N+1 CF

andyh01

So I have a very good for me all rounder Alloy frame (non areo but a v good frame set) , disc brake, ultegra, Hunt wheels 700x35c with guard and rack weights about 9kg.
I've been working on my fitness and currently around 70kg and for height at top end of normal bmi.
For motivation to get super fit and change body composition and lose the 18% body fat I'm looking for N+1.
I was considering something like Condor or C64 frame set with super record 12 speed mechanical and Bora wheels, however, the quotes are around £8k+

Ideally want be under £5k with SR12 mechanical, rim (possibly disc) carbon wheels ideally Bora,
Is SR worth it for non competitive/racer
Would I notice much difference with CF frame over my current bike
I guess as wouldn't need to fit guards/rack to it, it'll be lighter still
So suggestions for something noticeably different to my current steed that doesn't break the bank?

964cup

You won't notice the difference between Record and SR.

For £5k I'd go for something like a Trek Emonda SL7 Disc eTap. That gets you a high-end CF frame, disc brakes, eTap AXS 12-speed. Lots to like, and very different from your alloy bike.

[Bias: we are a Trek dealer; other brands exist]

shortfall

Chorus does everything you'll ever need and still has plenty of bling appeal if that's your thing. It also saves you a chunk of change over SR.

pilot_pete

11sp Super Record groupset is about £1800. Bora One wheels about £1300. That’s £3100. You need to find a frame set plus all the other bits for £1900 to stay within your £5000 budget. Cheapest C64 frameset I’ve seen is about £3700. You still need bars/ stem, pedals, tyres etc to finish the build so don’t see how you could possibly spec the bike you have and get it all for £5000.

PP

shortfall

Pilot Pete wrote:

11sp Super Record groupset is about £1800. Bora One wheels about £1300. That’s £3100. You need to find a frame set plus all the other bits for £1900 to stay within your £5000 budget. Cheapest C64 frameset I’ve seen is about £3700. You still need bars/ stem, pedals, tyres etc to finish the build so don’t see how you could possibly spec the bike you have and get it all for £5000.

PP

Correct. To the OP, Bora wheels are lovely but you could save yourself maybe £500 by getting a nice set of handbuilt carbons from someone like Cycle clinic or Spokesman wheels. Add that to the £900 or so saving you can make by speccing Chorus over SR and you've reduced your outlay by £1400 and will still have top end components that more than meet your needs. Maybe if you wait until the end of Summer sales you'll be able to get the frame you want at a more affordable price?

OnTheRopes

Not quite the same situation as yourself but I built up a new race bike last winter. I managed to keep the price down by getting hold of a Ridley Noah SL which was being replaced by the Noah SL so I got it half price.
I equipped it with Dura Ace brakes and gears, put a power2max powermeter on a Rotor Chainset and C Bear ceramic BB, Zipp aero bars and the complete bike less wheels was £3.5k I already have a set of Boras Ultra 35 Tubular and Bora One 50 Clinchers so nn need for any wheels but this would still come in under your budget even if you switch out for SR kit?
The Bora's look stunning so I would not want to replace those myself but if I did Ii would probably go for these Caden Wheels which are lighter than Boras and a lot cheaper with free delivery from Aus. I do have a pair of cadens and they are top quality wheels.
https://carbonbikewheels.com.au/eu

gsk82

Buy a second hand c50

shirley_basso

You can get a second hand c60 or even c64 for that money.

DeVlaeminck

I'd look in the sales, it helps if it doesn't "have" to be a certain model Colnago - obviously the wider you cast your net the more chance of finding bling at a non-bling price.

joey54321

AndyH01 wrote:

Would I notice much difference with CF frame over my current bike

https://www.bmj.com/content/341/bmj.c6801

peterdowning

joey54321 wrote:

AndyH01 wrote:

Would I notice much difference with CF frame over my current bike

https://www.bmj.com/content/341/bmj.c6801

Ah, but the author of that article in the BMJ cites a certain L Armstrong as one of his references so the paper has very little credibility. :-)

andyh01

Thanks all.

Tbf the alloy bike is fairly light, it's just the added weight of rack, guards as well as lights and tool keg for every day practicalities.

The tyres are also slightly wider at 35mm and as G Ones are slightly treaded again giving great flexibility on the one bike.

It'll just be nice just to have a quicker /lighter more aggressive geometry bike, dare I say maybe to climb a few hills or TTs.

I never had a CF or Campy group set..

O saw the Tafois demo bike which came in under £5k.

Would I be better off getting the best frame and slowly upgrade components or compromise on the frame..

The idea is to use it as motivation to get rid of the last extra bit of weight off me - about 6kg and about 5% body fat

pilot_pete

A £5k frame will not be appreciably £3k better than a £2k frame. You can get a very good CF bike for £2.5k. It’s all diminishing returns over a certain price point. You start paying for brand, better carbon weaves (if you could actually tell is another thing!), status, heritage, latest technological developments and research etc. If your budget is £5k you can get a superb CF bike for that.

As others have said, you don’t really need Super Record and you certainly won’t notice any difference over Record, or dare I say it Chorus. GCN did an interesting blind test comparing latest generation Dura Ace mechanical to 105. They found it extremely difficult to differentiate between them. Search for the video, it’s interesting.

The biggest noticeable difference will be wheelset choice. So pick a bike whose geometry matches your requirements and most importantly fits well and get a good set of wheels. I personally get handbuilt wheels for my bikes and for £800 I can get a pair of Hope hubbed, Carbon rimmed, Sapim CX Ray spoked wheels with the spoke count of my choice (I like 28 front and rear with disk brakes) and these are bombproof, highly serviceable, reliable and significantly cheaper than branded wheels.

You could choose a great bike for £5k or build one yourself with the best components you can get for your budget. I’ve built two Colnagos with Dura Ace di2 for circa £7k each, which would have cost me more as full bikes in the spec I have. You can always get deals and use discount codes to get the component prices down, especially if you shop around.

I rode with a friend today who was on a Cervelo R3 with deep section wheels and it looked the mutts nuts. However he said it wasn’t a patch on his recently built C60 in terms of handling and comfort. If he hadn’t built the C60 though he wouldn’t have known this!

PP

joey54321

If it's for motivation and enjoyment, buy whatever you'll enjoy and will motivate you most. At £5k (or even ~£3k) there are no bad bikes. Buy the one you list after most.