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105 and Ultegra for future proofing

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  • March 13, 2014 at 10:34 am #20927
    Miles253

    Hi guys me again.

    Man this choosing a new bike lark is complicated!

    With so many options between £1800 and £2500 I can barely decide.

    The thing that is troubling me at the moment is group set choice, now I know that the variations between manufacturers are personal but the variances between group prices are not. Now I want a bike that should not cost too much in upgrades over the coming five years, that as I improve which I will ,does not feel like it also needs to improve.

    Would I be better off fronting for an Ultegra equipped bike now? (Probably between the carbon ult Synapse or a Canyon slx/sl) Or go for a 105 equipped bike probably from the plethora of choices from the bike of the year (synapse, Cervelo R3, BMC etc) which all sit at around the £2000 mark

    Naturally getting Ultegra carries a price penalty for any of the bikes other than the Canyons which are still better value regardless. But I am the type of person who, when doing sportives in a few months or trying my hand at racing, will always be itching for the ‘better’ group. Perhaps because I ride Campag Centaur at the moment (on an allu Specialized Allez) and 105 feels like the on par option as apposed to an upgrade (and why else do we spend a fortune on new bikes)

    Obviously I know the biggest immediate difference will be in the wheels ( where once again the Canyons win) but if you guys think that prompting for 105, getting a more mainstreamed frame and saving £500 is the better choice I would be delighted to hear the reasoning.

    In case it’s relevant
    Interests: sportives this year, racing next year
    Weight 75kg

    Looking at
    Canyon ultimate sl-Ultegra-£1900
    Canyon ultimate SLX (in the sales)- ultegra-£2100
    Cannondale synapse -ultegra- £2500
    Various 105 bike of the year options-£2000

    If anyone has any experience with these bikes too also helpful.

    Sorry for the long post.
    Regards

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  • March 19, 2014 at 3:34 am #780233
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    Miles253

    thereandbackagain wrote:Buy a

    thereandbackagain wrote:
    Buy a second-hand 105 equipped bike for racing (maybe an alloy Canyon) to see if you get on with it, use the rest of the money to buy an Ultegra-equipped Canyon or similar for best? Your could do both for the top end of your budget.

    Don’t race what you can’t afford to replace would be my guidance. I bought a second hand 105 bike for racing (admittedly CX, not road) and it’s taken a battering.

    Ultegra 11-spd is silky smooth, really lovely stuff. 105 is perfectly fine too.

    I think this is good advice, as is racing what I can replace, I might just hold off on a race ready bike for now and stick to sportive and club rides, then when I’ve got more money get a race bike from Planet X or canyon, seems no point in getting a great bike for all round and ruining it in a seemingly very likely crash! That way I can get ultegra without too much worry of ruining it, and won’t have any want for better performance. 105 is still worth considering but only if I don’t go the canyon route which are so cheap anyway. Relatively speaking

    March 18, 2014 at 6:21 pm #780231
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    Harryb2996

    If you’re looking around the
    If you’re looking around the £2000 mark maybe take a look at this;

    https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBPXN2A68002/planet-x-n2a-shimano-ultegra-6800-carbon-road-bike

    full ultegea group set, good wheels – really ready to go!!

    March 18, 2014 at 1:58 pm #780229
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    thereandbackagain

    Buy a second-hand 105
    Buy a second-hand 105 equipped bike for racing (maybe an alloy Canyon) to see if you get on with it, use the rest of the money to buy an Ultegra-equipped Canyon or similar for best? Your could do both for the top end of your budget.

    Don’t race what you can’t afford to replace would be my guidance. I bought a second hand 105 bike for racing (admittedly CX, not road) and it’s taken a battering.

    Ultegra 11-spd is silky smooth, really lovely stuff. 105 is perfectly fine too.

    March 18, 2014 at 11:44 am #780227
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    Wookie

    I have just upgraded from 105
    I have just upgraded from 105 to Ultegra 6800 and the difference is quite marked. 105 is good it just that Ultegra is much better. 🙂

    March 18, 2014 at 10:50 am #780225
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    Craig0605

    Ultegra 11 speed is in a
    Ultegra 11 speed is in a different league to 105. Miles different in shifting quality. Go for Ultegra and you won’t be disappointed at all. Well worth the price difference imo.

