What made you choose your bike?

Rocketman.
Rocketman. Posts: 8
edited September 2013 in Road general
Whilst riding up Butser Hill today I was thinking about what made me choose my bike. This random thought was partly due to me trying to block out the pain from my legs and also because I had a wasp in my jersey. I was too stubborn to stop.

I spent many hours researching the Internet, building my ideal bike on the ribble and Dolan website and talking to people. What I lacked was experience. Experience to know what gear ratios I would require and how components would standup to my style of riding. In the end I decided to go for a bianchi vertigo. I put my faith into the manufactures ratio selection. Although I tried other makes I wanted something that stood out and a little less common. The C2C geometry suits me and my style of riding. Having now covered several thousand miles I have everything the way I wish. Once I had decided to buy 'off the shelf' I chose my bike because of the C2C frame and aesthetics.

I read a lot of comments giving praise to plant x bikes. Did I miss a trick? Or is it impossible to look at all brands of bike?

Anyway having digressed slightly. What were the reasons you chose your bike?
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Comments

  • simonhead
    simonhead Posts: 1,399
    My first bike i literally just pointed and said "i want that one in my size please" to the girl at Evans (Cycles not ladies clothing on this occasion). I didnt really know what I was doing and just thought the Secteur looked a decent bike.

    Having had that for quite a while I started shopping around for the next one, I liked the geometry of the secteur so did quite a lot of research and was about to go for a Domane 2.3. Then I went for a ride with a mate who is the same height build and haircut as me (he was best man at my wedding and some of the wifes relatives congratulated him whilst I was outside with fag and beer in my hand), he had just got a PX pro Carbon and let me have a ride for about 10 miles. All my research went out the window so I took advantage of their TDF deal with the Carbon wheels and pressed the button about 10 minutes after I got back from the ride.
    Life isnt like a box of chocolates, its like a bag of pic n mix.
  • The colour.
  • tiglon84
    tiglon84 Posts: 33
    The price. When you only have £400 to spend and need a bike immediately, it limits your options!

    Oh, and the colour.
  • diamonddog
    diamonddog Posts: 3,426
    They are built about 7 miles from were I live and it was the first one I sat on. Lucky for me it was ideal. :)
  • t4tomo
    t4tomo Posts: 2,643
    It was a Bianchi and it was about the right price on ebay and it had carbon stays as well as fork which i though must be good - oh and I'd had a glass or two of wine so I hit the bid button.

    The look of the Bianchi's just won me over.
    Bianchi Infinito CV
    Bianchi Via Nirone 7 Ultegra
    Brompton S Type
    Carrera Vengeance Ultimate Ltd
    Gary Fisher Aquila '98
    Front half of a Viking Saratoga Tandem
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    first one - the ride & price ...

    didn't want to spend too much - but wanted one that would be faster than the wifes ... wasn't sure about the colour, but it rode nicely - far better than the other one I tried ... so bought it (or rather, the wife did!)

    second one - the price & model type
    it is primarily a commuter/wet weather bike - significantly discounted and had better components.

    third one - model & price
    had thought about upgrading my first bike with new groupset - but wife (it's always her fault) suggested that this secondhand one I saw would be better value as it's also carbon (first bike is Ali) and I could sell the first bike (hmm should do this!) to help pay for it.
  • TheHound
    TheHound Posts: 284
    I couldn't justify spending over £2k on the Bianchi I wanted considering my stunted cycling ability and the amount I do ride. Figured £1k on the Cannondale was ok, but I still want the Bianchi.
    Bianchi Intenso Athena
    Handbuilt Wheels by dcrwheels.co.uk
    Fizik Cyrano R3 Handlebars
    Selle Italia SLR Kit Carbonio Flow saddle
    Deda Superleggero seatpost
  • blu3cat
    blu3cat Posts: 1,016
    After a carbon frame failure, I wanted Ti, and it was about the only one in my price bracket.
    "Bed is for sleepy people.
    Let's get a kebab and go to a disco."

