Someone shot my horse. Need advice for a rebuild.

SCARBONARA

Hey guys.

New to the bike forum crowd, but need a bit of techie help. Heres my situation:

About 2 years ago I decided I would try my hand at cycling. I bought myself a second hand Allez Elite Compact Double in almost new condition. Specs:http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bikes/archive/2009/allez/allezelitecompactdouble#specs

I loved that bicycle more than life its self. I cycle it every day to work, and used to put in 30/40 mile cycles regularly. It has served me well and been and been a reliable steed.

Unfortunately, a few months back, someone shot my horse. By that, I mean some pond scum resembling human, tried to steal my bike while it was locked outside work. Luckily, I had the foresight to buy a decent lock. The few braincells in the thief's head only managed to deduce that they weren't going to be able to steal my bike, after cutting the cable securing my wheels to the lock, and removing my wheels. They deemed it necessary to pull my frame against the lock, in a last-ditch effort to just ruin my day. For some odd reason, although the wheels were free and removed, they just left them propped by the side. Long story short, I have a buckled frame, but all components intact:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/8nii5jf5f4hl0i7/IMAG0398.jpg?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/6l996e34loz67f3/IMAG0399.jpg?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/worqk0sx4r3v5zk/IMAG0400.jpg?dl=0

Christmas is coming, and my parents have offered to help me out with a new purchase. HERE IS MY PREDICAMENT:


OPTION 1:

I buy a new Planet X Pro Carbon frameset, RRP £299, and fit it to my old bike:

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/FRPXPCRFF/planet-x-pro-carbon-road-frameset

HOWEVER, having had a mechanic look at the Allez, he told me that the bike needs a bit of work, as its sad and tired from a lot of miles. Replacements as follows: Tyres, cables, rear D (bent), chain and also including a deep service. Its been suggested that parts and labour will come to around £130

So all together, £430

OPTION 2

Planet X is also selling a clearance version of the frame I want, as a full build bike with a flat bar for £599:

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/YBCL553861/planet-x-pro-carbon-shimano-tiagra-flat-bar-medium---pearl-white

Personally really not a fan of the flat bar, but at that price i'm thinking I can get a new frame and groupset, and attach my drop bars/shifters from my allez to make a sweet new bike.

Plus id have a sad old bike, which can be used for pub excursions and I wouldn't be so worried about locking it up. And/or could sell it and make a bit of money back.

MY QUESTIONS:

1) Is it possible to combine the 105 5600 shifters/bars with the new Tiagra?
2) Which option is worth doing?

Sorry for the length of post, thanks in advance for all your help.

---

UPDATE

Thanks for all the suggestions guys, really helped. Ive put an offer down on a 2013 Giant TCR SL2. Its supposedly done ~1000 miles, and i'm getting it for £425. Going to go and view/pick up at some point next week.

Pics at:

http://imgur.com/a/EFJB2

What do you think?

Anonymous

Am working on my phone so can't write a long essay but:

5600 RD (£10 eBay, used)
Full cable set (£10 eBay incl outers)
Tyres (£50 Michelin pro race 4 service course 25mm)
70 quid.

You seem strapped for cash, no harm in that. Save yourself the 60 quid and learn to do it yourself. Honestly bikes are remarkably simple things and learning to fix your own bike will save you copious amounts of money and save you major headaches when little niggly things go wrong.

As for the frameset, id be tempted to go used again on eBay. What was your setup like on the Allez (high stem/bars or right down in a racy position?) cannondale are fab, well priced frames - synapse,CAAD8 and CAAD10 or replace the Allez like for like or possibly a spesh Tarmac if you can get a good deal.

While p-x bikes are good value, brand new frames are a bit of a false economy to me as one month of use and they're second hand (unless its been abused). If it's gonna fail it would have done so on the original owner probably so you're unlikely to need the warranty.

Others highly likely to disagree. Happy shopping!

ravey1981

I'd steer away from the px frame only, I have one and its great but you will need a new headset seatpost and seatclamp which will push the cost up. The bar shifter swap is an option and the shifters would work fine with the 10sp tiagra. Have a shop around though as there are loads of end of season bargain bikes to be had for under £600 which I assume to be you're max budget? Don't get too hung up on carbon as there are lots of good aluminium frames around. Personally I would stay away from a second hand Cannondale with a bb30 bottom bracket as they can be problematic (the bb30 in general) and you would have no comeback..

MisterMuncher

New Tiagra as in 4700? Incompatible with older ten-speed shifters, I'm afraid. However, the clearance bike looks to be the older 4600 variant, which is compatible. Check which it is with PX, as I can't tell 100% from the photos.

Mystery Option 3: Grab the Pro Carbon Frame from PX, and also the 105 5800 groupset (with free saddle). If your existing wheels will take an 11-speed cassette, you're laughing. For less than the price of the flat-bar, you'll have a much nicer groupset, with a Shimano crank rather than the low-end FSA.

For all of that, though, I think you can probably do better for the money with all the parts you have in hand with a little judicious eBaying

MisterMuncher

Also, no reason not to go aluminium with this budget if you're going for a full bike, and in some cases frame only. Pushing on for carbon will definitely mean compromising on frame quality or components, unless you're prepared to brave the waters of Chinese open-moulds.

g00se

Gutting.

