Road bike advice needed: what bike for £500-£1k

Hi,
Have signed up with a group of mates to do a charity bike ride next year but it’s road rather than mountain. So need some suggestions as to what to look for in terms of a decent bike for this. It’s 200 miles over 2and a half days which may not be much to the hardcore!

Budget would be between £500 and absolute maximum of £1k. Not sure if full route yet but the start is in the Yorkshire area so some climbs will be involved. Only preferences would be for a decent gear range and if possible disc brakes.

Any thoughts??

http://m.probikekit.co.uk/bikes/kinesis-racelight-t2-complete-bike-black/10996907.html?utm_source=googleprod&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=gp_cycling&affil=thggpsad&switchcurrency=GBP&shippingcountry=GB&gclid=CNWb6bi0wMgCFSjlwgodUoQKyw&gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CN3297i0wMgCFcHhGwod7Y8DEQ&variation=10996911

This

Giant Defy.

Select your budget, then buy one. Buy from the right shop and you’ll get a proper bike fit thrown in.

They’re really rather excellent bikes.

Thanks guys, the Kenesis looks good, but I have been tempted by the Defy. Seems to tick most of the boxes thus far. Good dealer not far from me but not my usual LBS who look after my MTB needs so feel a bit unfaithful

Giant Defy – you honestly can’t go wrong. More “sporty”? Cannondale CAAD8. but as a first road bike, get a Defy#. In fact, a Defy 5 from Rutland Cycling for just £300 is really all you need to spend if you just want to dabble. It’s a bargain. If you must have disk brakes, then a 2016 Defy should suit. Will cost more of your budget. Don’t forget to allow for nice kit to ride in. shoes, pedals and a visorless helmet (unless you like a stiff neck).

#Obvious disclaimer – I have a basic Defy 5 (albeit frame only and nice ultegra and ksyrium Sl wheels), and a Defy Advanced SL. Both are great to ride. Other road bikea are available. None offer the comfort, all-round ability and value that Giant give you.

http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m7b0s6p5228/CANNONDALE-CAAD8-TIAGRA-2013

also look at Merlin, Decathlon, the planetx alu job is a good bike

Defy’ are great, but they’re far from the only option in your price range… Particularly if you’re prepared to look 2nd hand too.

Currently selling my Whyte Dorset and a friends Raleigh Revenio 3 right now (both would suit someone around 5ft9-6ft tall), both have done less than 1000 miles, and both for sale due to significant upgrades having been purchased already. Either would be a fantastic starter bike (if they fitted you of course, buying the right size is still paramount) and both have been well looked after, and both are available right at the bottom end of your price range…

Again, thanks for the advice guys. Would rather go for from new but I appreciate the sale offer. Planet X looks good and not too far away from me to visit in person. In terms of sizing this is important. Lots to think about I believe!

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBPXSLPAPEX/planet-x-pro-carbon-sram-apex-road-bike

I’m looking to buy one of these. It’s worth looking at the gearing on cheap bikes before you buy. I have a bottom of the range Trek and the lack of low range kills me on Sportives. I’m all good for the first 30 miles but once you start hitting the big climbs not being able to spin takes all of your energy. The Planet X Carbons come with a 34 front ring and 32T cassette, which is going to be a God send on long climbs.

don’t forget ‘Dolan’ bit of pedigree 🙂

Reading this makes MTB look quite pricey vs road. True ?

don’t forget ‘Dolan’ bit of pedigree

Off the shelf frames from Taiwan are pedigree now?

.

First road bike is always tricky as you probably won’t have much idea about size, fit and position. Get some advice. Doubt you’ll go wrong with a Defy though.

Reading this makes MTB look quite pricey vs road. True ?

No. If someone came here and asked for a mtb from five hundred to a thousand there would also be loads of good suggestions. You can easily spend thousands on a good road bike. Top spec off the peg Giant Propel for example, that’ll be 8 grand please. Top spec Madone, 9 grand. And they aren’t particularly niche or boutiquey with nice but still fairly sensible parts and wheels.

