Best alu bike/frameset
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spasypaddy
Posts: 5,180
Hi
gonna be building a new bike for next spring to leave in a holiday home
Ideally i would buy a frameset and reuse all the bits i have lying around however for the right bargain i'd buy complete and swap bits out.
If you were buying a alu road frameset what would you buy?
I'm currently looking at the canyon, cannondale, specialized, bowman, kenesis.
I want it to be very much head down and race orientated. So not a synapse style frame.
Budget is 600-800 frameset, 1200-1700 complete bike
gonna be building a new bike for next spring to leave in a holiday home
Ideally i would buy a frameset and reuse all the bits i have lying around however for the right bargain i'd buy complete and swap bits out.
If you were buying a alu road frameset what would you buy?
I'm currently looking at the canyon, cannondale, specialized, bowman, kenesis.
I want it to be very much head down and race orientated. So not a synapse style frame.
Budget is 600-800 frameset, 1200-1700 complete bike
BMC TM01 - FCN 0
Look 695 (Geared) - FCN 1
Bowman Palace:R - FCN 1
Cannondale CAAD 9 - FCN 2
Premier (CX) - FCN 6
Premier (fixed/SS) - FCN3
Look 695 (Geared) - FCN 1
Bowman Palace:R - FCN 1
Cannondale CAAD 9 - FCN 2
Premier (CX) - FCN 6
Premier (fixed/SS) - FCN3
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Comments
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Bowman.0
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I haven't but will have next spring if all goes to plan.
From what I've read it would be my choice, wouldn't get the Canyon as it's a lot of money for the frameset, no cannondale due to the BB, Specialized Allez Sprint would be nice but expensive...
You'll probably just get a lot of subjective opinions like I've just given you but hopefully it's useful.0 -
I've got 2 CAAD's so obviously like them.
Winter bike is a 2011 CAAD10 11 sp 105 with alloy wheels and mudguards
Summer bike is a 2016 CAAD12 11sp Ultegra with carbon wheels
You could get a new CAAD12 105 for about £1100, sell the wheels immediately and put something else on - should have a great build for you budget.
Personally I'd consider a Bowman as well, but I've not ridden one or even seen on in the flesh.0 -
Trek Emonda ALR 60
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Buy a caad12 frame for your requirements, head down yet still capable of longer rides.0
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Allez Sprint would be my choice.
They are about £12/1500 for a complete bike, just need some decent wheels on it.0 -
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Does the Bowman still have tight clearances for tyres over 23mm?
Caad12 takes 28'sI'm sorry you don't believe in miracles0 -
Spesh Allez is the usual ‘go to’ frame, at your budget.0
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Have a look at the Ridley Helium SLA. Difficult to find many reviews but I think it has the same geometry as the top-end carbon Helium SLX which is a great bike (I have one). It's Ridley so it's probably good.. Some great deals around:
https://www.merlincycles.com/ridley-hel ... gKVZ_D_BwE
Watch out for the sizing, S=M, M=L with Ridley..0 -
Just get a supersix, it won't melt.0
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darkhairedlord wrote:Just get a supersix, it won't melt.0
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Built up a Kinesis Aithein using my spares earlier this year. Love it.....Been using it loads.0
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philbar72 wrote:darkhairedlord wrote:Just get a supersix, it won't melt.
Owner of the latter, used to own the former. Can't tell the difference tbh.
OP - if you're happy to build a CAAD12 I think you'll be happy. Head down geo, but I was still comfy after back to back 100 milers last weekend. Super-flippin' light too.0 -
The CAAD12 2018 Tiagra is availible for £875 from Evans Cycles. Good option could be to either use that as a complete bike or buy it, remove the groupset etc and sell them on as think to buy a frame alone is very close in cost.0
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Indigo Gorilla wrote:The CAAD12 2018 Tiagra is availible for £875 from Evans Cycles. Good option could be to either use that as a complete bike or buy it, remove the groupset etc and sell them on as think to buy a frame alone is very close in cost.
