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Yep that’ll do. Is it 6.8kg though, oh no.
No, but at 7.6kg, it's pretty respectable, especially for a disc bike.
Or, to put it another way, not 9.3kg like some other similar bikes mentioned in this thread!
epicsteve
Member
Or, and perhaps more likely, a reasonably specified Enigma Etape, as that’d be around £5K with Ultegra Di2, discs and Hunt wheels. It’d also probably be heavier than my current road bikes.
I built one of those up a couple of years ago for club rides. It's got Force, some nice Hunts and SPYRES! It weighs a couple of kilos more than the light tackle but rides lovely... and can take a mudguard without zen levels of origami... Disappointingly, it isn't that much nicer than a CAADX I've had a couple of years longer. They weigh and ride very similarly. The CAADX has been updated with lighter/nicer wheels and full 105. It probably cost 20% - 25% of the Etape but matches it for FUN and I don't stress about dinging it either...
Yep that’ll do. Is it 6.8kg though, oh no.
No, but at 7.6kg, it’s pretty respectable, especially for a disc bike.
Or, to put it another way, not 9.3kg like some other similar bikes mentioned in this thread!
I don't buy that it's 7.6kg either. My S-Works is 7.17 and that Expert is carrying 300g more in the frame, 200g more in the cranks/bottom bracket and 300g more in the wheels than the CLX32's I run. I reckon it's at least 8.2kg with pedals on.
Jebus! I thought this thread was finished yesterday but now we're on to whether or not "enthusiasts" without adequate core stability deserve teh Aeros or if you have to take up crit racing to justify having a £5k+ swooshy bike?
Blimey it's taken a turn...
You don't need to be a racer to justify a fancy whip IMO, if anything I'd assume the last thing you want to risk on a Crit circuit is a genuinely posh bike. Sportives, club runs, Audax', solo missions, whatever I can't see why you're not allowed a nice (aero) bike if that sort of thing makes up most of your riding rather than racing...
Jebus! I thought this thread was finished yesterday but now we’re on to whether or not “enthusiasts” without adequate core stability deserve teh Aeros or if you have to take up crit racing to justify having a £5k+ swooshy bike?
Don't forget bike fits, you're not allowed a nice bike unless you have one, although in his half dozen repeated posts he didn't mention the minimum number of hours in a wind tunnel....
So as a tangential exercise, imagine you’ve got £5k to spend on a road bike.
What do you buy?
That’s to anyone who wishes to play.
The bike that’s hanging in my hallway, Pegoretti Duende, Campagnolo chorus 11, HED Ardennes flamme rouge, Zipp finishing kit. It’s 10 years old now and on its second wheelset/groupset and been back to Verona for a paint job and new fork. No idea of the cost now but I’m guessing 4.5-5k?
Just weighed it at 8.8kg. Wouldn’t swap it for anything mentioned in this thread that’s lighter. (Apart from the same frame with super record/DA and sub 1400g deeper carbon wheels but this would be double the price I guess).
I don’t get the obsession with weight, if the wheels are light and the frame isn’t dead or a wet noodle then anything under 9 kg isn’t going to feel like you are dragging it around.
He dead int he? 😕
Bit of a contrast to the £4.5k ebike thread. No fighting over spending that on a bike!
Bit of a contrast to the £4.5k ebike thread. No fighting over spending that on a bike!
£4.5K is cheap for a motorbike though...
£4.5K is cheap for a motorbike though…
All my (2nd hand) motorbikes cost less than that!
The only one I miss is the VFR750, such a lovely bike to ride.
Looks like I could get an electric Domane for the £5k so that might be my fantasy £5k bike!
TBH part of me has long toyed with the idea of assembling a cheap bike to have a go at crit racing (Hillingdon is about 45 minutes away). But a bigger part of me assumes that as a late comer/newbie/non-club rider it's potentially just going to have the worst sort of atmosphere, with lots of disposable income on show (being in the SE) and a generally less welcoming vibe, so I've always given it a swerve.
Ultimately I think I'd rather go Cross racing if I needed to scratch a competitive itch these days...
All my (2nd hand) motorbikes cost less than that!
My last new motorbike purchase cost quite a lot less than that. It was only a little Honda Grom to go in the back of the motorhome though!