If you’re after a first road bike & want a decent selection of gears then there’s no reason not to buy a triple. The Cube Peleton Pro is a great value bike & is currently on sale at CRC

If you’re anywhere near a Decathlon, this looks damn fine for the money. I saw one in store recently and was very impressed with it. This one is a little less money and looks good too.looks good too.

Specialized Allez

a 29er with slick tyres on.

Another Giant Defy owner/fanboy here.
I’ve got a 2013 Defy 1 (with 10-speed 105) and it is a fantastic bike.

Giant have just released 2 x Defy Disc models for 2016, I think they are priced at £850 and £1k.
The £1k version in blue is gorgeous.

I’m in the market for a second road bike for winter use, I seriously considered a Defy disc, but am now leaning toward a Pinnacle Arkose because it has proper rack/guard mounts.

+1 for the Planet X Pro Carbon. I love mine.

Specialized Allez

Lovely frame. Stack height is a lot lower for a given reach than the Defy though, so would suit someone with aspirations of being a fast roadie 🙂

Bianchi Via Nirone 7 is aimed exactly at riders like you and well within your budget. Nice bike, very steady ride.

Off the shelf frames from Taiwan are pedigree now?

China dear boy, China… Only the best stuff comes out of Taiwan! 😉

+1 for the Planet X Pro Carbon

I know many a person who has bought one of these and regretted it. The phrase “good carbon ain’t cheap and cheap carbon ain’t good” has never applied more to another frame I’d say! These days there are exceptions emerging to prove that old mantra out of date, but the Planet X (which hasn’t been updated since its inception in the days when that mantra was very accurate) certainly isn’t one of them…

Just about all the ally frames mentioned so far in this thread would make a fine first road bike, geometry and fit allowing.

If you’re after a first road bike & want a decent selection of gears then there’s no reason not to buy a triple

There’s 3 reasons not to buy a triple… Agreed it’s mostly personal preference at the time of purchase, but for the same reasons I couldn’t recommend someone buy a 26″ wheeled MTB any more there are valid reasons…

Firstly, they’ve all but disappeared from the market except on some very low end machines now. I know you can still buy triple groupsets off the shelf if you’re speccing your own bike, but most people aren’t until well into the many thousands of £’s category.

Secondly, you can get the range of gears with a double these days. A medium cage rear road mech allows for a 32T top cog when used with a double (but confusingly only a max of 30T when it’s used with a Triple) which gives a very near 1:1 bottom ratio. Yes, a Triple will have that 1:1 bottom ratio if you use the max 30T cog permitted, but there’s little or no perceivable difference between 34:32 and 30:30 when pedalling. You also save a little weight with a compact double over a triple, not a massive amount but in the order of 200g or so depending on the groupset.

Thirdly, and this may or may not bother you, but… Like anything perceived as unpopular, triples are much harder to sell these days… Both new and 2nd hand… If you’re after a bargain you’re likely to keep for a very long time, and you’re not at all bothered by the downsides of a triple, then buying a bike such as the Cube linked to above could make sense. If it’s a toe in the water to try road riding, before potentially spending more money in 12 months time if you like it, then buy a compact double for certain as it will be much easier to sell on, but also your next bike would come with one anyway…

I’d go second hand, plenty of golfists will be needing funds for their 2016 drivers.

I am a huge Giant Defy fan also, although the Cannondale Synapse disc 105 looks a valid contender at just in budget.

Pauls also have the Cannondale Synapses, for example :

http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m7b0s6p4332/CANNONDALE-SYNAPSE-ALLOY-105-2012

and some carbon ones at just over your budget.

I have test ridden that alloy one and it is surprisingly comfortable as the rear stays have some give. As a mountain biker it felt right from the off, nimble, fast, comfortable.

