[Closed] Best road bike for approx £400

I know this site is more tuned to MTB

you reckon? 😉

At that price, id go to decathon, for their triban range, or second hand. Also, try for fit before you buy.

I've been looking in this market too. The Triban range from Decathlon seem very well rated, there's a new version out in April.

Also there's a Felt F95 on offer at Wiggle that seems a good option too.

As above, look at the triban from decathlon or a lightly used second hand bike from Specialized, Giant etc. When I was looking, there are a lot of road bikes in very good nick for not much money compared to brand new.

Go to several bike shops and try every low-mid range model you can to see what sizes fit you. All roadie sizing varies.

Then sit on eBay searching for "x" model in size "y". You will have options, especially if you are willing to travel. And you will have those options due to all the wannabe roadies not doing that trip to the bike shops first!

Triban is a fine choice. They come up big so try first. The 56 will suit six footers. Otherwise size down and adjust stem.

For used, A Giant Defy or Cannondale CAAD8 will both be in budget with Sora groupset, both are very good. I bought a 2007 used Giant TCR for £400. If you can push to £470, then the [url= http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m7b0s6p5226/CANNONDALE-CAAD8-2300-2013 ]2013 CAAD8 from Paul's Cycles[/url] is a good buy. At your price point, the wheels will all be heavy and poorly built. Factor in an upgrade in 8-12 months.

For sizing guidance, I'm 179cm (5'10.5") and ride a 54 CAAD8 with a 110mm stem. Fit is perfect. Cannondale bikes come up pretty big. Tribans do as well from the 56 I sat on. I'd be a 54 on that too.

Go to several bike shops and try every low-mid range model you can to see what sizes fit you. All roadie sizing varies.

Then sit on eBay searching for "x" model in size "y".

One reason I don't bother stocking road bikes in my shop any more.

As previously mentioned I dont really want to go down the ebay route so not really investigating that avenue. The decathlon bike is interesting but is it really that good value as it has own brand brakes and a basic groupset. The Merlin seems much better and not for a significant amount more although i may be missing something here. MTB is far easier to deal with.

TiRed thanks very much for the sizing guidance as I have been having trouble weighing that up. I am 5ft 9" which seems to sit in between sizes making it difficult to purchase anything as I am not in a position to try before i buy so i need to know where i stand with certain brands. I tried a 56 at the weekend and it seemed ok (as far as you can tell being stationary in the shop) but a lot of people have said that i would be better off with a 54.

is it really that good value as it has own brand brakes and a basic groupset

and an italian made frame, not too bad a wheelset and, if you can find one still supplied with one, a carbon fork.

It's (edit [s]£300[/s])£250 and ALWAYS voted 'best value bike' in mag tests.

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/reviews/road-bikes/btwin-triban-3-299-99

Go to several bike shops and try every low-mid range model you can to see what sizes fit you. All roadie sizing varies.

Then sit on eBay searching for "x" model in size "y".

That, quite frankly, it's a ****t's trick. If you want the ability that a real shop provides of allowing you to try something before you buy it, you should pay the shop price.

If you're happy to take more of a gamble and buy online 'unseen', then feel free take advantage of the lower prices available there.

Perfect for your budget: Revolution Audax

[url= http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/products/revolution-audax?bct=browse%2fbicycles ]http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/products/revolution-audax?bct=browse%2fbicycles[/url]

[img] [/img]

That's a really nice, classy looking bike

I've been riding a Btwin Triban 5 (£429) for a month or so now and I love it.
Carbon fork, Sora gears and chainset, wheels seem decent and brakes are good. Saddle is comfy as well!

Looks great I think, great value if you ask me.

Oh, I'm 5'9" and went for a 56, seems to fit fine. Don't think i'd want it smaller.

[img][url= https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2285/12968943524_e35557f9b2_o.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2285/12968943524_e35557f9b2_o.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/55623703@N05/12968943524/ ]Untitled[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/55623703@N05/ ]Adam Branston[/url], on Flickr[/img]

That, quite frankly, it's a ****t's trick. If you want the ability that a real shop provides of allowing you to try something before you buy it, you should pay the shop price.