TBH part of me has long toyed with the idea of assembling a cheap bike to have a go at crit racing (Hillingdon is about 45 minutes away). But a bigger part of me assumes that as a late comer/newbie/non-club rider it’s potentially just going to have the worst sort of atmosphere, with lots of disposable income on show (being in the SE) and a generally less welcoming vibe, so I’ve always given it a swerve.
The vibe at the Crits I marshalled and watched at Redbridge seemed ok to me. It did look pretty tough though, especially as the Redbridge circuit has a fairly nasty hill.
There was a thread a few years back from a couple of guys that were giving crit races a go and that was a good read. They seemed to enjoy it.
TBH part of me has long toyed with the idea of assembling a cheap bike to have a go at crit racing (Hillingdon is about 45 minutes away). But a bigger part of me assumes that as a late comer/newbie/non-club rider it’s potentially just going to have the worst sort of atmosphere, with lots of disposable income on show (being in the SE) and a generally less welcoming vibe, so I’ve always given it a swerve.
There's a saying in crit racing - don't race what you can't afford to replace. The colloquial name for Hillingdon is The Carbon Graveyard.
That said, I've raced there and at Eastway / Lee Valley plus god only knows how many other circuits countless times, marshalled /organised races and I've only ever been in one damaging crash (bent bars) and seen/heard a handful of others. Majority are incident free and enjoyable.
Build up a cheap road bike and have a go, it's great for fitness and a good laugh.
don’t race what you can’t afford to replace.
Very much this for any kind of actual racing; if you want to pose around the lanes or ride to the cafe or have an 'epic' on a sportive when it's spitting, ride what you want.
If you want to race, pick something you can chuck in the back of a car or your team van and crash and train on and not worry about. I was quickest on a 9.2 kg gas pipe tubed alu bike with 32 spoke wheels...
don’t race what you can’t afford to replace.
Well, seeing as we've taken to talking in Specialized bikes, Crit Racing is the whole point of the bikes like the Allez Sprint isn't it?
An affordable bike/frameset, a bit aero-ish, but made of Alluminium so it can take a knock or two.
I mean you can choose to Race Crits on a Venge but you're risking a bit more financially doing so.
Like I said, I half fancied assembling a cheap bike to try crits (some sort of Al frame with whatever gears I could shove on cheaply), but I'm generally put off doing this by much of what I see online which is fellas in club kits thrashing pricey looking bikes about, it's almost as bad as DH...
is fellas in club kits thrashing pricey looking bikes about
But not winning, at least not because of the bike they are on. For an education, go to Belgium where you can race every day of the week. Watch the races and watch the guys who turn up to as many races as they can; they are not on top of the range bikes. Cycle racing has turned from a working class sport to something else in the UK, but we are still not as quick as the guys abroad.
Why would it bother you what other people race on? Race what you want to race on and **** everybody else's choice.
It's not the value of the bikes and kit, it's the atmosphere that comes with it.
I've just found that when a competitive discipline picks up that undercurrent of "loadsamoney" it tends to kill it a bit for me.
I used to happily chuck together crappy DH bikes and do a few local races, trundle over to Wales and do a dragon now and then, and it was a friendly enough scene, you'd see a few people you knew who'd made the same trip, have a laugh, not worry about results or the fact that you were on a scrapper, but it seemed to change noticeably about a decade ago, more and more 'poker faces' and very little friendly conversation, it started to feel like you were "in the way" of the people who'd spent significantly more on the sport...
Kids were a natural point to have a break from that, and I've no inclination to go back to racing any sort of MTB now.
Most of my miles are on the road/gravel bikes and as I slide into my 40's it's natural enough to want to pick up some sort of related casual racing habit again...
From what I can tell Crit racing (at least in the SE) has some of the same hallmarks as DH and that sadly puts me off.
The couple of CX races I've done have been a totally different affair, friendly, all sorts of levels of finance on display and a generally excellent vibe from everyone.
If you can be shit and still have a good time the format works IMO.
Maybe it is just me, I am very much on the outside looking in when it comes to Crit racing, no club, no history with road racing in general, I just get the feeling it's increasingly awash with Cash-rich, hyper competitive types and the atmosphere such personalities tend to bring (odd perhaps to worry about such things if you're talking about racing).
I could probably afford to crash my current road bike in a race, I don't want to but it wouldn't be the end of the world... But do I really want to chance it for a type of racing that I might not end up enjoying?
Maybe I'll give it a go at some point.
All irrelevant, certainly until CV19 is finished with us, and a bit of a tangent from the original topic...
