Ive just done a 100 miler on an ‘upright nodder bike’ without any problems. Not all of us want or can have a saddle 10″ higher than the bars, my bars are 5mm off being sat on the headset & my saddle is only 65mm above the stem. Short legs and a 44cm frame mean i can only drop the bars so far.

mrblobby – thanks for that, I’m 6′ with a 34″ leg, so simalar size. I’ll be having a bike fit after purchase as well.

You are right, that world champion optimised boardman geometry is identical to the tcr. Frames are made by Merida who also have their own bikes – with the same geometry, who’d have guessed?

teen1 had a boardman in medium. I started my racing on that and then i bought a used medium tcr with a 100mm stem as i am 5 10.5″. I raced this and went for a medium Defy with a 115 stem because the top tube is 1cm shorter and the head tube angle is half a degree slacker. Hence the extra 15mm. I have a 7cm drop from the saddle and have about 1.25 cm of spacers on the Defy and 2.5 on the tcr.

I upgraded to a Propel as the tcr was damaged in a race. Another medium, but a 110mm stem to match that perfect Defy geometry. That has about 2cm of spacers. All three bikes have the same contact point distances.

For your height, a m/l Defy and a 110 stem should be a good starting point. Shops don’t like messing set ups for demos, and stock, the spacers will all be under the stem. Moving out 2cm os spacers will move the bars lower and about 0.5cm further away. So it might feel cramped as is, but adjustment is easy and worthwhile.

I agonised over frame size as i am between the med and med/large for the defy. And i have an ISP, so once cut, it is mine. Medium was the right choice. M/l would be for you. With about 1 cm of spacers, based on your boardman.

Stop telling the OP to MFU; I started my road riding career with a 1990 Harry Hall in Columbus SLX, one of the most respected steel tubes ever and it was horrible, it had a short tall position and was as harsh as hell to ride; after 40 miles I felt beaten up.

Any carbon bike will ride like a dream after that; I FOUND a nearly new 1996 Roubaix dumped in a stream, took it to the Police and a month later they gave it back. That was what really started my road cycling off. Since then I’ve graduated to a 2013 Roubaix Comp – OK, and now a 2014 Roubaix SLR, which is quite staggeringly good and waaay different to the 2013 model. If I was the OP I would be looking around for a decent carbon endurance bike, second hand. Leisure Lakes in Bury have a 2006 Roubaix Comp with brand new wheels for around £800 and it doesn’t have the witness cracks in the paint that mine developed after 5000 miles.

after 40 miles I felt beaten up.

My backs fine- no aches/etc. Its my hands/arms. Its very harsh on the front. I guess if I had carbon at least with some cushioning under the tape it’d be fine. I did this with a Fuji track bike for years.

If I was buying again I would be looking for an oversize headtube and full carbon fork on the spec.
Modern bikes seem to allow for a wide range fitment, I have two road bikes different sizes but the bars, seat and pedals are in the same place on both.
Colour and styling is importnat to me I like a bike thats pleasing to look at.
Ride handling is a difficult one, I can usually discount a bike on a short test ride due to its angles or more likely because it has a short top tube(latest tricross for example).

The frame qualities I would look for are- a stiff non flexy bottom bracket and removal of that energy sapping road chatter you get at speed on bad road surfaces which is difficult to gauge on a short ride.

Also factor in for some new wheels(basic fulcrums or mavics) as the OE ones are invariably rubbish.

Having said all that the £999 giant defy alu sl was a the best bike for buck I spotted when doing the rounds recently.
Versatile too with well hidden mounts for racks and guards which you may not want now, but never say never.

A bit sportier is a the Allex sport also in aluminium(with some fancy welding) but with a full carbon fork and 105 for £1200 very light.

If you can beg borrow or steal a bit more cash then the new Cervellos look lovely but are around 2k.

One other thing, my mate is currently clocking up 50+ mile rides at 20+mph on a croix de fer built up with 29er parts and 35mm marathons.

God help us when he gets something carbon but it does support the “its not about the bike” argument.

the new Cervellos look lovely but are around 2

I’d have to start dealing/selling drugs to afford 2k.

