Road Bike Advice - I know it's wrong.

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Road Bike Advice - I know it's wrong.

23 posts & 19 voices | Started 11 months ago by stevemalone | Latest reply from matthewjb

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stevemalone - Member

Hi,

I'm getting old and my AC joint it not playing so I'm going road until it's better.

Got a grand to spend on CTW scheme and I can have....

Boardman Team Alu
Cannondale CAAD 8 105
Cube Attempt Compact
Tifosi CK3 or CK7
Cinelli Experience Veloce
Dolan Mythos with Apex
Dolan Preffisio Rival / Askium
Cannondale Synapse Alloy 105

I know nothing about road bikes, I want to do some all day 100+ milers, 'touring' as such (riding to a town nicer than Coventry, which is anywhere, staying overnight, riding home) will carry kit on my back and want go quick, time trails (10 and 25') and these sportive race things.. And, I'll be doing 30-40 miles to work and back each day. I would describe my fitness as 'good/very good', I'm 74kg and 6'1 - 33.5" leg.

Any advice welcome.

Cheers

Steve

Posted 11 months ago #
steve_b77 - Member

If you're doing longer rides and have a dodgy AC (what ever that is?) maybe the more relaxed handling & riding position of the Synapse is the best option.

My mate has just got a CAAD 10 105, great bike but quite racy. His BB is also creaking good style after around 200 miles!!!

Posted 11 months ago #
Onzadog - Member

If you're having ac issues and plan on doing 100 plus mile rides, I'd go with a rack and pannier. Even for my 8 mile commute it feels loads better.

Posted 11 months ago #
globalti - Member

What was the basis for your list? Budget?

You can spell and punctuate so you must be in at least your forties, maybe older. As a 55 y.o. who after 22 years of mountain biking has recently made the break into the vast horizons and the finesse and subtlety of road riding, my strong advice would be to go for the bike with the most "sportiff" geometry, i.e. built for older riders who don't want an arse-in-the-air position. Then go for at least a carbon fork, if possible all carbon and if not, all steel in preference to all aluminium. I ride a Spesh Roubaix and it's like an armchair.

Posted 11 months ago #
boxelder - Member

Globalti +1

Posted 11 months ago #
mollski - Member

ive got a brand new giant defy 2 never used 55.5 frame ,any good to you lol

Posted 11 months ago #
stevemalone - Member

Thank you all. I'm 30 but my mum done good dragging me up. I'll still ride mountain once my shoulder is fully repaired. It's not painful or unstable, I just can't hit another tree at 30mph for a few weeks.

The limitation is a £1000 CTW budget and the bikes listed are the best of what Halfords can order in. I want to do some racing as well as longer more relaxed rides so an in-between would be good.

I have sat on a Boardman - Feels good, I'm not a brand snob so the name does not bother me and given every review is excellent (including a long term test) I'm confident they are good.

The 'dale does seem a bit harsher that the Boardman but everyone tells me the frames are keepers for life and by far the best. The kit is almost the same, Boardman gets Mavic, Cannondale Alex Rims.

The Tifosi is a bit cheaper but the kit is not quite as good and it seems a bit heavy.

The rest are unknown.. I know Cube are generally OK in a Ford like way.

Posted 11 months ago #
Jamie - Member

ive got a brand new giant defy 2 never used 55.5 frame ,any good to you lol

Ok, is 'lol' now a form of punctuation?

Posted 11 months ago #
Haze - Member

It's not 'wrong'

Posted 11 months ago #
uponthedowns - Member

They're all good bikes. Just pick the one that fits you best and you like the look of. If that doesn't narrow it down enough then pick the one one with the lightest wheels. Don't be swayed by "Sportive" geometry. Normal road bike geometry is not bum in the air and once you get fitter and stronger you may well find a sportive bike riding position too upright.

Posted 11 months ago #
carbon337 - Member

The synapse 105 is all about comfort.

I commute and do club riding and I quite fancy the Boardman Team but no C2W and I dont have 1k lying around so will stick with my £75 job that i got from here and continue beating madones on club Time Trials.

Posted 11 months ago #
rocket - Member

I've got a Tifosi CK7 - its been a great bike, but as you say fairly heavy, and with pretty leisurely geometry. As its a bit cheaper than the others, its lower specced too. Its marketed as a winter trainer / audax bike. Good for the long distance and tour stuff you mention, maybe less suitable for the TTs and sportives. Being fairly new to road riding I found the geometry fine at first, but as your body gets used to the position on the bike I'm starting to hanker after something a little sportier and lighter. From your list I'd go for the boardman or cube. They both have a good rep for value. Shame you can't get Canyons on btw as they look good value too. I think the grey boardman looks coolest, so as long as it fits that would be my decision made

Posted 11 months ago #
njee20 - Member

so will stick with my £75 job that i got from here and continue beating madones on club Time Trials.

The Madone's not a TT bike, start beating Speed Concepts if you want to boast. Mind you I'm not sure beating a bike is achievement, I find beating riders better.

They presumably don't do the £1000 Carbon Boardman any more? I'd still be inclined to get the Boardman, they've got a relatively long head tube so it's not going to be super steep, but not too relaxed either.

