Recommendation: Carbon fibre bike up to £1500

The Rookie

Nice bike, really nice, but yes, you've got to change that stem!

redbikejohn

I was in costco on Sunday and they had a carbon bike for £999

daniel_b

hegyestomi wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

Looking good.

Ugo will build you some wheels, but if you want factory wheels, can't go wrong with a pair of Mavic Ksyriums.

They are very nice, not sure if this link still works but for £330 you may want to consider it:
http://www.athleteshop.co.uk/mavic-wiel ... rium-elite

With the current exhange rate you can nab a pair with tyres (from 4thebike.de) of the Ksyirium Elites for circa £290!
Ridiculous vfm, I thought my £320 pair was good last year!

daddy0

I just got some Campag Zondas - with tyres and a cassette came to a couple of quid under £300. I'm running them on a Shimano bike which I'm fine with :-D

Only had a couple of rides on them, they seem alright - probably what you should go for. TBH I can't tell the difference between the Zondas and the Fulcrum 5s I was running before - other than the spoke lacing pattern and the sound of the freewheel (5 loud, Zonda quiet).

Medders

Very nice looking bike indeed. Good colours. I could probably live with the stem (bike computer will obscure it when riding anyway)

Now lets talk about the photo - correct crank positioning, chain on large chainring and valves lined up but the background is wrong. We really need it against a white/pale background and centre of the shot please.

Maybe revised photo when you have the new wheels sorted.... (50mm deep sections for the perfect look imho - not that I have any myself as decent ones are eye-wateringly expensive)

secretsam

Hey there DDD - how's the Giant? C+ are always raving about them, every time I see a review and there's a Giant listed, I don't bother reading it 'cos the Giant wins. Every time. Unless there's a Cannondale in there. Or one of those Trek bouncy castle jobs.

DonDaddyD

SecretSam wrote:

Hey there DDD - how's the Giant? C+ are always raving about them, every time I see a review and there's a Giant listed, I don't bother reading it 'cos the Giant wins. Every time. Unless there's a Cannondale in there. Or one of those Trek bouncy castle jobs.

Lol DonDaddyD the disagreeable lil'sod rants about C+ Giant's review

My views on C+ Giant reviews and my decisions to purchase my bike are not mutually exclusive.

The bike was £1299 down from £1899. If I spent my full £1500 would I get a better bike than my TCR? No. If I spent £1900 - £2000 would that bike be £600 - £700 better? Nope. In my mind I bought the best £1299 bike available (keep in mind Specialized sell an aluminium Allez at this price point).

Also I was on my way to purchasing a Ribble, but I couldn't be sure of the size whereas I have a SCR (I have also always wanted to complete the set SCR and TCR) and knew a M/L in a Giant would fit me.

I like the ride, its comfortable. It is really interesting how the characteristics differ from my old Kharma. The bottom bracket on both are incredibly stiff - both bikes climbed and accelerate well. But whereas the entirety of the Kharma was stiff and offered little in terms of comfort in its pursuit for speed and agility, the TCR offers more refinement and reassurance as you go faster (far more than my Kharma ever did). How can I put it; on my Kharma I always felt inches away from an off and so always felt on the edge as I pushed. On the Giant I push and never consider that I'm close to the edge.

If I'm bombing around a 20 - 30mile technical route with very little hills then no bike I've ridden has beaten my Kharma for excitement (but I'd get off that bike my body felt like I had ridden 40 - 60miles). A longer demanding route - the type of cycling I'm doing now - then the TCR wins.

First.Aspect

Good choice. Giant just seem to quietly get on with being very good, don't they?

elbowloh

It's a personal thing, but I just can't bring myself to buy a Specialized as there are too many of them around, nor a Trek nor Giant, as I've always found their bikes a bit ugly.

Some of the new Giants seem to be going in the right direction now though.

First.Aspect

elbowloh wrote:

It's a personal thing, but I just can't bring myself to buy a Specialized as there are too many of them around, nor a Trek nor Giant, as I've always found their bikes a bit ugly.

Some of the new Giants seem to be going in the right direction now though.

I find most modern carbon frames vile to look at. I've just spent rather more than that on an arguably outdated bike that is probably slower becuase it has round metal tubes - and all because it looks nice. But oddly, I don't mind that stem.

DonDaddyD

The nicest bike I've seen in the flesh was the 2008 Wilier Izoard What Wilier has done with that great bike, reducing it into its current incarnation, is a disgrace and turned me off the brand.

I'm not raving about the looks/design of my Giant. It's not ugly, in the same way a Ford Focus isn't ugly, but its not a Alfa Romeo either.

veronese68

DonDaddyD wrote:

I'm not raving about the looks/design of my Giant. It's not ugly, in the same way a Ford Focus isn't ugly, but its not a Alfa Romeo either.

That's a very fair description, far more important is that you are enjoying riding it anyway. You bought a bike within a budget and bought a good bike within those constraints. Had you spent a huge sum of money on a custom frame build you would rightly expect to have your cake and eat it. Ignore our nitpicking, because that is all it is. Change bits as and when you feel the need or they wear out.
Good to have you back on here anyway. How is life in the sticks and how's ddd getting on?

elbowloh

Yeah, it's all about personal taste when it comes to the looks. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and all that jazz.

The ride is the most important thing.

First.Aspect

elbowloh wrote:

The ride is the most important thing.

Its about looks, then weight, then number of gears, then price then how well it rides. Surely?

First.Aspect

By the way DDD, welcome back. Where the hell have you been? This forum seriously needs some threads started by DDD.

DonDaddyD

Veronese68 wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

I'm not raving about the looks/design of my Giant. It's not ugly, in the same way a Ford Focus isn't ugly, but its not a Alfa Romeo either.

That's a very fair description, far more important is that you are enjoying riding it anyway. You bought a bike within a budget and bought a good bike within those constraints. Had you spent a huge sum of money on a custom frame build you would rightly expect to have your cake and eat it. Ignore our nitpicking, because that is all it is. Change bits as and when you feel the need or they wear out.
Good to have you back on here anyway. How is life in the sticks and how's ddd getting on?

Life in the sticks (Staplehurst) is (for me) better. The Internet makes it better - almost all shopping is done online (except for local produce and luxury items - also bought locally). This frees me up to enjoy pubs, ale, food, people and scenery. No traffic unless there is just cause and not just congestion. One traffic light between my house and work (55 miles) which reduces journey times and the cost of fuel. Days are longer, less rush. Even getting the train on a Monday morning is a polite and civilized affair.

I do miss SCR/Commuting through London, but by no means is being in the middle of Countryside a sacrifice.

ddd is amazing - he has a BMX which he loves and he always wants to sit on my new bike, I happily oblige!

Took the bike out yesterday, I really do like how Giant have done things. Put a white seat and bar tape on and the stem won't look out of place.

First Aspect wrote:

By the way DDD, welcome back. Where the hell have you been? This forum seriously needs some threads started by DDD.

Thanks, it does seem to have gotten less confrontational on here doesn't it!