I really liked it, but that alloy finish put me off a bit. I bought a genesis equilibrium but it is not as comfortable even though it is steel – it took a ti seatpost to get the same sort of comfort as the Synapse.

I was looking for around a £800ish bike, the one that was pretty high up the list was the Canyon Endurance AL 6.0 for £799
https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/road/endurace/2016/endurace-al-6-0.html

or next one up at £1049, but the AL6.0 has all I’m looking for and fairly light, 11s and 105 group-set

This popped up on my FB for some reason, has discs…
http://www.wheelbase.co.uk/cannondale-synapse-tiagra-disc-6-2015.html?utm_source=FacebookAd&utm_medium=SepCS&utm_campaign=CannondaleSynapse

Mentioned the comfort of the Synapse as it is 200 miles…

Have you seen this:
http://road.cc/content/review/167777-merlin-fuse-105

Edit: not disc equipped. Sorry. Just re-read the original post.

Very good VFM though, if you can live with a headtube that long.

Sounds like its good carbon so I’d probably take that over a heavier disc-equipped alu bike with Tiagra or whatever.

New 105 is really good.

I have the dale synapse disc version and it is a lovely bike, perfect for first road bike as its a middle of the road position, a race bike tweaked for a bit more all day comfort. Disc brakes are well worth getting, coming of an mtb, clincher brakes are shit.

The Cannondale Synapse is one of the best-reviewed bikes ever, on a par with the equally excellent Specialized Roubaix, another comfort/endurance bike.

Don’t be put off by a triple; it’s only a snobbery thing. With a triple you get a wider range of gears and closer ratios on the cassette, which is a good thing.

I have the PX Pro Carbon and get on great with it – no issues. The amount of them I’ve seen in use and none have been slating them so who knows about the opinion above.
Although it was frame set only and built up with 105, Superstar tubs, etc.
All in under £800 and 7.7kgs

Also have an RT-58 – diff geometry – not as fast but with an identical build other than an ISM saddle and Fulcrum 5’s at 8.3kgs and roughly £700
Comfy on longer distances, picks up well, etc.

My advice would be to go and see which fits you best first then which one suits your pocket/spec second.

I’d go second hand, plenty of golfists will be needing funds for their 2016 drivers.

This 100% ^^

but do actually ride the thing.

Don’t worry about it not being perfect. just set-up for comfort at first and fine tune from there as you adapt to riding longer distances/faster. stick mudguards on it and put in plenty winter miles and if you still enjoy road riding come spring time sell it on for what you payed and buy something you “really” want.

diff geometry – not as fast

Lolz. ignore guys like this ^^

With a username like that you wouldn’t expect someone to be a prick.

diff geometry

Is worth having some understanding of this. Generally bikes will either be long and low (Allez, CAAD8) or taller and shorter (Synapse, Defy.) You can play around with this a lot with spacers, stem length, saddle position, etc. But generally if you want to ride quickly / race you’ll be wanting something longer and lower so you can get into a more racey/aero position (they’ll also typically have steeper angles for quicker handling). If you’re more about covering the miles in a bit of comfort (e.g. sportives, club runs) then you’ll likely want something a bit shorter and taller. Worth test riding lots of different bikes but i’m guessing from what you’ve said so far that you’ll be wanting the latter.

Exactly Blobby – hence mentioning it.
The Pro is very steep, picks up far quicker that the RT-58 despite there being very little in it weight wise, is a lot more comfortable over longer distances.
The Pro isn’t a killer by any means but I wouldn’t want to be doing Sportives on it! Well not without one of those huuuuuuuge gel Bell saddles they do in Asda 😛

+1 for the Planet X RT-58.

It’s all the bike I’ve needed as a casual road rider, it’s quick enough, light, good components and great for long distances. It’s also a great bargain, good level of kit for not a great amount of dough.

No disc brakes though, although I wouldn’t let this put you off most bikes. 🙂