Only £500 (insurance pay out) to spend, so am thinking a Planet X or Ribble, something like that…anything else I should check out?
Have all the bits from my dead frame to swap over, so preferably not a BB30 (and a 31.6 seatpost)
Almost solely used for commuting, but want something that helps me go fast 🙂

something with mudguard eyelets?

does sir want guard mounts ?
pannier rack ?

No rack and use Crud Race Guards

As a guide, I would’ve bought one of these if they hadn’t sold out of the 57cm the day my cheque arrived 🙁

500, can’t you get a willier or a de rosa? Their steel frame the “steel is real surely isn’t going to sell for that much.

Or sod of the money and get a Cipolinni Bond 😀

well you can have pretty rake much anything you like

rim brakes or disc ?

I’ve built up a commuter from an old zaskar frame that’s going to have 35mm or so tyres on it and drop bars but discs using a cx fork and A2Z adaptor on the back

Pretty, it ain’t 😳 but hopefully nobody’ll nick it and I won’t care that much anyway

duh, this was the link i meant to post
http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/FROROFF/orbea_opal_frame_and_fork

Sorry, wasn’t clear – dead frame was a carbon road frame – RM Solo.

Wee bit over budget but the Deda frames are a steal too;

http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/FRDDNER/dedacciai_nerissimo_frame_and_fork

Dolan worth a look?

http://www.dolan-bikes.com/Carbon%20Road%20FrameSets/Hercules%20SE%20FrameSet?product_id=113

Deda looks nice, but only have em in Small

looks like there’s only 60cm and 48cm of those orbea’s.

Yeah, that link was missing from my “i would’ve ordered one if they hadn’t sold out of my size” post

The Dolan Dual has been getting very good reviews recently. Called the Dual because you can use it as a winter bike, but its fast enough an good enough to be used as a summer race bike too. Its on the racier side geometry wise an slightly out of your budget but well worth a look I reckon (particularly given that they sell it as a complete bike with Dura-Ace group for £2,408)
– http://www.dolan-bikes.com/Carbon%20Road%20FrameSets/Dual%20FrameSet/Dolan-Dual%20Frameset

In addition I know a couple of fairly serious roadies who have Kinesis racelight frames. The entry-level K2 is just £260 for the frame which is high-grade 7005 aluminium. The prices go up from there, but one of my mates has the entry-level and reckons it rides almost as good as his carbon “superbike”

http://www.kinesisbikes.co.uk/products/racelight/t2

I have been looking at Kinesis, they are great looking bikes. Could sway me from the carbon mindset, so gonna check out the website. Cheers

If you are not in a hurry,Deda frames come up in the clearance sales around the web from time to time as shops get rid of old stock. CRC were getting rid of their Kona ones a while back,and I have seen a few on eBay.

What about one of those carbon jobs straight from china on ebay? 🙂

Can’t remember the name but there was a brand that have a Venge rip-off – there’s a few threads on them around and they seem to get quite good feedback.

As I told you, tell your wife to forget about this year holidays and get a cipo Bond, afterall, you not getting to work equals no money anyway 😉

FWIW I’ve heard that a lot of the “value” carbon frames out there – Chinese obvs but also On-One etc – are fine to ride as long as you’re not going for it. Try and put the power down and they’re too flexy and noodly. Fine for training, but not for racing and not really for climbing. Depends what you’re after really, but at the OP’s price-point I’d rather get a mustard alu frame, proven again and again, than an entry-level carbon. In fact, he might want to look at a Cannondale CAAD10. Superb bike, 20+ years of frame evolution. Can be picked up with full 105 and decent wheels for about £1,200 at the moment. Buy it, strip the parts and sell (got to be worth £600-£700) and you’re left with arguably the finest aluminium road frame ever created (I have the CAAD8 and it is superb).

Carbon frames from China

isn’t that what Ribble frames are anyway? They look very similar and are crazy cheap for carbon frames. I reckon the warranty would be slightly better from Ribble!
Kinesis are verrry tempting…

Have looked for bargain Cannondales, but can’t find em…

Keep em coming, gotta take the dog out for an hour 🙂

Here you go. Unless you’re very tall, or very small, one of these’ll do the trick and you can have loads of fun flogging the parts on fleabay…

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/cannondale/caad10-105-compact-2012-road-bike-ec031694?utm_source=froogle&utm_medium=froogle&utm_campaign=froogle

Dezb you will struggle to find Cannondale frames for sale but how about this for a complete bike?

I know it’s over your budget but the frame it’s based on is superb.

http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m7b65s6p4510

De Rosa Milanino road frame, £559, and a 50% chance it was welded by the man himself!

And seconded, buy a nice Alluminum frame over a cheap carbon frame.

Ah, those Cannondales are lovely.

Difference between a Synapse and a CAAD10?

In general the Synapse, alloy or carbon, has a slightly more relaxed geometry aimed at sportive type riding. The CAAD frames are designed for road racing.

Also that Synapse I posted the link to is carbon and CAAD is obviously aluminium .

I have a carbon Synapse now after previously having a CAAD.

The Synapse is so much more comfortable and only slightly less stiff then the CAAD it replaced.

Nice one Pete. Cheers.
Now (back to) considering full bike on Cycle to Work scheme…

funkrodent – Member
FWIW I’ve heard that a lot of the “value” carbon frames out there – Chinese obvs but also On-One etc – are fine to ride as long as you’re not going for it.

Yeah – they’re simply not suitable. 🙄

Try telling Lovatt, Mullen, Wiltshire, Morrison et al to wind it in a bit…

Genesis equilibrium and save a few pounds. I like the modern/retro look.