All year round bike up to £1000

ManiaMuse

Looking for a reasonably light and sporty all-year-round bike for for a reasonable-ish price. Because n+1...

Have had a Tifosi CK7 for a few years which has endured a lot of commuting punishment although I must admit I won't miss it too much when the time comes to replace it. Something about the frame geometry and tubing just feels a bit weird even though I made sure I got the right size. Came with a mishmash of Campag Veloce/Miche bits although replaced the BB/Crankset with Ultegra after the original broke.

New bike must have/be:
- Full mudguards already fitted (or at least the correct holes for SKS bluemel/chromoplastic style guards to be fitted to the frame). Can't be doing with clip-on guards, they just aren't as good.
- Better than entry level groupset (doesn't have to be super duper but I think you get better value in terms of things lasting longer and running better if you pay a little more)
- Still fairly light and sporty, definitely not a heavy touring bike, just a slightly more robust road bike for commuting that can hold its own on occasional club riding/longer rides

Would be nice:
- Are disc brakes on road bikes becoming an affordable thing now?

I have a nicer carbon bike which I will use for commuting when the weather gets nicer, just hoping to see if anyone has any suggestions here? Budget about £700-£1000 I guess. It seems a bit of a niche market from my (brief) searching so far.

trek_dan

Dolan Preffisio if you don't mind sticking with rim brakes.

wotnoshoeseh

This....

https://www.merlincycles.com/kinesis-ra ... 79103.html

Review here....

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... -10-39419/

stavgold

How about a planet X london road. Lots of different build options. This one has hydraulic brakes. http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBPXLDNRIV ... -road-bike

Some deals still around for Giant defy and cannondale synapse 2015 models. http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m7b0s6p0/R ... oad-Racing

My own choice is a 2015 genesis croix de fer that I put together myself. It's a bit heavy but a nice ride and can fit 35-38mm tyres including SKS guards. I use it for club runs too. It's got shimano 105 with hydraulic brakes and could be built for £1000 with a bit of shopping around for parts.

luv2ride

Shame to hear you don't get on with your CK7. I was going to change mine after some months off it, but now it's in regular use as the winter bike I'm loving it all over again. Solid, comfy and sporty enough.

That said, I saw a great review for an alu Giant Defy disc for @ £1,000 the other day, and would give it a serious look if I was changing my CK7:

http://www.tredz.co.uk/.Giant-Defy-1-Di ... wodv-kC1g#

DeVlaeminck

That Kinesis linked above or similar is what I'd go for. I've got a CdF 20, well I did until a car wiped me and it out at the weekend, it's OK for what it is but I wouldn't call it sporty certainly not with the file tread cross tyres that come with it. OK so you could fit road tyres but then why bother getting something with off road capability.

keef66

+2 for the Kinesis Racelight T2. I've had the lighter / livelier Tk for 8 years and it's been faultless.

If you wanted disc brakes the newer Racelight 4S builds into a brilliant year round bike, but you might struggle to find one built up for a grand.

Was reading a review on here 2 days ago about Evans in-house offering Pinnacle something. Alu frame, hydraulic Shimano discs, 105 groupset. One model was £1300, another £1000 to hit the Cycle to Work budget. Didn't come with guards fitted but has fittings / clearance for 25mm tyres and proper mudguards.

ETA Pinnacle Dolomite 5 http://www.evanscycles.com/products/pin ... e-ec122230

The Dolomite 6 has better shifters and 105 crankset (FSA on the cheaper model)

Anonymous

Go to Decathlon and and get a BTWIN Mach 720 full carbon with Shimano 105 for bang on a grand.

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/mach-720-carbon-road-bike-105-id_8339670.html

Has no eyelets for mudguards but why would you limit your range of bikes just for that? You can get some very good clip on guards now that can take 25mm tyres.

markhewitt1978

Maglia Rosa wrote:

Go to Decathlon and and get a BTWIN Mach 720 full carbon with Shimano 105 for bang on a grand.

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/mach-720-carbon-road-bike-105-id_8339670.html

It's hardly a year round bike is it?

Echo what others have said about Planet X London Road, it looks the ideal bike for all year round on all types of terrain.

ManiaMuse

Thanks for the variety of suggestions, I'll have a look. I have a feeling those Kinesis frames were available a few years ago and I remember reading some good reviews but they seemed to be difficult to get hold of at the time.

Luv2ride wrote:

Shame to hear you don't get on with your CK7. I was going to change mine after some months off it, but now it's in regular use as the winter bike I'm loving it all over again. Solid, comfy and sporty enough.

That said, I saw a great review for an alu Giant Defy disc for @ £1,000 the other day, and would give it a serious look if I was changing my CK7:

http://www.tredz.co.uk/.Giant-Defy-1-Di ... wodv-kC1g#

It's not that I hate it, it's stood up to a lot of commuting punishment, just it doesn't seem to have much of a personality (if that is a ridiculous thing to say, I have the one in boring grey).

The original chain snapped after not much usage and bottom bracket started to fail after only about 1000 miles which was a bit ridiculous so maybe that skewed my feelings about it (although that's probably more a reflection on whoever put it together).

