New Bike - 1st Road Bike - Allez or Scott Speedster

dannyd4315
dannyd4315 Posts: 7
edited February 2013 in Road beginners
Hi,

New to the forum and looking to get my first road bike, I haven’t cycled in a while, when I have I have just borrowed peoples mountain bikes to ride over to Richmond Park.

Looking to use the new bike for commuting from Clapham to Farringdon in London every day, and to do the London to Brighton ride hopefully….

I signed up to cyclescheme with work and have around £600 to spend (can add more if essential)

Anyway, these are a couple of the bikes I have been looking at, which one would be better?

Specialized Allez http://www.evanscycles.com/products/spe ... e-ec040963
Or
Scott Speedster 60 http://www.evanscycles.com/products/sco ... e-ec042442
Or
If I can get one cheaper that £725 a Specialized Allez Sport Compact (maybe 2012 model?) http://www.evanscycles.com/products/spe ... e-ec040965

My friends who ride in London currently are trying to convince me to get a hybrid, saying I will regret getting a road bike, but I am not so sure….

Thanks

Danny

Comments

  • arran77
    arran77 Posts: 9,260
    All of them are decent enough bikes, the Allez Sport has some slightly better components than the others, but all would be fine first bikes.

    Even the Allez Sport at £725 would leave you enough to buy all of the other bits you might need like helmet, shoes, clothing etc assuming that the limit on your works sceheme is £1,000.

    Whether you need a hybrid or a road bike is down to you really, if all you plan to do is commute to work then perhaps a hybrid would suit you better but you mention the London to Brigthon as well. If you plan on riding things like this as well as general weekend rides then I'd say road bike.
    "Arran, you are like the Tony Benn of smut. You have never diluted your depravity and always stand by your beliefs. You have my respect sir and your wife my pity" :lol:

    seanoconn
  • zx6man
    zx6man Posts: 1,092
    allez has the 8 speed setup, as opposed to the new 7 speed shimano entry level stuff.

    I would go allez.

    But 550 for a shimano 2300 bike to me is quite steep when the good old triban 3 is 300 quid and has carbon forks....
  • dannyd4315
    dannyd4315 Posts: 7
    To be honest my voucher is only for £600, I would have to pay the rest myself. Would I even notice the better specs on the Allez sport? If I can get a 2012 model for around £600 I would probably do it.

    Yeah I want to ride at weekends and do the London to Brighton, maybe London to Paris next year. My mates havent got road bikes, one has a hybrid and the other has a MTB.
  • desweller
    desweller Posts: 5,175
    Christ - you don't get much for your money these days, do you?

    It's a shame you have a voucher really; if you had the cash in your hand you could get this and this and it would knock your other options into a cocked hat.

    ETA: From Evans, I think this offers the best VFM in your price bracket.
    - - - - - - - - - -
    On Strava.{/url}
  • Flexisurfer
    Flexisurfer Posts: 249
    DesWeller wrote:
    Christ - you don't get much for your money these days, do you?

    It's a shame you have a voucher really; if you had the cash in your hand you could get this and this and it would knock your other options into a cocked hat.

    ETA: From Evans, I think this offers the best VFM in your price bracket.

    I think that's what makes the cycle to work scheme popular really. You're right you don't get much bang for you buck but you are getting a hefty slice of discount. I bought the Allez on this scheme, at £550 it seems a lot but ill never wear it out.
  • dannyd4315
    dannyd4315 Posts: 7
    I have found a Scott S55 (2012) in my budget, would that be a better bike to go for initially? Rather than the Allez?
  • zx6man
    zx6man Posts: 1,092
    Seems slightly better spec (and has carbon fork) than the allez, and I like the colour scheme better ( thats important ya know...)
  • Ricey83
    Ricey83 Posts: 103
    Giant Defy 4 is worth a look: http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bik ... 833/56806/
  • royce
    royce Posts: 24
    I've recently got the Allez on the cyclescheme.
    Love it it's a great bike :D
  • andy_wrx
    andy_wrx Posts: 3,396
    dannyd4315 wrote:
    I have found a Scott S55 (2012) in my budget, would that be a better bike to go for initially? Rather than the Allez?
    The S55 takes mudguards apparently : I'd want that for a commuter bike
    http://road.cc/content/news/51195-just- ... edster-s55
  • ballysmate
    ballysmate Posts: 15,921
    dannyd4315 wrote:
    I have found a Scott S55 (2012) in my budget, would that be a better bike to go for initially? Rather than the Allez?
    I got a Scott S55 2 years ago. Don't regret it at all. And yes it will take mud guards for commuting.

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