First Road Bike Advice

mikeysickalrigh

hey

I am looking to spend up to £630 at Evans (Cycle-to-work). I have never bought a road bike so have no idea what I am looking for!!

Could anyone give me any advice? Some I am thinking about below:

Pinnacle:
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/pin ... 9#features

Fuji:
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/fuj ... -ec069094#

Cannondale:
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/can ... e-ec053957

Spesh:
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/can ... e-ec053957

Which of these would be best value for money? Are there any others on Evans I should be looking at?

Thanks!

sloppyschleckonds

mikeysickalrigh wrote:

Which of these would be best value for money?

Thanks!

As you aren't actually handing any money over I'd go for the CAAD8.

Your Spesh links to a CAAD8 also.

freestyle_gus

mikeysickalrigh wrote:

hey

I am looking to spend up to £630 at Evans (Cycle-to-work). I have never bought a road bike so have no idea what I am looking for!!

Could anyone give me any advice? Some I am thinking about below:

Pinnacle:
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/pin ... 9#features

Fuji:
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/fuj ... -ec069094#

Cannondale:
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/can ... e-ec053957

Spesh:
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/can ... e-ec053957

Which of these would be best value for money? Are there any others on Evans I should be looking at?

Thanks!

I thought I wanted the CAAD8 but ended up getting the Synapse, for me it's considerably more comfortable and forgiving. http://www.evanscycles.com/products/can ... e-ec071024

I'd try and test ride as many if them as Evans will get in, they ask for a refundable deposit on each one you want to ride.

The Dolomite is nice, but I found it to be a similar ride to the CAAD8.

taon24

I'd want a bike that I could use as a 'winter' bike, especially if you find you enjoy cycling. Therefore fittings and clearance for mudguards would be useful to decide between similar bikes.
Try them, decide which you enjoy riding, but considerations of what you would do in the future are important.

londoncommuter

taon24 wrote:

I'd want a bike that I could use as a 'winter' bike, especially if you find you enjoy cycling. Therefore fittings and clearance for mudguards would be useful to decide between similar bikes.
Try them, decide which you enjoy riding, but considerations of what you would do in the future are important.

Good advice. Even more important with your first bike as you may well get the bug, buy a nice new expensive shiny carbon thing in a years time and it would be great to make this a proper winter bike with decent mudguards.

arlowood

taon24 wrote:

I'd want a bike that I could use as a 'winter' bike, especially if you find you enjoy cycling. Therefore fittings and clearance for mudguards would be useful to decide between similar bikes.
Try them, decide which you enjoy riding, but considerations of what you would do in the future are important.

+1 I'd agree that you want to build as much flexibility into the purchase as possible and getting a bike that is equipped with mudguard eyelets front and rear would go a good way to fulfilling that goal.

Just as a suggestion after a quick look at the Evans offerings I have found a Genesis Volant 10 which has the mudgfuard fittings required

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/gen ... e-ec103486

Comes within your budget and if you can push the budget to £700 you could get the Volant 20 with Sora rather than Claris gears

mikeysickalrigh

Thanks for that

This is the spesh allez that I mis-linked before, does it change anything?:
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/spe ... e-ec070567

So, will try out the two cannondales to see which feels better and also check that they can fit some mud guards for me (will be commuting on it so will be a must!)

passout

Agree about mudguards. Pinnacle bikes (including the cross bikes) would be worth a look - good value.
This any good? http://www.evanscycles.com/products/pin ... e-ec071299

mikeysickalrigh

Thanks for the advice.

Today's the day. Torn between:

- Specialized Allez
- Cannondale Synapse (looks like the CAAD8 is not available in my size)
- Pinnacle Dolomite Four


Any final suggestions or advice on the above three?

freestyle_gus

mikeysickalrigh wrote:

Thanks for the advice.

Today's the day. Torn between:

- Specialized Allez
- Cannondale Synapse (looks like the CAAD8 is not available in my size)
- Pinnacle Dolomite Four


Any final suggestions or advice on the above three?

That looks like a good selection to me

I test rode the Dolomite at the same time as the Synapse, it is a slightly racier position (just) so is an interesting comparison.

I believe the Dolomite frame is designed by the same designer as the Genesis Volant. So, should be a good one