Recommended triple between £800-1200 ?

astilla

I'm in the market to buy a road bike after being on a health kick for the last 6 months. I've been running and cycling and now want to get into cycling more. I don't do much mileage at the moment (as I only have a very cheap hybrid) but try to get a 40km ride in on a weekend and maybe one mid-week shorter ride - this is worked around running 5 or 10k 3 times a week. I'm 13 stone (182lb / 82.5kg), 43 years old and my fitness is still improving as I've not been running or cycling that long. I'd like to increase my weekend bike distance much more, and more frequently, so want a decent bike as an alternative to my hybrid (which is fine for poorer terrain)

Right now it's hills that I struggle on - of most varieties. With my age, condition and inability to get up hills on my rubbish hybrid I'm veering towards getting a bike with triple front cogs. The Malvern hills are quite close to me and I fancy being able to get up and around there.

So, with that background in mind, I'm looking for best bang for my buck on a road bike somewhere between £800-1200 that I won't regret buying after 12 months. I'm starting to look around at end of season stuff but will have to act quickly if something comes up so I need to start narrowing down what I'm looking for.

What models that allow versions with a triple gear should I be looking at? I'm not bothered about alu vs. carbon frame - it all depends on the other components and what's the best overall package for my money. I do want gears that are at least reliable and smooth those so not the lowest of the low quality.

An example of what I've been tempted by is the 2015 Rose Pro SL-2000 (£846) - seems great value for the money, but I'm not sure their configurator allows a triple to be specified - I need to contact them to ask.

Can anyone recommend what manufacturers/models would be good to consider in triple format?

Thanks!

banditvic

You don't need a triple these days 50/34 long rear mech and 32 on the back. In Gran canaria I hire a CAAD 10 with a 32 on the back gets you up anything. Makes choosing a bike so much easier plus they are lighter, you may have to buy a longer rear mech and different cassette and chain.

arlowood

Have a look at the Ribble Bikebuilder.

Just had a play on it and you an get a Ribble 7046 Sportive (Alu) with Ultegra 11-speed, Compact 50/34 crankset and 11-32 cassette that would meet your needs admirably. Price £1040. That is with Fulcrum Racing 7 wheels.

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/bbd/road- ... e=1#Wheels

For your budget however you could choose Fulcrum Racing Quatro's or Mavic Cosmic Elite wheels that will make the bike feel a lot better

banditvic

Giant Defy 3 for £500 got a 50/34 and 11-32. Tredz.

diplodicus

If you fancy a triple you won't go far wrong with this

http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m7b0s6p526 ... RIPLE-2013

gozzy

A wide range compact might get you the gears, but none of the smooth changes of a triple.

astilla

I don't want to start one of the many triple vs. compact arguments that seem to plague the internet - I'll just state that I'm leaning towards a triple from what I read so far so that's what I was looking for recommendations on. I don't have any hang-ups about using a triple and if it helps me get over hills I'd otherwise struggle with, even if I sit in the middle front ring most of the time (which would be ideal as then don't have to keep front-shifting) then it seems like a good option. Thanks for all the replies so far, even the ones saying I don't need a triple - I truly am just soaking up information from both sides before making a final decision on what to go for, but as triples seem harder to find I thought I'd ask what good manufacturers/models are that have them in the range without going to a more custom option.

Anonymous

Not sure a test ride would help that much would it.

Think if the OP feels he would be better off with a triple, he should get one.

Cannondales that have been mentioned would be great IMO.
If you wanted the full triple look though, it has to be a Secteur ;-)

lesfirth

astilla wrote:

I don't want to start one of the many triple vs. compact arguments that seem to plague the internet - I'll just state that I'm leaning towards a triple from what I read so far so that's what I was looking for recommendations on. I don't have any hang-ups about using a triple and if it helps me get over hills I'd otherwise struggle with, even if I sit in the middle front ring most of the time (which would be ideal as then don't have to keep front-shifting) then it seems like a good option. Thanks for all the replies so far, even the ones saying I don't need a triple - I truly am just soaking up information from both sides before making a final decision on what to go for, but as triples seem harder to find I thought I'd ask what good manufacturers/models are that have them in the range without going to a more custom option.

