New bike suitable for the Alps Summer 2017

borders
borders Posts: 2
edited December 2016 in Road buying advice
I've got back into cycling a couple of months ago after a few years off and am loving it again.

I'm just back from 2 weeks cycling in Lanzarote and have plans to spend a couple of weeks in the summer cycling some of the Alps Classic Cols. I have a Giant Defy 3 at home and hired a Specialized Tarmac whilst at Lanzarote.

I'm looking to buy myself a new bike and was wondering if anyone could give me some recommendations for a bike suitable for the Alps. Definitely want a compact and 32 rear.

I've been looking at Planet X, Cannondale CAAD 12, Cannondale Synapse, Carbon Frames, Alloy Frames, etc and ther are so many bikes out there that I'm now really confused. I spent a while looking at the Planet X website where they must have about 20 different road bikes!!!

My budget is about £1500 to £2000.

Thanks

Comments

  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,273
    Any bike you take a fancy of, including the one you already have. There is nothing special about the Alps. I travel to the Italian alps every year, occasionally I bring my 1980 bike with downtube shifters and it does exactly the same job as the other bike.
    left the forum March 2023
  • fenix
    fenix Posts: 5,437
    Your defy can do the alps - what gears do you have on it now ? It might be as simple as just changing the chainset and the cassette.
  • mrb123
    mrb123 Posts: 4,623
    How about this if you're set on a new bike?
    https://paulscycles.co.uk/m7b0s6p6606/C ... TEGRA-2016
  • fat daddy
    fat daddy Posts: 2,605
    I would buy this

    https://www.evanscycles.com/bianchi-int ... e-EV257912

    for no other reason than I always wanted to own a Bianchi and that's as near to £2k as I can get ..... 28t rear though so you might want to swap it for a different cassette ... but that's not "too" much money to do

    or they do a disk one as well for a similar spec/price
  • homers_double
    homers_double Posts: 8,042
    Just make sure any bike you take has room for two bottles.

    People have been riding the alps for years on bikes far inferior than yours and got away with it. That said, get a red one with discs.
    Advocate of disc brakes.
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 25,852
    Pick the one that you like the look of, and has the most appropriate gears - for you.
    Everything else is fluff.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    Didn't some bloke ride the alps on a Raleigh Chopper recently? They must be suitable then, so that could go on the list...

    The point is, as Ugo says, that pretty much any bike is 'suitable' - just pick one you like.
  • mcxfisher
    mcxfisher Posts: 39
    A great deal depends on your age and flexibility. If you are middle-aged or have a questionable back and wish to cover long distances in comfort, then the Carbon Synapse is a very good option. If not, then as others have said, the bike shop world's your oyster.

    Happy Christmas.
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    homers double wrote:
    Just make sure any bike you take has room for two bottles.

    People have been riding the alps for years on bikes far inferior than yours and got away with it. That said, get a red one with discs.

    I believe blue bikes climb better.
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    Imposter wrote:
    Didn't some bloke ride the alps on a Raleigh Chopper recently? They must be suitable then, so that could go on the list...

    The point is, as Ugo says, that pretty much any bike is 'suitable' - just pick one you like.

    Used to ride The Bike Tour of Colorado for about 6 years straight some years back.It was a supported tour about 500 miles, over 6 days, and more than a few high passes. Every time we went we saw a guy riding a Stingray, with fringe coming out of the ape hanger bar ends. Obviously not your idea climbing bike but it goes to show what can be done. I rode a steely Gios all those years. Even had some guys ask how I could do it on such a heavy bike. I really didn't have an answer for them. In the end it's more about fitness and gearing than whether or not you've got the latest, lightest frame and components..
  • sloppyschleckonds
    sloppyschleckonds Posts: 8,019
    Specialized Tarmac
    I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles

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