Personally I wouldn’t even think about buying a bike now until the market has matched supply with demand and prices come back down a bit.
Swings and roundabouts, prices are high bit with lockdowns coming and going, road riding has been very good this year (unless you live in Wales).
Dammnnnnnn, road bikes a crazy money for a rigid frame.
Now I get why a Evil / Santa Cruz costs that money but don’t get it here.
They laughing to the bank for adding disk brakes after all the years saying they were unnecessary on a road bike. Don’t get how breaking 7kg for such a skinny bike is even that hard. You don’t even get a dropper post 😂
I have several Boardman bikes, CX alu, CX carbon, HT * 2, Road Carbon, 2 Hybrid Pros and two Road others owned by my sons. A few broken spokes aside, they have never let me down.
There is only one problem with them, and that is mostly the Road bikes. The problem is seeing some bikes up the road and thinking 'I have to catch and pass', because you know it's going to annoy some snobs.
To be fair, I've never really seen any of this snobbery on any of my bikes, but I understand it exists in some circles, so its quite motivating
Maybe it's just me, but I have never noticed any of this brand snobbishness that folks speak of. If someone turned up on that boardman to a club ride I'd certainty show some interest in it. Infact i almost bought the 9.2 version of that to use as my winter bike but ended up going with the defy as it was same price after a reduction.
Tbh I've seen all kinds of bikes rock up to a number of different clubs I've been to, from 10k sworks to bottom of the range boardmans. And no-one has once given any of then much of a second glance regardless of how expensive, or otherwise. The only person whom will care what you are riding is you.
Maybe it’s just me, but I have never noticed any of this brand snobbishness that folks speak of.
We make them ride at the back with the ones without mudguards 😉
The Defy 2021 looks like what I want:
https://www.giant-bicycles.com/gb/defy-advanced-pro-2-2021
Better spec than a Caledonia
https://www.sigmasports.com/item/Cervelo/Caledonia-Ultegra-Disc-Road-Bike-2021/RD7G
And cheaper than the better specced Caledonia-5
https://www.sigmasports.com/item/Cervelo/Caledonia-5-Ultegra-Disc-Road-Bike-2021/RDEN
But not as sexy as:
What makes a road bike look sexy? It's mainly down to the paint job.
Paint them all black and there's not much in it to the eye. It's not like mtbs with different suspension etc.
How much is a fancy paint job? Buy the boardman and spend a couple of hundred painting it bianci colours and put a bianci badge on it and @footflaps will let you ride at the front 😂
Sure it was on sale, but you have an awful lot of options for £3500 quid if you look around.
(23 hours later) I'll stop you right there, as your hopes of getting a decent saving on a bike in the sales this year are slim and bob, and bob hope's dead...
The Boardman looks pretty good value tbh, as they often do. Can you at least take it for a test ride?
Boardman bikes are good value, but their QC is poor and your more likely to have a problem with a creaking BB. Cannondale and Cervelo are also poor in this respect despite the extra price tag. Giant make great frames and good value bikes even though they are slightly conservative in style.
That bianci is terrible value for 4500. No di2, alloy wheels, and as far as I'm aware the frames weigh quite a bit as well. You are payimg massively over the odds purely to get a celest green paint job, which imo doesn't even look that good.
damascus
Free MemberI thought Alex rims made more rims than anyone else and make a lot of rims for other brands.
Exactly! That's why you should be snobbish about them! They weren't hand rolled on thighs of a dusky cuban maiden then assembled by some bloke with a beard who hates everyone, like a proper high end wheel.
In my experience road riding is far less snobbish than mtb. In the fast group at our club there is everything from Btwin bikes to Cervelo. Someone fast will be fast on anything.
Having said that, there are lots of folks on aero bikes with di2, all the way through winter. And we live somewhere hilly.
Despite all this, I probably would spend that kind of cash on a Boardman. For 3.5K I would be buying a new Supersix.
That bianci is terrible value for 4500. No di2, alloy wheels, and as far as I’m aware the frames weigh quite a bit as well. You are payimg massively over the odds purely to get a celest green paint job, which imo doesn’t even look that good.
Anything Italian is terrible value for money! Even pseudo-Italian like a Bianchi. Pinarello are the same. Spec is dreadful compared to even Trek / Specialized at the same price, never mind something like Boardman or Canyon.
I could add this to the non bling name but cracking spec bike to the mix with Di2 and mavic carbon wheels....only currenty available in a few sizes though
...and only with rim brakes.
I’ll stop you right there, as your hopes of getting a decent saving on a bike in the sales this year are slim and bob, and bob hope’s dead…
Im going to have to disagree. I've only looked in one place and so far found a tcr with di2, powermeter etc for 700 quid off in all sizes (still 3.9k!) Or the model down from that with 500 quid off.
I'm not convinced the mad scramble for bikes over lockdown has really affected the high end road bike market has it?
I’m not convinced the mad scramble for bikes over lockdown has really affected the high end road bike market has it?
Yep, all the London commuters who have saved £5k on their season ticket have blown it on carbon road bikes......
If we are worried about brands, this looks good for the money....
The version is £3500, pretty good.
Im going to have to disagree. I’ve only looked in one place and so far found a tcr with di2, powermeter etc for 700 quid off in all sizes (still 3.9k!) Or the model down from that with 500 quid off.
I’m not convinced the mad scramble for bikes over lockdown has really affected the high end road bike market has it?
Nice - I've seen nothing like that kind of saving! Everything's sold out round here, so even RRP isn't feasible sadly! 🙁
I bought a used boardman SLS disk a few years ago for practically nothing and it was an amazing bike - fast, stiff (a bit harsh in fact!), and I also sold it for nothing a few years later.
