Is 2 grand a bit OTT for a first bike?
deejaysee
Posts: 149
So, spent a good few months whittling down my choice.
Have been aiming at around £1000-1300 mark but i absolutely love the Cannondale Synapse Carbon 105 5 Disc 2016
At 2 grand though, i reckon my missus would divorce me if she found out.
This will be my first road bike but i never do anything by half....go all out.
So, 2 grand bike and become single or 1 grand bike and save my marriage
Tough choice
Have been aiming at around £1000-1300 mark but i absolutely love the Cannondale Synapse Carbon 105 5 Disc 2016
At 2 grand though, i reckon my missus would divorce me if she found out.
This will be my first road bike but i never do anything by half....go all out.
So, 2 grand bike and become single or 1 grand bike and save my marriage
Tough choice
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Comments
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From what you've said - yes its a bit OTT.
What if you dont like it ?
You can get 1 Grand bikes that are really good. I've done World Championships and Ironmans on 1 grand bikes.
A 2 grand bike might be ooh, 5% "better" than a 1 grand bike - but would anyone really notice ?
If you get into cycling you soon find that you need another bike anyway. A cheaper bike for winter with full mudguards that you dont mind getting dirty and you save the best bike for best.
It's your money at the end of the day - but as you say your wife will kill you....
(and don't forget you could easily spend a grand on clothing too - leave budget for that)0 -
If you are confident that you are going to stick with it and you are happy to spend the money then I would say go for it.
Otherwise you may spend less and then want to quickly upgrade it, and regret not having spent a few hundred quid more.
Although having said that the sensible side of me agrees with Fenix above with regards to buying a cheaper bike that you can turn into a winter bike once you do upgrade.0 -
I've never been one for "upgrading".
Why not get the best you can get straight off the bat?0 -
Because :
1. 105 isnt the best groupset - you'll be hankering after ultegra or DA eventually....
2. You dont know whats important to you
3. The differences between things are usually less than marketeers would let you believe
4. Your wife will kill you....
;-)0 -
I've never been one for "upgrading".
Why not get the best you can get straight off the bat?
1) Because you might not truly know if it fits you exactly as it should.
2) Because you can lessen the risk by buying something for a grand you can later use as a winter bike
3) Because if you get the bug then you will buy a winter bike anyway
4) Because if you get the bug then the bike you've chosen would not be the dream bike you might think it is0 -
If its your first bike i am not sure if you would notice a difference between a 1k bike and a 2k bike, no matter what spec each comes with.
My advice would be to limit yourself to a grand and see how you take to the sport.
For 1k you will get an excellent bike which i imagine will be more than adequate for your needs to start with.
Plus, dont forget that you will have additional costs of the clothing, shoes, helmet etc on top of the cost of the bike.0 -
I bought something 'good enough' to do anything on, but not 'so good' that it was expensive.
I bought an ebay planet x pro carbon, did a years racing on it, then sold it and bought something that really suited.
I would have never ended up with my current bike if I hadn't done that - it was great. And I barely lost any money.Insert bike here:0 -
Great feedback
Cheers chaps0 -
Great feedback
Cheers chaps
If you look around you may pick up the 2015 Ultegra Synapse with hydraulics for that money or less. I did and it's a fantastic bike. You need to like the green though.0 -
Because :
1. 105 isnt the best groupset - you'll be hankering after ultegra or DA eventually....
2. You dont know whats important to you
3. The differences between things are usually less than marketeers would let you believe
4. Your wife will kill you....
;-)
There is nothing wrong with 105 and that's coming from someone who prefers SRAM over everything else.
OP, buy the best frameset you can afford with whatever groupset it comes with. It's cheaper to upgrade the groupset later than to have to buy another frameset.I ride a bike. Doesn't make me green or a tree hugger. I drive a car too.0 -
Sorry Philthy - I was meaning that there are more expensive groupsets. 105 is an excellent bit of kit.
I think the upgrade the components doesn't seem as valid these days - usually if you add up the cost of the groupset you're half way towards a brand new bike anyway.0 -
OP, buy the best frameset you can afford with whatever groupset it comes with. It's cheaper to upgrade the groupset later than to have to buy another frameset.
I Wouldnt agree with that, a frameset is just a frameset. A frameset just holds bits together
Groupset is what makes the bike function and can make the diference between a good or not-so-good experience in riding a bike. Wheels and tyres can make the bike feel much more different than a frameset could ever do.0 -
I cannot see where this "i absolutely love the Cannondale Synapse Carbon 105 5 Disc 2016" is actually explained. What is it that the OP loves about that bike and what is that based on? Is it the look? The colour scheme? The fit? The ride quality? The marketing BS that goes with it?
A Btwin bike comes for around £500 brand new and that is plenty good enough for the vast majority of riders out there whether they are new to the sport or old hands, wheezers pottering along or an elite club rider. However, not everyone rides a £500 bike...0 -
Buy the Cannondale (size 60 please) and sell it to me for £600 in three months time.
