The question of “what £1K bike” has been done many many times, but I’ve a (slightly) different variant of it…

This will be my first road bike in recent years – I’m thinking of a Cannondale CAAD8, Synapse, Planet X Pro Carbon, Giant Defy 1 etc – aside from quality / warranty etc differences, some of those are “racy” and some are “sportive”.

My question is: has anyone gone too “sporty” and regretted it, or likewise gone a bit too comfortable and then regretted it?

Of course, there’s always the option to get an all-round bike now, and then next year get something racy to complement it, but I’m not sure I’ll get away with planning for “N+2″…

I got an Allez a few years back, was never happy on it. In the 2 years I kept it for I never stopped adjusting things on it.

Now got a genesis Croix De Fer,

Its lovely, very comfortable.

For your first road bike go comfy.

I was looking at the CAAD8 and the Allez Sport and went for the latter due to availability and so far have been really happy with it. I’m not a hardened roadie, but I’ve been comfortable when riding distances of 60 miles or so.

I’m not used to a races position on the MTB either.

It depends if you are ‘comfy’ or more of a ‘racer’, and what sort of use/ distance you are looking at doing. If you are pretty fit and flexible you should get use to pretty much any bike if it fits. Similarly are you only looking at rides of a couple of hours, or are you looking at ton plus rides? If it is just going to be a commuter why not just get something comfy?

I think my issue with the Allez was it was too large. Fine for my legs but reach was too long. (long legs, short body). It was a 58, Croix de fer is a 56.

Croix de fer is smaller, its too short for my legs but perfect for reach.

make sure you get a bike that fits properly.

If you get your fit right then racy can be perfectly comfy. If you get it wrong then comfy won’t be comfy anyway.

If it’ll be your only road bike, give good consideration to mudguard eyelets/clearance.

as has been.said, its not all about reach etc.. I am much more comfortable and much prefer the handling of my long stretched and low at the front road bike compared to a previous cross bike which was short in length and tall at the front.

how do you like your mtb position?

I never got on with my allez, currently ride a bianchi, (can’t remember the model name, but it cost just under £1000)

I got an Allez sport too, but wished I had got something that took standard mudguards rather than the clip on type. Riding wise it’s perfectly comfy for the commute I do (16 miles each way).

The only thing that makes a bike fast is you! The type of bike will make a small percentage difference.

Just ignore the “sportive” and “race” tags. Get a bike that’s the right size for you and make sure you sit on it and set it up properly.

As long as you don’t have any serious issues with your body, any bike can be comfy, aslong as it’s the right size and you spend a bit of time setting it up.

I’d get the one with the best spec, whatever that is.

Bought my first road bike a couple of years ago. Tried the Allez, was OK but didn’t really make me feel like handing the money over. Tried the Defy, felt instantly at home on it. Bought it and haven’t regretted it for a minute. The only thing I’ve changed is the saddle, as the stock item was an instrument of torture.

Main priority for a bike your going to be commuting on is to make sure it’ll take a full set of guards. Crud guards are okay but are nowhere near as good as full sks guards.

Depending on how long your commute is then comfort might not matter that much.

Slightly left field but my first road bike was a Tricross and it ticked all the boxes for me. Consider changing the tyres at the least for road work, or maybe fit RS20s with road tyres for a lot of road work. Still gets used as the winter bike.
Coming from a mountain bike the shorter top tube will feel more natural. It is heavier than a road only bike though.

Tried the Defy, felt instantly at home on it.

Really???? You must have been very lucky!

I think I’ve spent over a year pissing about with my current bike setup to get it the way I think it needs to be. Havent touched anything for a couple of weeks so it must be close!

I dunno, if you’re happy to just ride the bike then fine. I reckon it’s worth getting it to ride properly though. You could get a bike fit, I’ve heard they can be good (sometimes), or you can do it yourself.

Not everyone is that susceptible to changes, I can get Comfortable on virtually anything, that said I much prefer a racey position – I hate the trend towards longer head tubes and more upright riding positions. I have an Allez for winter, but find it too upright, I’ve taken the bearing cover off the headset and run the stem on the bearing seal to get the front end low enough.

The important thing is to try something, don’t assume upright is more comfy

I have a fair bit of post showing on my Allez compared to traditional road bikes because I had to go with the 56cm one. The reach on the 58cm was huge….even with the saddle quite far forward, my arms were totally straight on the hoods.

I guess I’m longer in the legs than the torso / arms.

I’ve so far found my Allez to be pretty comfy, even the stock saddle isn’t too bad.

I definitely had to change the stock saddle on mine, far too soft! Toupe sorted it out!

You can do a lot worse than taking a look at a Specialized Roubaix they may be a little more than a grand but defo worth the bit extra.
They have the Zerts inserts on the seat post / Forks & rear stays which helps to take out a lot of the vibration from sh-tty tarmac roads.
They are a great all day bike but also pretty nifty in the speed department if you need to put your foot down.
Used it too good effect last year in Spain Setting some decent times on Strava Sections and bagging a few KOMs.

Well worth a look 🙂

Unless you are planning to race, comfort (and a proper fit) is key.

May not help you but I’ve just got a Pinnacle Arkrose 3 on C2W – even with 35mm SB8s on it is pretty quick on the road, can’t wait to get some 28 or 32mm slicks on to loose a bit more drag. Very impressed with it as a versatile all rounder

Planet x?

Is a proper fit not important if you’re racing then?