The trouble I had when I bought my first road bike was that I did not know what I wanted. You don’t really know about fit until you’ve ridden for a few long rides. All I had was MTB background so I ended up with a too long TT to which I had to fit a short stem. So buy cheep, work out what you like/don’t like, and then splash the cash.

One other thing, my mate is currently clocking up 50+ mile rides at 20+mph on a croix de fer built up with 29er parts and 35mm marathons.

this!

Unless you need something competitive, get something comfy and rack-up the miles! Guess a cheapish steel frame (520/525 type stuff) is only going to add a pound or 2 or so over something plastic. Nothing really that the gained fitness of many miles on something comfy won’t overcome. Ribble, Genesis etc..

One other thing, my mate is currently clocking up 50+ mile rides at 20+mph on a croix de fer built up with 29er parts and 35mm marathons.

Have something very similar as a run about, but my road bikes are so much more enjoyable when it comes to lots of road miles.

Great to prove a point to people.

However what about just enjoying the best that you can buy for the job at hand and then enjoying it more?

We all can’t be modern-day versions of Miyamoto Musashi who actually enjoy using lesser materials to beat everyone.

Doesn’t need to be fancy. My old Trek alu winter road bike brought from a mate for about 250 quid (was about 500 quid new) is still a much better proposition for big road miles than my flat bared run about that cost about a grand to build up.

Great to prove a point to people.

Can’t really see what point you’d be proving or who you’d be proving it to 🙂

At your budget you might be into 725 or 853 possibly somewhere, so would be lovely.

eg an equilibrium 20 has 725 tubing and 105. RRP is about £1300, so should be had for less somewhere.

I don’t think these are the wooden swords of the road bike world 😉

Great to prove a point to people.

I dont think hes proving a point just riding what hes got.

Have fun choosing and riding your new bike.

Ribble have some good deals on road bikes. Although it might not be to every bodies liking

Take a trip over to Decathlon in Stockport and have a go on some of the road bikes there.

At the top end of your budget there doing the Btwin Mach 720, full carbon frame/fork, Full Campy Centaur groupset & Khamsin wheels.
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/btwin-mach-720-road-bike-id_8289115.html#avantages

As someone has pointed out to me, full carbon/ultegra is available at Planet-X for a grand.

IHN – Member
As someone has pointed out to me, full carbon/ultegra is available at Planet-X for a grand.

Not all carbon is the same…

Is Planet-X carbon less equal than others then?

Not all carbon is the same…

True, but not that relavent, the P-X does well in reviews so is ‘good’ carbon.

in the tradition of recommending your own bike, how about a cube agree pro?

£979, full carbon, mix of shimano 105 and ultegra.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/cube-agree-gtc-pro-compact-road-bike-2013/rp-prod111918

I just bought one of the 2012 cannondale synapse 105s from Paul’s cycles and can highly recommend it

Unless you need something competitive, get something comfy and rack-up the miles! Guess a cheapish steel frame (520/525 type stuff) is only going to add a pound or 2 or so over something plastic. Nothing really that the gained fitness of many miles on something comfy won’t overcome. Ribble, Genesis etc..

don’t know why this keeps getting trotted out, I’ve got a good steel bike and a carbon bike, the carbon probably has the edge on comfort, is stiffer, lighter. faster and the big one “more fun”.

Comfort is dictated by fit not material. Old steel bikes were comfortable. Modern carbon bikes are comfortable, but lighter and stiffer; hence more efficient.

hora, If you are uncomfortable, I suggest fit is the issue. Too much weight on the arms, for example.

I have or have owned steel, titanium, carbon and alloy. All have been comfortable when correctly fitted. They didn’t all start off that way.

I haven’t followed the thread all the way through, but I recently bought this after having a pretty stiff alu Airborne Thunderbolt:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/cube-agree-gtc-pro-compact-road-bike-2013/rp-prod111918?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=Shopping&utm_name=UnitedKingdom&gclid=CKqKk7LG6L0CFXMPtAodznUA5A&gclsrc=aw.ds

Bloody love it!
I’m 6′ and the 58cm is bang-on. Short TT, mix of 105/Ultegra, Aksium wheels, Easton kit and a lovely ‘floaty’ carbon frame. Best of all was £470 to boot. No complaints whatsoever 🙂

Just get measured up properly