I agree, but how far.

To me i would go Madone, if anything does go wrong i know i will have backup from a decent warranty.

Maybe this is me, but for racing buy a tool, a cheap Chinese frame reasonable kit and if it gets crashed, scratched so be it. If i am buying a bike to enjoy i would spend as much as possible on the frame, get some decent wheels and cut corners for most of the group set.

But as it would be building it myself, why have Super Record brakes/Front mechs etc when Cheaper will do the job as well?

He still calls a seatpost a “saddle stem

Sure your dad isn’t a secret Frenchman?

You can get a full ultegra build for around £1100, so for £2500 I’d expect DA or ultegra di2. So seeing that you didn’t know that, should you not be allowed to spend £2.5k on a bike? Although you did know a little, perhaps more then the op, so maybe you should be allowed to spend £2.5k, but not £3k? I’m not entirely sure how this system works.

I’d like to see that. Obviously the requirements are that it’s a major brand, purchased in the UK, and is a fairly new bike (11/12), else that isn’t really inkeeping with what the OP wants. So let’s see this full ultegra pre-built for £1100.

To me i would go Madone, if anything does go wrong i know i will have backup from a decent warranty.

But Cube are still sold in bricks in mortar shops. I’m not sure I’d pay £4000 premium for a Trek, you could buy 2 Cubes, and still have £1500 left!

Not sure if this will work, but ribble Alu frame with Ultegra for £1100ish

Not that i would ever buy a cheap Alu frame and a relatively expensive group set because it makes no sense.

But Cube are still sold in bricks in mortar shops. I’m not sure I’d pay £4000 premium for a Trek, you could buy 2 Cubes, and still have £1500 left!

And if truth be told i wouldn’t buy either. Cube because of the local shop support and Trek, because i am not taken by the bike

And is comparing a Cube to the top Madone fair? would it not be more realistic to look at the tiawanese Madones? a 4.7 is c£2200

I’m agreeing with Crikey here. Having 2 expensive MTB’s in the shed, I have been quibbling about changing my Trek 1.5.

The decision is not helped by the foul weather meaning my rides are 90% (if not more) road. I’ve spent about a month now “researching” and asking questions on STW. I know what I want – 105 minimum, carbon frame, decent wheels (Fulcrum 5, Mavic Equipe, Ultegra, DT R1800 or above. I also want all of that for £1500 max.

a) What Crikey says, I wouldn’t have been able to tell you that a month ago
b) I went out on my first club ride. The mix of bikes (low to high end) was amazing, but I rode with the top 1/4 no problem on my humble bike which I paid £600 2nd hand for.

Do I NEED to spend £1500 for the amount of riding I do? No. Do I want to? Yes. Will it make sod all difference to my riding, probably marginally if the wind is blowing in the right direction.

£2500 is a LOT of money to spend on a bike, as in the first para I have more than double that sitting in the shed being unused at the moment. Personally, I wouldn’t spend it without knowing what I want, or whether I’ll ride it more than one a week. Both my MTB’s were bought / built to the spec I wanted with my 13 years of MTB knowledge / to suit the riding I wanted to achieve with either of them.

Its not about the bike, and you’d get an excellent bike for around half of £2500 in the sales.

And is comparing a Cube to the top Madone fair? would it not be more realistic to look at the tiawanese Madones? a 4.7 is c£2200

That doesn’t have Di2 like the equivalent Cube though. But yes I agree, but that’s rather my point. Is the difference between a 4-series Madone and a 7-series one worth £4000?

Given free reign I think I’d rather have a good frame with top spec (Cube, Canyon etc), than I would have a great frame with mediocre components (Trek, Spesh, Giant).

Its not about the bike, and you’d get an excellent bike for around half of £2500 in the sales.

But you’ll get a better one for £2500. And you don’t need to know anything about bikes to appreciate that. Whether that’s worth it only the buyer can decide.

It’s all rather elitist this ‘if you can’t recite Shimano groupset numbers you’re not worthy’ bollocks! If the OP won the lottery and wanted to spend £10,000 on a road bike that’s his call!

Edit: and where are you folks on all the ‘what car for £6k threads’? That must make your head explode, how can people spend that on a car without knowing? They should be restricted to a mk1 Escort until they’ve proven worthy 🙄

http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/product/36366/Giant_TCR_Advanced_SL_2_Bike_2011

Given free reign I think I’d rather have a good frame with top spec (Cube, Canyon etc), than I would have a great frame with mediocre components (Trek, Spesh, Giant).

I suppose it also depends on who long you intend to keep the bike, if your buying for one or two years and then selling then maybe it makes sense to spend a bit more on components that will work for you whole ownership period. I tend to run bikes into the ground so would rather start with the better frame and replace with better parts as and when.

I’d like to see that. Obviously the requirements are that it’s a major brand, purchased in the UK, and is a fairly new bike (11/12), else that isn’t really inkeeping with what the OP wants. So let’s see this full ultegra pre-built for £1100.

