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£2500 Bike Choice

swj1swj1 Posts: 70
edited July 2013 in Road buying advice
Hi All,
Hopefully I can pick your collective brains, I have a max budget of £2.5k and I am looking at getting a road bike. I don't wont anything too aggressive as I will take it on longer rides rather than mad sprints.

So far the Ridley Fenix and the Boardman slr 9.0 have caught my eye but any suggestions would be welcome :)

Thanks in advance.
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Posts

  • markhewitt1978markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    Have you considered the Trek Domane range as they are designed for endurance riding. £2,100 will get you a 4.5 with ultegra.
  • swj1swj1 Posts: 70
    Thanks Mark, I will have a look now
  • CalpolCalpol Posts: 1,039
    £2500 to spend - nice budget. I for one would not consider a Boardman. I admit thats because I am a bit of a brand snob when it comes to those bikes and their distribution channel. The possibilities are vast. I expect Canyon will get a mention soon. How about this for a bit of left field

    http://www.bike-discount.de/shop/k974/a61759/scultura-evo-905-e-com-di2-carbon-white-red.html

    Leaves £500 to upgrade the wheels if you want.
  • ChrisrebbeckChrisrebbeck Posts: 133
    Really like the Focus Izalco Pro 2 for that money. Awesome frame (bike of the year last year) and Di2 setup. Loads of bike for the money. Thats where my cash would go.
  • ScreaminWargasmScreaminWargasm Posts: 289
    For that money you can get a real peach. I'd be after a descent discount though if you plan to buy within the next few months as the 'next years' models will be coming out around aug/sep.
    I have just bought a new Scott Foil 20 which was priced at £2900 for £2150 without even asking for a discount.

    Ultegra is going 11 speed for the 2014 kit, as is SRAM Red and Force so you should find a great bike from this years stock at a good price as they will want rid of the 10 speed bikes.

    Mick
  • swj1swj1 Posts: 70
    Thanks All, I will go and have a look :)
  • galatzogalatzo Posts: 1,295
    Scott CR1 frame at Westbrook for £499
    New Sram Force 22 £950ish
    Mavic, Fulcrum or similar £500
    Leaves £550 for some pretty nice finishing kit

    Start with that frame a build exactly what you want, equivalent complete bike is going to have Fulcrum 5s maybe and Ultegra and own brand finishing kit so custom build with that frame is the way to go.
    25th August 2013 12hrs 37mins 52.3 seconds 238km 5500mtrs FYRM Never again.
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    Calpol wrote:
    £2500 to spend - nice budget. I for one would not consider a Boardman. I admit thats because I am a bit of a brand snob when it comes to those bikes and their distribution channel. The possibilities are vast. I expect Canyon will get a mention soon. How about this for a bit of left field

    http://www.bike-discount.de/shop/k974/a61759/scultura-evo-905-e-com-di2-carbon-white-red.html

    Leaves £500 to upgrade the wheels if you want.

    What's the distribution channel that you dislike? Was it one of the LBS you had a problem with, or all of them?
  • southdownswolfsouthdownswolf Posts: 1,521
    Calpol wrote:
    £2500 to spend - nice budget. I for one would not consider a Boardman. I admit thats because I am a bit of a brand snob when it comes to those bikes and their distribution channel. The possibilities are vast. I expect Canyon will get a mention soon. How about this for a bit of left field

    http://www.bike-discount.de/shop/k974/a61759/scultura-evo-905-e-com-di2-carbon-white-red.html

    Leaves £500 to upgrade the wheels if you want.

    The distribution channel of the Boardman is better than having to go to a German company. Or perhaps you think that it is sold through Halfords....?
    http://www.stuartmole.co.uk/
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    Boardman at an LBS beats a Merida from a German website any day in my book.

