Hi,

I looking for my first road bike, preferably carbon sub £1500 with decent enough kit. I ride a 29er currently but commute to work on the road.

The bikes ive been looking at are
Trek Madone 3.1C 2012 Cheapest£1450
Trek Madone 4.5C 2011 Cheapest ive seen is Chevin Cycles they have this reduced from £1850 to £1199 Link
Specialized Tarmac Elite SL2 ’11 – Edinburgh Cycles have this reduced from £1649 to £1399 Link /

What are people experience with the lower end Trek carbons? The 4.5 Madone seems cheap?

Thanks

Have a look at Planet-x – great value.

and Canyon.

I’ve no experience with the bikes you mention.

Just got a Decathlon Facet 3 full carbon job for under 1000 EUR, so you could even have some budget left over. I’m very pleased with it so far.

decathlon facet 3

I’ve heard the Planet X ones are a bit “squidgy” on account of the glue:carbon ratio. Might be hogwash, but I’d want to try one before splashing the cash.

Have a look at a Vitus Dark Plasma VR, maybe? Or a Felt F5?

Worth keeping this http://www.thebikechain.co.uk/Cube-Agree-GTC-Triple-56-20110901070211/ in mind.

We have (like all Cube dealers i would imagine) gone pretty heavy on the pre-orders for these as we have been informed the qty of these will be severely limited for 2012.

We probably wont see all we have ordered either.

Looking like a standout bargain – it’s a seriously good frame.

I’ll back up the Cube GTC Agree as an option. I replaced my Focus Cayo with one after having a test ride. I couldn’t believe just how much more comfortable it was.

By all accounts the 2012 Trek’s will be very well priced, I think there was a Madone frame with 105 for 1500, as well as an Ali with Ultegra in the same range.

Personally I’d go for the Ultimate CF Canyon 7.0 with Campag, in team white:
http://www.canyon.com/_uk/roadbikes/bike.html?b=2112

nano light or SL Pro.

The Treks are excellent, the cheaper TCT Madones are now Taiwanese made rather than US made like the more expensive OCLV ones, but they’re great bikes.

Bear in mind that you cannot mail order Trek. So you’ll have to drive to Chevin Cycles and pick it up, may be a factor if you’re the other end of the country…

Geometry is important on the road, more so than the MTB. I’ve got a Trek Madone which feels spot on, and a Specialized Allez which is horrible, the front is ridiculously high, feels like a shopping bike.

I’d definitely look at Planet X, Cube and Focus as well though, although demos may be harder to come by.

Definitely Canyon at that price… particularly if they’ve got any left in the sale.

I have not for one second regretted buying a Cube GTC Agree; I loves it I do! 🙂

I’ll back up the Cube GTC Agree as an option. I replaced my Focus Cayo with one after having a test ride. I couldn’t believe just how much more comfortable it was.

Agree with the comment about the Cayo, swapped mine for a Nanolight HM which is far more comfy.

I believe the ‘squidgy’ nature of the Planet-X was an issue with the non-high modulus frames.

I’ve just purchased a planet X nanolight High modulus, its my first carbon road bike but… Its bloody amazing !

Its really stiff and very nice to ride.

Ok I have nothing to compare it to except my old steel road bike but its light, stiff and comfortable.

Did a 100km road ride on saturday no problem and a hill climb of 3000ft on tuesday night… no problem at all.

I don’t think you’d be disappointed as a first bike – I’m not. Not sure where these flexy comments come from, mine doens’t seem to flex at all (80kg).

Oh and the “black” (no paint) you can see the carbon weave which looks very nice indeed!

I had it spec’d with SRAM force and its flawless, smooth shifting, good brakes.

hope it helps.

The Planet X carbon bikes are a steal at that price. Really think that the whole glue:carbon ratio stuff if BS put out by people annoyed that they paid way more for a bike with the same spec.

You could easily get 105 and I suspect Ultegra from Ribble at 1.5k. n You’d also get some nice finishing kit and a good, in unfashionable, frame.

Cube +200

Great spec, they ride really well, and I think they look rather nice too.

Rose bikes get good writeups for their road bikes. Came top in a £1600 bike test in cycling plus. Joint top was a cannondale CAAD10, so don’t discount aluminium.

I’ve got a carbon ribble with full ultegra and carbon wheels for ~£1500, probably slightly less.

Canyon worth a look too.

Mates got the new Ribble 2011 Sportive and really likes it!

Just specced the Ribble sportive with Ultegra and Fulcrum 7 and comes out at £1500 – £1100 base model with Sora etc.

Have you also looked at Kinesis?

£1000 frame if you already have some road kit?

2011 3.1 for £1100…

http://www.alpinebikes.com/shop/trek/madone-31-c-h2-2011/

Madone frame – nice bits. Maybe spend extra on some nice wheels.

http://www.biketart.com/collections/bikes-road/products/eddy-merckx-emx-1-2011-veloce

and no one has yet mentioned the boardman team carbon, I keep looking at them and lusting, must rresist!!