[Closed] New Road Bike help

My honest opinion is to buy used, in "around" the size you need according to the usual advice (or a little bit smaller). You seem to get a lot of bike for not much cash, though I think I'd want to test ride just to be sure it's OK. Ride it for a while. It'll probably feel too long & low but you'll get used to it and can shorten/raise the stem initially if you need to.

The you can sell the frame and spunk the big bucks on a replacement once you really know what you want, if you feel the need

... get discs, whatever "they" all say 😉

If your 6ft Pauls cycles have a caad12 for £1250. You won't go wrong buying that bike.

The Bowman Palace R and Pilgrims have caught my eye but I’d rather not build it all from scratch and I guess it would blow my budget one I get it built up!

My son has gone from a Planet X carbon to a Bowman (aluminium) and is very pleased with it. He sourced his own new parts (looking out for good deals) and had it built up for him.

A CAAD12 is excellent advice, I got a 2017 105 disc version on the cycle to work scheme and its great.

Got a mate who rides the rim brake version in road races and does well.

That said, whilst the planet X pro carbons's have been around a while, they are still a lot of bike for the money.

Second hand opens massive of options.....

https://www.paulscycles.co.uk/1400/products/cube-attain-gtc-race-disc-road-bike-2018-greygreen.aspx is a pretty decent deal, do check the geo charts, Cube frame sizes are odd... I ride a "58cm" at 5'10" with stumps for legs.

It used to be the case that cheaper carbon bike frames were crapper than decent alloy framed bikes but I don't think that is the case now. Through the wonders of trickledown technology today's entry level carbon framed bikes are better than they were and probably using carbon and building techniques reserved for the top of the range frames a few years ago. But that is not to say decent alloy frames are still very good...they are. I wouldn't necessarily target full carbon or alloy/carbon fork...just get the best overall bike you can for the money.

I used to have a CAAD 8 before the CAAD 10 came along and trumped that then the CAAD12 and it was a very good bike but super stiff and not very comfy. Now bikes have disk brakes the width of the wheels and tyres are wider now so that might take the harshness off the ride these days. Don't believe the marketing hype about methods to soften the frame like flexible seat and chain stays...My CAAD8 supposedly had that but it doesn't work.

Usual suggestions are Giant Defy, C'Dale Synapse (which you can get an alloy version of) things like that. All the big brands equivalents are much of a muchness so all as good as each other.

Get a proper size too...I've wasted alot of time and money chasing the right size...got a bike fit which I wasn't too impressed with, but it did put me on a smaller framed bike than I thought I needed which seems to have been the right call - the rest of it was nonsense...I tried all the suggested contact point settings from the bike fit, but didn't get on with it and set everything to a position which felt right anyway, so ultimately it has to feel right even if the angles don't conform to the theoretical ideals. Take a look at the pro's...so many different riding positions and shapes so it isn't a case of one size fits all.

Ultimately if you go for the big brands there isn't really a right or wrong answer...they're all as good as each other so may as well go for things like the one you can get the best deal on, or like the look or colour of or have a brand preference with.

Take a look at Planet X and Ribble too. They all do bikes aimed at and around the C2W scheme pricing so some good deals around that price point.

Worth a look at Merlin as well, some good value options. eg carbon and hydro discs for £1300. https://www.merlincycles.com/merlin-cordite-105-r7000-disc-carbon-road-bike-127943.html

I have a Planet X pro carbon, tbh I prefer my cf ribble sportive bianca to it

I'd spend about £1k and the remainder on a decent set of wheels. Wheels on most bikes are pretty poor for their given price point and even a carefully chosen £300 set of wheels will be lighter and feel snappier than the stock wheels.

Most carbon frames will still be heavier than the Bowman, CAAD, Trek Emonda ALR, BMC ALR....

You'll get a much nicer bike for that sort of money if you go rim brakes.

I've got a Rose Xeon Team for £1700, triple butted aluminium, Ultegra, Fulcrum Racing 3s with GP4000s, good branded finishing kit etc. 8kg on the nose for a large.