    I would say Boardman was a better badge than Merida too from my knowledge of Merida.
  • dwanesdwanes Posts: 954
    The boardman for me, good value, very nice frameset and I have no doubt good customer back up.
  • CalpolCalpol Posts: 1,039
    southdownswolf wrote:
    Calpol wrote:
    £2500 to spend - nice budget. I for one would not consider a Boardman. I admit thats because I am a bit of a brand snob when it comes to those bikes and their distribution channel. The possibilities are vast. I expect Canyon will get a mention soon. How about this for a bit of left field

    http://www.bike-discount.de/shop/k974/a61759/scultura-evo-905-e-com-di2-carbon-white-red.html

    Leaves £500 to upgrade the wheels if you want.

    The distribution channel of the Boardman is better than having to go to a German company. Or perhaps you think that it is sold through Halfords....?
    Fair point. I stand corrected but as I said I am a bit of a brand snob. I am sure the Boardman is a good bike. Tons of people buy from canyon so I don't expect that is too much different from buying from another German shop. However I do agree that some other people recommendations are much stronger. I was only illustrating what alternative value can be had.
  • sloppyschleckondssloppyschleckonds Posts: 8,019
    swj1 wrote:
    Hi All,
    Hopefully I can pick your collective brains, I have a max budget of £2.5k and I am looking at getting a road bike. I don't wont anything too aggressive as I will take it on longer rides rather than mad sprints.

    So far the Ridley Fenix and the Boardman slr 9.0 have caught my eye but any suggestions would be welcome :)

    Thanks in advance.

    Short headtube on the Boardman, you may find it too aggressive.
    I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles
  • cougiecougie Posts: 22,512
    What bike do you have at the moment ? Is the budget for the bike alone or all of the kit too ?
  • swj1swj1 Posts: 70
    Hi Cougie,
    This is my current bike
    http://www.evanscycles.com/products/jam ... e-ec041440

    I will use this as winter bike and the other bike for summer, you can never have to many bikes, well that is what i am trying to convince my better half ;)

    The budget will be just for the bike.
  • cougiecougie Posts: 22,512
    Nice bike !
  • skinnypunterskinnypunter Posts: 144
    I just bought a Focus Cayo 3.0 (SRAM Force) - £2,299 list (but I've promised not to say what I actually paid). it's a great bit of kit - getting lots of compliments on the club rides, and it's a significant upgrade from my aluminium Trek 1.7.
  • Geo555Geo555 Posts: 96
    A couple of bargain Cannondales from Germany

    Under budget
    56cm frame size
    http://www.biker-boarder.de/shopware/Ca ... 76_32.html

    Little bit over budget
    54cm frame size
    http://www.biker-boarder.de/shopware/Ca ... ireusocl=1

    Or something a bit different.
    Trigon RQC27 with Sram Force
    http://www.cycledivision.co.uk/product- ... -pid5.html
  • stuartknight1stuartknight1 Posts: 2
    Geo555 wrote:
    Under budget
    56cm frame size
    http://www.biker-boarder.de/shopware/Ca ... 76_32.html

    I just bought this exact bike from this store a few weeks ago. Great bike, really comfotable and fantastic service from Biker Boarder. I ordered on Sunday and was delivered on Thursday in an exceptionally well packaged box.
  • Coach HCoach H Posts: 1,092
    Carbonator wrote:
    Boardman at an LBS beats a Merida from a German website any day in my book.

    I would say Boardman was a better badge than Merida too from my knowledge of Merida.

    Not sure your second line makes much sense when you consider that Merida are the manufacturer for Boardman!! :roll:
    Also for Specialized (and 49% owner) and MANY other brands.
    Coach H. (Dont ask me for training advice - 'It's not about the bike')
  • southdownswolfsouthdownswolf Posts: 1,521
    Merida DON'T make the bikes for Boardman, however you are correct about the second line......
    http://www.stuartmole.co.uk/
  • markhewitt1978markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    Perhaps also consider the Trek Domane 5.2. A really excellent bike and top of the range before you get to the Di2 and custom models. RRP is £3,100 but with the 2014 models out next month I'm sure you could get it for much less if you shop around and haggle a bit
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    Coach H wrote:
    Carbonator wrote:
    Boardman at an LBS beats a Merida from a German website any day in my book.

    I would say Boardman was a better badge than Merida too from my knowledge of Merida.

