Forum menu
Just fitted 32 Spesh Roubaix Pros on the SS road thing and they are awesomley grippy and so comfortable on towpaths and the army heathland around Aldershot.
I run them at 55psi off road and 65/70 on road.
Also dirt cheap for tubeless at qround £30 an end.
Canyon endurace in alloy with 2x10 Tiagra and rim brakes for £1150 is a cracking bike, add on £300 for discs.
Don't think it has mudguard eyelets though.
If you are just dipping your toe in the water, I would pick up a cheapish used road bike to get you going. Perfect time of year to find a bargain!
TBF ^^this^^ is more practical advice, I think we'd all just assumed the OP was defaulting to just buying a new bike (C2W was mentioned), but yeah a used road bike makes sense if you're just giving it a whirl over the next 6 months, 25c tyres and Rim brakes aren't actually unusable.
My group of mates that regularly ride road bike together (not a Club, just a handful of 40-something Fat Dads) do all ride road bikes; all but one currently with rim brakes, all more than 3 years old and nobody seems bothered about buying a new bike any time soon.
A couple of us do own Gravel/CX bikes as well but weirdly we don't actually tend to ride them together, only one of us actually owns a "winter road bike" with permanently fitted guards (me), all the others either slap on some Crud Guards or (more typically) merrily spray me with a rooster tail of water if it's a wet ride (or look out the window and bail last minute)...
When I do (occasionally) go for a ride with a "Proper" organised group there are a variety of bikes on the ride depending on the group, and yes some are Gravel bikes with road tyres. One thing that does seems to be more rigidly enforced though on wet rides is using guards, a 'rule' which I'm actually a big fan of.
Hence I think if you're buying a bike to regularly participate in group rides (New or used), especially during the winter months, make sure the thing has guard bosses...
I ride in a road club with about 200 members. Not one rides a gravel bike or a steel bike, even in the ‘steady’ group. For me it would just make your life harder with no real benefit on the road.
Other way round in our club, the fast 22mph group will be almost all the latest and greatest kit, especially in summer as it doesn't wait for anyone. If you're feeling strong you can just sit on the front.
The social/steady/tempo/brisk groups (13-19mph) are a real mix though, from fast guys sandbagging on retro bikes to ATGNI types on the social ride.
Just been for a spin on my gravel bike 
It's wearing 38mm GravelKing semi-slicks. It's a little bit slower than my carbon road bike with 28mm GP5000s but really not much. In fact today's ride was the highest average speed I've managed this summer.
How do roadies survive British roads? I brought my road bike back from Spain where I use 22mm tyres. I tried to commute on it but the roads are in a shocking state. Currently pricing up a gravel bike.
I’ve been wondering the same for the last 15 years, my road bike will take max 25mm tyres. Just bought a gravel bike with 38s and it’s like a magic carpet on the crappy roads round here.
Agree with those that have said if you want a road bike get a road bike, but will you ride just road? My gravel bike will replace my road bike, even with knobbly 38mm tyres it’s pretty much as fast as my old road bike. It’s also more comfortable. If you really will just ride road then maybe look at a Spesh Roubaix or similar, or as someone else said, an audax style bike. Not all road bikes are racing machines.
I use a gravel bike (Diverge) with slicks and guards as a winter roadie, works fine on sedate winter rides. If however the pace is raised to say 30km/hr average I start to really struggle. My £400 eBay special carbon road bike is much easier to ride fast. It's much lighter but that's not the issue as I can climb fine on the Diverge, it's fast flat roads that become a struggle. Take the mudguards off and it does go better but then if it's not wet I might as well use road bike.
If you are spending £2k with C2W then have a look at Alpkit/Sonder. That'll get you a Camino (gravel) or Colibri (comfy road) in alloy or titanium. You can probably get electronic gears if you're happy with an ally frame.
Thanks for the advice and opinions. It’s helped, but I’m still in two (many) minds about which way to go with this.
To clear up a few things and trying not to drip feed requirements.
The cycle to work scheme is now off the table. I was told £1000 limit, “because why would you spend that much on a BIKE!”
I like steel. Aluminium I hate. There may well be nice Ali bikes out there, but I’ve never liked any I’ve owned or rode.
My MTB is a plus tyred, rigid Stooge. Admittedly it now does have gears and a dropper post. I’m a Luddite.
I’ve been single speeding off road since 2006, I only went gears last autumn. I last commuted on road in 2010 on a fancy hybrid that I’ve since used very occasionally as a CX bike, that was my last foray into road riding / geared thing.
