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The Shortlist - any Interesting Choices I'm Missing?

Afternoon all,

Like many of you I'm planning my next bike to keep me sane when everything is grey outside.

So, this is a what-bike thread after sorting out my injury/reach/comfort issues before.

I ride a fast long-ish commute of 30km, and I'll go climb my local hill loop after work a few times a week too. My weekend rides are usually between 60km to 100+km around Scotland, and I'll be taking in a few sportives next year too.

I'm still a heavy rider (83kg), so super silly light bikes aren't the most important thing to me. That being said, I do want to be fast next year.

I'm limited to the £1000 ceiling on ride to work (buying in January) and my employer uses bike2workscheme, so regrettably Canyon and Rose are out.

So, to my short-list!

- Ribble Sportive Racing 2015 - Shimano 105 2015 OMG!
- Felt F75 2015 - as above, but aluminium frame/carbon fork. Sort of love the blue & orange colour scheme!
- Felt Z75 Disc 2015 - disc brakes and 105 for a grand? Shut up and take my money
- Scott Speedster 10 2015 - Ultegra/105 mix seems pretty interesting...
- Trek Madone 2.1 2014 (on sale) - 10 speed 105 and I do have a Trek right now, and don't hate it.

Anything special in this range I've missed? I guess a lot of people will be in a similar place to me so I'd love to know what choices people have/would make based on their own experiences.

Thanks!

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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14 comments

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Poptart242 | 9 years ago
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Looking like Felt or Cannondale with discs... mission now is to find the best frame and groupset possible for the money. Totally agree with rims taking a doing on a commuter bike, and as much as I'd love it to be a no-compromise Sunday best machine it's got to do those two jobs.

Lovely lovely problem to have, gives me something to think about on the rollers other than not falling off!

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mtbtomo | 9 years ago
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Cannondale CAAD 8 or CAAD 10 probably are the two best frames you can get as part of a full bike at sub £1k

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arfa | 9 years ago
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Given your mileage and commute, I wouldn't go for anything other than disc brakes as rims get trashed with round the year commuting.
That only leaves the felt 75x which coincidentally will probably be my next commuting steed

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timb27 | 9 years ago
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I'd be hiding £200 on a credit card and bagging myself a Kinesis 4s

EDIT I may have misread, thought the bike was a Winter steed, now realise it's the buying process that's to keep you busy on grey days

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Poptart242 replied to timb27 | 9 years ago
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Spatulala wrote:

I'd be hiding £200 on a credit card and bagging myself a Kinesis 4s

EDIT I may have misread, thought the bike was a Winter steed, now realise it's the buying process that's to keep you busy on grey days

How I'd love to drop a grand on a winter steed!

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FlatericFan | 9 years ago
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Do you have to have a complete Bike? Have you decent parts to migrate? I went for a Van Nich Titanium for my winter bike and ive got to say i never regretted it, I love cleaning it as much as i love riding it (which is a bonus).

Its light and Racy it would tick those boxes

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Poptart242 replied to FlatericFan | 9 years ago
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FlatericFan wrote:

Do you have to have a complete Bike? Have you decent parts to migrate? I went for a Van Nich Titanium for my winter bike and ive got to say i never regretted it, I love cleaning it as much as i love riding it (which is a bonus).

Its light and Racy it would tick those boxes

Unfortunately not, on both counts - you need a complete bike on the scheme (you can go without pedals, thankfully) and my current ride is equipped with wheels made from a neutron star and Shimano Claris. I'll swap over my Fizik saddle but that's all that'll be coming across. It'll be kept as a pub/shop/rain bike.

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Poptart242 | 9 years ago
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Thanks for the comments everyone. Clearly there are a lot of bikes at this price point, looks like I'll be having some fun with some test rides!

Domane or Roubaix would be incredible, as long as I can find them with 105. As would the Synapse. Lots and lots of bike for the money.

 38

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jollygoodvelo | 9 years ago
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Aluminium Synapse 105 Disc would be a corking bike for £1k. Difficult to buy a 'bad' bike at that price range to be honest.

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fukawitribe | 9 years ago
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For the riding you mentioned, i'd be really tempted to see if you can get a deal on a 2015 Trek Domane 2.3. The older 2.0/2.3 frame was excellent over 'real' roads and the new one comes with 11-speed 105 if you can get the £ 100 over the grand sorted somehow. 2p worth anyway, it's all good.

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parksey | 9 years ago
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The Trek's not a bad bike, I've got that exact model and it's done me alright for the last 12 months. Have seen that around £850 lately, but then the 2015 model is now only another £50 and has 11spd 105 instead.

Other big names have dropped the price of their models for 2015. The alu Cannondale Synapse 105 can be had for £999 now, which has discs too. Alternatively, the Giant Defy 0 comes in at the same price too, with some Ultegra bits on it.

I've got a Whyte Suffolk on order myself, hoping it'll be a more capable year-round bike than the Trek.

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HalfWheeler | 9 years ago
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Sensa are fine bikes for the price, one problem with them though is the wheels. They have to make savings somewhere and they've decided that the wheelset takes the hit. Heavy rims, cheap hubs with bearings that won't last (in my personal experience) little more than 400 miles.

If you buy a Sensa then that's fine, just make sure you go for Mavic Aksiums or some such, their own brand 'Supra' wheelsets are pants.

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Daveyraveygravey | 9 years ago
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I'm in a similar boat to you, hoping to get £1500 to spend next year but £1k may be more negotiable...
Sensa do some nice bikes through Merlin cycles.
Planet X may have an offer that comes in the £1k bracket.
Dolan have my interest too.
Cannondale Supersix if you can get it on offer; may be a bit racy if you have comfort/injury problems?
I'd love to go for a Kinesis Aithein (Winstanley's have frames for under £500) but I can't wait to source all the parts and get it built up, and I've not had a carbon bike so that is a must for me.

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Poptart242 replied to Daveyraveygravey | 9 years ago
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Well if you're in the same boat as me you'll be lying to the Mrs about breaking the 4 figure mark!  21

PlanetX is off as they don't take part in my scheme. They really don't impress me as a company to be honest - they have a shop here in Edinburgh and the service isn't the best I've experienced. I'll buy socks and jerseys there but a bike? Maybe not. I'm sure plenty of owners are delighted though.

Dolan is a contender - I hadn't checked there at all as I thought they'd be outwith the price range.

I'd absolutely love a supersix. Doubt it would love me though. Maybe another couple of years on slightly more relaxed frames (despite my having suggested a couple above that aren't) would be a wise decision.

The Sensa Trentino is a pretty bike isn't it?

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