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Newbie with lots of choices and cannot decide which is best!

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  • September 7, 2014 at 7:45 am #22326
    Cheekyjohn

    Well where to start really, doing the Cyclescheme thing and choosing a road bike, as I already own a MTB and can’t justify spending a small fortune on another only to throw it down a mountainside, after all that’s what there made for isn’t it? I want to ride the roads anyway. I’ve not ridden a road bike for a number of years and I fear I’m having the ” mid lifer ” and want to don Lycra and pretend I’m the next Wiggo etc. The thing is the more research I do the more confusing it becomes. I’m going to spend the full £1000 but will have to budget in pedals and shoes into this as my MTB has flats.

    Is it me or am I being cynical but every LBS I go into seems to slag off every other brand apart from obviously the ones they are selling? I’ve been into 3 now in my area (Bolton) and the first tried to sell me the Raleigh Revenio 2, the next said Raleigh were not what they once where and tried to sell me a Forme, saying basically buy it because its local! He was also very disparaging about Ribble bikes and also Decathlons own brand, now doing said research these bikes where getting pretty decent reviews? So I’m bloody confused now. The third LBS I went into then tried selling me the Giant Defy 2. As far as I’m concerned all these bikes seem ok. I’m pretty keen on using a LBS so can access there after sales service and have a human being to interact with!

    Now I know these questions have probably been asked a thousand times on here before so I will thank you in advance for reading all this blurb and actually taking the time to offer any help or advice.

    Many thanks John the Newbie!

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  • September 7, 2014 at 9:47 pm #813333
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    Shanefutcher

    Planet x are the best company
    Planet x are the best company to buy bikes from.they have bikes with top quality spec plus u can get kitted out for low prices

    September 7, 2014 at 9:01 pm #813331
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    notfastenough

    hampstead_bandit

    hampstead_bandit wrote:
    notfastenough

    giant defy is disc brake on carbon fibre models only. the defy aluminium are all caliper brakes as before.

    Ah righto, thanks.

    September 7, 2014 at 9:00 pm #813329
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    notfastenough

    Trek 2.1 will be nice, you’ll
    Trek 2.1 will be nice, you’ll like it! Also, it’s good that you’re buying alu, because when you get hooked (you will!), you can demote it to your winter bike when you buy something blingy…

    September 7, 2014 at 8:07 pm #813327
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    hampstead_bandit

    @half wheeler
    good
    @half wheeler

    good comments

    bulk of ‘brands’ made by Giant (cannondale, non-project series Trek, etc,) or Merida (specialized aluminium, etc.) or smaller vendors

    most important when choosing a ‘brand’? support from local dealer, and warranty terms to take of your ownership…

    September 7, 2014 at 8:02 pm #813325
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    Cheekyjohn

    Oh goodness just found same
    Oh goodness just found same bike for £800 now at Cycle Surgery!

    September 7, 2014 at 6:13 pm #813323
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    Cheekyjohn

    Thanks guys for all the
    Thanks guys for all the positive comments. Re rim and disc brakes, my MTB is a 8 year old Trek 6700 with rim brakes so I’m pretty used to them. They work pretty well for me! Managed to get to Evans this afternoon after work and was pleasantly surprised, after a good chat the sales chappie recommended the Trek Madone 2.1 H2 Compact. It was reduced to £850 from £1000, like you’ve said in previous post I think these priced bikes are going to be much of a muchness really but this seemed pretty good to me, I’m going to book myself a test ride on this me thinks! Watch is space! B-)

    September 7, 2014 at 6:00 pm #813321
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    HalfWheeler

    Ach…bikes at the same price
    Ach…bikes at the same price range and with the same level of components are all much of a muchness to be honest.

    All the components are made by the same company as are the frames and the finishing kits are all pretty similar.

    I used to work for Rocky Mountain Bikes in their factory in Vancouver, Canada. The frames for the lower end bikes were imported from a frame manufacturer in Taiwan. The same frame manufacturer built frames for all the big brand names in North America: Kona, Giant, etc, etc.

    All we did was paint the frames, stick on the transfers and components (which were made in Japan) then stick a label on that said “handbuilt in Canada”. Which was true. In a way.

    Buy a road bike, clip in, get the miles in, you’ll be fine.

    September 7, 2014 at 5:04 pm #813319
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    hampstead_bandit

    notfastenough
    giant defy is
    notfastenough

    giant defy is disc brake on carbon fibre models only. the defy aluminium are all caliper brakes as before.

    September 7, 2014 at 4:31 pm #813317
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    Binky

    Can you not go to a chain
    Can you not go to a chain store like Evans,Cycle Surgery they other more choice and wont try to push a certain brand onto you.

    Take your time when choosing the bike, look at magazines and websites.
    Choose what type of ride you want (winter is coming) will it be a all season bike or a best bike.

    Do you have any brands in mind?

    September 7, 2014 at 3:54 pm #813315
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    notfastenough

    Well first things first, it’s
    Well first things first, it’s increasingly difficult to buy a ‘bad’ bike, especially at the ultra-competitive cycle-to-work price point. Giant, Ribble, Enigma, plus most of the others you’ll commonly see (trek, specialized, focus, cube, cannondale etc) will all offer a great bike for £1k. That said, for 2015 the Giant Defy range goes to all disc brakes, and coming from an MTB you’re likely to be rather alarmed when you drop anchor on rim brakes for the first time in years!

    September 7, 2014 at 2:15 pm #813313
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    KirinChris

    He means that you won’t get
    He means that you won’t get people going ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ over a Giant.

    That said, you won’t get it on the other bikes you’re looking at anyway so I wouldn’t worry too much.

    Giant make brilliant bikes which are great value, across their whole range. But you’re right, the Ribble and Genesis also get good reviews.

    I would go with something which has good reviews, is backed up by a company that is going to be around in 5 years and is comfortable for your legs and your budget.

    September 7, 2014 at 11:05 am #813311
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    Cheekyjohn

    Then you need to be clear

    Then you need to be clear about the kind of riding you want to do. Couple of hour blasts? Longer day rides? Sportives?

    As for a specific brand/bike you will get all manner of suggestions now, from ribble sportives (amazing value) to genesis equilibrium (british modern classic) to giant defys (great bikes but no ‘cachet’) to whatever you LBS has an agreement with.

    Thanks for the info, much to think about. As far as type of riding I think Sportives are the goal but what you said in that order really. Hour blasts, longer day rides then the Sportives. What do you mean by Giant Defy, great bike but no cachet?

    September 7, 2014 at 9:51 am #813309
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    alotronic

    First of all your LBS will
    First of all your LBS will look after your bike no matter where it comes from because they need the work 🙂

    Generally speaking a lot of LBS are horrible and some are utterly brilliant – you might want to ask local riders what the good ones are. Personally I only go into ANY bike shop when I have no choice at all as I find being patronised got pretty boring about twenty years ago – but there will be one nice one local enough to you I suspect! So the next forum question is… can you recommend me a bike shop near X.

    Despite my cynism the area where a good bike shop could be of enormous help is in sizing. Do they have a sizing rig? Can you try the bikes on a trainer and get your friend (see below) to help?

    Then you need to be clear about the kind of riding you want to do. Couple of hour blasts? Longer day rides? Sportives etc.

    The next thing to do is find that friend of a friend who does that kind of riding and get them to come into your bike shop with you. Bullsh*t filter, very handy.

    As for a specific brand/bike you will get all manner of suggestions now, from ribble sportives (amazing value) to genesis equilibrium (british modern classic) to giant defys (great bikes but no ‘cachet’) to whatever you LBS has an agreement with.

    Good luck!

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