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Rolling back the clock my first road bike would be a winter trainer. Ribble Audax, Kinesis TK2 etc.
Then see how you like it, then get the n+1 in the summer.0 -
Good plan. The summer bikes will be getting put away in the next weeks for those with N+1 bikes.0
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Rolling back the clock my first road bike would be a winter trainer. Ribble Audax, Kinesis TK2 etc.
Then see how you like it, then get the n+1 in the summer.
This +1.0 -
Spend £1k on the bike (but get something discounted in the end of season sales, check out Pauls Cycles for a start), spend £1000 on decent kit, clothing, lights, pedals etc etc.2020 Reilly Spectre - raw titanium
2020 Merida Reacto Disc Ltd - black on black
2015 CAAD8 105 - very green - stripped to turbo bike
2018 Planet X Exocet 2 - grey
The departed:
2017 Cervelo R3 DI2 - sold
Boardman CX Team - sold
Cannondale Synapse - broken
Cube Streamer - stolen
Boardman Road Comp - stolen0 -
From a fellow newbie who's only been cycling 15mths too......
Personally, until you know exactly what works for you, fit wise, I'd hesitate about going 'all out' and blowing £2k.
My own journey .....
Bought a Trek for £325, was too 'aggressive' position, sold it for £425.
Loved the Spesh Roubaix, having tried a 58cm, but couldn't justify new, so bought a 2nd hand one for £600 ish,
- proved slightly too large in reality, so sold it for £700+.
Bought a 2013 Roubaix, in 56cm, for £800, and upgraded a few bits, fully intending to keep for a year or 2....
but then a Deal of all Deals came up, so I sold it for £925.
This 'Deal of Deals' - a 2015 Roubaix Comp Disc, £2500 new, and being sold by a Spesh shop on Ebay....
We did a deal to finish it early which saw it on its way to me for £1450.
So the motto is - be patient, know what you need/want, and the right deal will come up, - the trick is acting quickly when it does !!
Good luck.0 -
^^^^ Good advice
Cheers buddy0 -
Get the 2015 model.0
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Sorry Philthy - I was meaning that there are more expensive groupsets. 105 is an excellent bit of kit.
I think the upgrade the components doesn't seem as valid these days - usually if you add up the cost of the groupset you're half way towards a brand new bike anyway.
Groupsets are cheap in comparison to the frameset. 105 5800 can be bought privately for under £300. Manufacturers buy in bulk to equip their bikes so the groupset is much less in costs to them. Look at the various manufacturers for a frameset only deal and you'll see that it is still the largest chunk of overall cost for a complete bike.I ride a bike. Doesn't make me green or a tree hugger. I drive a car too.0 -
OP, buy the best frameset you can afford with whatever groupset it comes with. It's cheaper to upgrade the groupset later than to have to buy another frameset.
I Wouldnt agree with that, a frameset is just a frameset. A frameset just holds bits together
Groupset is what makes the bike function and can make the diference between a good or not-so-good experience in riding a bike. Wheels and tyres can make the bike feel much more different than a frameset could ever do.
I'm not sure if you're serious there; a frameset just holds the bits together? Hardly. If it were that simple the manufacturing costs wouldn't be nearly so high. How a bike handles, what comfort it gives, its strength, its weight etc depends on the rolling chassis. If it didn't we'd all be riding around on Dawes at a fraction of the cost of what we're actually riding.
I started with a heavy old aluminium Marin hybrid. Within about 6 months I knew it didn't suit what I wanted to do i.e. road riding. £800 gone. Bought a Trek 1.5 with Tiagra 9 speed. 8 months in aware of it's restrictions. Another £800 gone. Bought a Basso Astra frame for £1,700 and built a bike using the Tiagra from the Trek. Much improved even with Tiagra. Eventually replaced the Tiagra with a good groupset and still use the bike 7 years later along with the Merida. That £1,600 wasted on the Marin and Trek could have been saved if I'd heeded the advice given me at the time by an old veteran of cycling who said, get the best frameset you can afford. You can upgrade things like wheels and the groupset etc when you have the funds, and sell the components you take off. But you'll lose more money trying to sell a bike to fund buying a more expensive bike.I ride a bike. Doesn't make me green or a tree hugger. I drive a car too.0 -
If you have the money and get the correct size then no, its not OTT at all.
If you are pushing the financial boat out then maybe look at slightly cheaper options like 2015 hydraulic model in sale.
Don't forget to budget for those things you may want to change/upgrade.
Saddle, stem, tyres, wheels, bars, callipers/pads (if rim).
As you are looking in that region, I would not budge on the carbon frame and 11 speed groupset as a minimum though.
If you really must have disc brakes (why not rim?) then make sure you stick with hydraulic.
Getting the best first road bike you can (within reason) is usually the best option IME.
Just make sure it fits and don't go too mad.0 -
OP, buy the best frameset you can afford with whatever groupset it comes with. It's cheaper to upgrade the groupset later than to have to buy another frameset.
