I’m looking to build a new summer road bike with an emphasis on speed and lack of weight. I want to do a nice build as I’ll keep it for a few years but I can’t afford big bucks at the moment (uni) so I’d like to keep it around £1k – 1.5. I cant stop looking at the ribble r872 and sportive racing for value, looks and weight, can I do any better than that?

This being STW… Giant Defy Advanced 1 🙂

Slightly over budget but a lovely bike. If you want something racier get the equivalent TCR or Propel.

Seriously though, get out there and test ride a few and see what you like and don’t like. Don’t get too hung up on the value thing, if you’re out on a hilly 100 there are much more important things than whether it has a 105 or an Ultegra rear mech.

Also loads of wise words in this thread. To quote TiRed…

Depends what you are looking for. I’d say for 4/5 riders a Defy will be the answer (and have three in the stable from low to highest spec), but…

Want something racier – get a Cannondale CAAD8
Want something racier and spendier – get an alloy TCR
Want something racier and even more spendier – get a CAAD10 (Di2 for £1700!)
Want something carbon – get a Dolan
Want something carbon and spendier – get a Defy Advanced
Want something carbon, spendier AND racier – get a Propel
Want something steel – plenty of choices
Want something cyclocrossier – get a CAADX and some spare wheels for road.
Want something Italian – get a De Rosa Milanino
etc…

I have had an 872 for the last two years now and love the bloody thing. Have used it for everything from club runs, tri’s and 100 plus mile days.

Run mine with Ultegra and a decent of rims and it weighs in at around 6.75kg so is silly light but is also comfortable. IF your local to Kent you are more than welcome to try it.

I had an e-mail about there 2 Planet-X jobs arrive in my inbox recently. To my eye they both look like very good value to me:
RT-58 with Ultergra
Nanolight with Rival

In fact, looking again, this looks good as well:
RT-58 with Force

Got a Sportive Bianco a couple of years ago and it’s been entirely brilliant, I’d definitely get another Ribble if I was looking for a roadie

My mates got an 872, it looks really good in the vfleash and he rates it, very good value for money.

What mrblobby said but I’ve just bought Defy Advanced 1 so maybe a little biased.

If it’s over budget then the Advanced 2 is £1399 with 105 instead of Ultegra.
I would recommend Pedalon Cycles as you’ll get loads of freebies using their Podium Points system which you could sell on and bring the price down further, brilliant service from them too.

Bit of a left field choice but how about a sensa from merlin cycles ? They’re a Dutch company who don’t get a lot of attention in this country but highly regarded in Europe. Got a sensa romagna myself and couldn’t rate it highly enough. For your requirements and budget the sensa Aquillia would be right up your street. Carbon frame and forks, full ultegra weighing in at a feathery 6.3kgs (14lb in old money)
http://www.merlincycles.com/sensa-aquila-sl-custom-road-bike-ultegra-compact-2015-74091.html

I’d avoid Ribble as they’re beginners bikes and they look horrible.

Buying an off the shelf bike could be classed as a bit boring, if you’ve built it yourself you can get it just right, and you’ll be more inclined to keep it for a few years no doubt.

Buying a bike with disc brakes instantly marks you out as a poor bike handler/descender (i.e. ex mountain biker) and proper roadies will avoid riding with you.

You could get one of these frames

https://www.canyon.com/en/roadbikes/bike.html?b=3578 or the Ultimate Al, but it’s a bit more expensive.

Budget about £400 for a decent set of wheels (Ksyrium Elites or Archetypes on DT 350s from JRA)

£50 for some tyres

£30 for bars

£30 for a stem

Get a second hand saddle as you’ll probably change it anyway

Then get whatever groupset you fancy. If you’re going Shimano, get 6800. SRAM Rival is usually pretty light. You may even be able to afford a Campag Athena/Chorus mix if you’re lucky.

Also, one of these frames if you fancy something a bit different. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genesis-Volare-00-Road-Reynolds-631-Frame-Carbon-Fork-Team-Colours-/161504709412?pt=UK_Health_Beauty_Fragrances_Women_s_Fragrances_PP&var=&hash=item259a6e4b24

At Davidtaylforth,

WTF are you on. Yet another kin brand snob. Ribble is not a beginners bike at all, they offer great value for money and I have yet to meet anyone that says the R872 looks horrible.

