Can't make up my mind

Just built my own bike. Take it slow and most jobs are straightforward. Mine had one trip to LBS to chase and face the frame and cut the steerer. Don't underestimate the time it will take if you haven't done it before. Follow the Shimano dealer manual guides for shifters and front/rear mechs, they're excellent and will get you to the point where gears are shifting cleanly. Everything will take a few miles to bed in so there's little point in really fine tuning your indexing until then.
Prep is the key - measure twice, cut once

BKing wrote:

Frame - Kinesis Aithein or T3

No mudguard mounts on the Aithein would rule it out for me as a winter bike.

BKing wrote:

Headset - ?

No need to spend a fortune. I used an Edge Design one (£25) and cannot tell the difference between it and an expensive Cane Creek 110 on another bike.

BKing wrote:

Groupset - Tiagra Group Set/105  

They're both excellent. Tiagra has 10 sprockets, 105 has 11. It's up to you whether the extra sprocket and nicer finish of 105 warrants the extra £50 or so. I'd say it does.

BKing wrote:

Wheels - ? Do I buy entry level or a really decent pair. What are the Mavic Cosmic Elites like?

They're alright, but for that sort of money I would lean towards Zondas, which have many fans here. Others will recommend a pair of hand-builts for a winter bike, but that will just further complicate things for you!

BKing wrote:

Finishing kit - Deda Zero

Nothing wrong with it and nice to have it all matching.

BKing wrote:

Saddle - Fabric Scoop

Saddles are very personal but many get on well with the Scoop.

BKing wrote:

I am, however, fairly inexperienced with bike building, but not too bad with practical things

You can build a bike. If you do go for something like a T3, with its threaded bottom bracket and integrated headset, you'll only need a BB tool, torque wrench with allen/torx/driver bits, hacksaw (for mudguard mounts and fork steerer) and cable cutters.

Frame - how racy do you want to be?

Wheels - as wide a tyre as you can manage (bearing in mind you may be limited if you want to fit mudguards). I ride 25s on one T2 and 28s on the other. The 25s are great, but for long days in the saddle, I prefer the 28s for comfort. The grip is superb too (Conti 4000s II).

IF you can possibly manage it, Hunt are the wheels everyone recommends nowadays. Not heard a single grumble about them yet.

Just to make life more complicated for you...

May be worth looking at Merlin. The Axe7 Pro is a straight 105 groupset (hydraulic discs) at
£900. https://www.merlincycles.com/merlin-axe7-pro-disc-road-bike-2017-95581.html

The Normal Axe7 is Tiagra (so 10 speed rather than your preferred 11 and mechanical rather than hydraulic) but you can grab for £650 (also has an offer at the moment for free pedals and shoes!). https://www.merlincycles.com/merlin-axe7-disc-road-bike-shoe-pedal-offer...

Not affiliated in any way but I do own the Axe7 Pro and love it. Purists may find it a too heavy (around the 10kg mark) but considering I'm a bit heavy it's not much of an issue

I was in the same position as you a few months ago and built up a Kinesis T3 with Athena and Zondas from an older bike.  You'd sneak a full build in under a grand with 105, RS10s and, say, Deda Zero 1 finishing kit - although you wouldn't necessarily need to if you want to spend more (put a grand's worth of components on one order for C2W, and fund the rest yourself).

I prefer the T3 to the old Van Nicholas ti road bike that donated the drivetrain and wheels.  It's comfier and stiffer, which is crazy when you consider the price disparity.

EDIT: Merlin will sell you a full 105/RS10 build kit with everything you need, including long-drop brakes and mudguards, for £562.50 this weekend and a T3 frame/Tracer fork package for £380, which is a complete bargain: https://www.merlincycles.com/shimano-105-5800-racelight-build-kit-103564...

I would recommend my Rose Pro DX Cross bike, 105 full group set, mechanical disc brakes, semi-compact with 11-32 cassette, mud guards fitted from the factory. All components and fittings top class from well known brands for about 1,500 Euro direct from the factory. You can configure the bike to your liking.

It is very comfortable and sturdy (being a cross bike it's better fit to handle the winter). Build quality is top notch. I am very happy with it after two winters on it.

A bit above your budget, but I think it'll last a very long time. You can configure the bike to your liking, group set, wheels, brakes etc etc. You might get it very close to your budget.

