Looking to get my first Road Bike, advice appreciated!

ryryryan

So after realising that beers and food is finally starting to impact me, I've decided to take up cycling. I enjoy going out on my dads bike currently but it's a bog standard heavy thing and I want to take it a bit more seriously, so I think I'll get my own road bike. Doing it for fun and fitness, as I don't actually follow cycling as a sport!

Initially I gave myself a budget of around £200 - £300, but when I looked about and realised the prices of entry level stuff I have now raised that to £500 - £600, depending on if it's worth it.

My primary contenders seem to be either the Giant Defy 5 ( http://www.tredz.co.uk/.Giant-Defy-5-2013-Road-Bike_56261.htm )or the Specialized Allez Compact 2013( http://www.tredz.co.uk/.Specialized-Allez-Compact-2013-Road-Bike_54927.htm ).

Though pushing my budget, I realise there is the Allez 2014, which apparantly has much better gears/shifter ( http://www.tredz.co.uk/.Specialized-Allez-2014-Road-Bike_64997.htm ).

I'm all very new to this though, so not really sure what some of it means! Also, I read that a carbon fork would make for a more comfortable ride, but that seems just out of my price bracket which is a shame as some roads around me aren't in the best of condition.

And on a small note, I'd quite like a white bike (just preference), but it's obviously not essential. I just think they look cool

So any advice on this? Would these bikes be okay all year round? Would love to hear what some of you experienced cyclists think.

shiftypowers

I would forget the defy 5 2013, you can get last years 2012 Defy 4 for the same price with better specification and carbon forks for the same price :

http://www.ashcycles.com/site/giant-def ... free-goods

it is also in white ^^ I know colour is most important thing

If not there was an article on bike radar about cheap road bikes and the pick of the best models have a look.

ryryryan

Thanks for the link, looks great!

I managed to go to Halfords today, tried a 54cm Carrera which was a touch too big, and a 53cm boardman which was bang on. The carrera had the sora shifters which were on the brake, which was much nice than the boardmans 2300 ones where you use the thumb. Ideally that's what I'd like, but with the carrera not fitting as good and the boardman being lower spec, I wasn't sold.

My ideal bike would be ~53cm with white paint job, shifters on the brake, sub 600 and if possible carbon fork. Not many choices when I'm that fussy! The Allez 2014 seems closest, but is also the priciest. The defy 4 in the link has the 2300 shifters too, so not quite there either, but very nearly! I suppose I'll have to make sacrifises somewhere though, or just pay my upper budget limit (£600).

Looked up the guide, the Ribble Sportive seems particularly nice, but really pushes my budget! Just a shame it's not mudguard friendly either as I plan to use it all year.

markos1963

Thought about going second hand?

ryryryan

Considered it, though like my gadgets I like to buy new to take advantage of full warranties and the like. I don't mind paying the extra for it.

snowjho

Decathlon triban 5. Last years was white for £500 might be a few left. This years its £450 but black...

IMO the bottom of the range giants & specialized bikes represent some of the worst value for money. You pay for the brand which to some is important.

grey_area

People with Tribans love them, people with Allez's (me) love them. Best advice on this site:

Go try them all out and get the one that fits, that you like the look of, that you can afford and ultimately that keeps you going out for more. (With the caveat that it is just the start of the spending )

Schoie81

Well, despite the two negative comments re. the Giant - i've got a Defy 5 and I love it. I would recommend it to anyone (looking for a bike in that price range that is..). I also have a Giant MTB which i've had for almost two years and in over 1,900miles on that, all i've had to do is replace the chain (which broke last week) so my experience of Giant bikes is very good.

Only had the Defy a short time and i've only done 200miles on it, but I've yet to find any faults or complaints with it. I had however, never owned or ridden another road bike before this, so have little to compare it to. But i'm very very happy with it. I may have considered the 2012 Defy 4, but I was buying through the cyclescheme and didn't see that bike in any of my local shops. I've seen lots of talk of carbon forks, but i've never ridden a bike with them, so don't know what i'm missing and I'm blissful in my ignorance!!

ryryryan

Seems that whatever I buy I will most likely be happy with

The triban 5 looks fantastic value for money, but with none in stock, no shops near me that sell them (I live in Wales, all shops are in England, Scotland and Ireland), I'm a bit unsure!

Going to try to pop in to cardiff tomorrow to go to a proper bike shop (evans cycles or tredz) and see what they have on offer, and to size myself up some more.