£1500 sportif

shylocuk
shylocuk Posts: 41
edited September 2013 in Road buying advice
Hello,

In a few months I'll be trading up to a better bike, I know I want a sportif/grand fondo style bike, and I know I'll have around £1500 to spend.

So far I've short listed to;

Ribble Bianco with Athena
Norco Valence c3
Trek modene 3.5c
Merlin evo carbon
Dolan Hercules SL
Fuji grand Fondo 2.5

What are your thoughts on these and do you have any other suggestions?

Comments

  • dinkdankdo10
    dinkdankdo10 Posts: 180
    When you say upgrading. What you currently got ?

    For that price bracket you could get the Planet X ultegra 1k bargain and stick some better wheels on it and you will have a decent bike for 1.5k.
  • shylocuk
    shylocuk Posts: 41
    Bottom of the range Fuji sporif at the moment 1.5 alloy
  • diamonddog
    diamonddog Posts: 3,426
    Planet X RT58 at this price very light, full carbon and Ultegra groupset also IFC or Cycle to Work scheme if you need it. :)
  • gimpl
    gimpl Posts: 269
    You might also be able to pick up a Giant Defy Composite 1 at that price too - 2013 model now that they have released the 2014 ones. Great bike with full Ultegra too.
  • trek_dan
    trek_dan Posts: 1,366
    Can't comment on the others but the Hercules SL is a fine frameset, compact geometry doesn't suit everyone though so be careful and you don't get the value you do with Planet X.
  • shylocuk
    shylocuk Posts: 41
    OK so planet x rt58 looks good, but compared to Ribble's Bianco with Athena for same price? Already using campag shifter positions as my current bike has shimano 2300 shifters..
  • diamonddog
    diamonddog Posts: 3,426
    Ultegra & Athena groupsets are about the same price but if your using Campag now you might favour it over Shimano Ultegra, which by the way is a totally different animal to ST2300 when it comes to shifters. :)
  • shylocuk
    shylocuk Posts: 41
    Sorry, not using campag at the mo, presumed 2300 shifter position was similar/the same as campag ones, no real preference...with campag/shimano/SRAM just looking for good value for money :)
  • diamonddog
    diamonddog Posts: 3,426
    I have Sram on my road bike and think it is great, on the turbo bike I have ST2300 which is fine.
    The Ultegra/Athena/Sram shifting systems are IMO better than the ST2300 option so it's just a matter of your preference between the three.
  • shylocuk
    shylocuk Posts: 41
    Yeah I'll have to get my hands on them and decide which feels best..

    Any thoughts on the Fuji or the Norco? They looks nice, but have FSA gossamer cranks...
  • diamonddog
    diamonddog Posts: 3,426
    shylocuk wrote:
    Yeah I'll have to get my hands on them and decide which feels best..

    Any thoughts on the Fuji or the Norco? They looks nice, but have FSA gossamer cranks...

    I seem to remember both are Shimano 105 which is a step below Ultegra so not quite as good vfm, having said that there is nothing wrong with 105 it is still a good performer. They both look good bikes though.:)
  • plodder73
    plodder73 Posts: 326
    I am looking for exactly the same, I have considered the Planet X , what is the geometry like on them ,thought I read somewhere they were sporty? Like the look of the Fuji but no stockists near me. Have also considered the Trek donane but they seem hard to find and comparitively expensive. Ribble look good value, but I have an aluminium one at the moment and although its comfy would like a change.
  • blinddrew
    blinddrew Posts: 317
    Plodder73 wrote:
    I am looking for exactly the same, I have considered the Planet X , what is the geometry like on them ,thought I read somewhere they were sporty?

    They do an RT57 and an RT58, one's a race bike the other's for a more relaxed geometry
    Music, beer, sport, repeat...
  • plodder73
    plodder73 Posts: 326
    blinddrew wrote:
    Plodder73 wrote:
    I am looking for exactly the same, I have considered the Planet X , what is the geometry like on them ,thought I read somewhere they were sporty?

    They do an RT57 and an RT58, one's a race bike the other's for a more relaxed geometry
    Many thanks seems to be a hefty premium on the £999 pro carbon Ultegra, why the large difference?
  • blinddrew
    blinddrew Posts: 317
    Plodder73 wrote:
    Many thanks seems to be a hefty premium on the £999 pro carbon Ultegra, why the large difference?

    The pro carbon is a much older frame design, it is (as far as carbon frames go) cheap and cheerful and doesn't have some of the frame features that more modern designs do (press-fit BBs, tapered head tubes etc).
    But I like mine :¬)

    N.B. I'm not paid or endorsed in any way by PX :¬)
    Music, beer, sport, repeat...
  • diamonddog
    diamonddog Posts: 3,426
    RT58 geometry is totally different to the Pro Carbon it is more relaxed and when it was released it was sub 16lb some of this weight must have been saved on the frame IMO so a premium to be paid like all other brands.
    I have the Pro Carbon and by upgrading a few relatively cheap items (total spend £280) it is now at 7.32kg/16.1lb and it could be made lighter if I wanted it to be.:)
  • shylocuk
    shylocuk Posts: 41
    Gimpl wrote:
    You might also be able to pick up a Giant Defy Composite 1 at that price too - 2013 model now that they have released the 2014 ones. Great bike with full Ultegra too.

    Very sexy looking bike, is the geometry on this more sportif than race??
  • plodder73
    plodder73 Posts: 326
    shylocuk wrote:
    Gimpl wrote:
    You might also be able to pick up a Giant Defy Composite 1 at that price too - 2013 model now that they have released the 2014 ones. Great bike with full Ultegra too.

    Very sexy looking bike, is the geometry on this more sportif than race??


    Yes I have sat on one very relaxed. The salesman old me the 2014 is the one to have, full 11 speed Ultegra and about £1500.
  • gimpl
    gimpl Posts: 269
    Plodder73 wrote:
    shylocuk wrote:
    Gimpl wrote:
    You might also be able to pick up a Giant Defy Composite 1 at that price too - 2013 model now that they have released the 2014 ones. Great bike with full Ultegra too.

    Very sexy looking bike, is the geometry on this more sportif than race??


    Yes I have sat on one very relaxed. The salesman old me the 2014 is the one to have, full 11 speed Ultegra and about £1500.

    I have one, a 2013 model and its great. I weigh 98kg (down from 115kg!) and have an XL plus I'm an old fart. I have managed quite long mileages on it including 101 miles earlier this year - definitely more sportive than racer but I really like the way it feels quick to me (remember old fart!).

    Not sure you'd get a 2104m model for £1,500 though but should get a 2013 now. Does the extra gear really make that much difference to your average rider ?

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