I think you have got the situation nicely summed up here.

cycleclinic

Tifsoi CK7 with Sora triple groupset or the more expensive Veloce triple groupset, Do Kenesis offer a triple groupset on the winter bike?

kajjal

If going with a triple gives you confidence on the hills then go with that. The triple v compact is a difficult one unless you have an idea from cycling what gear ratios you mainly use. I have a compact 50/34 at the front and 12-30 cassette at the back. I haven't yet found a hill including 25%+ inclines it won't take me up. I prefer the compact as I spend most of the time in the larger front ring but it just depends what you prefer and either is fine.

Elfed

Buy a compact and put in more mileage, more you ride the less you struggle.

Although a triple would serve a purpose in a very hilly area and help keep you in your favoured cadence.

cycleclinic

We can all get up anything if we try hard enough. I am on 41:27T as my lowest gear for my hols in calbria climbs and the climb I did yesterday really needed a lower gear (25% peak gradients is not funny with this gear) so a 50/39/30 triple with a 12-25T cassette would serve me alot better here as I could keep my cadence up a bit on the really steep bits. triples allow you to use a closer ratio cassette. In my opinion they are better than compacts for that reason alone as you get better cadence control.

I see folk riding all the time up hills in big-big and I wonder why they have not changed down. riding the big ring up a hill seems to be a badge of honour but sometimes you are just as quick sitting down and spinning your way up you also get a better chainline which means less chain/sprocket wear and a small very marginal improvement in drive train efficency.

I will have to convert one one my bikes to use a triple.

jjojjas

checkout the specialize Secteur and the Cannondale Synapse in triple setup as a few have mentioned above. Both generally sound bikes that should serve you well. Theres a sale on Evans Cycles at the moment too.
Ignore the double/triple argument, just stick to what you fancy. There is no right or wrong...there's just different opinions. I ride both and have no issues with either.

keef66

7 years ago I returned to road cycling at the age of 50 and after surgery on both knees. I went for a triple chainset with a 12-25 cassette and have found it splendidly versatile. Most of the time I bimble around in the 39 chainring and use all 10 sprockets at the back. (sod the chainline, I'm a lazy bugger!) Any serious hills or vicious headwinds and I have the option of the 30 chainring, or a long downhill or tailwind and I've got the 50.

The only downside I've discovered is that compared with the double on the other bike it's a bit more difficult to keep the smaller chainrings clean; I periodically whip the chainset out for a proper spit and polish (which is easy with Hollowtech II)

Oh, and I had to file some bits off the inner chainring so it cleared the BB shell when I transferred the groupset to a CR1-Sl frame.

If you can't find what you want off the shelf you could do what I did and get somebody like Epic Cycles to build you a bike. (I wanted a triple on a winter trainer so it would take proper mudguards and allow me to ride it all year round)

sherer

now to confuse the issue should you be riding Compag or Shimano triple

I ride a triple too and even after 10 years have found I've never improved enough to get away from it. Don't use it as much as I did but on long days with lots of climbs I do use it to spin up climbs.

If a triple works for you then I see no issue with that.

astilla

Things have taken a bit of a turn since I posted this so what I end up with may change a bit... :-) In some cruel twist of fate, my brother-in-law, an avid cyclist is looking to sell his bike as he's knackered his neck/back and Dr told him he really shouldn't be riding again. Obviously he's gutted but wants his pride and joy to go to someone he knows. I'm going to be borrowing the bike in just over a weeks time for a month or so to decide if I want it. It's more money than I was going to spend but I'd never get the same bike for the money if I bought the same elsewhere. It's not a triple, but it'll at least tell me if I need a triple or not. The bike has been custom built - a titanium Sabbath Aspire frame and full Ultegra setup. It's a beauty. Can't wait to try it out in just over a week :-)