Do I need a Sportive type Bike

nufc_fan · April 2014

Going to buy my first Road bike and struggling to pick. I have anything up to £1800 to spend. £1800 if they offer inrest free finance or would buy something up to £1300 on my Credit Card.

Not sure if I should go down the Sportive bike route or something more aggressive. I am 6ft2 and 90Kg, fairly fit and flexible, the plan is something for fairly quick evening rides with some 2-3 hr rides at weekends. I can see myself doing 2-3 sportives per year at the most.

I have come up with a few options.

Specialised Tarmac Sport £1600 but in sale to £1400 - Agressive but good frame and decent components
Cannondale Synapse carbon 5 - Bike of the year £1849
BMC Team Machine - More aggressive than Synapse £1800
Boardman SLS 9.0 - Good compromise on speed and comfort? - £1849

Or do I go for something from Rose? There aluminium and carbon bike look good. Don't wan't to wait a long time for delivery hence not looking at Canyon.

ic. · April 2014

It's not really possible for anyone else to tell you what sort of bike you need. The best thing you can do is ride the ones you are thinking about. Though I appreciate that's not always possible.

slowbike · April 2014

I have a Tarmac - it's a bit older, but a very nice bike. Geometry is perfect for me - not too aggressive, but enough to get a reasonably aero position.
I can't comment on the others as I've never ridden them.

If you're flexible (can you touch your legs below your knees - or lower?) then you can probably go for a more aggressive frame and be comfortable on it.

littledove44 · April 2014

I think if you try those bikes you will make your mind up yourself. The Tarmac is as you say a much more aggressive position than say the Synapse. Your body will know.

Having said that, I wouldn't try any of them yet.

In your position I would go to a bike fitter that was able to tell you the geometry that suits your body. Then pick a bike with that geometry. Yes, they are all adjustable but some look carp once adjusted.

Someone that does not have a vested interested in selling you a bike will help you to understand what you need.

I wished I had done that. Without it I am forever asking the question "is this really right for me?"

sloppyschleckonds · April 2014

nufc_fan wrote:

Don't wan't to wait a long time for delivery hence not looking at Canyon.

If you click on 'express bikes' on the Canyon website it will tell you what bikes they have for immediate delivery.

jordan_217 · April 2014

Don't get sucked in by the marketing hype and newly formed 'sportive geometry' terminology. IMO it's just been used to appeal to a target market.

My Enigma Echo is meant to be a mile munching, 'sportive' bike but it's also plenty capable of road and circuit racing. My CAAD10 is meant to be an aggressive race bike but I've ridden it for 4-5 hrs and my body wasn't broken. Cut the steerer and slam the stem of most bikes and the front end will be pretty aggressive. Leave the steerer with a stack of spacers under the stem and you'll be in a pretty relaxed, upright position.

If you're unsure, it might be worth seeking out a reputable bike fitter who can advise you before you buy and then perform a thorough fit once you've purchased. Once you know what works for you then an advertised geometry chart will help you make future purchases.

If you're unsure at this stage then I'd probably stay away from the likes of Rose as you can't try before you buy. Though, a bike fitter may be able to eliminate the level of risk.

term1te · April 2014

If it was to be may only road bike, I'd go for a bike that was more comfortable, or a better "fit", to ride than one that was all out speed. It is easier to ride a bike with slightly more relaxed geometry aggressively, than it is to ride a bike with aggressive geometry comfortably. If you will be ridding TTs or crits then you won’t mind suffering for that extra second or two. If you are not comfortable at the end of a 3 hour Saturday ride, you are less likely to go out again the next week.

I've never ridden one, but I do like the look and price of the Rose bikes. For that sort of money I'd also be looking at some of the titanium framed bikes as well.

kingofthetailwind · April 2014

jordan_217 wrote:

Don't get sucked in by the marketing hype and newly formed 'sportive geometry' terminology. IMO it's just been used to appeal to a target market.

My Enigma Echo is meant to be a mile munching, 'sportive' bike but it's also plenty capable of road and circuit racing. My CAAD10 is meant to be an aggressive race bike but I've ridden it for 4-5 hrs and my body wasn't broken. Cut the steerer and slam the stem of most bikes and the front end will be pretty aggressive. Leave the steerer with a stack of spacers under the stem and you'll be in a pretty relaxed, upright position.