And why are those mutually exclusive? Like I say, I think Roubaix are horribly uncomfy, stupidly upright, like riding a shopping bike.

a mate and i got road bikes last year, he went for a caad8 tiagra, i went for a charge filter.
i wish id gone for something a little more racy tbh, although when we go out there is little difference in speed (ie none)
he wishes he’d gone for something that would take 28s and mudguards.
fit is more important than anything else ime, but i do seem to be more sensitive to small changes in position compared to many other folk.

Vote here for cannondale synapse. .. tried out treks, scotts, and giants but none were as comfortable as the cannondale. Plus if you want it more “race” then just lower the bar….

Can I chuck another bike Ito the mix? How about a Trek Domane 2.0? (I think that’s the £1000 one)
It’s got the flex pivot that isolates the seat tube from the top tube and chainstays and Treks least radical ‘endurance’ geometry. It’s also a very classy looking bike.

I’m probably going to go for a Madone 2.3 at the end of next month myself. Nice spec for the money (its a bit more at £1150) and the middle H2 fit, so not as racy as the top end Madones.

Worth a look. 🙂

Plus if you want it more “race” then just lower the bar….

which only works if the headtube isn’t stupid long, which appears to be a feature of some ‘sportive’ bikes. Nothing like riding a shopper into a headwind for a couple of hours to have some fun.

And anyway, what the hell is a comfy bike or a racy bike? get one that fits and it will be a comfy bike!

Thanks all, rose the caad8 yesterday and the defy today, will try a Synapse tomorrow after work and then make a decision

I’m with njee on the invasion of the overly tall headtube, even on some racier bikes these days! For less flexible people they’re a godsend, but it you want a racy position, the headtube length on the bike(s) you’re looking at in your size is something to have to consider.

which only works if the headtube isn’t stupid long, which appears to be a feature of some ‘sportive’ bikes. Nothing like riding a shopper into a headwind for a couple of hours to have some fun.

Agreed, I rode a lovely £4900 Madone at the weekend, as PP says it was their ‘H2’ geometry, even slammed the bars were 1″ higher than my ageing Madone SL.

I’m with njee on the invasion of the overly tall headtube, even on some racier bikes these days! For less flexible people they’re a godsend, but it you want a racy position, the headtube length on the bike(s) you’re looking at in your size is something to have to consider.

Agree with this – it depends partly on how flexible you are.
I ride a top of the range race bike and did dither over whether to go for a sportive style bike. Glad I didn’t now, as despite being old I’m only running 5mm of spacers and they’re coming off soon.

You can have both, my review of Merida ride 94 http://a-pic-a-ride.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/merida-ride-94.html?m=1

+ my test of Trek Domane 4.0 http://a-pic-a-ride.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/trek-domane-40.html?m=1

The way to get both is a racey frame with loads of spacers, but that doesn’t look ‘pro’ so they do stupid long head tubes which preclude anyone with some core strength getting a decent position!

The way to get both is a racey frame with loads of spacers, but that doesn’t look ‘pro’ so they do stupid long head tubes which preclude anyone with some core strength getting a decent position!

which IMO is a result of this stupid ‘slam that stem idea’, i would rather a slightly short head tube and some spacers, or even turn the stem over, than a longer headtube.

I think the Defy is the best bike out there. I’ve raced mine, commuted and ridden sportives. It is the pefect all-rounder. The alloy one can take guards and a rack. That said, Son1 has a CAAD8 Tiagra, and it is a fine bike that will also take guards but not a rack. He rode 1000km without any issues today from a pretty low base. The stock saddle is dreadful and the wheels are heavy – as will all the others be at this price point.

Forget ideas of comfort or sportive bikes, they are road bikes. My defy has 0.5 cm of spacers and my TCR has about 2.5 cm. The bars are in the same place, and so is the saddle. I’ve raced them both and felt little difference.

If it were me, I’d buy the Defy 1. The CAAD8 is lovely, but you need to be a 15yo Peter Sagan wannabe. And matching bar tape and saddles to the team livery is not a cheap option for aftermarket goods. But the two bikes are the outstanding choices at the price point.

got a GT GTR-4 couple of years ago. spent ages getting the fit right and replaced the quick rot hubs but gradually grew to hate its bone-jarring ride even wih 25mm tyres. currently using a 20 year old cromo rigid mtb with drops and slick tyres and am faster than ever over my 32 mile daily commute (round trip).

find the rolling on smooth tarmac is impaired, but show the bike some rough tarmac and it steamrolls straight over it. sometimes follow a chap on a claud butler road bike and he slowly gaps me on smooth stuff but come the rough and it’s like he’s hit the brakes!

and I get off feeling like my spine is still in the same place it was when I set off. btw, the mtb weighs almost 12kg, the GT is less than 10kg.

He rode 1000km without any issues today

😯 impressive!

One final point. The slammed look with a 15cm drop from the saddle is a relatively recent thing. Look at some older photos of riders

and you’ll see 10cm or less was the norm. I don’t spend 7hrs a day in the saddle and I have a neck injury, so 8cm drop is my norm. Whether that is accomplished with spacers or a headtube is moot.

Those Specialized Roubaix were, however, even too long for me!

EDIT: hahaha 100km – curse you Blackberry micro keyboard. Actually he did look a little tired 😉

if I were buyin now I would get the charge filter hi. or the whyte charing cross. but probably the charge. or the whyte…