Posted 11 months ago #
matthewjb - Member

In a similar position to you I got a Trek 2.1

But as others have said, you need to test drive.

My local bike shop accepted the Halfords voucher so I didn't have to order it blind. It may be worth seeing if you can do something similar.

Posted 11 months ago #
winterfold - Member

if you find the Cannondale stiff on a test, then it will be a bugger after 100 miles on shitty roads. You are light for your height - properly roady light actually so stiff frames will feel just that

i question the wisdom in carrying a pack that big on long rides.

However a bike you can out rack and panniers on wont be so good for getting a good TT position. Although it wont hold you back on your first goes either.

Difficult...

Does anyone do an audax style bike for that money?

Something like this would cover all your bases http://www.dawescycles.com/p-110-audax-sport.aspx you could do evens in a TT on that I am sure.

EDit acutally the Tifosi CK7 is an audax kind of bike isnt it?

Further edit 30 - getting old?

Posted 11 months ago #
epicsteve - Member

They presumably don't do the £1000 Carbon Boardman any more?

The 2011 Team Carbon is £1300 list. I think the 2010 one was £1200 list but later in the year sold for £1000 much of the time (it was down to £900 when I bought mine).

I'm got a 2010 Team Carbon in medium that's probably now surplus to requirements (I've got a Roubaix as well now) if anyone wants to make me an offer.

Posted 11 months ago #
richc - Member

Wiggle have a deal on the Charge Juicers, if you fancy a more relaxed steel road bike

Posted 11 months ago #
stevemalone - Member

Thanks folks, all good advice. I spoke to a roadie I work with who imparted some Yoda like wisdom. He pointed out that one can do long distance stuff in leisure on the flats (top of bars) of a road bike as the sort of roads used rarely require finger on the brakes type stuff and a 25ltr back pack holds enough for 1-2 nights away. But if I got a audax I would soon get frustrated trying to race / TT it with the heavier wheels / overall weight and upright position. This pearl has narrowed it down to:

CAAD 8
Boardman Team ALU
Cube Attempt
Dolan Mythos bottom range SRAM kit version.

They all feel pretty much the same over short tests, CAAD is 'firm' but apparently is transformed with a carbon post and better saddle. Boardman is also firm (both BB30), feels a bit quicker off the mark.
Cube feels like it is the Mondeo here, bit more upright but still racy, accelerates very quickly and the finishing kit is nice. Dolan is the steepest one and only goes up to 56cm so not ideal, probably avoid it.

The Cinelli was nice, Campag stuff felt really good (better than 105) but the top tube made me feel a bit squashed and upright even on a 58 (33.5" leg) with a 110mm stem, just felt a bit odd and the harshest of the lot upon my butt.

Boardman seems to just pip Cube kit wise, Cannondale makes a few more sacrifices kit wise but is probably the best frame... Any owners give an opinion

These are the only bikes I can get from Halfords.. Who was it took the voucher????

Discuss....

Posted 11 months ago #
mboy - Member

Who was it took the voucher????

On One/Planet X do (or at least used to) take Halfords vouchers.

How tall are you by the way? Some good bikes only come in limited sizes, some come in all the sizes under the sun!

Was out on my recently purchased Giant Defy 2 this afternoon, staggers me just how good it was for £700 that I paid. I've ridden a few road bikes of other peoples, and owned a much better specced bike before too, but none have suited me quite so well. Also, the Tiagra on it just seems to work way better than the gears on any £700 MTB would, and the shape of it (with a slightly more upright position) fits me superbly.

Posted 11 months ago #
Bez - Member

Can't speak for the others but Cannondales are good frames - had a 5 and now a 9. Personally I don't believe changing the seatpost makes much difference to comfort (and I've replaced the stock one with a carbon one, but only because it was too short for me), but letting a few psi out of the rear tyre does make a world of difference (you may even want to use a 25mm tyre on the rear for extra comfort). Centuries on the Cannondales don't seem especially bad - haven't felt more beaten up on it than I have on, say, a steel tourer.

Posted 11 months ago #
uponthedowns - Member

Well you've done exactly the right thing trying all the bikes.

Some may say the Cannondale is the best frame but the ride will be influenced by wheels, fork, bars and seat tube and as you've found the combo on the Cannondale feels much the same as the others. I reckon its best to go for better components rather than a marginally better frame. Some will tell you to get the Cannondale as you can upgrade the components later but road bike stuff lasts for ages compared to MTB components so you could you'll be waiting years for it to wear out so you can upgrade.

I think from what you've said the Boardman is the bike for you. No point asking owners as its unlikely anyone has owned all three or even two of the bikes and those who do own one are unlikely to give you an unbiased view.

Posted 11 months ago #
TenMen - Member

I got the Boardman about a week ago, and I've loved riding it. It feels really, really fast to ride, and it's very smooth and very comfy. As long as you don't mind a 15yr old on work experience building it...

Posted 11 months ago #
matthewjb - Member

These are the only bikes I can get from Halfords.. Who was it took the voucher????

Missed this question earlier.

My local shop is Chevin Cycles in Otley.

But when I got mine Halfords had a list of dealers who would take the vouchers.

Posted 11 months ago #

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