla wrote:

Which one fits you best?

not tried any of them yet - is there owt in london that stocks the planets to try?

Geoffrey Butler used to do them with Campag, not sure if they still do though.

greg66_tri_v2.0

MonkeyMonster wrote:

So I asked for the full voucher's worth and so now to decide on...

http://www.cyclesurgery.com/pws/UniqueP ... CTRK0573RK
or http://www.cyclesurgery.com/specialized ... duct/45463
or http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/CBP ... _road_bike
or http://www.evanscycles.com/products/can ... e-ec042915

Who's going to keep you honest, once you're on a roadie?

pangolin

Asprilla wrote:

Apparently they opened one at Bike Magic in Whitechapel in May 2011.

Bike Magic's closing down sale took place in August 2011.

Yeah I used to work by that. You could look at the bikes, and sit on one in the shop. No riding them though. Odd that it shut down...

il_principe

Can you purchase from anywhere? If so have a look at Dolan's offerings...

Edit - oh and both those Spesh's are seriously FUGLY.

Roastie

What do you want it for? Racing? Then the Cannondale.

For sportives and stuff? Then I'd say the P-X or a Ribble (http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sed/road- ... =conf_SERC).

Roastie

Il Principe wrote:

Can you purchase from anywhere? If so have a look at Dolan's offerings...

Edit - oh and both those Spesh's are seriously FUGLY.

+1 on looking at Dolan. +1 on that Spesh looking awful.

Headhuunter

Roastie wrote:

What do you want it for? Racing? Then the Cannondale.

For sportives and stuff? Then I'd say the P-X or a Ribble (http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sed/road- ... =conf_SERC).

I don't think the Cannondale CAAD8 is really a racing frame, I thought it was originally designed as the cheaper, sportive option to the CAAD9 which was the race frame of the 2....

Roastie

Headhuunter wrote:

Roastie wrote:

What do you want it for? Racing? Then the Cannondale.

For sportives and stuff? Then I'd say the P-X or a Ribble (http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sed/road- ... =conf_SERC).

I don't think the Cannondale CAAD8 is really a racing frame, I thought it was originally designed as the cheaper, sportive option to the CAAD9 which was the race frame of the 2....

It still makes a sweet race bike.

mudcow007

plantX for me i think

i have last years sectuer, an everytime i ride the old girl i think i should have gotten a Stealth

il_principe

Also I wouldn't worry too much about all this Sportive/race frame stuff. It's a marketing invention really.

vermin

Il Principe wrote:

Also I wouldn't worry too much about all this Sportive/race frame stuff. It's a marketing invention really.

I agree.

'Sportive' frames were only invented to make the world uglier. They are now obselete, since aero frames have become commonplace.

kelsen

vermin wrote:

Il Principe wrote:

Also I wouldn't worry too much about all this Sportive/race frame stuff. It's a marketing invention really.

I agree.

'Sportive' frames were only invented to make the world uglier. They are now obselete, since aero frames have become commonplace.

Not sure I quite follow you? I agree with IPs comment though. Who here can honestly say they were hampered by riding a sportive/last season frame during a race/event?

daddy0

I'd go Planet X.

Roastie

Il Principe wrote:

Also I wouldn't worry too much about all this Sportive/race frame stuff. It's a marketing invention really.

I'd (obviously) disagree.

Marketing aside, if I was choosing a bike for regular competition, I'm want something more robust that can take the odd knock and crash - so I'd choose aluminium. Sportives are less rough and tumble, so I'd be happy with carbon.

Sure, there is no reason why you can't use the same bike for either discipline, but the type of riding is very different (1 hour at full gas vs. a few hours moderately quickly, and often with big hills), so (at very least) you would have different equipment choices (compact chainsets, different cassette choices, ...). Personally I would, and do, choose different bikes to ride these different events.

markhewitt1978

I have the Trek 2.1 (in that colour too), I like it a lot

spasypaddy

caad 8 for me.

Headhuunter

vermin wrote:

Il Principe wrote:

Also I wouldn't worry too much about all this Sportive/race frame stuff. It's a marketing invention really.

I agree.

'Sportive' frames were only invented to make the world uglier. They are now obselete, since aero frames have become commonplace.

Not sure how sportive frames are simply a marketing invention. Of course there isn't an industry wide definition of what constitutes a sportive frame but generally the frame angles are different and the head tube higher to give a less aggressive, more upright position. Although I suppose you could turn a sportive orientated bike into a race/aggressive one by adding a taller seat post and a longer stem although the stem at least would probably change the handling...

il_principe

Roastie wrote:

Il Principe wrote:

Also I wouldn't worry too much about all this Sportive/race frame stuff. It's a marketing invention really.

I'd (obviously) disagree.

