Any road bike deals out their for <600, the brother in-law has asked for my advice.
It’s his first road bike, so compact is a must.

thanks for any help

this looks ok…

http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m7b0s6p4333/CANNONDALE-CAAD-8-SORA-2012

any other ideas?

ribble or merlin

http://road.cc/content/review/87462-boardman-road-sport

ohh thanks neil that Boardman looks good and it’s down to 450 too

I’ve just bought a Boardman Sport. It’s good. I also tried the Speci Allez, Trek 1.1 and Giant somethingorother (Defy?)

All seemed equally nice, just the Boardman was slightly cheaper.

Only thing I would say is check the wheels before you leave the shop, some of the spokes were not tight on mine, and after a quick ride were just flopping about like pieces of string.

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-5-road-bike-white-id_8167039.html

Merlin malt-r.

thanks guy’s some great ideas

Another vote for Decathlon, don’t forget a triple is an option (unless you’re a bit of a **** and refuse to get one because it’s “against the rules”).

<smug mode>Overtook loads of very expensive carbon superbikes on my 550€ Decathlon job on the last sportive I did</smug mode>

+1 Triban 5. Lovely bike and well worth a wheel/tyre upgrade if you get into it. You can also swing a leg over one at a real shop unlike the internet options.

fubar – Member

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-5-road-bike-white-id_8167039.html

mogrim – Member

Another vote for Decathlon, don’t forget a triple is an option (unless you’re a bit of a **** and refuse to get one because it’s “against the rules”).

<smug mode>Overtook loads of very expensive carbon superbikes on my 550€ Decathlon job on the last sportive I did</smug mode>

jambon – Member

+1 Triban 5. Lovely bike and well worth a wheel/tyre upgrade if you get into it. You can also swing a leg over one at a real shop unlike the internet options.

Yes, lovely bike for the price, I had a triban 3 before my Boardman and loved it. Problem is finding one in stock anywhere.

Probably this! Seems like a good spec, and Sensa get decent reviews.

http://www.merlincycles.com/bike-shop/bikes/road-bikes/sensa-bikes/sensa-umbria-tiagra-special.html

I’m hoping to order a Sensa Romagna Special later today 😀

Second hand?

Oh!

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/cheap-road-bike-price-drop-to-200

Did 75 miles on my Triban 5 Saturday loved every mile 🙂

It’s his first road bike, so compact is a must.

Unless he lives in somewhere where it’s usefull then it might not be the best thing for him.

I started on a 38-53 then went to a compact (36-50), I’ve lived in the Peaks, the North Yorkshire Moors and Berkshire. And whilst the compact was usefull in the first two, it’s actualy a PITA sometimes in the chilterns, as even though the hills are often as steep/steeper they’re short enough to stomp up int he big ring, but the gap between the two rings means if you run out of gas halfway up shifting loses so much momentum you lose your rythym.

On a steady group (aka slowest, averageing 15-17mph) club run I’d say most people spend most of the ride in the 39t and use the top gears on the cassette, whereas I’m in the 50t and use the bottom few. As 36t really is too low to be usefull on flat-ish roads so I actualy end up using a higher gear!

If he lives anywhere other than mountains (or at least big hills) then I’d go for a standard and 13-27 cassette, gives the same low gear as compact and 11-25, misses one at the top, but they’re much closer together so actualy useable rather than the ideal gear always being in the other ring and at the opposite end of the cassete.

Unless he lives in North Wales (or similar), get a standard chainset and tune it for his fitness with the cassette.

compact is a must.

or a triple (it really isn’t a crime)

thisisnotaspoon – i’ve been riding a few years and i still like my compact & 27 ….. Maybe i need to rule #5 …..

Merlin Malt-R. Got my 2012 model for less than 500 notes and their 2013 version looks bloody good value too. Alas, they only had the 2012 in “freakishly tall” frame size and I was in no way swayed by the matt black stealth paintjob. No way.

shame the 2013 model is a gopping white and red…. not that the colour matters obviously!!

thisisnotaspoon – i’ve been riding a few years and i still like my compact & 27 ….. Maybe i need to rule #5 …..

Not so much that, just I think the big jump suits places with big hills/gradients. I’d estimate 80% of the UK (99% of the populated bits), a moderately fit person would be fine in a 38or39t chainring and 13-27 cassette as the lower end of 13-27 and compact is ridiculously twiddly. Whereas 50 is just a smidge too big on the climbs.

If I still lived in the Peaks or NYM’s I’d love the compact (and probably a 11-25), but for the majority of the country which isn’t that hilly I’d rather the crisper shifting and smaller jump of 38-52.