50th birthday upgrade

mushroom_picker

It's my 50th birthday later this year and I'm planning an upgrade. Since I became a MAMIL I've been on a Specialized Tricross Comp (compact double) for c6 years and it's got me round the Ride with Brad (60 mile version only!) a couple of times as well as a number of other 50-100 mile sportives. The only significant change I've made has been to fit some 105 wheels and lighter tyres for the sportives. It also does me for commuting and weekend fitness rides. I'm now looking to upgrade to something a little more sporty for sportives and long summer rides. The Tricross will be retained for commuting and grotty-weather rides. I would be interested to hear what you guys out there would recommend. My criteria are:

- Comfort over absolute speed, but looking for a bit more speed, especially uphill! I reckon something around the 8kg mark. The price per gramme much below that seems to go up exponentially. Decent light, climbing wheels would obviously help. I weigh a shade over 10 stone (140 lbs for any Americans out there) at 5'8" and am banned from losing any more weight off myself!
- Budget - nothing more than £2,500, preferably less.
- Geometry nothing too aggressive. I won't be racing and my neck doesn't take kindly to long, low rides.
- Gearing that will help cramping legs get up the worst that Brad can throw at me. I currently have lowest gear of 34/28 and it's generally fine, but I see that there's a number of road bikes out there going up to 32 on the rear cassette. Close ratios don't matter to me, so I think that would help. Or maybe a triple - but feels a little wimpish, I still have some pride!
- It looks like road disc brakes are going to get ever more common - especially for those who are more at the leisure end of the market, like me. Some of the descents in the wet on the Ride with Brad are pretty hairy and more modulation and quicker response in the wet would be good. Or will I find that moving from the Tricross' cantis to road rim brakes a vast improvement anyway?

I'm wondering whether a carbon-framed cross-bike might foot the bill - with road tyres of course. The Ibis Hakkalugi gets a good write-up in Bike Radar and at c£1800 is ideally priced. I'd never heard of them until I started looking. There's a real dearth of disc-brake road bikes at the right price - though I suspect there will be a lot more in a year or two's time. E.g Specialized have a Sora equipped Roubaix at £1,500 and nothing else until you get to £4,500! The Trek Domanes also look good, but nothing with disc brakes yet (bet we see one next year). Perhaps I should wait a year??

Thank you for any constructive thoughts!!

me-109

It's my wife's 50th this year.


I'm planning an upgrade…

:-)

Sawilson

I have just had the same dilemma with the Roubaix, I wanted disc brake but wanted a the new 11 speed ultegra groupset , not the Sora on the disc and I couldn`t afford the £4500 one.
The reason there is such a difference in price is the lack of disc compatible groupsets and wheelsets.
I went to the local specialized concept store were they agreed to remove the Sora groupset and replace it with the Ultegra 11 speed groupset for an £400 upgrade, then we had the issue, that the wheels, Axis 2 were not 11 speed compatible, so they agreed to build me some wheels using hope disc 11 speed compatible hubs, but that meant having 32 spoke rims and it all got too much hassle.
You can get shimano R785 hydraulic levers but they are only Di2 compatible and £499
In the end I just bought the Roubaix comp
Its still a great bike, very comfortable, but stiff enough should you need it.
I think over the next few years a lot of these issues will be sorted as discs will become more commonplace.
P.S The back axle is also wider at 135mm on the Disc frame
There needs to be some common standard sizes worked out first ?

Sawilson

Me-109
I presume your window shopping in the Brides Forum ?

dave in swansea

I have had a similar dilemma. Wanting a new bike for hilly rides. I often do 40 mile on weekends with a couple of 60-70 mile rides each summer.
Weighing 100kg (16 st) I figured that a kilo on the bike was less important than good gears for going up, and good brakes for coming down.
I have ordered a Whyte Suffolk. 105 / Tiagra drive chain with 34 / 30 the lowest gear. Brakes are cable operated hydraulic discs. (Reservoirs in the caliper). The reviews seem to claim these are the best road brakes available, until the full hydraulic systems return to the market.

defride

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/FRPXXLS/pl ... s-frameset

This might fit the bill? Should be able to build one with Ultegra disc, reasonable kit and wheels of your choice for £2.5k. Would also be worth looking to see if there are any Ti options within budget.

galatzo

After 6 years on a Tricross you've earnt your upgrade and you'll really notice it too.
If you've only had the one bike then you really need to try some so Epic Cycles would be worth a day out depending on where you are ?
One of the new Cdale Synpase models or you may have enough for an Enigma maybe ?

rafletcher

Sawilson wrote:

the wheels, Axis 2 were not 11 speed compatible, so they agreed to build me some wheels using hope disc 11 speed compatible hubs, but that meant having 32 spoke rims and it all got too much hassle.