I'd agree with this. Don't get too hung up on geometry. I feel better after a hundred miles on my Giant TCR than I do after 60 on my Felt Z95. That's probably more to do with it having a better frame and wheels, but the point is "race" geometry does not necessarily mean less comfort.

ai_1 · April 2014

Really "sportive bike" is just marketing spin for a bike with a slightly longer than typical head tube, and not-harsh ride. Most bikes don't have harsh rides however especially if you put 25mm tyres on them so it's just the headtube really. If you have good flexibility you probably won't need one although you might still like the geometry. It really depends how you think you'll use the bike. If you may be interested in racing or doing some duathlons/triathlons later, a more aggressive geometry would be better but still not essential.
In reality an aggressive bike can be made into a more upright one simply by adding spacers and flipping the stem. The opposite is also true. If necessary you can also replace the stem fairly cheaply with a more angled stem (I have a -24 degree stem on my otherwise quite upright Cyclocross bike).

curto80 · April 2014

jordan_217 wrote:

If you're unsure at this stage then I'd probably stay away from the likes of Rose as you can't try before you buy.

Not strictly true - there's a UK rep who runs a full demo fleet. In fact if you can be bothered travelling to Somerset to meet him arguably you get a better chance to do a full test because he's not precious like some LBSs.

Miles253 · April 2014

What about varied handling characteristics? Aren't 'sportive' bikes often less twitchy due to longer wheelbases?

TMR · April 2014

The best advice has already been posted. You should definitely go for a fit first. There's no point buying an amazing looking bike if you're in constant pain when you ride it.

The fitter should then be able to recommend frame dimensions that will work for you. From experience, it's better to go for a frame one size down so you can use a longer stem than to get a frame one size up and have to use a shorter stem (short stem = twitchy as f*ck handling).

I made this mistake when I started and bought a Cannondale Super Six that was too big and suffered for it.

Good luck!

gethinceri · April 2014

Curto80 wrote:

jordan_217 wrote:

If you're unsure at this stage then I'd probably stay away from the likes of Rose as you can't try before you buy.

Not strictly true - there's a UK rep who runs a full demo fleet. In fact if you can be bothered travelling to Somerset to meet him arguably you get a better chance to do a full test because he's not precious like some LBSs.

+1. He's a nice guy who doesn't apply any pressure, he'll travel within reason with a handful of bikes for you to try. Finlay on 07775 786709. You'll get bangs for your buck and their service is excellent.

TMR · April 2014

This is a constant bug bear of mine. It's unacceptable that I can get a test drive of a £50K car, but cannot get a test ride of a £2K bike.

kajjal · April 2014

To give you an idea a Specialized Roubaix is a more upright bike and a Specialized Tarmac has a lower riding position without any adjustments. If you look at the geometry charts for both bikes you will see the reach and stack vary due to this. The same is true for other bikes.

When it comes to bike setup some people like a head down racing position and others a much more upright touring riding position it is purely down to personal preference. The main thing is it is comfortable for you and injury free. Most bikes can be adjusted easily enough to suit as long as they are the right size in the first place.

oola · April 2014

TMR wrote:

This is a constant bug bear of mine. It's unacceptable that I can get a test drive of a £50K car, but cannot get a test ride of a £2K bike.

I understand the frustration but I think for an LBS to provide this service is beyond them ... having every bike in every size just isn't feasible ... plus there is far more profit in a £50k car than a £2k bike!

The manufacturers really need to support dealers and do a tour of their dealers with a selection of bikes that us buyers can actually ride these bikes before we take the plunge.

Although possibly not local to anyone (I'm two hours drive away but have been to the shop) these guys seem to be doing a demo day with a variety of bikes ... Canondale, Colnago, Cube, Trek and Wilier. http://www.bigdemoweekend.co.uk/

VO2min · April 2014

oola wrote:

TMR wrote:

This is a constant bug bear of mine. It's unacceptable that I can get a test drive of a £50K car, but cannot get a test ride of a £2K bike.