    March 15, 2014 at 9:51 am #780223
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    Miles253

    That’s something I hadn’t
    That’s something I hadn’t really considered. Are crashes that big of an issue?

    March 14, 2014 at 11:29 am #780221
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    allez neg

    Just a thought – if you’re
    Just a thought – if you’re planning on mass-start racing, would it be prudent to consider the cost of replacing bits after crashes?

    March 14, 2014 at 11:29 am #780219
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    Chris James

    allez neg wrote:Just a

    allez neg wrote:
    Just a thought – if you’re planning on mass-start racing, would it be prudent to consider the cost of replacing bits after crashes?

    Great minds think alike!

    March 14, 2014 at 11:28 am #780217
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    Chris James

    thorolf wrote:Quote:But I am

    thorolf wrote:
    But I am the type of person who, when doing sportives in a few months or trying my hand at racing, will always be itching for the ‘better’ group.

    Based on the above it appears you had better scratch that itch, or you will have major regrets in the future <:P

    Alternatively, it is possible that, especially if he gets into racing, we will come to the view that the groupset makes next to no difference and that training is more important.

    Cat 4s are well known for crashes being common, so having a very expensive bike can be a liability if you have to replace crash damaged parts. Unless you have very deep pockets.

    March 14, 2014 at 11:07 am #780215
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    Miles253

    Yeah I mean I think 11 is
    Yeah I mean I think 11 is handy but far from essential, actually it’s quite far down the list of reasons why I want Ultegra over 105. 10 speed for the moment seems more than enough for most.

    March 14, 2014 at 8:36 am #780213
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    dave atkinson

    seven wrote:
    For me 10sp

    seven wrote:

    For me 10sp allows one major practical feature that 11sp doesn’t, and that’s reusable quick links, so I’m not sure how being “stuck in 10 speed world” is such a bad thing?

    KMC 11spd quick links are reusable, i tend to use theirs

    you don’t ‘need’ that eleventh cog any more than you ‘needed’ the sixth when everyone had five. but that’s the current top-end standard. probably it will be for a good few years for road bikes.

    March 14, 2014 at 8:05 am #780211
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    seven

    NeilXDavis wrote:Has to be 11

    NeilXDavis wrote:
    Has to be 11 speed for me – future proof it or you will be unable to move stuff around in later years…Im stuck in 10 speed world now and although at the moment its no hassle I will have to make the jump soon…

    For me 10sp allows one major practical feature that 11sp doesn’t, and that’s reusable quick links, so I’m not sure how being “stuck in 10 speed world” is such a bad thing?

    In my younger years I raced (and sometimes won) on a 5sp, 501-tubed Raleigh tank. OTOH I no longer race, so I fully understand that perhaps there’s something about the 11th cog that makes it a necessity for future-proofing.

    No, as nice as the idea seems, and as much as it appeals to the “more is better” and “I need/want the coolest/latest stuff and will rationalise it to myself as future-proofing” part of my brain, I have reluctantly realised that I neither need (nor want) 11 cogs at the back.

    March 14, 2014 at 6:11 am #780209
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    Miles253

    I think it will definitely be
    I think it will definitely be a ‘live with it’ choice if I go 105until it wears out. I should probably just make it easier and go Campag! Price easily dictates that choice.

    @allez leg, I’m afraid I have no love for the look of steel or Ti so I’ll probably never buy one

    March 14, 2014 at 3:18 am #780207
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    thorolf

    Quote:But I am the type of

    But I am the type of person who, when doing sportives in a few months or trying my hand at racing, will always be itching for the ‘better’ group.

    Based on the above it appears you had better scratch that itch, or you will have major regrets in the future <:P

    March 14, 2014 at 12:16 am #780205
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    allez neg

    Buy a good ti or steel frame
    Buy a good ti or steel frame with the best group you can get for yr budget. None of this plastic malarkey. B-)

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