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Here comes the what bike thread! ‘Dale vs Giant vs Sensa vs ?

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  • October 7, 2015 at 9:26 am #24892
    Poptart242

    Ok road.cc hive-mind, it’s time for 2016 planning/mild fantasising to start in earnest, with more than a little of this too: ~X(

    Current ride: Giant Defy 0 – Aluxx frame, upgraded (light) wheels, mostly Ultegra groupset. It’s fine but it’s not the greatest handler in the world, bit too upright for me now and quite heavy.

    Current riding type: 5000km this year, mostly rolling. Couple of sportives, fast racing chain-gang every week, occasional club TTs (hilly and flat), rolling solo rides.

    Next year’s plan: 7500km, few more sportives, forget the sprints in the chain gang and make a solo break stick for once, win the hilly TTs (need to cut 4 minutes from a 45 minute time, doable if I lose weight), start actually racing, possibly take the bike to Majorca (or hire).

    Me: 27 years old, 80kgs, ex-weightlifter, sprints are ok, rolling fine, I don’t mind hills but I know I can’t hang in with the light guys for long. Plan to start April at 75kgs, very achievable with winter cycling/running/football etc.

    The shortlist:

    Sensa Calabria – pros: it’s pretty, it’s fairly light, it’s aero. cons: I can’t really find anyone with experience of it
    Sensa Calabria.

    Giant Propel – pros: love the look, great pricing. cons: really quite common in my club, getting on a bit
    Giant Propel.

    Cannondale SuperSix – pros: light, possibly the most comfortable, 2015 bargains to be had, easier to buy with 52/36 chainset as standard. Cons: also common in my club, not aero, newer model already out, external cabling
    SuperSix.

    Unfortunately Canyon/Rose etc are out, as I’ll go via Bike to Work, so it has to be UK. Dolan, PlanetX and Ribble are ok, but to be honest I don’t really fancy any of the frames they have for sale right now.

    So, if it were your choice, what would you pick from the above? Or would you go for something completely different? I’m super open-minded right now so I’m happy to entertain any notion really.

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  • October 13, 2015 at 11:41 am #861471
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    pjay

    hampstead_bandit

    hampstead_bandit wrote:
    @pjay

    Not sure if you’ve changed any finishing kit? There are surprising weight savings to be had, the stock saddle, seatpost and bars were somewhat substantial to say the least!

    Yes, seatpost and stem swapped for FSA SL-K, bars for FSA Omega and saddle for Fizik Arione. I have no means of weighing the bike but it feels a fair bit lighter than when it had 105 5800 on it.

    October 13, 2015 at 8:15 am #861469
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    Poptart242

    hampstead_bandit

    hampstead_bandit wrote:
    @poptart

    Sorry for the cropped picture. Very quick stop off a gravel road this afternoon, thoroughly enjoying the supersixevo during an Indian summer 🙂

    http://ep1.pinkbike.org/p6pb12781978/p5pb12781978.jpg

    Sorted looking bike, nice stealthy paint job too. I’ve got some 1400g wheels already so if I go SuperSix (and I probably will at this rate, cracking deals to be had) then I’ll have lots of fun stripping bits off it :B

    October 12, 2015 at 4:45 pm #861467
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    hampstead_bandit

    @pjay
    Not sure if you’ve
    @pjay

    Not sure if you’ve changed any finishing kit? There are surprising weight savings to be had, the stock saddle, seatpost and bars were somewhat substantial to say the least!

    October 12, 2015 at 4:37 pm #861465
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    hampstead_bandit

    @poptart
    Sorry for the
    @poptart

    Sorry for the cropped picture. Very quick stop off a gravel road this afternoon, thoroughly enjoying the supersixevo during an Indian summer 🙂

    http://ep1.pinkbike.org/p6pb12781978/p5pb12781978.jpg

    October 12, 2015 at 11:49 am #861463
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    pjay

    hampstead_bandit wrote:I then

    hampstead_bandit wrote:
    I then upgraded the groupset to full Ultregra 6800 using a Wheels Manufacturing conversion BB, some spare DT Swiss 1500gm wheels and Zipp Service Course SL finishing kit along with Toupe Pro saddle and Vittoria Open Corsa tires.

    Bike is 7kg with pedals, and is easily the best road bike I’ve yet owned in terms of response under power, beautifully balanced handling and a degree of comfort which my Tarmac SL4 was somewhat lacking.

    Mine’s in the LBS being upgraded to Ultegra 6800 today. It has RS81 wheels on it, which are circa 1500g, so a similar setup. Hopefully the new groupset will bring the weight down towards 7kg.

    October 12, 2015 at 10:13 am #861461
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    Poptart242

    hampstead_bandit wrote:I

    hampstead_bandit wrote:
    I bought a 2015 SuperSixEvo on sale from Evans at just £1080, I really wanted the frame set as it was a very affordable route to get a sub 1kg carbon frame and full carbon fork, compared to lots of aftermarket frame sets I looked at. I’d also heard many friends raving about the SuperSixEvo and really wanted to see what all the fuss was about.

    I stripped the bike down before riding, and weighed the 54cm frame at 930 gm which was very impressive. My Tarmac SL4 Elite was over 1200 gm in comparison.