I’ve headed down the gravel bike route because I “might” take it off-road once in a while. It might do a bit of bike packing. It might do a bit of touring. I’d like the option of bigger, knobblier rubber or skinny road tyres. Guards would be a big advantage for winter club runs.
I think I’ve just got to make up my mind and go for it. Plus I haven’t had a new whole bike since 2006. The Charge Plug is being sold. The fancy hybrid is being sold. I want (need) a new bike.
🙂
Surely n+1 is the right answer? Get both types of bike. Can't believe no one has suggested the most obvious answer...
(Says the guy with a Giant TCR and a Diverge...)
😁
I’ve just got a gravel bike. Carbon Topstone as it happens. Wasn’t sure quite what it would be like. It’s fun for light offroad single tracks, roots and light rocky stuff (I’m lakes based so not generally clagtastic)
It makes me smile and it’s remarkably quick and easy climbing. Guess it’s about 22lb or so. 1*11 SRAM apex. Doesn’t need anything lower or higher.
It makes me grin.
I’ve been single speeding off road since 2006, I only went gears last autumn. I last commuted on road in 2010 on a fancy hybrid that I’ve since used very occasionally as a CX bike, that was my last foray into road riding / geared thing.
You seem similar to be. I went fixed gear only in 2003 and then had a few spells of single speed MTB. In that almost 20 years I have had geared bikes for around 2 years total and while at first they seem like a revelation and can be noticeably quicker on certain roads (flat, downhill) I soon just want to go back to a single fixed gear as I just simply enjoy riding more.
The difference with you in this case is you want to ride with others and maintain same speeds so a single speed is never the best option there but for me it would be short-lived as I would miss the single gear too much.
I can sit with groups or road riders if they are trundling along at 18mph and I usually pass them up hills but as soon as they up speed, go downhill etc,. I run out of legs as I am geared for 18mph.
Trek Domane. Mine is fine on road, I’ve also used it off road, 35mm tyres, new model might take 38mm.
I have two sets of wheels, fast light wheels with 28mm fast tyres and a winter set with 32mm Bontrager R3 tyres. Works well for me.
I’m looking at Gravel Bikes for the extra tyre width, but it’s hard to justify for the lack of gravel I’d do.
My Domane has done the SDW, Ridgeway, Delemere and Thetford, also used it for a Gravel “Race” but can’t remember the name of it.
Road wise, as it’s generally my bad weather road bike, it’s used to ride with a fairly fast group of ex road racers. It’s not as quick as my aero road bike but we generally average 18-21mph for 60 mile rides, depending on weather and route. The Domane will keep up.
I'm in my late 30's, skinny but unfit. My bikes are not too dissimilar to yours as I've a 2014 steel Charge Plug which has 2x9 gears and disc brakes and can fit a 35c tyre, a geared 29er hard tail, a rigid single speed Stooge MK2 running 27.5. x 3.0 tyres and I've recently picked up a 2014 Giant Defy as I was interested to see how I'd get on with a lighter bike.
The Charge Plug is quicker than the mountain bikes and doesn't feel too slow, but as some others have mentioned I found that it's hard to maintain a high speed on the flat or slightly undulating roads, and I really feel the weight on the hills. It's not unpleasant, but it feels heavy. At the same point it feels planted and it's a great bike for cruising round country lanes, can take full guards and is pretty versatile. It's more all road than gravel.
The Giant is much better specced and is probably 3kgs lighter than the Charge. It's easier to maintain speed, feels lighter on the climbs and feels more responsive when you want to pick up speed when already moving. It does feel a bit more nervous on rough roads though, can only just take 28c tyres and rim brakes aren't as confidence inspiring as discs.
Overall the Giant feels like you get more speed for the effort you put in than the Charge, if that's what you're looking for I'd consider looking at lighter road bikes.
Used rim brake road bikes are really cheap right now, you could get something decent to see if you like it and have change from £400.
That said if I could only keep one I'd sell the Giant. It's a great bike but it's a bit of a one trick pony.
The cycle to work scheme is now off the table. I was told £1000 limit, “because why would you spend that much on a BIKE!”
You should still be able to use the c2w scheme but pay the difference yourself.
My first foray into the roadie scene was a carbon Defy with Ultegra, it was a great intro although I quickly realised being a fit mtb 'r didnt translate into a strong roadie.... several years on having become a proper roadie and 3 times a week mtb'r I now have nearly a perfect n+1.
