Best new bike for around £2K for Fred Whitton

pigeontoes

I've been lucky enough to get a place on the 2015 Fred Whitton and have decided to bring forward buying a new bike from the end to the start of the year. I currently have a Scott Speedster S35 which I use for all road cycling including a 15 mile each way commute. It takes full mudguards so could remain my winter bike. The downsides for the Fred are:
- it's a bit on the heavy side 9kg+
- it's aluminium and a bit unforgiving after a few hours
- it's running 9 speed 105, I have done Hardknott/Wrynose in 34/26 but only after a 10 mile start, I suspect I'd struggle on the Fred after approx 100 miles and changing the cassette would either make some of the gaps too big or mean free wheeling too often.
- it has long reach brakes which aren't the best, I'm using Swiss Stop Green blocks which make things less worse but coming downhill in the wet is still problematic

The diversity of what I'm considering ranges from something like a Rose Xeon CGF (around 7kg depending on spec, designed for endurance but not disc brakes) to a GT Grade Carbon (sub 9kg, disc brakes). One of the reasons for considering the GT Grade is to do the Hell of the North Cotswolds next year. I'm near enough to the UK Rose dealer to go and test bikes but am worried about lead times giving me insufficent time to get used to it before May.

Any alternative thoughts or suggestions welcome.

plodder73

I am in the same boat as you, doing the FW, but don't consider myself lucky ! I actually bought a Rose xeon cgf with di2 it was delivered last week but I sent it back because I didn't like the frame finish. It was my fault as I didn't research what matte UD looks like. I am still considering another but the only one in a paint finish is the white which I don't want, so now considering the aluminium version which still comes in just over 7kg. Great thing about them is you can spec your own parts like a 11/32 cassette. By the way the cgf delivery time at the moment is less than 3 weeks, speak to the guys in Germany if you are interested they are very helpful and it's a freephone number. At the moment I have very heavy winter bike having sold my summer bike when I ordered the a Rose, might start to panic in March if I haven't found anything.

norvernrob

2014 Supersix Evo with Red 22 for £2099, £1700 off rrp? Available in all sizes and includes standard chainrings plus a set of compact.

http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m7b0s6p547 ... O-RED-2014

cycleclinic

Saving 1-2 kg will not make the lake district hills noticeably easier After 100 miles they wil be hard no matter the bike. Gearing is what will get you up the really step climbs even on a 7kg bike. So 34/28 or 34/300 is the way to go if your 26T cog was too small.

Your current bike maybe a bit uncomfortable after a long ride but a change of tyres to wider one's with a high tpi casing run at lower pressure's will help alot. One steel bike I have with 25 mm gator skin hardshell tyres has a harsh ride but out 25 mm vittoria corsa tyres on it and it transformed into a bike with a silky smooth ride. Change your tyres if you don't like the ride. I also have aluminium bikes that have a harsh ride or a silky smooth ride depending on the tyres I fit.

Your fitness will have a bigger impact than bike weight but given the hard knock pass is 33% at its peak every rider will need a wide ratio cassette. I would be putting a 30T rear sprocket on there If it were me.

Long drop brakes can work fine. Miche Primato brakes work well as do shimano R650. With your budget I would getting a disc brake bike and ignore the fact it will be a bit heavier. 1 kg over the total rider plus bike weight does not make much of a difference unless you are racing. Is this a race or a ride for fun.

Genesis equilibrium disc, trek dommane 4.5 disc, specialised roubaix s4 disc are all within budget. 10 years from now I doubt you will be able to buy a road bike with rim brakes and one with tubed tyres. Might as well get ahead of the curve with a new bike and start enjoying the future.

passout

I gew up in the Lakes and often did the passes on my trusty rigid MTB with a triple - used every gear but got up everything every time (getting all nostlagic now). I'm not suggesting that, but if you are buying with that challenge / type of riding in mind then I'd consider a compact with a very low bottom gear (thinking SRAM WIFI) or a triple (if you can find one). Personally I'd even consider discs but you can of course manage without, you will need effective brakes though. Re comfort, some alu frames are actually pretty comfortable - thinking of Genesis & GT road bikes I've had. Personally I'd go either alu or carbon - I've tried steel but resented lugging it passes in a headwind for very little noticeable comfort. Comfort is more about tyre width & pressure in my view. Option of slightly wider than average tyres may interest - good to have that option anyway.

Anyway, how about this: http://whyte.bike/gb/models/road/rrd-ca ... owe-rival/ [my top choice]
or maybe this for less http://whyte.bike/gb/models/commuterroa ... c/suffolk/
or the carbon GT (allox x version looks good too) http://www.gtbicycles.com/gbr_en/2015/b ... carbon-105

roubaixtom

Im about to place an order for the ROSE XEON CGF with ultegra. Im meeting up with Finlay the Rose UK rep tomorrow in Bath to test a few bikes, will let you know what its like.

Wobbit

https://www.canyon.com/en/roadbikes/bike.html?b=3587

Great value!

plodder73

passout wrote:

I gew up in the Lakes and often did the passes on my trusty rigid MTB with a triple - used every gear but got up everything every time (getting all nostlagic now). I'm not suggesting that, but if you are buying with that challenge / type of riding in mind then I'd consider a compact with a very low bottom gear (thinking SRAM WIFI) or a triple (if you can find one). Personally I'd even consider discs but you can of course manage without, you will need effective brakes though. Re comfort, some alu frames are actually pretty comfortable - thinking of Genesis & GT road bikes I've had. Personally I'd go either alu or carbon - I've tried steel but resented lugging it passes in a headwind for very little noticeable comfort. Comfort is more about tyre width & pressure in my view. Option of slightly wider than average tyres may interest - good to have that option anyway.

Anyway, how about this: http://whyte.bike/gb/models/road/rrd-ca ... owe-rival/ [my top choice]
or maybe this for less http://whyte.bike/gb/models/commuterroa ... c/suffolk/
or the carbon GT (allox x version looks good too) http://www.gtbicycles.com/gbr_en/2015/b ... carbon-105

Your top choice is beautiful, will be looking more into that

pigeontoes

Thanks for all the help so far, I will start researching some of the options suggested more tonight. I've just discovered that the Rose CDX is the CGF with discs, this looks a decent compromise around 7.5kg, discs, and choice of cassette.

supermurph09

Wobbit wrote:

https://www.canyon.com/en/roadbikes/bike.html?b=3587

Great value!

Great bike, I have one.