Been liking the idea of a road bike recently, been told that a sportive bike would be more comfortable for the road rather than a full stretched out racer. I ride XC and downhill mainly but like the idea of a road bike for those nice evenings after work and weekend rides. Would steel or alu be better?

Never had a road bike before, don’t mind buying second hand either. Budget of around £300 second hand.

Pretty much dead on 6ft so would be looking at a 58cm frame?

Thanks

Merida do sportive models +the new Trek Domanies.Not that cheap though.

Pretty much dead on 6ft so would be looking at a 58cm frame?

Hard to say for sure but Trek, Specialized etc. I reckon you’d want a 56

Something like a S/H Spesh Allez or a Trek 1500 would serve you well

The difference between a ‘sportive’ bike and a ‘fully stretched out racer’ is the same as the difference between a B and a C cup. In other words, not something that you need to worry about.

It tends to be a centimetre or two on the length of the head tube, plus a considerable degree of marketing BS.

Maybe see if you can pick up a second hand Specialized Secteur, it’s based on their more expensive Roubaix model and has a slightly more comfort rather than race orientated geometry.

have a look at the giant defy great bike and you can also fit real mud guards.

Models to look out for that will fit the bill… (note, this is not exhaustive, but just some well known good quality bikes)

Giant Defy
Merida Ride Lite
Specialized Secteur
Cannondale Synapse

Some of the suggestions here will stretch his £300 budget somewhat

Orbea do some good ‘entry’ level bikes, £300 second hand may be obtainable if you look around.

There will be plenty second hand ones soon enough, sales went ballistic after the ‘summer’ success , once a lot of these people realise its ‘not for them’ –they wil be selling them off cheap.

crikey – you’ev forgotten the “jack and the beanstalk” head tubes?

OP I’d just try a few bikes. Buying a first road bike without trying is asking for problems.

You could just flip the stem on any old ‘racer’ to get a more upright ‘sportive’ position

I have been on the lookout for all of the above and under 300 is very very difficult

Decathlon triban 3 seems the best option IMO at 300 new

another vote here for the triban as the only new purchase worth considering at this price level

aside from that find something decent second hand and don’t worry about the sportive side of things too much

oh and I really hated the specialised secteur when I rode it…

A guy I used to ride with had a Viking Roma which wasn’t bad at all for sub £300 new.

Sportive or not, getting the right fit is important. I had a Giant in a 54cm frame, it felt too stretched, uncomfortable. I swapped to a shorter stem. Still horrible.

When looking for a new road bike, the shop recommended a Trek in a 56cm and I was doubtful – something even bigger.

But it was much more comfortable and it was superb until it got nicked last month.

Get a specialized allez, there good and theres lots about. Its not about the bike dont ya know.

Treks come up small i have 54cm Trek all my road bikes in the past have been 52cm.As said above try 1st.Giants have different sizing to alot.You can easily make a mistake.Find a good shop.

Trek give a larger frame size compared to other manufacturers because of the way they measure, I was a 56 cm in Trek and a 53 cm on a Boardman and a 54 cm on a Giant.

Large Giant Defy should suit your needs perfectly.

a first road bike, decathlon do one called the triban 3, it’s 300 quid and if it had other brand names written on it you’d pay about 500, they are all you’d need for a first bike.

Kudos to edhornby for reading the op and none of the replies to the thread

it’s a gift 🙂

Another vote for Specialized Allez, I’m 5’11” and a 56cm fits me perfectly.

Halfords were selling off the TDF for around this pricemark the other week… Perfectly good bike, that, seemed pretty much on a par with the Triban.