I understand the frustration but I think for an LBS to provide this service is beyond them ... having every bike in every size just isn't feasible ... plus there is far more profit in a £50k car than a £2k bike! The manufacturers really need to support dealers and do a tour of their dealers with a selection of bikes that us buyers can actually ride these bikes before we take the plunge.

Although possibly not local to anyone (I'm two hours drive away but have been to the shop) these guys seem to be doing a demo day with a variety of bikes ... Canondale, Colnago, Cube, Trek and Wilier. http://www.bigdemoweekend.co.uk/

Where a shop mainly stocks 1 or 2 brands having 1 of each frame size to try out would be helpful. It doesn't need to be every spec level, but the ability to figure out what size a customer who is parting with £1000+ needs is reasonable. If they want to have some rollers set up in the shop to do this on then that seems reasonable to prevent theft.

passout · April 2014

To answer the question, no. If you want a higher front end just flip the stem. Why not just go to Halfords buy this & be done with it: http://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/cate ... -14-48284/

mattmaximus · April 2014

Just my 2p worth:
The fit calculator on competitivecyclist.com has never let me down yet. That'll tell you what geometry ought to suit you and you can compare the numbers with geo charts online. That will massively cut down the number of options.

In your position I'd buy a 'cross bike for around a grand. That will get you disc brakes and the opportunity to run any tyres you want. It will open up lots of different riding (towpaths, proper mud) without compromising your speed on tarmac in any noticeable way. You'd have money over to buy a second set of wheels.

Bikes I'd consider: canyon inflite, genesis Croix De ger, Boardman CX - though there are other cracking bikes out there.

If you only ever buy one bike it makes sense to get an all-rounder, if you get into cycling and buy more bikes then I can't see you ever regretting having a cross bike.

Test rides are all well and good, but IMHO you need more than a quick spin to get to know a bike anyway.

Tiberius007 · April 2014

I had all the same thoughts that you are having, and more, albeit it wasn't my first road bike......more do I need a sportive bike. What I really wanted was a comfortable carbon framed bike that I liked the look of and could ride comfortably over longer distances. It drove me mad for many months, researching the interweb, speaking to people and reading articles/mags etc, all those lovely glossy new 2014 bikes to choose from.

I am no cycling guru or expert but all the advice I got on here (which was invaluable btw) and everywhere else was make sure the bike fits your own body geometry else it will never be comfortable.

It took me months, I basically visited as many shops as I could test rode/sat on as many bikes as I could and compared geometries where I could not to give an idea of size/feel etc. The visit to the Spesh Concept store was the best thing I even did.....so you can probably guess what brand I went for :-).

Yes well guessed Spesh, I eventually went for a Specialized Roubaix SL4. It seems I was comfortable on both the more racier geometries (which I already have) and the sportive style. I nearly chose the Spesh Tarmac, however with the carbon and the sportive set up the Spesh Roubaix just felt right and 'more' comfortable for me for what I wanted. So that is what I picked. The visit to the Spesh concept store, which was excellent for invaluable advice on fit and styles etc, was probably the most important factor in my choice as they had all their styles and sizes etc for comparison purposes, under one roof.

So the best advice I got and can give is, as many others are here in this chain (and elsewhere will too), the fit of the bike is what will make it comfortable rather than the glossy techno advertising that draws buyers into their web :-). It seems technology does help with comfort etc but bottom line - you can't put square pegs in round holes without breaking them anyway.

Hope these few words of my experiences are of some help to you. Good luck with whatever you chose, take your time, do your research and make sure it is right for you. Best of luck.

kevinr24 · May 2014

A lot of good advice has already been posted here but I thought I'd weigh in too. Sportive and endurance are really terms to imply extra comfort and a more upright position. It doesn't mean these bikes can't be raced. I've just got a new Cannondale Synapse Carbon Ultegra (with Ksyrium upgrade wheels) and it shifts. An LBS said it had 95% of the performance of a Super 6 Evo with lots of extra comfort. I love it already but I'm well into my 40s now and don't race. That's the point. First you need to decide what you want to do - TTs, climbing, crits etc - and get a bike fit, then go with the bike you like best for your needs. There's no point getting a bike that doesn't make you want to go out and ride again and again. There are some pictures and a video of the new Synapse on my blog - richardsonkevin.wordpress.com
Good luck!

Do I need a Sportive type Bike

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