Why would it bother you what other people race on
I love the sound of the expensive carbon breaking in the morning. I’ve raced a lot and went to carbon only after leaving the fourth cat carnage. But if you’re a vet, we don’t crash so your di2 sworks is standard fayre. My race bike is about the headline budget. Propel SL (no discs) non Di2 ultegra and some very fast wheels. It’s been down the road a couple of times but not seriously smashed.
The best bike doesn’t get raced.
Cycle racing has turned from a working class sport to something else in the UK, but we are still not as quick as the guys abroad.
Many say it's become like the new golf attracting >35 year old middle-class men inspired by the asthmatic Sir Bradley "never used a needle" Wiggins.
In that sense, they all like to fawn over the kit turning cycling into part sporting activity part act of consumerism.
I'm no innocent myself, and back in the mid to late 00's - when I was earning a lot of money -certainly spent more on bikes that I should have (although not to bonkers levels). I've definitely learned my lesson from that and pay only a modicum of attention to the gear now. I don't need XTR or exotic carbon frames or Hope stuff to have fun; whether my stem weighs 90 g or 100 g makes virtually no difference to anything really. I feel lucky to be riding as it is after stopping for 7 years due to back problems which I thought had ended my cycling. Having said that I would never ride a Boardman :D.
Having said that I would never ride a Boardman
There are some very nice Boardman road bikes!
It looks bland, but it rides well enough and - judging by the figures bandied around here - is comparable with £5k bikes on weight (8.2kg on my scale, with pedals).
Cost me around £1,300 after factoring in the carbon wheel & tubeless tyre upgrade.
t looks bland, but it rides well enough and – judging by the figures bandied around here – is comparable with £5k bikes on weight (8.2kg on my scale, with pedals).
Same here - my SLR Endurance 9.4, with Di2 and discs, is 8.2kg on my scales and was only £2.5K. Ok, not as pretty as say a Tarmac but not a bad looking bike either:
That's pretty light if it includes pedals, cages, computer mount etc. Is it aero, does it have carbon mid sections and does it weigh 6.8kg? No? Eeeee aawwww, donkey fail. Doesn't meet OP spec 😁 Oh and it's not £5k 😉
hat’s pretty light if it includes pedals, cages, computer mount etc. Is it aero, does it have carbon mid sections and does it weigh 6.8kg?
Not a clue what'd weigh with 2 full bottles and the pack (which even has a small lock in it). Hell of a lot more than 8.2kg though! Definitely wouldn't get anywhere close to the "my bike cost loads and is the same weight as a TDF bike/boasting on the internet" required spec anyway!
Ok, not as pretty as say a Tarmac but not a bad looking bike either:
That saddle bag though, I assume that's for a 2 day bike packing trip 😉
That saddle bag though, I assume that’s for a 2 day bike packing trip
I don't tend to carry anything other than my phone in my jersey pockets so there are 2 tubes, a mini-tool, a small lock and a puncture repair kit in there. And with that one admittedly I probably could get sandwiches and loads more in there as well!
And with that one admittedly I probably could get sandwiches and loads more in there as well!
Buffet lunch for 12? 😁 I don't like my pockets being full either but it's a toss up between that and 'baggate'...
Anyhoo Ben, what's the conclusion to all this research?
My aero bike cost me £2900, weighs 7.5kgs with pedals, bottle cage and wahoo mount. It does have a TDF level frame. Purchased new direct from the manufacturer. I’d guess about 7.2kgs without those bits. It’s Ultegra Di2 so a lower group set than the pros use and clinchers not tubs.
My previous race bike was way under 6.8kgs, all in I paid under £4K (rrp is a lot more). Also a TDF level frame. The previous bike I had was weighed on proper scales, current bike is the non scientific stood on bathroom scales.
I remember a few years ago having similar silly comments about people’s bikes not really weighing under 7kgs. My previous bike was the same as used by a pro team and they had to add ballast. The only difference was mine was mechanical dura ace rather than Di2.
I’m thinking I’d like to lose some weight from the current race bike. Just a different cassette could save me close to 100 grams, maybe lighter pedals as well. Should get the total weight down to about 7.2kgs for not massive spend.
Im sure I could save a heap of weight off mine....
But I've not once felt the weight of the bike is holding me back so it'd be wasted money.
