Anyone got any suggestions, something for a bit of training, maybe a 20 mile commute.

Was looking at Genesis bikes, anybody got any experience / opinoins on them?

Cheers.

I cant comment on genesis but I bought the carbon boardman road bike for 1p under £1k and use it daily to commute…..hasnt skipped a beat for the last 14months, money well spent (not bling but does the job perfectly for me)

http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/CBPXSLPSP/sl-pro-carbon-sport

planet-x are doing a full carbon with SRAM rival for £999, that’s pretty good value.

I plumped for the Cannondale CAAD9 in team colours. Its only aluminium but its very light, beautifully welded and not at all harsh. In the team colours it looks mint as well 8)

The spec was only Tiagra, but its a frame I will keep for as long as I can, and definitely warrants some pimp upgrades over time.

However I’ve always had some deep-seated and totally unjustifiable aversion to Carbon…

I bought a Forme Vittesse, they are normally £999 and have full 105 groupset which is usually on £1500+ bikes. Done a few miles on it now and comfy as for a newbie.

I got mine for £650 shop soiled which was a mega bargain 😀

+1 for caad 9 also looks good in black.

All the aluminium Giant Defy’s come in at under £1k. A riding friend of mine has just had a 3 or 4, with Sora. For the money I have to say it is a very nice bike. I think he paid £600 for the basic bike. Giant also make a specific set of mudguards for it. A bit like a beefed up Crud Road Racer. Personally I’d go for a 1 to get the Tiagra groupset.

I have a Planet X Pro Carbon SL with Ultegra and it is a really good bike. I bought it thinking I’d only use it occasionally in summer, but due to being out of work and getting in a leisure ride club I am now riding all year round. I’m a little concerned with how well the carbon will hold up under winter grit. If I knew what I know now I’d go ally with guard clearance, something like the Ribble Audax/Winter bike. I think you can spec one of these up with 105 for less than a grand. A few fellas I ride with have these for their winter/light tour bikes and they again are very good.

I’m a little concerned with how well the carbon will hold up under winter grit

why?

genuine q. i have seen a few aluminium winter bikes and they are a state. i’d have thought carbon would be ace for a winter bike (if i win the lotto!)

Cheers for the responses.

Winter bike / summer bike? What’s that all about for road bikes then? can’t I get something that does both?

Bianchi Via Nirone’s are good under a grand bikes. Look great, ride great.

When the Boardman Team Carbon was under a grand the debate was pretty much closed. I bought it on the C2W scheme intending to keep it as my commuter / winter bike. However, it was that good that I ended up flogging a far more expensive carbon race bike, as I knew it just wasn’t going to get used any more.

Downsides?
– Watch the sizing – they come up a little on the large side (medium has a 55cm effective TT)
– Wheels are a bit of a drag: aero, but heavy. Apart from that most of the equipment is very good.
– You’ll invariably get comments from bike snobs about riding a Halfords bike.

It’s now £1200, which means it’s not quite the same value it was, but still a very, very good buy.

For under a grand, the Planet X SL Pro is the best value for money at the moment.

Seeing as you say ‘about a grand’ rather than ‘under a grand’, I’d go with the Boardman, but both will offer you a great ride with plenty of potential to upgrade in the future.

Have a look at ribble, I’m very pleased with mine.