If you Google winter Road bikes under £1000 theres an article where Road cc give 18 possibilities and some of those have discs.
If you're going to buy on line anyway maybe look at the 2017 models as there's some bargains to be had. Depends if you're willing to buy without trying and if you have any lbs it may be worth seeing what they have unless you are dead set on one of these.
If you bought one without trying it and hated it what would you do?

I was like your self and looking at the bikes you listed.I ended up buying a Tifosi CK7.Despite the name they are british.It can be bought just under your budget.

Do you need 11 speed?  

I liked it that much I got the CK 4 too.Another very comfortable bike

http://www.fatbirds.co.uk/1679629/products/tifosi-ck4-sportivo-veloce-au...

http://www.tifosicycles.co.uk/shop/bikes/ck7/  

Worth looking at

Cannondale CAAD Optimo Disc 105 is £959

Never heard a bad word said against the Planet X London Road

https://www.planetx.co.uk/c/q/bikes/road-bikes/london-road

If you can live with Sram rather than Shimano?

I'm in the same position. I want an aluminium bike with 105, hydraulic discs for year round commuting and regular 30-40 mile winter sides. My current 'winter hack' has Sora and is limited to 23mm tyres - Its true that I can just about get away with 25mm Schwalbe Luganos & Crud 2s, but I have to adjust them every ride and the build up of grey muck on the rims is awful. I figured 28mm tyres (with room for mudguards) and discs would be a bit safer and easier to on wet and frosty winter roads.

After copious research I have come to the conclusion that the Dolan RDX offers all of what I want at the lowest price. Really pleased that I can configure the bike to have smiliar geometry and the same crankset and cassette as my summer bike at no significant extra cost - I favour the semi-compact 52/36 with 11-36t combo.

However,  I can't find too many reviews on line for the RDX, which I find strange. I also live too far away to make it practical to go and try an RDX and £1k is a lot of money to me. So, I'm a little nervous.

Finally, I note that the RDX frame has quick release skewers rather than 'thru axles'. I am a big chap, but I'm not going to be doing any arduous off roading. I just want better braking in the wet and less build up of grey muck on the rims!  I've read lots of articles and watched GCN videos. Seems that everyone is saying that 'thru axles' are the way things are going, although there is no set standard at the moment. Articles suggest you shouldn't be worried about going to thru axles, but nothings says 'Don't buy a new bike with discs if it doesn't have thru axles'.  If I did go for a bike with 'thru axles' it would cost me at least £300-500 (which I'm not keen to pay) to have all the other things I want on it. So, should lack of 'thru axles' be a deal breaker - Yes or no?

I don't think this hijacks the OP's post. But goes to show that the RDX 'looks good' from my research (apart from one thing). But, I (and presumably the OP) would value thoughts about whether lack of thru axle is an issue. Also, I'd be interested to know more about weight issues discussed above - Is the RDX significantly heavier than the other disc braked aluminium bikes that the OP lists (and others at the £1k price point)?

Many thanks in advance.

I've had the Prefissio for three years now. 

I'd echo the sentiments above. 

It has some great points... i.e. you can run 25mm tyres, full guards and still use standard drop callipers. 

it is also very economically priced. 

It is also reliable. 

However,  it ain't all rosey... that bike is no performance rig. Not sure if its the generous weight, or what, but its not going to set any records for ya. 

It's also worth noting that the combo of aluminium frame and seatpost is not the most sensitive package on your bum. 

I have a Dolan Prefissio as my bad weather bike and a 5 year old (not the one on thier website at the moment) Ribble carbon Sportive/Racing as my good weather bike.  My comments on the Dolan are:

Plus points:

It uses shallow drop brake calipers.

It takes 25mm tyres with full mudguards.

It has fittings for a rear panier rack and mudguards.

Minus points:

None that I can think of.

Observations:

It feels like I am dragging it around behind me when I swap from the Ribble but that only lasts for one or two rides.

The seat angle is steep (50cm size frame) and I need a seatpost with 25mm layback to get my saddle where I want it which also results in having to use quite a short stem.

Put a chain stay protector on, the paint is prone to chipping quite easilly.

My advice is, and is always the same to anyone looking to buy a new bike, as long as the bike fits you buy with your heart, the best bike is the one you will want to ride even through the grotty British weather, a real bargain or recommendation by a total stranger on a website is a waste of money if you dont want to get on it and ride.

If you want a winter bike can I suggest checking how much clearance the Ribble models have for mudguards and 25mm tyres? I know nothing about the Dolan bikes.