£1000 C2W Bike Options

jlammy

Wanting to get back into cycling after selling my 2016 Giant Defy Advanced 2, which had the 105 group set, so I've signed up for the halfords c2w plan again.

Need a little help on choosing a road bike. I came across the Ribble Gran Fondo Disc 105 SE, which is on sale at the moment at £1165, which seems quite ideal, providing they'd let me top up the c2w voucher! (Giant allowed me to do it a while back)

https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/ribble-g ... sc-105-se/

Does anyone else have any better alternatives?

Boardman Carbon Pro also seems quite good:
http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/r ... 5cm-frames

Ideally, I'd like a carbon frame, disc brakes and a 105 group set.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

helterskelter

Any particular reason for disc brake only? You’d get a lot better spec at that budget with rim brakes.

Poppa Wheelie

Unless things have changed I don’t think you can use a Halfords C2W voucher at Ribble (or Planet X for that matter).

jlammy

Helterskelter wrote:

Any particular reason for disc brake only? You’d get a lot better spec at that budget with rim brakes.

No particular reason. I've just always had disc brakes only from mountain bikes to my first road bike - and possibly just confidence in them working, even when wet? I don't doubt rim brakes though and definitely do not want to start a "which brake" type of war!

I'd be open to hearing your suggestions on which bike with rim brakes for the £1k budget though

jlammy

Poppa Wheelie wrote:

Unless things have changed I don’t think you can use a Halfords C2W voucher at Ribble (or Planet X for that matter).

https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/cycle-schemes/

From this page, it seems like they do!

helterskelter

Fair enough if that’s what you are used to and happy with the maintenance etc.
The ribble looks like a lot of kit for the money, I have one of their sportive racing’s and it’s been excellent.
Wiggle have some sale carbon disc clinchers at the moment too if you really fancy pushing the boat out
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/prime-rr-50-car ... 7412727005

joe_totale-2

With that budget you may struggle to get the three things you want unless you can top the budget up.

If you can wait until around October you should be able to get a bike with that kind of spec in the sales.

If you're quite tall then this is just over a grand:

https://www.rutlandcycling.com/bikes/ro ... rey_373882

Not sure about how Rutland are with topping up Cycle to Work or using it on sale bikes.

arthur_scrimshaw

Joe Totale wrote:

With that budget you may struggle to get the three things you want unless you can top the budget up.

If you can wait until around October you should be able to get a bike with that kind of spec in the sales.

If you're quite tall then this is just over a grand:

https://www.rutlandcycling.com/bikes/ro ... rey_373882

Not sure about how Rutland are with topping up Cycle to Work or using it on sale bikes.

My son has just bought the same bike from Rutland on C2W, very nice with hydraulic 105 - the look of the shifters are an acquired taste but actually look better in the flesh and far better than cable discs.

jlammy

I saw the cube too. But I’m unfortunately too short for the remaining frame sizes of that Cube bike. I’m 175cm and according to their sizing chart there’s no frames left that would fit me.

arthur_scrimshaw

JLammy wrote:

I saw the cube too. But I’m unfortunately too short for the remaining frame sizes of that Cube bike. I’m 175cm and according to their sizing chart there’s no frames left that would fit me.

What size do you need?

jlammy

Arthur Scrimshaw wrote:

What size do you need?

According to the size guide, a 53 to 55 frame. But my legs aren't very long, so most likely 53.

N0bodyOfTheGoat

JLammy wrote:

Arthur Scrimshaw wrote:

What size do you need?

According to the size guide, a 53 to 55 frame. But my legs aren't very long, so most likely 53.

https://www.cube.eu/uk/products/road-ra ... hred-2016/

If you think you need a 53cm, http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/cube ... prod160126 £1080 with BC discount

Edit: The Cube is a great bike, loved mine the last ~13 months, but for the same price you can get http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/vitu ... prod159911 this week. It has a full carbon fork (not just the blades like on the Cube) and the stock wheels are lighter and probably a lot better, no doubt helping to make it ~300g lighter than the stock Cube. http://road.cc/content/review/238072-vi ... r-disc-105 reckons 30mm is the tyre clearance limit, but given how 700x28 Grand Sport Race measure ~31mm, I expect the stock 700x28 Ultra Sport 2 are also that sort of width.

StillGoing

Merida Ride 400 with 105 for £845. Admittedly not carbon or disc, but with the money you save, get yourself some extras.

https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Merida-Ride-40 ... _95908.htm

Poppa Wheelie

JLammy wrote:

Poppa Wheelie wrote:

Unless things have changed I don’t think you can use a Halfords C2W voucher at Ribble (or Planet X for that matter).

https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/cycle-schemes/

From this page, it seems like they do!

Oh, That’s good. My work place does the Halfords scheme and I’ve always found it too restrictive to be of any good. It looks like I might just buy myself n+1

joebristol

I looked around for a similar sort of budget via C2W but our work scheme allowed up to £2k on a voucher rather than £1k. Assume as we sponsor British Cycling we’ve decided to really encourage it. I looked at that Boardman and it felt pretty light in the shop and I had a carbon Boardman with rim brakes as the bike I was replacing (which sold really easily when I stuck it on eBay). I almost went for it before I spotted a Cannondale Caad 12 disc on sale in my Lbs for £1200. I snapped that up the moment I saw it and love it! I’d. say it’s just as comfy as my previous Carbon frame but feels more lively handling wise.

It’s a little heavier than my previous Team Carbon but there’s probably not much in it vs the disc brakes Boardman.

Whilst a lot of people will tell you rim brakes are fine, I’ve found the 105 discs a game changer for me. Slightly more power in the dry but so much better in the wet. I use my road bike for all year round commuting plus for some extra fitness to top up my mtb fitness.

jlammy

Does anyone know which month bikes normally starts getting discounted in preparation for the 2019 bikes? Tempted to wait a little longer to get a better bargain...

N0bodyOfTheGoat

JLammy wrote:

Does anyone know which month bikes normally starts getting discounted in preparation for the 2019 bikes? Tempted to wait a little longer to get a better bargain...

It varies between brands and bike shops, but around August, although you might get the odd EOL reduction in the next couple of weeks.

joe_totale-2

JLammy wrote:

Does anyone know which month bikes normally starts getting discounted in preparation for the 2019 bikes? Tempted to wait a little longer to get a better bargain...

Just be aware that not all outlets accept C2W with sale bikes and make you pay RRP as otherwise try wouldn't make any money. Other retailers will charge you an admin fee for C2W with a sale bike.

kimchiwitrice

If Canyon take C2W vouchers, they're a great bet. Won't be carbon but their aluminium bikes look beautiful

joe_totale-2

kimchiwitrice wrote:

If Canyon take C2W vouchers, they're a great bet. Won't be carbon but their aluminium bikes look beautiful

Unfortunately both the German brands, Canyon and Rose don't do C2W.
That's unless you're German in which case they do the German equivalent!