Perfectly comfortable as well, I forget it's not carbon (apart from the lack of creaks a la my old carbon Synapse...).

Another vote for a caad12 105 disc for that money. I’ve got a 2017 spec one that I got in a sale at my lbs (via the cycle to work scheme). I did a part ex of the standard wheels for some Mason X Hunt 4Season wheels at the point of purchase.

I think it’s pretty comfortable - my previous bike was a rim brakes Boardman Team Carbon (2010), and prior to that I had a Caad9 105 and a Giant OCR (with Tiagra).

Discs are so much better than rim brakes in my opinion - just more power and reliability wet or dry. I use mine as a daily commuter (with clip on mudguards in bad weather) and for a bit of extra fitness when I don’t have time to go out on the mtb. I really love it.

Went through this process about 12 months ago. After looking at loads of options (inc the Cannodales and Cubes mentioned above) ended up with one of these (sorry can’t get quick link to work on my phone) https://www.biketart.com/bikes-c1/road-bikes-c35/genesis-zero-disc-z2-p21163/s80363?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=genesis-zero-disc-z2-2017-m-size-m-size-m-gng97m&utm_campaign=product%2Blisting%2Bads&glCurrency=GBP&glCountry=GB&gclid=CjwKCAjwsIbpBRBNEiwAZF8-zyxkZhxwCeBmKjeLYhMdcEqpv9W9ItKOmGKBpJxkSfN_Hxm5vqUebhoC7h0QAvD_BwE

Frame is same all up the range so a quality carbon (same as the Team Madison Genesis). Ripe for upgrade if you get into it (mines got a carbon post, Fizik finishing kit and FT Swiss wheels now. It will eventually get an upgraded group set when the 105 wears out.

The bike is lovey looking in the flesh, part of the paint job is clear coat over the carbon which looks great when the light catches it. Another plus point is that it’s a bit different from the standard Cannodales and Specialized bikes.

Genuinely love this bike, which I wasn’t expecting at the outset. I was new to road riding at this point and now (due to convenience) this bike gets ridden much more than my Mtb (plus got me much fitter).

Thanks for all of the suggestions, I've pretty much narrowed it down to the caad12 or the Genesis above, the Genesis nothing more than I think it looks bloody lovely!

Got a medium boardman sls 9.0 disc I'm considering selling if there's any interest, same as this one https://www.cyclerepublic.com/boardman-elite-sls-9-0-11-disc-2015.html. £900.

I've dabbled with road bikes over the years but never got really into it. However bought a CAAD12 a few months ago and it is superb. I've done more riding than I have done in years and really enjoying it.

I do slightly regret getting rim version as I do feel a bit under braked sometimes but not enough to detract from the ride.

De ver cycles have good offers on those genesis bikes

Review of the Genesis (just the spec up), frame and finishing kit are the same (the one reviewed is Ultegra and better wheels) but mostly focuses on the frame / ride characteristics. From a colour perspective the white on the reviewed bike is clear coat, the grey is black and blue detailing yellow. I'm 5,10. 30in inside leg and on a medium. If you can budget for a carbon seatpost too (I pick one up second hand from here) as it will be a bit more comfortable and save a chunk of weight. I found the bars a nice shape. Replaced the saddle with my favoured Fizik, but stock one was OK.

I got mine from Bike Tart. Service was excellent. De Vere only have limited sizes so depends what you want but the shop was also helpful when I was looking.

Also agree with MrPotatohead, if you can afford them spec discs. People will tell you not to worry, but coming from Mtb I much prefer them, the shimano discs are really good stoppers.

Specialized Allez is a well respected alloy bike, it has the same geometry as a Tarmac but for less money. It rides very nicely.

+1 for the Allez, its a great frame.

I saw a Scott yesterday that was a ridiculous price for a casrbon frame.... let me see if I can find it again, hang right there.

£850 !!!! I`m tempted to get one myself....

https://www.rutlandcycling.com/bikes/road-bikes/scott-solace-30-road-bike-greyblack_471556