It came with RS10s, and I’ve also upgraded the pedals to ultegra (which cost like £30). So for a carbon frame, full ultegra, dura ace rims, ultegra hubs, ultegra pedals, it cost me about £1400. Not the best frame in the world, but it does what I want it to do very well.

since when is £1400 roughly £1100?

Since when you exclude the wheels that rrp at £450.

Canyon and Rose both offer bikes with full Ultegra for £1100. And you can purchase them here in the UK.

They just get sent to you in a box from Germany. Not really much different from buying a bike online from Ribble or any other UK online retailer.

Kind of is though, for someone who isn’t confident with what they want, they are unlikely to want to deal with a foreign retailer with any issues that may arise (warranty etc.?)

Cannondale 105 Supersix and keep the saved £500 for nice new shoes and pedals and other stuff?

Triton are doing 10% of stuff free as well:

http://www.tritoncycles.co.uk/m14b0s6p9248/CANNONDALE_SuperSix_105_2012
non liquigas colours available as well

Since when you exclude the wheels that rrp at £450.

If you use the ribble bike builder the cheapest they offer a bike with Ultegra is £1100 that i can find

I had initially assumed it was the Carbon frame as it does say sportive racing on it. which makes the price from ribble £1400?

If you get a really cheap frame then you can get it down to £1100, but then the question is why waste your money tarting up a cheap frame?

Can I ask a silly question? Surely your first step is deciding what frame material you want?

Wimmins logic innit. 🙂

Just spent 2 minutes on ribble and found a bike with full ultegra for £1200, so whilst ribbles prices have changed, I’m betting there is still an £1100 bike out that with ultegra.

Well look at what’s been posted above, that cannondale from tritoncycles. £2000 gets you 105 and tektro brakes. Or over at canyon for £2400 you get dura ace or ultegra di2 and much much better wheels.

Now the supersix is a very nice frame. But is it nicer then the canyon offerings? They all get used in pro tours.

Also being cheap doesn’t make it bad, loads of ribble frames are the same as williers and de rosas and such I believe.

No, surely the first real decision is what colour?

There is only one colour – stealth black. 8)

Just spent 2 minutes on ribble and found a bike with full ultegra for £1200, so whilst ribbles prices have changed, I’m betting there is still an £1100 bike out that with ultegra.

Not denying the fact, i just see no point in buying a frame that cheap just to say you have an ultegra group set. You have cheap heavy wheels, a cheap heavy frame, no name finishing kit, but nice drivetrain. Be far more sensible to get a better frame and wheels and use cheaper components.

At that price, it’s arguable. But at £2.5k..

Well look at what’s been posted above, that cannondale from tritoncycles. £2000 gets you 105 and tektro brakes. Or over at canyon for £2400 you get dura ace or ultegra di2 and much much better wheels.

Now the supersix is a very nice frame. But is it nicer then the canyon offerings? They all get used in pro tours.

well Triton are offering 10% (£200 worth) in bits and bobs as well..

I just like the look of Cannondales (i have a lowely CAAD8) plus for me they come in big sizes.

at £2.5k doubt you will go wrong with anything. Might be best trying a few to see which fits the best and getting that.

Also being cheap doesn’t make it bad, loads of ribble frames are the same as williers and de rosas and such I believe.

are you sure….. you might want to do a bit of research…. as it isn’t quite true.

Loving the Look
LOOK 566

njee20 – Member

“Its not about the bike, and you’d get an excellent bike for around half of £2500 in the sales”.

But you’ll get a better one for £2500. And you don’t need to know anything about bikes to appreciate that. Whether that’s worth it only the buyer can decide.

It’s all rather elitist this ‘if you can’t recite Shimano groupset numbers you’re not worthy’ bollocks! If the OP won the lottery and wanted to spend £10,000 on a road bike that’s his call!

Thats not the point. If the OP wants to spend a load of cash to say “look at my £2.5k bike” then thats his issue. If he wants to ride a decent bike at a decent pace, as has been demonstrated by many in this thread, he could save some cash (if he wants to).

My point wasn’t about being anal with model no’s, but (for me anyway) its about knowing what performs well, isn’t a piece of kit that just annoy me / underperform with its feobles and lets me focus on riding to the point that the kit issues aren’t in my head when I need to concentrate / perform. Thats to me is about learning about the kit to the point I know I won’t get compromised at my price point by buying a duffer.

save a bit more money and order one of these in a frame only and build up with your own components:

http://www.colnago.com/c59-italia/

You do need to do a bit of research, if you think you’re going to be out on it for hours, weeks, months and years. A few sit downs at the net and asking folk will pay dividends.
As I always say cheap stuff is cheap for a reason, then again all that glitters ain’t always gold. Ritte being a fine example.

Call me old fashioned, but to me the frame is the be all and end all, everything else hangs off it. Putting stuff like DA or Red on a cheapish frame is the dictionary definition of polishing a turd.
During your term with bike you will change or replace stuff and you won’t mind doing that, but you won’t want to be swapping frames.

