£2k Options

TheHound
TheHound Posts: 284
edited March 2013 in Road buying advice
I'm looking to get a new bike heading into summer but I'm a tad stumped as to what to do.

I'd love a Bianchi Sempre Pro as they look delicious and have had some pretty decent reviews. However I've recently tested out a friends bike that has Sram force on it and it's bloody brilliant. The double tap just felt natural and so I'd really like to get an Sram groupset, but there's no options for that with Bianchi bikes that I can find.

So... I either buy a Shimano 105 Sempre and then upgrade over time to Sram or get a Focus Izalco Pro 3, which already has Sram Force and looks kind of awesome too with nothing but good reviews.

3rd option is I'm open to suggestions on what else I do, I've a budget of around £2000 and am more concerned with getting a top notch frame over components.

Thanks for any advice.
Bianchi Intenso Athena
Handbuilt Wheels by dcrwheels.co.uk
Fizik Cyrano R3 Handlebars
Selle Italia SLR Kit Carbonio Flow saddle
Deda Superleggero seatpost

Comments

  • hoopsy
    hoopsy Posts: 96
    Dolan ... Check out their website. Super bunch of guys...top notch bike. SRAM or Shimano options on all bikes. I have an ARES SL with SRAM Force.
    The road to Hell may be paved with good intentions: the road to Heaven is paved with lost opportunities
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/41742264@N00/
  • denniskwok
    denniskwok Posts: 339
    I'd be looking at the Scott Foil 40, alhough it's a couple of hundred above £2000, it shouldn't be any trouble knocking that down to under £2000 with some haggling. Only comes with 105, but it works great and the heavy crankset can be upgraded later. The wheels are a bit crap though.
  • garymw
    garymw Posts: 36
    hoopsy wrote:
    Dolan ... Check out their website. Super bunch of guys...top notch bike. SRAM or Shimano options on all bikes. I have an ARES SL with SRAM Force.
    How is SRAM heard confusing comments on it,just the double tap issue, I suppose its easy after a couple of goes :|:|
  • Rod11
    Rod11 Posts: 293
    I've got a Boardman Pro Carbon, was meant to be £1800 but I got it for £1550 at the time. Came with ultegra but sold it and used the money plus about £200 and got SRAM Red. Love it.
  • garymw
    garymw Posts: 36
    Glad you posted this as I am in the same budget for one £2000,I am looking at Canyon Ultimate cf 9.0 and 8.0 models the 9.0 is just over though withshipping fees and bike guard packaging charge,also looking at the Boardman Elite Air 9.0 and SLR/9.0,I'm really new to upgrading info so will be glad to get info myself from this post.Thanks :):)
  • maddog 2
    maddog 2 Posts: 8,114
    This month's C+ is full of all of the candidates.

    A mate just bought the Canyon - very good spec (full Ultegra and Ksyrium Elites) if the design suits.
    Facts are meaningless, you can use facts to prove anything that's remotely true! - Homer
  • Gabbo
    Gabbo Posts: 864
    One of these has best bang for buck - http://www.canyon.com/_en/roadbikes/ser ... te-cf.html
  • smidsy
    smidsy Posts: 5,273
    Nah

    Cannondale Supersix Evo Hi Mod, on offer from Pauls Cycles HAS to be best bang for buck.
    Yellow is the new Black.
  • maddog 2
    maddog 2 Posts: 8,114
    if you were buying about two months ago there were some cracking deal on the Superix :roll:
    Facts are meaningless, you can use facts to prove anything that's remotely true! - Homer
  • letap73
    letap73 Posts: 1,608
    smidsy wrote:
    Nah

    Cannondale Supersix Evo Hi Mod, on offer from Pauls Cycles HAS to be best bang for buck.

    You talking about this:
    http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m7b0s6p431 ... TEGRA-2012

    Not this:
    http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m6b0s25p51 ... -FORK-2012
  • smidsy
    smidsy Posts: 5,273
    @letap - No, even I know the difference between a SuperSix and a Synapse :lol:

    Ok so the frame and forks are over £1400 and he only wants to spend £2k all in, but he also said he wanted a top notch frame over components.

    I am sure he can stretch the budget a little and build a half decent bike :mrgreen:
    Yellow is the new Black.
  • Gabbo
    Gabbo Posts: 864
    Canyon = decent frame; decent components (don't ask me how I know this, I'm just assuming).

    Canyon are their own distributors so they charge cheaper than other companies. Specialized on the other hand...
  • letap73
    letap73 Posts: 1,608
    smidsy wrote:
    @letap - No, even I know the difference between a SuperSix and a Synapse :lol:

    Ok so the frame and forks are over £1400 and he only wants to spend £2k all in, but he also said he wanted a top notch frame over components.

    I am sure he can stretch the budget a little and build a half decent bike :mrgreen:

    He could get lucky like me and be at the right place at the right time :wink:

    Anyway this is pretty awesome:

    http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m7b0s6p360 ... -SL-2-2011

    Or if the right size, this could be made into great bike for £2000:

    http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/produ ... 1_Frameset
  • TheHound
    TheHound Posts: 284
    I do feel the frame is the most important thing. Far easier to upgrade the components obviously. No votes for upgrading the Sempre or getting the Focus? The Izalco's frame is their top spec from what I've read.
    Bianchi Intenso Athena
    Handbuilt Wheels by dcrwheels.co.uk
    Fizik Cyrano R3 Handlebars
    Selle Italia SLR Kit Carbonio Flow saddle
    Deda Superleggero seatpost
  • letap73
    letap73 Posts: 1,608
    TheHound wrote:
    I do feel the frame is the most important thing. Far easier to upgrade the components obviously. No votes for upgrading the Sempre or getting the Focus? The Izalco's frame is their top spec from what I've read.

    Can you try out the bikes - what a review says or what anybody else says is irrelevent to how you feel on the bike.

    Leisure lakes long eaton will let you try bikes out and cycledivision near Mansfield are fantastic and worth getting in touch with as they can give you good advice and customize a spec for you with one of their Trigons - the bikes also sold by Adrian Timmis at Cadence Sport.
  • Gabbo
    Gabbo Posts: 864
    TheHound wrote:
    I do feel the frame is the most important thing. Far easier to upgrade the components obviously. No votes for upgrading the Sempre or getting the Focus? The Izalco's frame is their top spec from what I've read.

    It's expensive to build from scratch too.

    That SS Frame is £1500 plus the price of whatever groupo you want (assuming Force - £700). You may also want wheels, as you won't be able to cycle without them (£500) and then you'd need steering, a saddle, and someone to build it for you.

    You're looking close to £3000 in total. Would still be a good build without Red. Anyway, although the Hi Mod frame is excellent, is it actually that necessary? If you're budget is £2k you can forget the Hi Mod SS

    Canyon seems to be the trend nowadays.. though there is a reason why that is. Not sure about Rose bikes, but they look cool nonetheless.
  • AlahDamIt
    AlahDamIt Posts: 44
    http://www.bianchibikes.co.uk

    I've just bought a Bianchi Infinito 2012 Athena from Bianchiuk, they have many other 2012 bikes reduced by loads, great service and arrived quick.
    Bianchi infinito 2012
    Specialized Secteur
  • carrock
    carrock Posts: 1,103
    Go second hand

    I have just sold my roubaix pro with dura ace for 1750 and bought a roubaix s works project black with fulcrum zeros and s works carbon cranks for 2450

    I may not have a lifetime warranty on the frame but I could buy another frame with the savings.....

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