fancy a road bike what about specialized?

Fastflo
Fastflo Posts: 45
edited September 2009 in Road beginners
Hi all,
I have taken mtb'ing this is my 2nd year and enjoying it. Last year I rode through the winter snow,mud and ice and trashed all my chain,bearings,cassette,rings,cables et all to the tune of £4-500
i dont want to do that again.

I fancy a road bike as the roads up here in Edinburgh seem clearer during the winter so i hope more enjoyable than going to glentress and sliding about on the ice,

I have a budget of 9-1500, which seems to cover alu or low end carbon

I am 6'4" 14stone with a 36" inside leg and 44yo so I want to keep working on my new found fitness

I have had a look at specialized so far alieze?/tarmac or sectuer/roubaix (sorry if spelling not as the marketing dept would like)

any feedback or suggestions on similar :?: ps my big fault is I like bikes that look good!

Comments

  • The Mechanic
    The Mechanic Posts: 1,277
    I have specialized road and mountain bike and can not praise them highly enought
    I have only two things to say to that; Bo***cks
  • amaferanga
    amaferanga Posts: 6,789
    My advice would be to spend a few hundred quid on a decent second hand bike to see you through the winter. Gritted winter roads and good bikes don't mix IMO (unless you're happy to clean your bike down after every ride). So you use the cheap-ish bike through the winter giving you more idea as to exactly what type of riding and what type of bike is most likely to suit you. Then come spring treat yourself to that shiney new bike :)
    More problems but still living....
  • STEFANOS4784
    STEFANOS4784 Posts: 4,109
    amaferanga wrote:
    My advice would be to spend a few hundred quid on a decent second hand bike to see you through the winter. Gritted winter roads and good bikes don't mix IMO (unless you're happy to clean your bike down after every ride). So you use the cheap-ish bike through the winter giving you more idea as to exactly what type of riding and what type of bike is most likely to suit you. Then come spring treat yourself to that shiney new bike :)

    This is sound advice, you wouldn't want to spend all that cash out then lose most of it realising you can't get used to the position or you just plain don't like it :)
    winter beast: http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr34 ... uff016.jpg
    Summer beast; http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr34 ... uff015.jpg
  • MrChuck
    MrChuck Posts: 1,663
    trashed all my chain,bearings,cassette,rings,cables et all to the tune of £4-500

    Blimey! I ride through the winter too and it doesn't cost me anything like that- unless all yrou stuff is XTR or something?
  • gkerr4
    gkerr4 Posts: 3,408
    i'm a big specialized fan - they get a bad press in forums sometimes as a "mass market' brand - but I genuinely think that they are one of the more innovative brands out there - in particular if you look at some of the parts and accessories and the Body Geometry (BG) range of parts and clothing.

    they also really really came through on the customer service front for me when I f@cked a new S-Works carbon roubaix frame - and in doing so guaranteed my repeat custom for life!

    I have a new roubaix, and a langster - i'd love an allez frame for a winter bike - and even my kids have the hotrock series of specializeds. You can't go wrong with em. (IMO, of course)
  • STEFANOS4784
    STEFANOS4784 Posts: 4,109
    The argument that something is mass market hense less desirable is rediculous in my opinion. They got to become mass market by being the best, surely?
    Not over priced and not rubbish, just right 8)
    winter beast: http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr34 ... uff016.jpg
    Summer beast; http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr34 ... uff015.jpg
  • balthazar
    balthazar Posts: 1,565
    During my tenure at the rock face (working in a bike shop) I always found Specialized to be the best company to deal with. They handled returns sensibly and fairly, and in general seemed staffed by humans, often going out of their way to do more than necessary. Good PR, maybe, but that stuff counts. If I was buying off the peg, I'd buy one of theirs over the competition, if I liked the bike.
  • road novice
    road novice Posts: 27
    gkerr4 wrote:
    i'm a big specialized fan - they get a bad press in forums sometimes as a "mass market' brand - but I genuinely think that they are one of the more innovative brands out there - in particular if you look at some of the parts and accessories and the Body Geometry (BG) range of parts and clothing.

    they also really really came through on the customer service front for me when I f@cked a new S-Works carbon roubaix frame - and in doing so guaranteed my repeat custom for life!

    I have a new roubaix, and a langster - i'd love an allez frame for a winter bike - and even my kids have the hotrock series of specializeds. You can't go wrong with em. (IMO, of course)

    Have been riding my Secteur Elite for a month now and have found it to be very good. Just started cycling after spending a few years running. Looked at the reviews of different makes etc and the Secteur Elite sounded the right sort of bike at the price I wanted to pay.

    I have not been disappointed and look forward to my cycle rides, steadily building up my fitness and distance at the weekend and short rides in the evenings. Well impressed good bike, I'm becoming addicted.
  • dgstewart
    dgstewart Posts: 252
    Logically, I would agree that it is probably better to buy a cheap second hand bike to start off with, particularly if it will be used through winter.

    That said I bought a Specialized Roubaix Comp 2009 in the summer (carbon with full 105 groupset) and it is the best money I ever spent (although I did get a cracking ex-demo deal on it). Very comfortable, light, quick and responsive - fabulous bike. It's also a cracking looking bike - well I think so anyway, adn it gets lots of admiring looks. This is my second road bike, with my first being a cheaper Specialzed touring road bike a bought 5 years ago or so. It's now be my spare bike.
  • rickhotrod
    rickhotrod Posts: 181
    The best way to prevent premature chainring and cassette wear is to replace the chain as soon as it becomes 1% longer than when new. A chain checker such as a Park Tool CC-3 (or a cheaper brand) is ideal for this, as you can check the chain in seconds with this kind of tool.

    For winter use it may be best to get a bike with disc brakes, as lightweight rims may only last one or two winters when matched with rim brakes. This depends on the type of grit from the road surface that gets on the rims.

    I have a preference for frames that accept 135mm rear hubs, as you can use MTB hubs which are better sealed against the weather. Also, a bike that has eyelets for mudguards and room around the brake calipers to allow for full mudguards is sensible for a winter bike. Well over half of road bikes don't allow for fitment of full mudguards.

    If you don't want discs, take a look at 9 speed Sora or Tiagra equipped bikes such as those from Cannondale, Kona, Trek, Dawes, etc.

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