I spent 2.5k on bike 500 on my kickr core and a chunk on a week in Porto polensa . Seemed more useful to me than buying the Di 2 ISP hi mod framed model of my bike
Don't do as I did last weekend and find out you have not out the co2 inflator back in your saddle bag......had tube , anchovies /boot and multitool but no means to inflate which could have been fun
Having said that I would never ride a Boardman :D.
Haha, well played 😝😝 . Let’s face it they are only nice for the money, like a Dacia Duster.
but it seemed to change noticeably about a decade ago, more and more ‘poker faces’ and very little friendly conversation, it started to feel like you were “in the way” of the people who’d spent significantly more on the sport…
Have to say I agree with this and I feel sorry for any riders trying to get into any form of racing really. I’m well beyond beginner but I imagine it’s quite intimidating. The MTB marathon series have a nice atmosphere and race feeling, without being a race, so are a bit more laid back.
Don’t do as I did last weekend and find out you have not out the co2 inflator back in your saddle bag……had tube , anchovies /boot and multitool but no means to inflate which could have been fun
All my road bikes have a mini-pump attached to bottle cage and tubes and tools in a seat pack, as I don't trust myself to pack all the stuff I need on a ride by ride basis. Still hasn't stopped me getting caught out when I'd forgotten I'd borrowed the pump off one of the bikes, forgotten to put the pump back then got a puncture when I was next out on it. Fortunately I was only a mile from the house at that point though!
Even my TT bike has a seat-pack on it:
Let’s face it they are only nice for the money, like a Dacia Duster.
Ouch!
Well that's how I caught my self out..... Keep it on the bike at all times.
Bikes not been out since last season at some point I borrowed the co2 inflator and never returned it.
Found out at ballater and I live in Aberdeen 🙂
Anyway since we all posting photos... Or our not 5grand not 6.8kg bikes I shall offend with some prime headtube spacers
Don’t do as I did last weekend and find out you have not out the co2 inflator back in your saddle bag……had tube , anchovies /boot and multitool but no means to inflate which could have been fun
What’s that about anchovies?
Let’s face it they are only nice for the money, like a Dacia Duster.
That's not really an insult when it's literally their business model.
I'm not precious about bike brands, and would happily drive a Dacia Duster - if I could afford one.
😀
When does my £5k arrived, I'm going to order this
https://www.specializedconceptstore.co.uk/product/15268/2020-roubaix-expert/
I nearly bought a Roubaix when I was looking a couple of years back. The price difference between the Roubaix with Di2 & hydro's and the SLR Endurance with the same spec that I went with in the end were quite stark though. I think the Roubaix was about £4.5K and the Boardman £2.5K. Plus I already had a Roubaix (although an old one).
Still not convinced I made the right decision but consoled myself with the thought that if it went badly wrong and I didn't get on with the Endurance then I could buy a nice frame (Enigma maybe) and move the kit from the Boardman onto that.
Anyhoo Ben, what’s the conclusion to all this research?
Quite interesting, mainly confirmed what I thought in that mid priced bikes don't come near 6.8k in the main brands. Was quite impressed by Rose bikes, think I knew they existed, but not seen their weights.
Aero probably is more useful for the Fens, but I'm not going to be taking any KoMs even on an aero bike...
I will probably pull the trigger on the Orbea, just need to check frame dimensions against my CR1 to make sure I get the right size and work out what stem length etc I need.
Not 100% sure about the fork though, bit of a marmite colour scheme....
It's a bad time to be buying a bike in terms of bargains, anything decent is pre-order 2021 build!
About as aero as a road bike gets. And this was not a sportive.
Bike including PM and twin Arundel cages and wheels is about the budget. Manual ultegra. But aero helmet, Skinsuit and position. And a solo 25 lap breakaway in the only race I’ve won. Sometimes aero is faster. Sadly the chance of this happening again either by my fitness of the bunch not letting me are now slim 🙂
will probably pull the trigger on the Orbea
Nice bike, but 8kg according to the only review I could find that actually weighed the bike.
And a solo 25 lap breakaway in the only race I’ve won.
Awesome!!!!!!
I have/will never win a race. Did come second on a club hill climb once on a £400 Felt with a triple chainset!!!!
Its not about the bike!!
I will probably pull the trigger on the Orbea
Yeah you've got me looking at those...just what I need! I should really just buy a Foil frameset and retire a CR1. I've asked Epic for a price (and weight) on the DA and Force builds just in case... 😉