My company is starting a cycle2work scheme soon so I think I’ll treat myself to a proper road bike. I’m looking for a bike capable of taking my 14st along the pot-holed roads and steep hills of Calderdale and working my way up to 50 to 100 miles rides as I get fitter. It’ll need a relaxed geometry as I’ve got a dodgy back.
As a novice which bike models should I be looking at?
Cheers

Get a Spa audax, then let me know what its like cos I quite fancy one 😆

genius plan!

Checkout Giant defy 2 or look at a boardman carbon both good value and quality rides for around 1k !! Specialised allez…good choice at wiggle/ribble as well you can get a lot these days for 1K !!!

Scarcat67 -thanks

what’s the difference between a compact and a triple?

Compact = 50/34 tooth rings
Triple, 3 rings usually, 53/42/30 iirc
Double 53/39

Real men ride doubles, mortals ride compacts, no one with self respect rides a triple. Hth

Have a look at the trek domane. Really ruddy good. Or a madone if you want more speed.

Triple = 3 chainrings, usually something like 30/39/50. A compact is just two, normally 34/50.

Giant Defy composite 3 for B2W money. Possibly last year’s model. Compact has wider spacings between gears, but less weight and a lower Q (spacing between cranks). It’s also all you will find on most high end bikes. With the advent of 10 and 11 speed, triples are starting to look as dated as “half-step gearing” – google it if you are under 40 😉

Trek Domane alloy version is quite heavy and not as effective as the carbon version from what I’ve read.

I had a 2009 Trek 1.5 which was essentially like the current alloy Madone, and I found it really good. Until it got nicked and then I ened up wanting better and better road bikes.

Im not a man then my Audax bike has 22/32/44 chainset and 11/28 on the back .Set up to ride up anything no matter how ruined I am .If im honest I would go 26/32 /46 with the same cassette

I live in Calderdale.

Compact at the mo, but it’s a struggle at times, especially when it’s raining and I’m shattered.
MTB mech and cassette for me next time they need replacing, which should solve the problem.

Triple on my commuter. It’s great.

Edric, I didn’t say you weren’t a man, just no self respect 😉

You big girl….

Do spa cycles do c2w scheme then?

Surly Pacer ?

If im honest I would go 26/32 /46 with the same cassette

i have wistful thoughts about a 26/36/48 chainset. i need help.

Self respect doesn’t get you up that last 200m hill when you’re knackered (or had a pub/cake stop too many)
🙁

Buy a cross bike, summer’s going to be shite anyway.

Self respect doesn’t get you up that last 200m hill

Yeah, it does.

Rule #5

Everyday is like summer in Calderdale!

Go into Blazing Saddles in Hebden Bridge. They have some gorgeous Charge steel things in there. They do C2W scheme, they do free 1st service, and if you’re nice to John and Alan, you might be able to negotiate a freebie or two.

Felt Z85 worth a look?

Due to the commission the shop has to pay is be surprised if there are many deals/ free stuff with cycle scheme bikes
Spesh allez is racy the secturur is more relaxed
Ignore the moaning people and have the gearing that works for you

Cube Peloton. The Race is a compact with full 105 and Aksium wheels for a grand. I’m a fat knacker in Kirklees, and a compact is fine, just a bit of a grind up some of the steeper hills. Cube also do a triple on the Peloton Pro or whatever the model is around £800. A lot of bike for the money if you don’t mind the colours. Velocity in Huddersfield does C2W and sells Cube and Merida.

Thanks – I’ll go to LBS and sit on a few of those

I think I’d rather keep pedalling than push, so a triple sounds good. I’m running 2011 SLX 10sp triple on the MTB and have got used to never running out of gears. Although this might be obsolete soon 😉

“Self respect doesn’t get you up that last 200m hill
Yeah, it does.
Rule #5 “

Rule 1A the rules are for [/i]insert expletive of your choice

Defy is very highly rated, ribble and PX do some good deals on carbon as well.
the Boardman is a great bit of kit.

nowt wrong with a triple, i haven’t got one but around here there a gaps between the big climbs.

I testrode 4 bikes, a couple of high end ones (waaaay too hard/racer)- I rode a Defy carbon and as SOON as I set off it felt like I was at home- soooo comfy. I even manualled it off a kerb 😆 I’d say its a mountain bikers road bike- if that makes sense?

Ta – lots to go look at over the weekend

I have a MEKK Potenza 5.0SL*
Its my first road bike so wasn’t sure if i would get on with it in the long term. However its been a revelation, smooth, quick and really, really comfy. Done a few 100+ mile rides and could still walk afterwards.
The Potenza 4.0 is in your price range and its the same carbon frame throughout the range.

*in fairness i have to point out ive broken mine, due to a mechanical with the chain/rear mech although this has given my the opportunity to find out how good MEKK’s customer service is – i have a new frame coming from Asia as i type.

The defy is a comfy place to be ( I own one)

the planet X RT58 looks interesting

The defy is a comfy place to be ( I own one)

But it can do racey too. I race my SL throughout the summer. Second in Paris Roubaix too (not me, the bike – obviously).

Sounds perfect for racing to the pork pie shop

If you go for a compact spec a long cage derailler and a 30 or 32 cassette otherwise you’l lbe spending all your time riding in the valleys.

If you want a comfortable road bike, get a decent 29er and put 2.35″ Big Apple tyres on it. Ride straight over potholes and not notice them.

Something like the Singular Gryphon which is designed for dropbars.

Can’t see past the deals PX are doing on their alu range at the moment.

An Allez, Defy or CaaD8 will be fine, they are all good enough. Same rules apply as for MTB Frame/Forks first then wheels then the rest. Ribble have some cracking Carbon jobbies around £1000. I use a double(not compact) and it’s fine round here but lots of people prefer a compact as it’s a touch easier on the hills, I can’t see why you’d need a triple unless hills are very, very steep where you are.

, I can’t see why you’d need a triple unless hills are very, very steep where you are.

Yep – Calderdale is hilly but you don’t need a triple. I have had one in the past but it just made me lazy. When I went back to a compact my fitness improved massively.

Has anyone got first hand experience of the RT58? Reviews seem very thin on the ground.

Don’t bother with the B2W and buy this instead.

http://bikedeals.cc/threads/raleigh-clubman-road-bike-82-off-%C2%A3170-halfords.949/

Wilier Montegrappa is my steed from C2W and I love it. Comfy for long days but looks the part too. Came with a compact and 11-28 cassette, but with Xenon parts which are slowly being upgraded to Centaur.