If I had 2.5k for another bike I’d get a top’ish spec Giant for my racing. Or a Mercian for my Sunday rides. Two totally different bikes.
Though having a look 2.5k is a bugger of an amount. It elevates you to from good to very good, but not great.

the OP wants to spend a load of cash to say “look at my £2.5k bike

why would you do that? 2.5k off the peg plastic road bikes are common as muck and would all look the same if they didn’t put huge logos on them.

“hey look at my mondeo, i paid extra for the alloys”

I would rather a Colnago Master X lite with 105 than some some no name chinese carbon frame with Super Record.

Personally exactly the opposite – hence why I have a Pedalforce carbon frame with Record hanging off it (and nice wheels). The thing is, unlike you I don’t see the benefit in having a Colnago logo on the side of my downtube – the only obvious advantage of going for the Colnago frame, given my PF is lighter than anything Colnago sell, handles just fine and is plenty stiff enough. I can feel the difference in quality of the top of the range kit every time I ride, but would be hard pushed to tell the difference between my frame and a Master X lite when riding (I’m not finely enough calibrated to notice that the PF is lighter).

The same comments go for a lot of the “excellent” frames lots of people on here seem so taken by. You do realise that it is mostly marketing costs which bump up the price of the more expensive mid-range frames? I certainly don’t see anything inferior about a Canyon frame for example – a frame which is used on the Pro Tour. For sure there are some frames which are a bit more special, but they’re well beyond the OP’s budget.

Thats not the point. If the OP wants to spend a load of cash to say “look at my £2.5k bike” then thats his issue. If he wants to ride a decent bike at a decent pace, as has been demonstrated by many in this thread, he could save some cash (if he wants to).

The OP didnt ask how much he needed to spend for a good bike. Yes, he can get a perfectly good bike for less, but it wont be as good.

Aracer +1, people worry too much about what their bike says on the downtube!

Aracer +1, people worry too much about what their bike says on the downtube!

you could say that about everything bike related.

Well yes and no. There aren’t really no name groupsets or forks that outperform mainstream ones. There are things like wheels, and I’d happily use them.

Bad Ass bikes built up a Cervelo RS using Sram Force and 3T components for me costing about £2k using some old fulcrum 7s I already had, for another £500 you could get some far better wheels. Definately try sram before you buy, doubletap is so precise and is very positive shifting. cant see me ever going back to shimano for road stuff again.

I love the RS, its a very nice frame, stiff enough to make it feel like your power is transferred through the chainstays but flexible enough to be comfy on 100 miler sportives etc.

You should still be able to find some RS frames but they stopped maiking them in 2011.

I’d like to see that. Obviously the requirements are that it’s a major brand, purchased in the UK, and is a fairly new bike (11/12), else that isn’t really inkeeping with what the OP wants. So let’s see this full ultegra pre-built for £1100.

http://www.canyon.com/_uk/roadbikes/bike.html?b=2500

Major= ridden by grand tour teams
available in the UK= mail order with UK CS office
current model year
pre built.

£1009, plus ~£50 for delivery.

What’s my prize?

Haven’t read through all four pages of this thread, so apologies if I’m repeating anything that’s already been said. First thing is what will you be using it for. There’s a difference between a stiff as hell out and out race bike and something a bit more forgiving for spending hours in the saddle. You need to define usage before you look at product. That aside the Focus Izalco Pro 3 won 2012 overall bike of the year in both Cycling Plus and Cycling Active magazines, beating the likes of Specialied / Trek / Giant etc. I think they’re about £2,200. They also do a more sportive specific model that won best Sportive bike on test in Cycling Plus a couple of months back. Like Canyon Focus are a German brand and the level of kit (incl the wheels which is where you often see manufacturers cutting corners) is absolutely superb. If I had £2,500 to spare I’d need a damn good reason not to go after one of these…

I’ve done 450 very happy miles on my Rose carbon pro rs 4400, upgraded to carbon bars and cosmic carbones, you’d have £300 change to buy pedals and shoes.

First road bike, don’t regret it at all, listened to all the usual crap about not spending that much on your first bike. If you can afford it, and you want to, go for it.

Only issue I’m finding with the Rose is I now just keep going, 3+ hour rides are now a norm its just so fast and easy to ride. I just pop out for a quick ride and before you know it I’ve covered 50+ miles.

funkrodent those Focus Foci? are getting quite popular with some of the guys I race. Though the wheelset isn’t that good and most relegate them for winter miles. Nice brand DT Swiss but those ones are biffers at nearly 1900g.
As for Rose they make well specced framesets packed with features using the most basic carbon, similar to the very budget composite Giants.
There’s nearly always a catch

I was under the impression T30/40 was the higher end stuff.. they do have a cheaper carbon frame (and a more expensive one too)

http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/article/rose-carbon-pro-rs-4400-compact-532066/aid:532072