Here's what I would do... If you're going to be riding the 'new' bike day in, day out, and it's going to be your only bike, then get a new (or used) aluminium frame. Crap weather is coming and this is going to turn into your winter bike.

Then come spring, think about a second bike - possibly carbon.

You should be able to pick up a suitable (used?) frame for £100-£200. The Cannondale CAAD8 is reasonable if it comes with a decent chainset fitted as the bottom bracket is different from the Allez. They'll be a few Allez frames knocking about too.

SCARBONARA

Hey guys - straight off the bat, thanks for the info. Wasn't expecting much help but this is rad..

Coriodan, you wouldn't be wrong; feeling that giant Christmas pocket hole hard. Essentially i'm getting £200 in help, everything else is all me. Ill do the repairs myself and save some cash, just didn't know whether it would be a job a standard 'dad garage' can accomplish. If you say it can be accomplished, as Picard one said, i'll make it so. Also on a side note, I like my bikes racy, in fact as I've progressed I've found the Allez increasingly too upright.

A few of you have mentioned staying ally, and I think I agree with g00se, I need a winter battle axe I can punish, and then wait it out for a deal online for something a bit more special for summer. Having looked, the CAAD8/10 and Synapse all seem awesome contenders.

Just the last couple questions if anyone has the time.

1) Can someone elaborate on the different BB situation? Would I just need a compatible chainring attached to the new purchased frame?

2) Any other suggestions for good frames to go second hand?

3) Aside from Ebay, I also check PinkBike Buy/Sell forum (where I found my first bike). Any other suggestions on where to find second hand bikes?

Thanks again

MisterMuncher

Check the classifieds right here. Also LFGSS. Gumtree is a minefield for stolen gear, but you might have some success.

The BB situation: Your existing crank/BB is BSA/24mm. As such, it's not directly compatible with BB30/PF30 frames, although there's always adaptors etc. If you do go for a BB30 frame, you're probably best getting a crank to suit. There are some creaking issues, apparently, but I have literally tens of thousands of miles on BB30 bikes with nary a flicker.

Frames, then: If you're after cheap and racy, a CAAD10 is the obvious choice, and you might well find one in budget (I paid £300 for one in perfect nick bar a bit of paint fade), or an older, US made CAAD might surface. I'd choose a US CAAD5-9 over the current CAAD8 (for the sake of confusion, there are two CAAD8s. The current budget model and the older US Made top-of-the-line job), but check the condition well. An older SuperSix, SystemSix or Six13 might fall into budget. These are amazing bikes, but they've probably had a hard life at that price-point, so go in with both eyes open.

Specialised, there's the Allez or a Tarmac if you're very lucky. Can't imagine a Venge being that low in price.
Giant, you'd be after a TCR.
Scott don't really have anything cheap and long/low.
A Kinesis Aethin is an outside bet, a bit new to hit your price point.
Perhaps a Ribble or Dolan might turn up second hand, similar enough in price and intent to the Planet X
I wouldn't overlook Boardman. Cheap new, and usually decent value second hand, as there's no shortage of people upgrading their brands, if not necessarily their bike. A good mechanic probably essential here, in case it's been built by the work experience kid in Halfords: He certainly seems to do a lot of their bike building.

cougie

What's to stop the thief returning for the new bike? Until you have that sorted I'd be wary of making the bike even more attractive for him.

Good luck with it.

Matthewfalle

Dude

What's your budget? I may be able to do you a deal on some shiny bits.......

SCARBONARA

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19758813#p19758813]Matthewfalle[/url] wrote:

Dude

What's your budget? I may be able to do you a deal on some shiny bits.......

Haha, what are shiny bits!?

Looking at 300-400 to wrap up the whole bike. I'm thinking if I can get a decent deal on a CAAD10 OR TCR on the bay/classifieds I can cannibalize it for parts as well as the frame, but more than open to suggestions!

Matthewfalle

Hmm - have a brand new unused Planet X team super light Ali frame, matching uncut/unused carbon forks, carbon seat post, carbon stem, carbon bars, headset, seat collar, front mech clamp and Octalink b/b available (all unused and still in packaging) but would top out your budget as a whole bundle and you would still need wheels, gruppo and a seat.

The team super light frames are lovely - really stiff, anodized light metallic blue, as used by P/X race team (and me!)

Have a ponder though and pm if you want piccies/have any queries. It's all living in the loft at the moment so happy to hang onto it if you want.

SCARBONARA

UPDATE

Thanks for all the suggestions guys, Ive put an offer down on a 2013 Giant TCR SL2. Its supposedly done ~1000 miles, and i'm getting it for £425. Going to go and view/pick up at some point next week.

Pics at:

http://imgur.com/a/EFJB2

What do you think?

Matthewfalle

Looks very nice - enjoy lots!

dj58

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19760086#p19760086]SCARBONARA[/url] wrote:

UPDATE

Thanks for all the suggestions guys, Ive put an offer down on a 2013 Giant TCR SL2. Its supposedly done ~1000 miles, and i'm getting it for £425. Going to go and view/pick up at some point next week.

Pics at:

http://imgur.com/a/EFJB2

What do you think?

If it has only done a thou. and as not been crashed and it fits/geo suits you, then could be a good buy.
http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bikes/model/tcr.sl.2/14419/65275/#specifications