Newbie broken bike replacement advice

dhlivasp
dhlivasp Posts: 4
edited September 2016 in Road buying advice
Hi all

I'm fairly new to the road cycling scene but recently purchased a Trek Emonda S5 from Evans for £1100. Unfortunately that particular bike was a bit of a dud and began to dismantle itself after only a few rides. Evans have however agreed to replace it.

The difficulty now is deciding what to replace it with as because I bought the bike whilst on sale I'm struggling to get something of comparable specification. While not totally opposed to putting forward further money I'm slightly reluctant to and am now left with weighing up the merits of aluminium vs carbon, tiagra vs 105 etc.

The options at the minute in the £1000-1300 bracket seem to be:

CAAD12 105 (although currently unavailable in the frame size I need (60 or 63) and it's unknown when it will be available)
Specialized Allez SL Comp
BMC Teammachine SLR03 Tiagra
GT Grade Alloy 105

Any thoughts on the above would be greatly appreciated or any alternative suggestions.

Thanks

Comments

  • Sportiveman
    Sportiveman Posts: 158
    What started to dismantle itself ? Can't Evans order in another emonda God you ? What type of bike you after or lightweight , racing, or adventure etc ?
  • dhlivasp
    dhlivasp Posts: 4
    I'm after a jack of all trades I suppose. My riding is/was split between the Cheshire plains and peaks.

    The spokes lost all tension twice and the rear derailleur hanger snapped. Evans are saying that I can have the repaired Emonda back (which I don't want) but can't replace it as the value I paid is less than the current value of the bike... I would argue the point somewhat stronger although sadly I've lost some confidence in the bike which is a shame as I appreciate I was probably just unfortunate.
  • Baron Ban Ana
    Baron Ban Ana Posts: 39
    I would look at the fact that it was component failures not the frame itself.... so really you should loose faith in those particular components. Just a thought!

    If your convinced that you want a change, my thoughts...

    I love the Allez... not really sure why anyone gets anything above the Sport though. Could save a few bob and put towards better components? I've been riding a Allez sport for 11,000 miles now and still love it... it has had a 105 upgrade once the Sora worn out and the addition of Fulcrum Quattro's.

    If thats the CAAD12 thats just made it into the top 3 road bike category 2016 for Cycling Plus then that is your safest bet!
    http://www.bikeradar.com/road/news/arti ... 100-46693/

    Unless you really want Discs then I would scrap the GT off your list.

    Can't comment on the BMC!
  • Moonbiker
    Moonbiker Posts: 1,706
    Odd that a hanger would just snap?
  • pilot_pete
    pilot_pete Posts: 2,120
    There is a huge choice with up to £1300 budget, or are you just talking Evans range?

    PP
  • fenix
    fenix Posts: 5,437
    Never snapped a hanger in 30 years. Are you sure you hadn't put the rear mech into the spokes? Cos that would do both those things.
  • redvision
    redvision Posts: 2,958
    Fenix wrote:
    Are you sure you hadn't put the rear mech into the spokes? Cos that would do both those things.

    I was thinking the same.
  • Moonbiker
    Moonbiker Posts: 1,706
    & me
  • dhlivasp
    dhlivasp Posts: 4
    The incidents were all at different times. I lost spoke tension on both wheels on two separate occasions and separate also to the hanger snapping which by all accounts is rather rare.

    I'm restricted to the choice at Evans but think I'm going to hold out for the CAAD12 to come in.

    Cheers
  • fenix
    fenix Posts: 5,437
    Both wheels lost tension ? And the gear hanger snapped when ? Changing gear ? When climbing or just riding along ? Is your house built on an Indian burial site or something ?

    If it's happened as you say - have the same bike with a different set of wheels and obviously a new gear hanger. You wouldn't get ready of a car if the headlight broke ?

    Then you're good to go.
  • svetty
    svetty Posts: 1,904
    Fenix wrote:
    If it's happened as you say - have the same bike with a different set of wheels and obviously a new gear hanger. You wouldn't get ready of a car if the headlight broke ?

    Then you're good to go.

    Agree with this. A hangar is meant to break in the event that force is applied to it - better a broken (replaceable) hangar than a broken frame.

    If it's not too personal might I ask what you weigh? Spokes de-tensioning might suggest a - ahem - larger rider? With decent wheels on that frame you're sorted IMO
    FFS! Harden up and grow a pair :D
  • Rich_H
    Rich_H Posts: 32
    Just adding to this in case anyone else has issues. I have a new Trek Emonda S5, rode it for the 3rd time today and the spokes in the rear wheel worked themelves so loose that the 'buckle' was hitting the pads in the 'wheel out' position. Luckily a friend had a spoke key, so tightened up half a dozen spokes to get me home. 500 hundred yards from home, changing gear to climb a hill, but not pressing particularly hard through the pedals, and the mech hanger snapped. Was just searching for an aftermarket mech hanger and found this thread, hence adding to it. I've just started road riding, I've been mountain biking for 5 years and never had spoke or mech hanger issues before.
  • jgsi
    jgsi Posts: 5,062
    OP , I really think you should worry more about about the quality of that person/shop who are going to spanner your bike for you and less of the marketing twaddle.
    If you are Cheshire/Staffs there are still a few very quality bike shops who know how to deliver a bike for someone to ride it without it dropping to pieces after 10 minutes.
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    Surely that's just a wheel issue. Nothing to do as such with the rest of the bike?

    And the hanger would have broken as the mech went into the buckled wheel. It's designed to break so your frame doesn't get damaged.

    So it's just one issue. A crap rear wheel. Was it the bontragers that came with the bike? They usually get good reviews.
  • myideal
    myideal Posts: 231
    The Cheshire / Staffs area is great for bike shops and bike rides. You can even combine some cracking climbs with some nice flat stuff.

    However on the case of snapping derailleur holder ...done it once on my mountain bike - it sheered off as I was climbing a hill, but think it was me that weakened it ..suspect I wacked it at some point on a rock leaning in and it was just the force that snapped it when I went to peddle up hill.

    Suspect that got caught in the wheel and snapped the spokes.
  • Semantik
    Semantik Posts: 537
    Rubbish wheels, the sort that too often come on new bikes even up to £1500 and beyond, are false economy for this very reason. When you cost in the price of a new rear mech, new hanger and ,ahem , a new rear wheel, it makes more economic sense to sell them on when new and get some better wheels to start with. And that's assuming you come out of it without a trashed frame.
    You are not the first person this has happened to because of a poorly built rear wheel and you won't be the last.

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