Do You Take Notice Of BOTY Awards ?

handlebarmoustache
handlebarmoustache Posts: 21
edited May 2018 in Road buying advice
I always read the reviews and for me the next bike I purchase will be the Cannondale CAAD 12 - 105.

Has a bike of the year award made your mind up for you ?

Comments

  • bristolpete
    bristolpete Posts: 2,255
    It has to my mind had an impact over the years - certainly with newer cyclist and people moving to road bikes. Which makes no sense when you think Giant effectively discontinued to alloy DEFY to bring out the Contend - a revision in the geo. The DEFY Was like coca cola such was its reputation and price point. I realise it is still available in carbon but not all people want this. The DEFY got bike of the year lots.
  • Grill
    Grill Posts: 5,610
    Nope. Pretty much all bikes are good these days, it's just about which you think matches your kit the best.
    English Cycles V3 | Cervelo P5 | Cervelo T4 | Trek Domane Koppenberg
  • fat daddy
    fat daddy Posts: 2,605
    definitely not ... after Car of the year awards gave their prestige trophy to the fiat Multipla, ANYTHING with the words "of the year" I now totally shun
  • thestrand
    thestrand Posts: 112
    From most reviews it seems that the CAAD 12 is a very good bike, and you'll probably be very happy with it. However what does make me a bit sceptical is that Cannondale were/are sponsors and provide bikes for 'Team Cycling Plus', which could suggest that the results of BOTY weren't fully independent.

    I may well be wrong, it just struck me as being a little suspicious at the time.
    Felt F95 2012

    Hello to Jason Isaacs
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    Nope. I used to read them avidly, but after a couple of years I realised that 99% of bikes at those price points would be perfectly adequate. All they ever do is point out that to get the best from them you should immediately replace the wheels and tyres...
    I do find myself thinking that for any future bike purchase I'd likely avoid anything proprietary; odd sized / shaped seat posts, unusual headset arrangements, yet another bottom bracket standard, integrated bars, weird hidden / aero brakes etc. I'm happy with rim brakes, and I even prefer all my cables on the outside of the bike where I can get at them.

    First bike I bought after talking about my requirements with a decent bike shop. They pointed me at suitable bikes, I test rode a couple, they ordered in a smaller frame in my preferred colour, built it up with my choice of kit / components and I've now been happily riding it for 10 years.
    Second one I only bought as a frameset cos they were going cheap, then built it up piecemeal.

    So no, I don't take notice of the BOTY awards. I'll read them, but they don't influence my buying behaviour.
  • jimmocrates
    jimmocrates Posts: 131
    I bought my Giant Defy (aluminium) in 2012 pretty much on the basis of it winning BOTY. As above, wheels and tyres weren't great. Neither were the tektro brakes or saddle, but I've now had 5 happy years with it and I'm really glad I bought it. When I look at getting a new bike next winter, I'll certainly read the reviews.
  • Man Of Lard
    Man Of Lard Posts: 903
    I had to work out what BOTY meant, so it means little to me... A bit like "European Car of the Year" always seems to be on a cycle... "Oh, Renault haven't had one for 6 years, it must be their turn"

    Always wary of anything awarded by an industry to itself... I think the builders of the M6 in South Cumbria (Westmorland as it was then) awarded themselves an award for the best / most scenic motorway in Westmorland... It being the only motorway... The concrete monstrosity detailing the award in in a lay-by off the A685 just south of J38 of the M6
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    fat daddy wrote:
    definitely not ... after Car of the year awards gave their prestige trophy to the fiat Multipla, ANYTHING with the words "of the year" I now totally shun

    Under-dressed starlet of the year award?!

    At least the Multipla was more imaginative than the anonymous bland crap that usually gets it - Audi A3, VW Golf, Merc C class etc. It's a damning indictment of all that is dull about modern cars. Not to say there isn't the odd interesting vehicle in there but mostly they are cars for which I wouldn't be able to complete the purchase process without falling asleep.
    Faster than a tent.......
  • supermurph09
    supermurph09 Posts: 2,471
    I think what they do is help people come up with an initial list, once you have that you can easily trade one off against the other to come up with a shortlist. If they are all available in your size then as Grill says, it's really all about what matches your kit.
    Trainer Road Blog: https://hitthesweetspot.home.blog/

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  • ZMC888
    ZMC888 Posts: 292
    Bike of the Year = Best advertiser of the year

    The days of unbiased reviews are pretty much over. Most bikes are made in the same 3 factories in Taiwan using similar geo and the same components.
  • fenix
    fenix Posts: 5,437
    I definitely read the BOTY stuff - basically there are SO many bikes out there that it's so hard to choose a new bike.
    It was easier when custom steel was the be all and end all. You just looked up the best builders in the area and decided on a groupset and wheels.

    Choosing the paint was the hardest bit.
  • iron-clover
    iron-clover Posts: 737
    I like to read the Cycling Plus/ BikeRadar BOTY reviews as they give a good overview of what is around and I trust their reviews. I take anything written by Road CC with a hefty pinch of salt however as I think they tend to over rate everything they review.

    It was from the BOTY reviews that my dream bike was cemented in my mind- the BMC Teammachine which sounds like the perfect bike for me, and they look gorgeous.
    However, the actual BOTY title doesn't really sway me as they tend to be more endurance oriented as that it what the majority of their readership is after.
  • frankcannondale
    frankcannondale Posts: 69
    Giant TCR Advanced 2 wins this years BOTY (2018) award.

    Do you agree ?
  • mfin
    mfin Posts: 6,729
    Frankcannondale wrote:
    Giant TCR Advanced 2 wins this years BOTY (2018) award.

    Do you agree ?

    I can't say as I haven't ridden all the 2018 bikes that are available, neither has anyone else on the planet.
  • mr_mojo
    mr_mojo Posts: 200
    No, I only buy Colnago.
  • svetty
    svetty Posts: 1,904
    Bikeradar/Cycling Plus is pretty much all advertorials these days so BOTY wouldn't influence me. I only come here for the forum.
    FFS! Harden up and grow a pair :D
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    handlebarmoustache wrote:
    I always read the reviews and for me the next bike I purchase will be the Cannondale CAAD 12 - 105.

    Has a bike of the year award made your mind up for you ?

    The BR Marketing Dept's dream customer....
  • prhymeate
    prhymeate Posts: 795
    Svetty wrote:
    Bikeradar/Cycling Plus is pretty much all advertorials these days so BOTY wouldn't influence me. I only come here for the forum.

    Pretty much this. I mainly look for feedback from people on forums or friends. That said, I know for a fact that some agencies are starting to sign up to forums and then subtly pushing products under the guise of being regular forum members. So I'm slightly more cynical of that now too.
  • e17blade
    e17blade Posts: 215
    I worked in the publishing/media industry for years and as a result I would now NEVER EVER take any notice of annual awards like BOTY.
  • stueys
    stueys Posts: 1,332
    ZMC888 wrote:
    Bike of the Year = Best advertiser of the year

    .....

    This. Any publication that relies on advertising revenue isn’t really independent.

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