I Wouldnt agree with that, a frameset is just a frameset. A frameset just holds bits together
Groupset is what makes the bike function and can make the diference between a good or not-so-good experience in riding a bike. Wheels and tyres can make the bike feel much more different than a frameset could ever do.
I'm not sure if you're serious there; a frameset just holds the bits together? Hardly. If it were that simple the manufacturing costs wouldn't be nearly so high.
Manufacturing costs of frames aren't high. If they were how come you can get carbon frames for <£400.
Marketing and advertising bumps up the prices massively.
I think your analogy was true a few years back when the pinnacle was riding on a custom 753 frame - but things have changed. Mass production churns out carbon frames very easily. Plus most people want to move onto a new bike after a couple of years. Marketeers encourage this. Its not like the old days when you'd keep the same frame year after year.0 -
Agree a good frame is pointless if the wheels, tyres and groupset are poor. Yes you can upgrade these things but it's not a cost effective way of doing it. Buy a bike where the frame and components are roughly of a match for each other, if you decide you need an upgrade it usually makes sense to sell the bike and look for a new one at sale time.[Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]0
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OP, buy the best frameset you can afford with whatever groupset it comes with. It's cheaper to upgrade the groupset later than to have to buy another frameset.
I Wouldnt agree with that, a frameset is just a frameset. A frameset just holds bits together
Groupset is what makes the bike function and can make the diference between a good or not-so-good experience in riding a bike. Wheels and tyres can make the bike feel much more different than a frameset could ever do.
I'm not sure if you're serious there; a frameset just holds the bits together? Hardly. If it were that simple the manufacturing costs wouldn't be nearly so high.
Manufacturing costs of frames aren't high. If they were how come you can get carbon frames for <£400.
Marketing and advertising bumps up the prices massively.
I think your analogy was true a few years back when the pinnacle was riding on a custom 753 frame - but things have changed. Mass production churns out carbon frames very easily. Plus most people want to move onto a new bike after a couple of years. Marketeers encourage this. Its not like the old days when you'd keep the same frame year after year.
A £400 carbon frame will not have the same development, materials or quality of a more expensive one or a high end aluminium one. Trying to apply the logic of the cost of a cheap bottom end carbon frame being relative is silly.I ride a bike. Doesn't make me green or a tree hugger. I drive a car too.0 -
OP, buy the best frameset you can afford with whatever groupset it comes with. It's cheaper to upgrade the groupset later than to have to buy another frameset.
I Wouldnt agree with that, a frameset is just a frameset. A frameset just holds bits together
Groupset is what makes the bike function and can make the diference between a good or not-so-good experience in riding a bike. Wheels and tyres can make the bike feel much more different than a frameset could ever do.
I'm not sure if you're serious there; a frameset just holds the bits together? Hardly. If it were that simple the manufacturing costs wouldn't be nearly so high. How a bike handles, what comfort it gives, its strength, its weight etc depends on the rolling chassis. If it didn't we'd all be riding around on Dawes at a fraction of the cost of what we're actually riding.
I started with a heavy old aluminium Marin hybrid. Within about 6 months I knew it didn't suit what I wanted to do i.e. road riding. £800 gone. Bought a Trek 1.5 with Tiagra 9 speed. 8 months in aware of it's restrictions. Another £800 gone. Bought a Basso Astra frame for £1,700 and built a bike using the Tiagra from the Trek. Much improved even with Tiagra. Eventually replaced the Tiagra with a good groupset and still use the bike 7 years later along with the Merida. That £1,600 wasted on the Marin and Trek could have been saved if I'd heeded the advice given me at the time by an old veteran of cycling who said, get the best frameset you can afford. You can upgrade things like wheels and the groupset etc when you have the funds, and sell the components you take off. But you'll lose more money trying to sell a bike to fund buying a more expensive bike.
Whats the Marin hybrid got to do with it? I was not talking about choosing the wrong type of bike frame.
You chose the Basso because it looked good, nice paint job, and had an Italian name, not because it was some kind of extraordinary frame that could withstand upgrading or had some special ride quality.
Providing frame geometry / size is correct there wouldn't be any difference between a decent carbon Planet X or Ribble frame for under £1000 than your Basso £1700 frame, that is what i am getting across for a first time rider. and spend the extra on a better groupset.
Most people change bikes after a few years of use regardless of the quality of the frame anyway.0 -
If you like it and you can afford it, buy it. It's your money.
I bought my first bike(Raleigh Dynatech) in roughly 92 for near on £900 and at the time that was a lump of cash for me, my mates questioned the cost and my commitment but I'm still buying frames and components that I can't do justice.0 -
You chose the Basso because it looked good, nice paint job, and had an Italian name, not because it was some kind of extraordinary frame that could withstand upgrading or had some special ride quality.
Most people change bikes after a few years of use regardless of the quality of the frame anyway.
Err no I didn't.I ride a bike. Doesn't make me green or a tree hugger. I drive a car too.0