    I then upgraded the groupset to full Ultregra 6800 using a Wheels Manufacturing conversion BB, some spare DT Swiss 1500gm wheels and Zipp Service Course SL finishing kit along with Toupe Pro saddle and Vittoria Open Corsa tires.

    Bike is 7kg with pedals, and is easily the best road bike I’ve yet owned in terms of response under power, beautifully balanced handling and a degree of comfort which my Tarmac SL4 was somewhat lacking.

    Drooling here – pics?

    October 12, 2015 at 9:57 am #861459
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    hampstead_bandit

    I bought a 2015 SuperSixEvo
    I bought a 2015 SuperSixEvo on sale from Evans at just £1080, I really wanted the frame set as it was a very affordable route to get a sub 1kg carbon frame and full carbon fork, compared to lots of aftermarket frame sets I looked at. I’d also heard many friends raving about the SuperSixEvo and really wanted to see what all the fuss was about.

    I stripped the bike down before riding, and weighed the 54cm frame at 930 gm which was very impressive. My Tarmac SL4 Elite was over 1200 gm in comparison.

    I then upgraded the groupset to full Ultregra 6800 using a Wheels Manufacturing conversion BB, some spare DT Swiss 1500gm wheels and Zipp Service Course SL finishing kit along with Toupe Pro saddle and Vittoria Open Corsa tires.

    Bike is 7kg with pedals, and is easily the best road bike I’ve yet owned in terms of response under power, beautifully balanced handling and a degree of comfort which my Tarmac SL4 was somewhat lacking.

    October 12, 2015 at 9:36 am #861457
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    Poptart242

    Lee170 wrote:I to have a 2015

    Lee170 wrote:
    I to have a 2015 super six 105 bought in the sale for a measly £1125.
    It’s an absolute stunning bike. I was deciding whether to get a dale or a giant defy advanced. But after rising both round the car park I decided on the dale. It felt much more comfortable(imo)

    Strangely, I’ve heard lots about both the Propel and the Supersix being far more comfortable than expected. I’ve never really found myself comfortable on the Defy despite it being an endurance bike, so I’m looking forward to finding out. In all honesty, I should have gone for a race bike last time round anyway given that I’ve completely negated the stack of spacers that came with the Defy with my position.

    October 11, 2015 at 7:35 pm #861455
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    Lee170

    I to have a 2015 super six
    I to have a 2015 super six 105 bought in the sale for a measly £1125.
    It’s an absolute stunning bike. I was deciding whether to get a dale or a giant defy advanced. But after rising both round the car park I decided on the dale. It felt much more comfortable(imo)

    October 9, 2015 at 11:45 am #861453
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    pjay

    I wouldn’t worry too much
    I wouldn’t worry too much about getting an aero bike, it’s just a fad and they are mostly very ugly IMHO. I have a 2015 Supersix Evo bought in the sale. It’s a great bike for the money and it doesn’t seem to be holding the Cannondale Garmin riders back a whole lot.

    October 9, 2015 at 9:27 am #861451
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    Poptart242

    Daveyraveygravey wrote:At the

    Daveyraveygravey wrote:
    At the start of my search I had 10 or 12 on a shortlist and if you’re strict with your budget you can get loads of very similarly specced bikes within 50 or 100 quid. I even put pics of them all on my screensaver at work, and couldn’t see a lot of difference. Most of them were black for a start. So once I spied the Propel it just seemed right – great colour scheme and it looked different.

    Funnily enough (printed and on my desk!)…

    October 8, 2015 at 9:16 pm #861449
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    CXR94Di2

    Boardman air or sls model
    Boardman air or sls model range

    October 8, 2015 at 7:20 pm #861447
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    Daveyraveygravey

    At the start of my search I
    At the start of my search I had 10 or 12 on a shortlist and if you’re strict with your budget you can get loads of very similarly specced bikes within 50 or 100 quid. I even put pics of them all on my screensaver at work, and couldn’t see a lot of difference. Most of them were black for a start. So once I spied the Propel it just seemed right – great colour scheme and it looked different.

    October 8, 2015 at 1:44 pm #861445
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    Poptart242

    Thanks for the advice, I
    Thanks for the advice, I really think that for the Sensa especially I’d want to ride it first – and that’s not going to happen as I live in Scotland. Immediately risky purchase.

    Too right about the colour! Current bike is green and I love it. Sways me towards the Cannondale.

    And if I weigh then what I weigh now… I’ll be happy! Doubt it though!

    October 8, 2015 at 12:30 pm #861443
    0
    Daveyraveygravey

    Have a look at the Aero Giant
    Have a look at the Aero Giant v Propel thread, I’ve just posted about my Propel. One of the things I liked about it was I hadn’t seen many, I understand how if you are surrounded by them you may want something different.

    I tried a Supersix which was a great bike, but not better in any important way than the Propel that I could tell, so I let the unimportant ways dictate my choice – looks and colour!

    Sensa got a great review for one of their bikes a few years ago (Romagna I think?) but all the reviews I have seen lately are less complimentary. If you can get to the shop and have a look at one, maybe a demo ride, give it a try. They were just too far away for me.

    I got mine on CTW, with the savings it was as good a deal as Canyon/Rose etc.

    I’m the same weight as you, but double your age. If I knew then what I know now…!

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