New road bike around the £1000 mark

i'm considering the cube peloton race on the c2w scheme, I just wonder how much of an upgrade i'd notice over my 2010 Secteur Sport triple? I really can't decide if the cube will scratch my upgrade itch, or i'd be better off waiting a while and going for something in carbon and higher up the group set range when I can secure the credit card from the wife? I think the cube would probably be all the bike i'd ever need, for 12 mile commutes and weekend sportives etc, but my eye does get drawn by a nice bit of bling..........

Just ordered a Planet X Pro Carbon with full Ulterga 6800 11 speed. Best frame with lower group set or good frame with best group set is always going to be a question at this price. I took the view that if I up grades to a better frame in future with a lower group set I can always swap them over.

Also loads of Planet X Pro Carbons on the roads around here in Yorkshire and have not heard a bad word about then. Great value bike that I cannot wait to get out on.

Just picked up a Cube Peloton Race for £999. Not had chance to give it a whirl yet but will be going for a quick spin after work tomorrow. Got it from Cycle Surgery in Brum, after a bit of cajoling they threw in 10% of accessories as well, all through Cycle scheme as well.

I Commute on a felt i bought from wiggle a few years back.

It is an aluminium frame with carbon forks space for a mudguard and is comfy as hell (especially as the roads are not that good) it has Shimano Sora (doesn't sound to impressive huh?) compact front and an 11-32 rear casette which is awesome!!!

It means i can commute to work after a few big weekend rides on the other bike in a gear real low if i need it.

Also did i mention it was only about £500???

what i am getting at really is don't just look at bikes that cost £1000, simply because you have £1000.

Feedback from guys who have the latest Ultegra is that the brakes are a good upgrade.

I found the shifting action to be lighter between 105 and ultegra, though not much else in the drivetrain and the ultegra brakes are a HUGE improvement over the stock tektro you get with allot of (defy 1) bikes at this price point.

No experience with tiagra

Looked at the same bikes last year and got a defy 1 on the ctw scheme and loved it... till I wrote it off

Better groupset over the trek and for me felt more comfortable than the boardman.

Imho I would spend all the money on the bike, you will almost always be able to find clothing and accessories at a cheaper price by shopping around on the Internet.

(Now riding the defy composite 2 with a wheel upgrade. It's a quicker climber and has greater acceleration, that could be the wheels, the carbon or more likely I'm just getting fitter.)

Needless to say the defy 1 is a great bike and would recommend without any hesitation.

The Planet X is an absolute bargain. Stick some bigger tyres on it and job done.

If it's C2W bear in mind you might want to put some clothing, a lock, some lights and other accessories on the ticket.

This question is asked in the forum frequently and it's worth looking at the Reviews and Buyer's Guide sections linked at the top of every page.

There aren't many shops that will let you have a meaningful test ride (car park slalom doesn't count, and I agree with the bloke quoted in this recent forum thread).

As long as the bike fits you properly then pick the one you like best - they are all excellent.

I see the Planet X pro carbon now has full 11 speed Ultegra and is a grand.

Possibly not the best for commuting as it's hard to fit guards, but ideal for the weekend.

I also have friends in love with their Domane and Defy.

Hi there I have recently moved over to the dark side from a mountain bike! I also had a budget of £1000 so after some research I bought the Trek domaine 2, it's brilliant I am 19stone and it rides great!
I have rode 425 miles with the longest 36 miles so you can see I have ridden it quite a lot in a month any more help please pm or use twitter @vincebad

Test ride, test ride, test ride. Shopping on paper only gets you so far. They'll all feel different, you've got to find the one that fits you and feels good, that brings an instant smile to your face and a spring to your pedals. Get out there and ride. As many as you can or as many as it takes.