Marketing aside, if I was choosing a bike for regular competition, I'm want something more robust that can take the odd knock and crash - so I'd choose aluminium. Sportives are less rough and tumble, so I'd be happy with carbon.

Sure, there is no reason why you can't use the same bike for either discipline, but the type of riding is very different (1 hour at full gas vs. a few hours moderately quickly, and often with big hills), so (at very least) you would have different equipment choices (compact chainsets, different cassette choices, ...). Personally I would, and do, choose different bikes to ride these different events.

Hang on though - Chainsets/cassettes are easily swapped. The Sportive etc stuff is based on Geometry not components. I happily go for hour long blasts on my Dogma, and am equally happy riding it over several cols in a day or riding a century on UK roads - yet it is sold as an out and out race frame. I wouldn't race on it - not because I don't think it's robust enough - it is, but because should something happen to it, it would cost a fortune to replace. If I ever race I will buy a cheapo Alu frame as quite frankly at Cat 4 level etc any advantage the bike offers is minimal compared to rider fitness/ability...

Training properly (and being fitted properly) according to your preferred event trumps minimal geometry differences every time. Of course as you get fitter/stronger who may want to adjust your position anyway...

Edit again - isn't 'Sportive' just a new word for 'Compact' framesets?

bigmat

My understanding is that "sportive" frames are a move nearer to sit up and beg - high head tubes, slightly shorter top tube, designed for inflexible MAMILs who will probably never spend much time in the drops anyway and who aren't too fussed about an aggressive, racy aero position. Compact frames are where there is a sloping tub tube, not necessarily sportive or racy, depends on the exact geometry and height of head tube in particular.

I have an alu frame (classic horizontal top tube) which I have raced a few times, even picking up a few points on one occasion. I'd always race my carbon Viner now though (compact frame) - both have fairly aggressive geometry but the Viner is lighter and has better kit, just seems to respond more readily. The Planet X is very similar geometry to my Viner, but not quite as stiff. Probably a slightly smoother ride and a bit lighter frame as well. Compact frames are pretty versatile - you can always change saddle height / stem length / add a few spacers. The one thing I would avoid is a tall head tube as there's nothing you can really do to get a lower position - basically, you can work around too small but too big you are stuck with

Both mybikes have compact chainsets - its basically nonsense to suggest that you can't race on a compact.

spasypaddy

theres a bit of a difference between what is billed as a sportive bike and what is billed as a race bike.

to me a sportive bike is a bike such as the roubaix, the domane, basically a bike designed for the cobbles. They tend to have a longer wheelbase, and a more curved fork. These are more suited to the every day punter as they are more comfortable.

il_principe

spasypaddy wrote:

theres a bit of a difference between what is billed as a sportive bike and what is billed as a race bike.

to me a sportive bike is a bike such as the roubaix, the domane, basically a bike designed for the cobbles. They tend to have a longer wheelbase, and a more curved fork. These are more suited to the every day punter as they are more comfortable.

Are they really though? I don't have any comfort issues with my non-Sportive bikes (unless I've really been hammering), and even then any discomfort is down to some longstanding issues with my lower back. Fitting, setup and rider ability, flexibility, strength etc are more important surely?

spasypaddy

im not convinced no but then ive barely ridden them. i prefer my bikes and wouldnt buy something from the likes of trek/specialized.

however there must be something in it if the pro riders (yes they are paid to ride brands but not exact bikes) take these bikes over the cobbles of northern europe. They cant be losing power/performance otherwise they wouldnt ride them.

Cancellara i think rode his domane over the madone last summer in Le Tour.

So there must be something in it...

Headhuunter

Il Principe wrote:

spasypaddy wrote:

theres a bit of a difference between what is billed as a sportive bike and what is billed as a race bike.

to me a sportive bike is a bike such as the roubaix, the domane, basically a bike designed for the cobbles. They tend to have a longer wheelbase, and a more curved fork. These are more suited to the every day punter as they are more comfortable.

Are they really though? I don't have any comfort issues with my non-Sportive bikes (unless I've really been hammering), and even then any discomfort is down to some longstanding issues with my lower back. Fitting, setup and rider ability, flexibility, strength etc are more important surely?

Perhaps you're more flexible and can more easily adapt to a race position than your average MAMIL doing a sportive, or perhaps the set up of your bike (seatpost, stem length etc) give a more "sportivey" position...

bigmat

Headhuunter wrote:

perhaps the set up of your bike (seatpost, stem length etc) give a more "sportivey" position...

Haha yeah have you seen the stack of spacers and upturned stem on IP's bike?!

Initialised

I have the Specialized Seceteur Sport Disc (which falls into the designed Roubaix geometry trap) thing is I'm thinking a longer stem and deeper bars would help make it more racey.

Gizmo_

CAAD8 or PX for me. I commute on my CAAD8 and either my arse is made of wood or it's really comfortable.