I suggest you take a look at the bike tests and reviews and see which bikes usually come out on top for the price range.

I got a Ribble R872. It is a superb bike.
It is a lot better than the money suggests.

The cheaper Ribbles do look kinda naff … the R872 looks pretty good though (ok, I am biased) and it is certainly responsive to ride.

WTF are you on. Yet another kin brand snob. Ribble is not a beginners bike at all, they offer great value for money and I have yet to meet anyone that says the R872 looks horrible.

Sorry, but I think you’ll find they look awful. As per most carbon frames these days, they look out of proportion with shallow wheels aswell.

Ribbles may be good bikes, personally I wouldn’t buy from them because they seem amateurish.

The op’s a student so doesn’t need the belly room of a defy.

Go for whatever’s got a full carbon fork decent wheels and decent groupset and is a nice colour/design you think you’ll like in five years.

No need for a test ride either, you should know your size and a test will only tell you how psi is in the tyres.

Canyon cf SL?

Almost got one myself but a defy came up cheap at lbs.

I should have said I’m ideally looking at carbon and want to build myself.

The lure of a niche brand is high but I’m a mountain biker at heart so just looking for value for money. I like the look of Ribble bikes and don’t buy into the ‘amateur’ thing at all, they make plenty of popular bikes that mags and riders rate, simple as. Looks like it might be a R872.

I don’t know why but I’ve never lusted after a Defy, solid and brilliant as they are

So davidtaylforth, have you actually ever seen one in the flesh or ridden one?

bookwyse, I think you’ve just confirmed his views!

Don’t mean the frames theyve just bought them from some clever folk who know what their doing, my critism was from personal experience of the people not the goods.

Isn’t the r872 a de rosa without the price tag?

Ribble are fine if you’re thirty something, have just got into road cycling, don’t have a clue about bikes and want something that “looks the part”

The OP is a student, he’s young and probably cool/fashionable. I think he’s after something a bit better than a Ribble.

mrblobby – Member
bookwyse, I think you’ve just confirmed his views!

😀

I think that looks stunning. I bet Merckx wouldn’t sling a leg over it though.

I should have said I’m ideally looking at carbon and want to build myself.

Pick the correct frame, and the material is irrelevant.

I think it’s the wheel decals, the chainset, bar and hood position, the uncut stem, I’ve not even really noticed the frame.

Edit..

Pick the correct frame, and the material is irrelevant.

He is right. Check out framesets like the Kinesis Aithein or the Bowman Palace. I’d rather either of those over the Ribble. Admittedly a bit more cash.

😀

I think the colour coded QR skewers are a nice touch though.

Cheers David, A lot can look wrong but if some can llok right.

I agree that they are not mainstream and hence the big boys wont be seen on them, the 872 is a De Rosa frame though and are bloody comfortable and great value.

Lots uninformed comment on this thread. The people critcising the 872…. Have you owned/ ridden one? Looks are a personal thing….

I’m in the same boat as the OP budget wise, could stretch a bit more but I’m upgrading from a Ribble as I got a New Sportive Racing about 3 years ago, which I’ve loved but I’m just not ‘feeling’ it anymore. It may be from the hours I’ve spent on it on the turbo over the last few months or it could be I’m after something a bit more racier but I can’t look past the 872 in terms of VFM, plus as has already been pointed out it’s a De Rosa just with different stickers.

I can’t look past the 872 in terms of VFM, plus as has already been pointed out it’s a De Rosa just with different stickers.

Yes, but it’s not just the stickers though is it?

It’s everything else goes with the De Rosa name; the history, the heritage, the racing pedigree, the Italian style etc.

You don’t get that with the Ribble!

Yes that’s true enough, but then that’s one for the bike snobs IMO. I’m just looking for best bang for buck in the £1.5k to £2k max price range.

EDIT: Plus even after riding the Ribble for 3 years I’d still class myself as a newbie when it comes to road bikes so have no idea what I’m after for my next bike.

