A climber's bike (sub £1500)

jlloyd

Hi all.
Am looking to buy a new bike, an upgrade from my faithful Triban.

I spend a lot of time riding uphill, so am after something that will climb (and descend) well. My typical rides are around the 3 hour mark, tho do enjoy the occasional longer ride and currently weigh 72kg (that’ll drop a bit in the summer).
Am looking sub £1500. Probably carbon, with 105 minimum. Something with a decent frame that will last. (Will look to upgrade the wheels in the future)
I (think!) I’ve rounded it down to:

Canyon Ulitmate CF SL7.0 (worth the hassle?)
Felt F5 (2016)
Sensa Guilia G2 Ltd
B'TWIN Ultra 700 CF
ROSE XEON CRS-2000
Planet X Maratona
Anyone have any views on these bikes – Any other for the mix?

imposter2.0

JLloyd wrote:

I spend a lot of time riding uphill, so am after something that will climb (and descend) well.

Most bikes will do that. How well they do it usually depends on the rider.

bendertherobot

Climbing is about many things, you, gearing, bike, wheels. Weight and gearing have an effect. If you're climbing it also makes sense to be comfy.

You can get the lightest £1500 bike or, find a cheaper bike and spend £500 on the lightest wheels. That said, even a 105 Supersix 2016 with light wheels maybe the same weight as a stock 2016 Supersix Ultegra. Hard to tell.

rick_chasey

Canyon ftw.

bendertherobot

Rick Chasey wrote:

Canyon ftw.

On weight. Mind the Sensa can be here within days, and the extra weight seems to be in the more aero wheels.

https://www.merlincycles.com/sensa-giul ... 97030.html

As a climbing bike, gearing not ideal. But the Canyon is 52 as well. The Sensa looks to be great value

bendertherobot

https://www.merlincycles.com/sensa-cala ... 96928.html

Get this one. It has the nicest paint.

bendertherobot

Scrub that, Merlin being naughty with the wheels

giropaul

A friend has just received his Sensa and it's very impressive.

ugo.santalucia

In that price bracket, if you want carbon, look at Ribble or Planet X

alex222

I'd go for the Rose. You can adjust the spec and the weight is hard to beat.

ugo.santalucia

giropaul wrote:

A friend has just received his Sensa and it's very impressive.

Is it named after Lady Stark in Game of Thrones?

trek_dan

Push the budget a tiny bit and get a Scott Addict (if it fits). Or look for a second hand older Addict or Focus Izalco.

timbo_tim

Have you ruled out a Trek? I know its aluminium but you only said "probably carbon" - apart from the budget wheels, how about this with full ultegra https://www.evanscycles.com/trek-emonda-alr-6-2017-road-bike-EV286642?esvt=894-GOUKE1793238&esvq=&esvadt=999999-0-966314-1&esvcrea=103791359816&esvplace=&esvd=c&esvo=EV286642-52-BLK&esvaid=50080&gclid=CjwKEAiArbrFBRDL4Oiz97GP2nISJAAmJMFay2BlXkkttugLgbLIYdLCVqvxsQecDyXn2qMPGwgDBBoCqWzw_wcB or the ALR 5 if you want budget for a wheel upgrade. I might be biased as I have one, but I am pretty impressed with it on the hills and its light...

mostly

I climb a lot. I like my TCR. I'd buy it again.

jlloyd

Thanks for the feedback

My list is now longer!
Am not totally obsessed by the weight thing honest! It’s just when you start looking at bikes in this bracket, it becomes quite difficult not to notice the comparative weights (and am aware a lot of it is marketing guff).

Not totally wedded to carbon either (and that trek does look gorgeous – now on the list).

I like the sensa (decent value) – and with this deal:
https://www.merlincycles.com/sensa-giul ... 99303.html
could flog the extras and buy a compact (tho ideally do not want the faff)

I’m an average climber on a good day, just looking for a decent bike that will give me more of those good days.

bendertherobot

Can you stretch to the Di2 Sensa?

bendertherobot

Tell you what, you can have my Supersix for £1500 and I'll get the Sensa Di2

arthur_scrimshaw

Rick Chasey wrote:

Canyon ftw.

Does that mean 'Canyon for the wait'?

ugo.santalucia

bendertherobot wrote:

Tell you what, you can have my Supersix for £1500 and I'll get the Sensa Di2

FInally selling...

jlloyd

bendertherobot wrote:

Can you stretch to the Di2 Sensa?

Tempted - tho the wife would kill me.

bendertherobot

JLloyd wrote:

bendertherobot wrote:

Can you stretch to the Di2 Sensa?

Tempted - tho the wife would kill me.

0%?

bendertherobot

ugo.santalucia wrote:

bendertherobot wrote:

Tell you what, you can have my Supersix for £1500 and I'll get the Sensa Di2

FInally selling...

16 months

I'm not really selling. That said, if I could get back most of what I paid, I'd quite like to jump to Di2. It's way cheaper than an etap upgrade.

drwae

My SuperSix Evo with a decent set of wheels makes a good bike for climbing (and everything else too)

bendertherobot

drwae wrote:

My SuperSix Evo with a decent set of wheels makes a good bike for climbing (and everything else too)

http://www.startfitness.co.uk/cannondal ... stbbq.html

IF that's 8.5kg. Then, ignoring the fact you're limited to 10 speed, you could swap that chainset, finishing kit and wheels/tyres out for £750 and take probably 2kg off that bike. It's a bit of work though.

drwae

bendertherobot wrote:

drwae wrote:

My SuperSix Evo with a decent set of wheels makes a good bike for climbing (and everything else too)

http://www.startfitness.co.uk/cannondal ... stbbq.html

IF that's 8.5kg. Then, ignoring the fact you're limited to 10 speed, you could swap that chainset, finishing kit and wheels/tyres out for £750 and take probably 2kg off that bike. It's a bit of work though.

What?? I've got ultegra 6800 minus the chainset which is sram red 22, deda stem and bars and a set of handbuilt wheels. Never weighed it but definitely not 8.5kg

Anyway I recommend the bike highly as it's very quick to accelerate (in general) and getting up hills, upgrades or not

bendertherobot

Yes, yours is lighter to start with. That one is tiagra.

jlloyd

It's a nightmare* innit, having a bit cash to spend on a bike

When I bought the Triban, I did not have much cash and so it was easy decison to make, bought the best I could afford and it's served me very well. Now in my price bracket, there are shed loads to choose from.

Think (subject to change) I'm going Caynon (comes with 11/32 cassette)- if any hassle, cancelling and going with the Sensa or the Rose

*first world problems

jlloyd

bendertherobot wrote:

JLloyd wrote:

bendertherobot wrote:

Can you stretch to the Di2 Sensa?

Tempted - tho the wife would kill me.

0%?

Sorry, just noticed this you mean 0% as in finance? I thought it was some sort emoji thing ;-)

Am financing this on a 0% credit card and 1500ish is my upper limit.

exlaser

If your thinking about a Rose. What about a Xeon rs ( great light aliminium frame) and spend the money saved on a better group set and wheels.

jlloyd

exlaser wrote:

If your thinking about a Rose. What about a Xeon rs ( great light aliminium frame) and spend the money saved on a better group set and wheels.

I did look at that - How does it compare to the carbon?

Tiesetrotter

Ribble just bought out a good value SL bike.