Moral of the story - great bike, great price (not as cheap as they used to be), probably won't hold its value, eBay them and check out sale prices so you don't lose a massive lump just in case you don't like it or fancy something else sooner rather than later.
There's nothing wrong with Boardmans, and as far as I know Chris is still involved in their development isn't he?
It used to be that they sold the lower end models through Halfords but sold the higher models through LBS, I remember when York Cycleworks used to sell them.
I have a 2016 Road Pro Carbon SLR with some nice 50mm hand built wheels. Plenty fast enough and when I did a few crits on it the bike certainly wasn't the limiting factor.
In the UK peoples attitute towards it were kind of that it was a 'Halfords bike'. Interestingly, since moving to Melbourne on a few occasions I've been stopped at traffic lights and people have come over to talk about the bike asking about it saying what a nice bike it looks like! Goes to show that if you take away pre-conceptions one persons 'Halfords bike' can be another's boutique brand!
It's a real tricky one isn't it. I think if I rode with a club I'd definitely feel the pressure to have something more boutique but seeing as I ride mostly alone or with my fella then its not a big deal. In fact I mock people (in my head) adorned in rapha as I whizz past them, clearly justifying the fortune they spent on their clothing. Maybe you can join me in the enjoyment of overtaking people on bikes who spent a LOT more than you.
SOME people (not many admittedly) who ride 7k MTB's faff at the start of a ride because they actually can tell the difference 3 psi makes in their tyres and they *shock horror* adjust their fork pressures according to where they're riding that day.... strange I know.
For me Di2 is a must on a new nice road bike because I really think it's that nice and worth it. Discs, well if I wanted to ride the bike all year round then I understand the discs but in reality if I'm only ever going to ride it in the summer months I wouldn't bother with it. Hence why I have rim brakes on my summer bike and cheap discs on my very heavy winter bike.
. Discs, well if I wanted to ride the bike all year round then I understand the discs but in reality if I’m only ever going to ride it in the summer months I wouldn’t bother with it. Hence why I have rim brakes on my summer bike and cheap discs on my very heavy winter bike.
Dics make the bike look cleaner IMO, I also prefer not having my deep section carbon rims slowly erroded by the brake pads - discs make much more sense if you're going to invest in some nice carbon wheels.
Personally, for the money it will be fine. But I’d be looking for a pro level frame and cheaper bits. My Defy Anvanced SL was that price when I bought it. Now It has a full Dura Ace groupset and carbon wheels. But those came later. I don’t really care for fully hidden cables. What stem lengths are available? It’s an affectation.
I’d be looking for a pro level frame and cheaper bits.
Point of order: Can a lightweight high-mod carbon frame be pro-level even if a pro team isn't paid to ride it?
And might Boardman bikes be better value because they don't sponsor a pro team?
It’s a real tricky one isn’t it. I think if I rode with a club I’d definitely feel the pressure to have something more boutique....
Whereas I do ride with a club (one of the biggest in London) and usually ride a cheapish ribble cf road bike (about £1k when new), a cheap Norco with cable discs or my px xlsfor off road club runs and have even on occasion ridden my £300 decathlon road bike on club runs and no one gives a toss (the custom Roberts road bike only comes out on sunny days!).
Whereas I do ride with a club (one of the biggest in London) and usually ride a cheapish ribble cf road bike (about £1k when new), a cheap Norco with cable discs or my px xlsfor off road club runs and have even on occasion ridden my £300 decathlon road bike on club runs
I hope you're dressed top to toe in Rapha to make up for such a shoddy steed....
Whereas I do ride with a club (one of the biggest in London)
I'd be interest to know which one Kilo?
FWIW - and please keep this thread going for other people - I kind of got bored of the search as it was just too "difficult"or expensive. I'm not buying until 2021 so basically decided I liked the Defy/Tarmac Advanced SL Pro's in the darker colours enough to go for one of those.
If my job (Sales) is kind to me and Mrs K has found a job by then I may stretch to a Cervelo Caledonia-5 or R3 or go for a Di2 Giant, time will tell.
As an aside, one of our club members just bought an AXS Tarmac SL6. He's posted some pictures, what an amazing looking bike.
Obviously Boardman bikes are fine, but for a "significant birthday"? No, of course not. You'd be wanting something else in a year's time anyway, which would lead to arguments 😃
I’d be interest to know which one Kilo?
Kingston Wheelers CC, used to be about 600 members, I think we’re back to 400ish now.
I don’t think rapha will help my shoddy mannerisms!!!! 🙂
Mrs kilo has a boardman bike, started off as her cx bike and when replaced became her commuter, been fairly bullet proof. I wouldn’t discount one and looked at them before getting my canyon hardtail recently.
Obviously Boardman bikes are fine, but for a “significant birthday”? No, of course not
For a significant birthday I'd be thinking something interesting like Colnago C64, friend just built one up, looks absolutely stunning....
That’s in club colours too, albeit about £9k upward...
Point of order: Can a lightweight high-mod carbon frame be pro-level even if a pro team isn’t paid to ride it?
It's a fair point actually. And yes that may be the saving. It'll be a fine frame, I am sure.
After much googling and reading of detail, it looks like @tpbiker is on the money - nothing is as complete or as least compromised as a Giant TCR, even the 2021 Defy's seem to be lower specced now.
I have one question; I can't stretch to the 2021 electric groupset so will have to go with R8000 - not a bad thing - but can anyone comment if there are any issues upgrading to Di2 later, other than costs and time spent?
I'm pretty sure the frame is the same for both. Mine is di2, but last years model otherwise I'd check for you.
I think so too, thanks though. I'm looking at 2021 as I'm M/L size which has been pulled slightly more toward M than L for the 2021 frame which will help my neck issues a tad.