I’d also add to my previous suggestions that the Giant TCR is looking better value than ever – Giant are pushing the Propel/Defy lines so hard that they are effectively subsidising the TCR. A real race bike that is all-day comfortable.

I race a Propel and ride long distances on a Defy. The TCR would be a bike to do either almost as well as each.

But for value – nothing beats a Di2 CAAD10 for £1600 from paulscycles

bjj.andy.w – Member
Bit of a left field choice but how about a sensa from merlin cycles ? They’re a Dutch company who don’t get a lot of attention in this country but highly regarded in Europe. Got a sensa romagna myself and couldn’t rate it highly enough. For your requirements and budget the sensa Aquillia would be right up your street. Carbon frame and forks, full ultegra weighing in at a feathery 6.3kgs (14lb in old money)
http://www.merlincycles.com/sensa-aquila-sl-custom-road-bike-ultegra-compact-2015-74091.html

I do like that, a lot of bike for that money. Wheels are £550 alone. Bookmarked for future sale watching.

Why do you want to build it rather than buy off the peg? The R872 is not an exceptional weight, and the weight of a full build will be dictated by your budget, which is not massive. An R872 built to 105/Aksium spec will be about 8kg and cost you about £1.5k. Pretty standard for the price level.

Have a look at the Canyon Ultimate AL SLX for £1499. All good kit and at 7.5kg, an extremely respectable weight for the price.

Also consider letting go of your weight hangup and focus on a frame with some pedigree (imho) that will merit upgrades, such as you get with a Cannondale Supersix, CAAD10, or something of that ilk.

edit: Holy crap buy the CAAD10 Ultegra Di2 from Pauls Cycles. £1649. Just do it.

Wheels are £550 alone. Bookmarked for future sale watching.

The picture (and 6.3kg claimed weight) is of the £3k Dura-Ace model, not the Ultegra on-sale model.

Some great advice on here thanks again, lots to think over. It might be worth bumping my budget a little to find something I really desire.

I do like the Kinesis frame, does anyone have one that can give me an idea of what they are like over longer distances comfort wise?

with which tyres and at what pressure and for what weight rider?

I’ve a R872 with full ultegra and Kysirium wheels, its 8.5kg. was £1592 of yer english pounds.

Nice bike, comfy, and stiff. It’s a road bike, y’know? there’s nowt special about them, but it does the job. There’s probably equally nice bikes out there if you want to look, but you wouldn’t be disappointed with it.

Wheels are £550 alone. Bookmarked for future sale watching.
The picture (and 6.3kg claimed weight) is of the £3k Dura-Ace model, not the Ultegra on-sale model.

Sorry, my mistake 😳 Still a good buy for the money though.

Was in a similar situation, bought my first roady about a year ago. Had a good look around and read reviews and ended up going for a Focus Cayo 4. Very happy with it as are most reviewers, great all rounder.

Upgraded most parts on it now, wheelset worth doing, upgraded to Ultegra which in hindsight was a bit of a waste, 105 seemed on par and not much weight saved. The Cayo can hold its own against much more expensive bikes out there IMO. Currently sitting about 7.5kgs for the 54 with pedals and cages.

As others have said you should consider keeping some cash to get a decent saddle and possible stem/seatpost changes to get it positioned correctly. I lost circulation to some import items after first couple of rides!

Giants are producing some nice looking good value bikes also.

Why do you want to build it rather than buy off the peg?

I suspect it could work out a fair bit cheaper with wisely selected components.

But there are some amazing bargains around for full bikes, and it’s much less hassle.

If self-building and I couldn’t find any suitably discounted frames, I’d be tempted by a high-end secondhand F&F and finishing kit, with new groupset (105 or ultegra) & wheels (ultegra or superstar pave).

I had a ribble 872 ordered last year and after a long wait and constant delays on the bike I cancelled … Glad I did in the end as I seen one up close at a race and it wasn’t pretty 🙁

I picked up a nearly new tcr advanced sl for less than the new ribble would have cost 🙂

I’d say get a tcr .. The alloy sl giant has a very very light frame so don’t discount alloy either .. I have an old alloy tcr and its comfier than any carbon bike I’ve owned ..