Best all-rounder for under £1000 with a few caveats?
spencetj
Posts: 3
I am planning to use the cycle to work scheme to replace my old hybrid with something faster and lighter. Mostly used for commuting, not a long distance but the return journey is predominantly one long uphill so I think minimising the weight should help? I had the last bike for 10-12 years and expect to do the same with this one so it will get put to a lot of different uses, pretty much year round except when there is grit on the road when the old bike will come out.
I will need to fit mudguards and preferably the option to fit a rear pannier rack. I use one at the moment, maybe I can do without it but it would be nice to be able to choose. Can you fit one to the seatpost or seat stays if there are no braze-ons?
One of the uses of the bike is pulling a child trailer so I need to fit a sidestand to the bike otherwise its really hard to lean it somewhere while dealing with child and trailer. I think this rules out a carbon frame.
My companys cycle to work scheme is via Halfords which might limit the options, although they will deal with at least one local bike shop and Halfords can allegedly source pretty much anything. But without trying the bike for size and maybe a test ride it might be a bit of a gamble.
LBS suggested Giant Defy 2 or maybe Trek Domane 2.0 but they didn't seem very convinced about the trek for some reason. I had a test ride on the Defy which was OK but didn't really wow me, but its so different to my hybrid it all feels rather strange anyway. Both came in about 10.3kg with pedals which is more than I would like. I presume the Defy 1 would be lighter but I believe it doesn't have fittings for a rack. I know all the bling is going to add weight but the lighter the bike is to start with the lighter it will end up!
I like the idea of a CX bike for more robustness and disc brakes but they seem to be heavier and/or more expensive. I looked at the Specialized Tricross but that came in at 11.3kg which is too much of a weight penalty.
Should I go with Defy 1, 2 or Domane 2.0 or is there a better, lighter alternative that I can actually get hold of? LBS primarily does Giant, Trek, Specialized and Whyte. I don't know if I can use online retailers like Evans with the cycle to work scheme.
I will need to fit mudguards and preferably the option to fit a rear pannier rack. I use one at the moment, maybe I can do without it but it would be nice to be able to choose. Can you fit one to the seatpost or seat stays if there are no braze-ons?
One of the uses of the bike is pulling a child trailer so I need to fit a sidestand to the bike otherwise its really hard to lean it somewhere while dealing with child and trailer. I think this rules out a carbon frame.
My companys cycle to work scheme is via Halfords which might limit the options, although they will deal with at least one local bike shop and Halfords can allegedly source pretty much anything. But without trying the bike for size and maybe a test ride it might be a bit of a gamble.
LBS suggested Giant Defy 2 or maybe Trek Domane 2.0 but they didn't seem very convinced about the trek for some reason. I had a test ride on the Defy which was OK but didn't really wow me, but its so different to my hybrid it all feels rather strange anyway. Both came in about 10.3kg with pedals which is more than I would like. I presume the Defy 1 would be lighter but I believe it doesn't have fittings for a rack. I know all the bling is going to add weight but the lighter the bike is to start with the lighter it will end up!
I like the idea of a CX bike for more robustness and disc brakes but they seem to be heavier and/or more expensive. I looked at the Specialized Tricross but that came in at 11.3kg which is too much of a weight penalty.
Should I go with Defy 1, 2 or Domane 2.0 or is there a better, lighter alternative that I can actually get hold of? LBS primarily does Giant, Trek, Specialized and Whyte. I don't know if I can use online retailers like Evans with the cycle to work scheme.
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Comments
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For a slightly less common choice, what about the Whyte Sussex? alloy frame, disc brakes and capacity to fit rack and mudguards all for about £799. The list weight is about 10.5 kgs but most of the offerings around this price will weigh similar amounts. The bike has the new 9 speed sora with the dual action brifters rather than the old style with the thumb lever too: http://whyte.bike/2014/product.php?xPro ... p;xSec=121 or the next model up, the Dorset has a carbon fork and other upgrades for £999.0
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Evans does the ride to work scheme, they are not just online.
they have a sale on at the moment of road bikes etc.
http://www.evanscycles.com/categories/bikes/road-bikes
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Whilst it maybe preferable to have rear rack brazings you can cheaply pick up a seat clamp with integrated rack mounts like this http://www.pedalon.co.uk/acatalog/giant ... wwodgRUAFg
this may open up a few more options although giants are usually pretty good IME0 -
I wouldn't get too hung up on the weight. If you're looking for durability had you considered steel? A Genesis Equilibrium would be a great all-rounder. They do a disc version but not sure if it's in budget?0
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I went back to LBS for another test ride, with the intention of trying the Trek Domane and maybe Defy 1 but didn’t get to do either! I spoke to a different chap this time, and having explained my aims he was determined I should get a hybrid and didn’t seem to want to let me try a road bike. The killer is that sometimes I need to tow a trailer with a toddler in it and he was adamant that a road bike isn’t suitable for that. Something about quick release skewers not being long enough to accommodate the trailer hitch, but that is the same on a hybrid anyway. His older colleague, whom I spoke to originally, was a bit more practical about it and said that although you won’t get the performance out of it there’s no reason why a road bike can’t tow a trailer sometimes. He still plumped for the Defy 2 as the best all-rounder that will cope with everything. It looked like there were about to break into a fight. Now I am even more confused!
With much persuasion I did manage to test a Whyte Sussex. I think I only ended up on that because I asked about a cross bike as it should be stronger built, and they happened to have the Sussex in the right size. I think the man's words were "well I suppose you could try this" like he was doing me a favour! Anyway I enjoyed the ride much more than the £1000 Specialized hybrid that he sent me out on first, which was a nice bike but I just didn't want to buy it.
So I am pretty much decided but I will upgrade to the Whyte Dorset. I just need to check that the towing hitch will fit (Whyte have some funny locking wheel nuts/skewers, don't know how they work) and double check the frame size. The odd thing I noticed in the test ride is that my heels sometimes clipped the chainstays but I can only think that my feet were in a funny position as there were no cleats.
I just want to be sure I'm not buying a lemon as Whyte is not a brand I had heard of before. The Dorset is a new model so not many reviews around but the one I saw was quite complimentary. It seems to be a replacement for the Charing Cross but they have tweaked the geometry to make the frame shorter and more sporty.
Any advice about Whyte and/or towing a trailer? (my hybrid and my wife's Orbea racer, both with quick release wheels, have been towing fine for the past year)0 -
Dolan will take Halfords cyclescheme vouchers and the preffissio would be in budget with force or 105 including full guards.
Halfords also sell Kinesis direct so theres the T2 which is in budget with new 10 speed tiagra.
I am lucky enough to have a fleet of nice stuff so have just used my voucher to buy a Felt F75. Alu frame carbon fork and seatpost 105 shifters and mechs at 949. Lovely for the money but no rack and guard mounts.0