    FCN = 3 - 5
    Colnago World Cup 2
  • When I sat on it I just wanted to ride it straight out of the shop. It felt perfect. Still feels the same way.
  • rhext
    rhext Posts: 1,639
    Oooohhhh.....shiny!!
  • It's reassuring to read that people have made similar decisions to myself. If I'm reading the responses correctly, people have followed their wallet then hearts. It's also good to read that people haven't written, 'I wish I had bought something else'.
  • Grill
    Grill Posts: 5,610
    My first couple frames where financially motivated. Never again. Very happy with my lot now.
    English Cycles V3 | Cervelo P5 | Cervelo T4 | Trek Domane Koppenberg
  • BrandonA
    BrandonA Posts: 553
    I had the money burning a hole in my bank account and I got to build it from scratch with all the components I wanted. The starting point was company which I trusted from having other specialized bikes and I love the shape of the Venge frame.
  • Bozman
    Bozman Posts: 2,518
    edited August 2013
    Frames, It was a Look.... I don't really have to say anymore, It's still going strong and in mint nick while others have been and gone.
  • Baby Trek
    Baby Trek Posts: 118
    Mainly because the other shops I went into did not seem too bothered or interested in selling me one of their bikes! I finally went to my LBS (should have gone there first) and they were actually bothered and took time to make sure I was ok on the bike and it was going to be right for me. My bike choice was limited but they made me feel I was doing the right thing. I love my £700 Trek and have been looked after by the wonderful Stanley Fearns in Matlock ever since.
  • Went into the nearest LBS's .......... walked out of one of them with a bargain from Merckx in nice colours.
  • 964cup
    964cup Posts: 1,362
    First road bike came from Wiggle in one of their never-ending sales. I knew from nothing and bought what's turned out to be a great bike purely by chance (Mekk Poggio 2.5 Ultegra). Proper bike #2 was an opportunistic grab off these 'ere forums of a new Cervelo R3 frame. Why? Because it's an R3, dammit. Then I spent untold hours choosing components and slowly building it up.
  • macroadie
    macroadie Posts: 172
    Rocketman. wrote:
    Whilst riding up Butser Hill today I was thinking about what made me choose my bike. This random thought was partly due to me trying to block out the pain from my legs and also because I had a wasp in my jersey. I was too stubborn to stop.

    I spent many hours researching the Internet, building my ideal bike on the ribble and Dolan website and talking to people. What I lacked was experience. Experience to know what gear ratios I would require and how components would standup to my style of riding. In the end I decided to go for a bianchi vertigo. I put my faith into the manufactures ratio selection. Although I tried other makes I wanted something that stood out and a little less common. The C2C geometry suits me and my style of riding. Having now covered several thousand miles I have everything the way I wish. Once I had decided to buy 'off the shelf' I chose my bike because of the C2C frame and aesthetics.

    I read a lot of comments giving praise to plant x bikes. Did I miss a trick? Or is it impossible to look at all brands of bike?

    Anyway having digressed slightly. What were the reasons you chose your bike?

    For me it was timing and bike size. I visited several local LBS and test rode 10 different makes/models then saw one on craigslist with DI2 shifters, my zide (54) barely with 200 miles on the bike, had cash in hand at that moment and knew if idin't spend it on bike something else would come up and spend my money anyway. Still happy and everyone can't believe what a steal i got!
  • Grill
    Grill Posts: 5,610
    macroadie wrote:
    For me it was timing and bike size. I visited several local LBS and test rode 10 different makes/models then saw one on craigslist with DI2 shifters, my zide (54) barely with 200 miles on the bike, had cash in hand at that moment and knew if idin't spend it on bike something else would come up and spend my money anyway. Still happy and everyone can't believe what a steal i got!

    A stolen bike? :lol:
    English Cycles V3 | Cervelo P5 | Cervelo T4 | Trek Domane Koppenberg
  • jeannot18
    jeannot18 Posts: 720
    Got mine on the cycle to work scheme, it was initially a Bianchi I ordered for £600 (4 years ago), but then the guy at the shop started to mess me about the delivery. I called him to ask for nth time when my bike would arrive, and he told me that there was some delay but he just did a part exchange on a Specialized Aller Elite with 105, after asking for advice on this forum I was told to take the Specialized and forget the Bianchi with a lesser setup. I am really happy it took it, I will of course never know if the Bianchi would have been better but the Specialized has never let me down.
    JC
    Pédale ou crève
    Specialized Elite Allez with 105
    Rockrider 8.1 : )
  • hatch87
    hatch87 Posts: 352
    I walked into the shop to upgrade from my trek 1.1 to a 3 or maybe 4 series. The guy I was talking to just merely mentioned the price of a bike which I thought was well outside my price range. It was a Kuota which I never heard of which made me want it more! It looked fast, and from reading forums, I was convinced this meant it was fast.