Was there a problem with 32 hole rims? You need the higher spoke count (as I understand it) for disc brakes.

Sawilson

The reason I didn't fancy the 32 whole rims is I wanted it to look like a road bike with discs rather than a cyclocross bike, I never thought about the rotational forces on the hub tbh, I also felt very restricted in choice of parts, I think in the next two years discs will take off big time and there will be a lot more options.

Monty Dog

Disc brakes and low spoke count wheels don't mix - there's plenty of enough options and parts out there, it was a bit more tricky 8 years ago when I built my first road bike with disc brakes. Some good rims like H Son, Velocity A23 and Pacenti too

kajjal

Sawilson wrote:

I have just had the same dilemma with the Roubaix, I wanted disc brake but wanted a the new 11 speed ultegra groupset , not the Sora on the disc and I couldn`t afford the £4500 one.
The reason there is such a difference in price is the lack of disc compatible groupsets and wheelsets.
I went to the local specialized concept store were they agreed to remove the Sora groupset and replace it with the Ultegra 11 speed groupset for an £400 upgrade, then we had the issue, that the wheels, Axis 2 were not 11 speed compatible, so they agreed to build me some wheels using hope disc 11 speed compatible hubs, but that meant having 32 spoke rims and it all got too much hassle.
You can get shimano R785 hydraulic levers but they are only Di2 compatible and £499
In the end I just bought the Roubaix comp
Its still a great bike, very comfortable, but stiff enough should you need it.
I think over the next few years a lot of these issues will be sorted as discs will become more commonplace.
P.S The back axle is also wider at 135mm on the Disc frame
There needs to be some common standard sizes worked out first ?

I was looking for a Disc Roubaix but Sora also put me off considering the price you have to pay for it. If you look at similar competitor bikes they are 105 or better for similar prices. Specialized need to either up the spec or drop the price or both

That's why I am waiting a year as there will be more choice and more competition.

mushroom_picker

Thanks all for the thoughts and advice - though I have no plans to upgrade my wife at the moment! It's largely confirmed my thoughts that the choice of road bikes with disc brakes is really limited. I will have a look at the suggestions made. One thing though, having investigated the Ibis Hakkalugi more closely, the price is just for the frame and forks. A full build is c£3k. I can't see anywhere on the Bike Radar review where that is made clear. Still looks like a good bike, but I don't know if I can justify that kind of spend. My 50th's not until late August, so the 2015 stable of bikes will be just around the corner by then. Perhaps I should wait…it's not as though the Tricross is falling apart

slowbike

Not thought of the Tarmac?

That's my other ride (I have a TriCross Sport for wet, general & commuting) ... I have it set up a little more aggressive on the position, but you don't have to drop the stem ...

dov2711

http://www.slanecycles.com/bianchi-infinito-bike-ultegra-compact-blackwhite-2012-p-21012.html?language=en&currency=GBP&delivery=222&fo_c=303&fo_k=437c2aa9c6250233b9ce65b3b3e57d2e&fo_s=gplauk&gclid=CLCF8diLurwCFaVf2wodnj4AEg

Great bike for longer distances, ultegra is faultless and some good deals around on last years bikes if you look around.

Have done a few century rides on mine and would recommend it completely.

wandsworth

Galatzo wrote:

After 6 years on a Tricross you've earnt your upgrade and you'll really notice it too.
If you've only had the one bike then you really need to try some so Epic Cycles would be worth a day out depending on where you are ?
One of the new Cdale Synpase models or you may have enough for an Enigma maybe ?

Yes, think about the 2014 Cannondale Synapse Disc. I have the 105 but there is also an Ultegra version if you want to spend a bit more.