Cotic Solaris, winter hardtail, its just ace does its stuff well.
Trek Remedy 9.8 -although this is probably surplus and for sale
Orbea Rise M10, not because I need an e-bike, but its great, works as a recovery ride and is bloody ace.
Genesis Datum, full carbon, 105, 38mm tyres gravel fun. Will never sell this one.
Cervelo Caledonia, di2 winter bike, takes full bolt on mudgaurds currently on 32 mm P Zero's, its plenty fast enough for 23mph club rides and was great in Flanders in the classics earlier this year. Cobble gobbler.
Basso Diamante SV, fast, comfortable, its on 28/30 P Zeros
and my trusty Focus pub/tourer/shopper, with panniers, 34mm schwalbe marathons, will never wear out.
Lots of bikes will do lots of things but its like mtb, a rigid hardtail can do anything but others do it better...
I think when I get to 10 I will be happy
its plenty fast enough for 23mph club rides
What club is that, and is that on pan flat roads without traffic or junctions ? Never seen a club ride average that anywhere close to me.
If you can keep up with a 23mph group that's down to you and your fitness, the bike is just a small part of it.
Our chainy is 23-25mph although not strictly affiliated to the local clubs.
https://strava.app.link/ZVhdetvDvtb
Fastest I’ve got the Diverge round is 24mph. Fastest road bike speed is 25.3mph
I do have to skip a few pulls on the outbound section on the Diverge as the +3kg means I’m over threshold and I often get dropped (and have to TT it home to save my average!) once the games start in the last few miles V potentially ’winning’ on the road bike.
Some of the LeCol boys round London, make that look silly though. Dirty Reiver winner Harold Evans posts some ridiculous rides. Their standard smash is 27mph (as are some of his solo training rides!). But they occasionally do a 29mph!
https://www.strava.com/activities/7612800254
Our chainy is 23-25mph although not strictly affiliated to the local clubs.
https://strava.app.link/ZVhdetvDvtb
/blockquote>
What club is that, and is that on pan flat roads without traffic or junctionspretty much pan flat!
I can only dream of riding 30 miles and stay under 500ft of climbing 😂😂 But 23mph+ on any route is good going I'll give you that.
It doesn’t feel flat at 95kg on a 10.5kg bike 🤣🤣🤣
It doesn’t feel flat at 95kg on a 10.5kg bike 🤣🤣🤣
It would feel bloody flat to me at 70kg as I chewed on the handlebars trying to keep up with the more powerful riders!!
Come on out next year, what doesn’t kill your makes you stronger 💪🏻
Looking at the top ten on that segment it might well kill me!!
I think this isd out of budget, but thought I would share. I have been riding steel and carbon race bikes for years. In 2015 I bought a Kinesis Grand Fondo disc and the now for the past couple years a Enigma Etape disc, both cheaper Ti. The Kinesis broke, mainly due to a design fault (oval openings on the downtube near the head stock interface) so less we say the better. But boy do these bikes both ride well!
I have spent the summer on my Colnago and a couple weeks ago, because it was raining, I got my mud-guarded Enigma out. Its such a lovely bike to ride and descends amazingly. If you can push the budget look at Enigma. Such a lovely company to deal with and proper warranties
I can only dream of riding 30 miles and stay under 500ft of climbing
I can do 3 miles and 500'... 😲
Come on out next year, what doesn’t kill your makes you stronger
I'd give it a go, but don't expect me to do a turn and you can stay right in front of me. A 95kg wind break would be my only chance of hanging on 😂😂
I have a CAAD13 for all road-biking duties, aluminum frame but Force AXS and carbon 45mm wheels. It goes on the trainer September to March so doesn't really see any really horrific weather. I do run 30mm Schwalbe Pro Ones though to absorb some of the shite irish road chatter!
Before that i had a Reilly Spectre which was great for long distances but just a bit of a barge for gas gas sprints, it was also slightly too small for me which meant the seatpost was right on the minimum insert which was a bit disconcerting.
One thing i will say is try before you buy - my CAAD13 is 56cm and i'm 6ft 2 - i sat on it in the shop and rode around the car park and decided it did "fit" on reflection however its maybe a little small (can you spot a pattern here...)
The CAAD13 is fast but lets face it, i'm never going to race and all my "fast" buddies have left Ireland so might chop it in for an aforementioned Fairlight Strael with the sizing based on bike-fit data.
I want to do the Rapha 500 this year and will defo value comfort over speed.