If you're happy to take more of a gamble and buy online 'unseen', then feel free take advantage of the lower prices available there.

this.

The amount of people we used to get where their parking ticket suddenly expired just after learning the make/model/size of the bike they wanted as astounding. We stopped telling people the size they needed, just did a bike fit and promised to get them the right size once they commited to buy.

The Triban 5 is a fine bike, but the CAAD8 has an [i]outstanding [/i]frame. Great for beginners (high handlebars possible), I've raced one for the past two months with upgraded carbon bars. If you want a road bike, I'd go with the 2012 54 Sora from Pauls and I think you'll find it an excellent fit - the 56 will be too big. The Audax bike looks nice too.

Perhaps the geometry has changed on the Triban 5, but the red Triban 3 I've been trying to fit to one of my clubmates is a gate, he's 5' 11" and long legged, but we are down to a 90mm stem. He also bought a CAAD8 and it fitted him perfectly in 54 (until it was stolen within two weeks). You can test them the Tribans in Decathlon as they should be in stock.

And there is nothing wrong with the Sora groupset.

I've mentioned it a few times now and if it falls on deaf ears then fair enough but height is [u][b]NOT[/b][/u] the only guide to bike sizing.

this is where your bike shop comes in handy so long as they know their onions

And I've seen some dreadful "professional" fits from bike shops; one of whom sent a rider out on a frame so big she could not steer safely! Getting the frame [i]about[/i] right is what matters. Stems can make up for any shortfall either way (about 30mm of virtual top tube length), and I'd always err on smaller to put more weight over the front wheel fro stability. That used to be much harder than just swapping out a front loading stem, so frames came in more size options.

I'll stand by my 54cm recommendation.

I can recommend the CAAD8, had my Tiaga spec'd one for 3 years and well pleased. 5' 9" and a 54 is spot on.

That Revolution Audax looks nice but doesnt come in adult sizes and the gearing is to high for long hilly Audax .It needs to be in a 62cm with an mtb chainset or at least a 26/36/48 for me.!

I got a Felt Z95 from Wiggle for just over £400. It's been faultless.

This?
Haggle down to £400
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/fs-giant-defy-4-ml-2014

The Merlin you originally mentioned looks goods with the current discount. A real shame they don't publish any details about it's size/geometry. At 5'9" you would be very much at the small end for a 56cm normally but without knowing the top tube length its impossible to tell.

For a different sort of bike that Edinburgh Bikes audax looks great too. If you envisage your road riding being long steady adventures, including in the wet, that would be more suitable maybe at the expense of a sportier feel (it's pretty heavy with longer chainstays and a slack head angle ). Cheap Aluminium frames (like that Merlin) tend to be stiff but quite harsh to ride. The steel of that audax 'might' be more comfortable.

If you got the road bug after the events you would probably end up with a better, lighter bike whichever you bought. The Merlin would probably end up surplus to requirements, the audax would make a great winter hack you would choose to keep.

Just spotted this on road.cc:

http://road.cc/content/news/72001-best-entry-level-road-bikes-under-%C2%A3500

Convert thank you for the info. Yes the merlin is proving to be an issue with size as they only do a 53 and i fear that will be too small although i am going to ask them for the geometry.

Giant Defy @ Paulscycles.

Can anyone explain the order of the shimano groupsets i.e which is the most basic up to the premium set?

From base to ace...
Claris
Sora
Tiagra
105
Ultegra and di2
Dura-ace and di2

Cheers tomhoward, so where does Tourney fit in this scheme?

Well i have been given some great advice i guess its up to me to figure out what to do with it all. Still open to more ideas though.

Tourney is very basic usually found on cheap mtbs and hybrids

I just picket up a Moda intro for a spare turbo trainer bike, a little over budget at £450 but has 10sp tiagra

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