as above really, like the look of the sensa bikes on merlin, was holding out for a drossiger but they are all sold out.

any recommendations for a newbie to the road…

BTwin Triban 5 is a nice bike for the money, it even comes with clipless pedals

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-5-id_8167039.html

New Boardman? Specialized Allez? Trek somethingorother? Ribble? All should be decent enough if the geometry suits…

mmmm not looked at the ribbles, will go off to look, @jonk, that looks ok but doesn’t quite float my boat.

Have one of the Sensas from Merlin and really like it. It’s the Umbria-Tiagra one. I looked at a Ribble audax and a Doolan which might actually have made more sense as you can get mud-guards on them easily. Mind you I don’t have anything to compare it to as it’s my first road bike.

Merida race lite 900
Good bike, I don’t own it but I’ve done a fair amount of looking and reading
You get;
Tapered Headtube
Full Carbon Fork
Fairly standard gemo’ apparently
Standard groupset for that price range
review
specs

I looked at an Allez, the £550 version but really the one worth getting looks like the £725 model.

Discussed it with a bike shop owner and the allez used to be more value for the money apparently, obviously he was biased as they stocked Treks.

If you feel confident enough, you might be better off second hand.

Cannondale Caad 8 or Synapse..Amazing frames

@mike will look at that cheers.

@wallop 2nd hand would be good, all my mtb’s are cobbled together from 2nd hand bits, i have been looking around but can’t seem to find anything locally (southwest based).
must try harder!
will look at the dales, NS cheers,

Had a similar thread my self
£1000 but then Christmas came along and my budget to a hit…

Still might be valuable, just look at the lower models.

cheers Mike, looking aorund there seems to be a massive shift in spec etc if you go around £700 so may look around that price and stretch myself a bit…will also look around the local roadie clubs for some 2nd hand goodness.