If you go down the caad route This seems the best option - The framesets alone are pricey, you could sell off the tiagra and the wheels and make a fair bit of money back
Also the Emonda ALR worth a look - geometry is not as aggressive as the others mentioned0 -
darkhairedlord wrote:Just get a supersix, it won't melt.
thanks to everyone else for their comments.
CAAD12 full build or Specialized allez sprint (Then strip and sell parts off, seems hard work)
or a bowman and build.
Canyon is the cheapest of the lot if you have a race license at £549...
CAAD12 frameset is £679
Bowman is £749
Allez sprint frameset is £1200
I'm not a fan of trek bikes and cant bring myself to own one. no real reason.
RIdley paintjob doesnt do anything for me, but im sure its a nice bike.
The end build is likely to be DA7900 and some DA C50s or some other alu rimmed deep sections. Which then means i use the 7900 off my look which then gets eTap in time for next spring/summer.BMC TM01 - FCN 0
Look 695 (Geared) - FCN 1
Bowman Palace:R - FCN 1
Cannondale CAAD 9 - FCN 2
Premier (CX) - FCN 6
Premier (fixed/SS) - FCN30 -
Good shout for the Canyon, been out of stock a long time though.I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles0
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Solstice21 wrote:Built up a Kinesis Aithein using my spares earlier this year. Love it.....Been using it loads.
^ Quality frameset. Have put a fair few miles on my Aithein. Geo is more towards race than endurance. Got it built up with some better finishing kit and it's hovering just over 7kg currently.0 -
BR did a bit earlier in the month on the new Emonda ALR in its new lovely paint for 2018
https://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/art ... alr-52903/0 -
Poptart242 wrote:Owner of the latter, used to own the former. Can't tell the difference tbh.
Not a massive difference I suppose, but I prefer how the CAAD it rides.0 -
there's not a huge difference in the ride of top end alloy frames, theyre all good.
For me it would be based on price, looks and the brand I like best.
You wont find a bad review on any of them.0 -
Current prices:
Trek Emonda ALR £800, last years frame discounted £675
Caad12 £840, discounted to £679
Canyon AL £550I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles0 -
thegreatdivide wrote:BR did a bit earlier in the month on the new Emonda ALR in its new lovely paint for 2018
https://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/art ... alr-52903/
its a trek. duuullllllllllll and fugly. nice paid for promotion masquerading as journalistic prose though. bet everything else they have been guven is the best possible and works amazing.Postby team47b » Sun Jun 28, 2015 11:53 am
De Sisti wrote:
This is one of the silliest threads I've come across.
Recognition at last Matthew, well done!, a justified honoursmithy21 wrote:
He's right you know.0 -
SloppySchleckonds wrote:Current prices:
Trek Emonda ALR £800, last years frame discounted £675
Caad12 £840, discounted to £679
Canyon AL £550
bowman?Postby team47b » Sun Jun 28, 2015 11:53 am
De Sisti wrote:
This is one of the silliest threads I've come across.
Recognition at last Matthew, well done!, a justified honoursmithy21 wrote:
He's right you know.0 -
Solstice21 wrote:Built up a Kinesis Aithein using my spares earlier this year. Love it.....Been using it loads.
I bought one of these last year in the Black Friday sales, then an Ultegra R8000 groupset, some Fulcrum Quattro wheels from a mate off a brand new high end Bianchi he didn't want (the wheels that is, not the Bianchi), Ritchey bars and stem and a spare saddle I had.
Total cost ~£1300.
Great bike, great value.0 -
Matthewfalle wrote:SloppySchleckonds wrote:Current prices:
Trek Emonda ALR £800, last years frame discounted £675
Caad12 £840, discounted to £679
Canyon AL £550
bowman?
Crap tyre clearances, ditto ribble/ dolanI'm sorry you don't believe in miracles0 -
You can fit 25's apparently but it looks pretty tight. GP4K's in 25 might struggle which is a shame!0
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£745 for the Palace-R
Has external cabling as well
Only available to pre-orderI'm sorry you don't believe in miracles0