Just thinking of options for next winter or the following winter depending on how well it holds up. The other day I took out a stupid pedestrian who stepped out in front of me as I was going 20mph+ but the bike came out of it pretty much unscathed despite doing a couple of cartwheels. Only thing broken really was a snapped brake cable but got me wondering about disc brakes as the roadbike industry does seem to moving towards them. More consistency in all weathers and less faff does seem tempting as I do seem to get through a lot of brake blocks (especially on my zero-grip-in-the-wet Gatorskin tyres).

Anonymous

markhewitt1978 wrote:

Maglia Rosa wrote:

Go to Decathlon and and get a BTWIN Mach 720 full carbon with Shimano 105 for bang on a grand.

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/mach-720-carbon-road-bike-105-id_8339670.html

It's hardly a year round bike is it?

Echo what others have said about Planet X London Road, it looks the ideal bike for all year round on all types of terrain.

Tell me a bike that cannot be ridden all year round? Clips ons are very good these days and I see people on carbon bikes all the time in winter.

markhewitt1978

Maglia Rosa wrote:

Tell me a bike that cannot be ridden all year round? Clips ons are very good these days and I see people on carbon bikes all the time in winter.

If OP had wanted a carbon racing bike that's what they would have asked for. :roll:

markhewitt1978

Maglia Rosa wrote:

Tell me a bike that cannot be ridden all year round? Clips ons are very good these days and I see people on carbon bikes all the time in winter.

If OP had wanted a carbon racing bike that's what they would have asked for. :roll:

Anonymous

markhewitt1978 wrote:

Maglia Rosa wrote:

Tell me a bike that cannot be ridden all year round? Clips ons are very good these days and I see people on carbon bikes all the time in winter.

If OP had wanted a carbon racing bike that's what they would have asked for. :roll:

Looking for a reasonably light and sporty all-year-round bike for for a reasonable-ish price

Please show me where he specifically says NO CARBON!!

If this is to be a all year round bike then why get a heavier metal frame just to make it a bit more weather proof?

markhewitt1978

Maglia Rosa wrote:

If this is to be a all year round bike then why get a heavier metal frame just to make it a bit more weather proof?

I don't believe I ever claimed it needs to be aluminium or even not carbon. I think we are violently agreeing with each other.

Anonymous

markhewitt1978 wrote:

Maglia Rosa wrote:

If this is to be a all year round bike then why get a heavier metal frame just to make it a bit more weather proof?

I don't believe I ever claimed it needs to be aluminium or even not carbon. I think we are violently agreeing with each other.

Violent?

It makes me laugh when people refer to bikes as all weather as though something like carbon will melt in the rain. All bikes are all weather - its up to the rider to make it more pleasant to ride for the conditions. If its raining I will still ride my best bike and stick a ass-saver on to stop me getting too wet but if its raining then I get wet anyway. What is the point in narrowing your range of bikes avaialbe just for the sake of something like mud guards? Especially if you intend riding it all year round.

keef66

From the original post:

"New bike must have/be:
- Full mudguards already fitted (or at least the correct holes for SKS bluemel/chromoplastic style guards to be fitted to the frame). Can't be doing with clip-on guards
- Still fairly light and sporty, definitely not a heavy touring bike, just a slightly more robust road bike for commuting that can hold its own on occasional club riding/longer rides

I have a nicer carbon bike which I will use for commuting when the weather gets nicer"

So he's looking for a lightish bike with clearance / fittings for full guards, maximum budget a grand. Frame material not specified. He also says he wants decent kit on it, so I'd say it would be hard to satisfy all those criteria with a carbon frame.

I'd still say Kinesis but I'm a bit biased. Disc brakes do make sense for a winter commuter. Were it me buying now, I'd buy a 4S frameset and build it up myself. Sounds like the OP wants something ready built.

DeVlaeminck

Yes mudguards make a big difference in weather like we've been having. An ass saver is not going to keep your feet dry (or people riding with you) and unless your mudguards go under the brakes ( not sure if many clip ons do) then your calipers will be lucky to last a winter of decent mileage.

Basically he wants a winter training bike witha reasonable groupset - don't think you can get that in carbon for the budget.

alan_sherman

I was in Evans London West End yesterday and saw the £1k Pinnacle Arkose. Definitely worth a look:
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/pin ... e-ec122275

The hydraulic shifters aren't very pretty, but the overall package looks good (if you like black). The Arkose 2 has cable brakes (Spyres) at £800 but is baby blue. Last year's models are available at a discount now.

Planet x don't do Shimano at the moment which seems a shame.

The Norco search with Tiagra looks a great package too (Spyre brakes too), £721:
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/nor ... e-ec121300

Fat-Boy-Roubaix

GT Grade do an Alu one for bang on the grand. I suspect it might be a bit weighty I have the Ultegra Carbon one and it would qualify for all your criteria except it would blow your budget to pieces! Takes 30mm S-Ones tubeless for winter 23 or 25mm without guards for summer.

http://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/cate ... -15-48994/

darkhairedlord

supersix and an arse saver.

ovi

this http://www.evanscycles.com/products/fuji/sportif-11-d-2015-road-bike-ec069092 and can fit upto 35mm wide tyres with proper rack and mudguard mounts for £665 with enough money left over to buy other stuff.

Hasilpuri

Im looking for a new bike as well upto £1000. Thinking about Boardman Team Carbon. Its last years model going for £750. Do you guys think its worth getting it?