    Not sure your second line makes much sense when you consider that Merida are the manufacturer for Boardman!! :roll:
    Also for Specialized (and 49% owner) and MANY other brands.

    Even if Merida do make Boardman's (seems to be some doubt on that) the second line still makes complete sense.
    It says that Boardman is a better badge/brand, and nothing to do with manufacture :roll: :roll:
  • kleinstrokerkleinstroker Posts: 2,133
    Fancy something a bit different??

    http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/look-586 ... 66771.html

    http://www.wiggle.co.uk/de-rosa-r838-ve ... arter-kit/
  • Coach HCoach H Posts: 1,092
    edited June 2013
    southdownswolf wrote:
    Merida DON'T make the bikes for Boardman, however you are correct about the second line......
    Carbonator wrote:
    Even if Merida do make Boardman's (seems to be some doubt on that) the second line still makes complete sense.
    It says that Boardman is a better badge/brand, and nothing to do with manufacture :roll: :roll:

    Merida Taiwan OEM for Specialized, Boardman etc Merida Industry Co Ltd Taiwan Stock Exchange
    From http://inrng.com/who-makes-what/ but other sources as well.

    If not Merida then who? It was certainly Merida originally and Boardman himself stated this in an launch interview IIRC. Could it now be Giant? I would doubt there was a reason to change OEM's.

    Carbonator, IMO your second line is now even worse as it would suggest that regardless of how good the bike actually is (and Merida probably is only just edged out by Giant for the most respected OEM in the world) the badge is more important.

    (Sorry OP for going off topic. I would get http://www.canyon.com/_en/roadbikes/bike.html?b=3087 and its under budget :D )
    Coach H. (Dont ask me for training advice - 'It's not about the bike')
  • markhewitt1978markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    I'd always assumed that most bike companies don't actually manufacture the bikes themselves in their own factories. In fact it's rare in manufacturing for one company to own the entire production process. Just like iPhones are largely made by Foxconn etc.
  • swj1swj1 Posts: 70
    Thanks again for al the info so far, I love the look of the Canyon but I have to get this through our Cycle scheme at work which has a very nice limit of £2.5k as opposed to the £1k at my old firm :)
  • Coach HCoach H Posts: 1,092
    swj1 wrote:
    Thanks again for al the info so far, I love the look of the Canyon but I have to get this through our Cycle scheme at work which has a very nice limit of £2.5k as opposed to the £1k at my old firm :)

    Might be worth contacting Canyon as they are setting up Bike to Work availability
    Coach H. (Dont ask me for training advice - 'It's not about the bike')
  • swj1swj1 Posts: 70
    I shall drop them a line, thanks :)
  • Bar ShakerBar Shaker Posts: 2,313
    SloppySchleckonds wrote:
    swj1 wrote:
    Hi All,
    Hopefully I can pick your collective brains, I have a max budget of £2.5k and I am looking at getting a road bike. I don't wont anything too aggressive as I will take it on longer rides rather than mad sprints.

    So far the Ridley Fenix and the Boardman slr 9.0 have caught my eye but any suggestions would be welcome :)

    Thanks in advance.

    Short headtube on the Boardman, you may find it too aggressive.

    I have an SLR. The frame is the same on the 9.0 as it is on the 9.8 and the quality is very good. It was used by United Health Care for 2011/2012 and it is a pro level race bike, for which it does not apologise. Whilst it is a short head tube, I have done 7 hours in the saddle without any aches. Your ages and suppleness will be the key to whether it will work for you. In tri comps, Boardman riders are cleaning up.

    The SLR frame is very light (850g) but incredibly stiff. It is designed as a climbing/sprinting frame and it excels at these tasks. Many frames at this price break are going to be more race orientated, so I think you should demo a few to see what suits you best.

    A Bianchi Infinito is just above your budget but that does have a relaxed frame, if that is a high priority. I also like the Canyon SLX and Aerorad but couldn't spend that much money without a dealer back up.

    The Boardman Elite LBS network is very good and buying will include a free bike fit at most if not all dealers. Factor in £200 if other brands/LBS don't include this.
    Boardman Elite SLR 9.2S
    Boardman FS Pro
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