    Went back and did a test ride, took a punt with SRAM as they only had one with Di2 at the time and love the thing. Over 1k miles covered since I got it in May and have only seen one other Kuota
    http://app.strava.com/athletes/686217
    Come on! You call this a storm? Blow, you son of a bitch! Blow! It's time for a showdown! You and me! I'm right here! Come and get me!
  • zingaiya
    zingaiya Posts: 52
    I wanted something for triathlon, road, trail and possible touring. Some research led me to cyclocross bikes, a style I was previously unaware of.
    A bit of searching on tinterweb led me to Edinburgh Bike Coop. 2 hours with a patient chap saw me and the beloved sticking deposits down on a Revolution Cross Disc (me) and a Specialised TriCross (her).
    Not perfect by any means, but good enough for the next few years.
  • hatch87
    hatch87 Posts: 352
    as long as the wheels spin, its perfect :D
    http://app.strava.com/athletes/686217
    Come on! You call this a storm? Blow, you son of a bitch! Blow! It's time for a showdown! You and me! I'm right here! Come and get me!
  • bigmat
    bigmat Posts: 5,134
    First road bike I just wanted maximum bang for minimum buck, did a lot of internet searching and ended up with a Prorace Aello - alloy frame, Prorace finishing kit, full Campag Mirage groupset and some bombproof Rigida wheels. This was 2006 and I picked it up for £450, bargain at the time, still going strong now.

    My next bike I needed something with Campag on the cycle to work scheme - options were very limited but miraculously Halfords had a Viner with Campag on special offer so I got an Italian niche brand full carbon with Campag carbon Centaur for, overall, around £600 - bargain again!

    Both bikes have been upgraded beyond recognition - the Prorace still has its original seat clamp, rear mech, front wheel and stem. Viner has its original front and rear mech - literally everything else has been replaced!
  • CiB
    CiB Posts: 6,098
    It was time to upgrade from the Scott and I knew pretty much what spec I was after so kept looking in numerous LBS until the right combination of gruppo, wheels, frame & price appeared, which it eventually did. I borrowed the display model for an hour to test ride it over a good route (they forgot I had it when I went back) and that was it. Funnily enough the colour didn't clinch it and of the two I opted for the wrong one, regretting it for the first week or two. Luckily the frame suffered a bit of corrosion and the warranty replacement was the next year's colour scheme, which looked great. Once the Di2 went on a few months later I had the perfect bike, for now...
  • Mikey23
    Mikey23 Posts: 5,306
    First roadie was a defy 4. Didn't have much of a clue, didn't want to spend a fortune and it was what my LBS stock. Was very happy with it, saw me through my first year and I told myself that if I got through the winter it was more than a nine day wonder and if I was competent and confident enough, I would get a carbon jobby with 105 or better. And so it proved so into another local shop which specialized in specialized wanting something a little upright and comfy befitting my age and ability. So there was a roubaix comp with 2011 spec with my name on it and the rest is history.

    So my defy is my workhorse and comes touring and is presently attached to a turbo machine while my roubaix is for best
  • dnwhite88
    dnwhite88 Posts: 285
    hatch87 wrote:
    I have only seen one other Kuota

    Got mine in feb and have only seen one other-we must be fairly well spread out! :shock:

    I chose mine because it was a good price for the spec and, more importantly, it looks the business ;)
    "It never gets easier, you just go faster"
  • Colour, looks, price, able to try out at lbs, discount from lbs
  • The sum of my tax rebate. And the 566 was the only Look that I could afford :D
  • hatch87
    hatch87 Posts: 352
    dnwhite88 wrote:
    hatch87 wrote:
    I have only seen one other Kuota

    Got mine in feb and have only seen one other-we must be fairly well spread out! :shock:

    I chose mine because it was a good price for the spec and, more importantly, it looks the business ;)

    I know, its a great bike, but not really stocked at all. From what I could find, I had one dealer 40 miles south of me, and another 100 miles north of me. What did you go for in the end, I got a Kuota Kharma Evo with SRAM Force
    http://app.strava.com/athletes/686217
    Come on! You call this a storm? Blow, you son of a bitch! Blow! It's time for a showdown! You and me! I'm right here! Come and get me!