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First Road Bike

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  • June 19, 2012 at 2:33 pm #16118
    malps04

    Hi Guys,
    Can anyone give me some advice? I have been riding a hybrid to work for the past year and want to upgrade to a road bike to avoid the constant overtaking I am suffering! I have a budget of around £400, what is the best option for me to go for?
    Many thanks
    Chris

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  • June 25, 2012 at 3:37 pm #687749
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    drheaton

    Don’t forget that through the
    Don’t forget that through the C2W scheme you can also buy safety and security kit (helmet, locks etc) and clothing (including shoes and stuff like that) which you might not already have.

    Could be worth factoring some of those into your plans if you want to make the most of C2W.

    June 25, 2012 at 2:54 pm #687747
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    Super Domestique

    I am spesh biased so will
    I am spesh biased so will avoid commenting on makes but what I would say is all should be available for test riding from those brands so ride and decide.

    Remember many shops have offers on at ‘tour’ time, for eg 10% of price in freebies, etc.

    They also sell out of popular sizes at this time too so I would get those test rides in as soon as you can.

    Whatever you get I am sure you’ll enjoy.

    June 25, 2012 at 2:31 pm #687745
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    malps04

    Ok, I have narrowed down to 4
    Ok, I have narrowed down to 4 bikes that I like the look of and fall into my price range.
    Giant Defy 4/5, GT GTR Series 5 and the Specialized Allez Compact. Any advice/input will be very much appreciated. Thanks

    June 23, 2012 at 6:38 pm #687743
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    Super Domestique

    Congrats. Welcome to the
    Congrats. Welcome to the slippery slope lol.

    I have seen Giant do very well in tests recently so you should be fine.

    June 23, 2012 at 4:53 pm #687741
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    Simon E

    In my experience Giant road
    In my experience Giant road bikes are excellent value and hopefully you will get good support from the shop where you buy it from.

    Hope you enjoy riding it, let us know how you get on.

    June 22, 2012 at 3:46 pm #687739
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    malps04

    After much thought, I have
    After much thought, I have decided I may well push the boat a bit more and am looking at the Giant Defy 5 Compact. Had a test today and fits really well, hopefully this is a good choice?
    Thanks to all for your input.

    June 22, 2012 at 11:56 am #687737
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    Comrade

    Just for info, I used the
    Just for info, I used the cycle-to-work scheme a few years ago and three shops I went into would not offer their discounts when they found out I wanted to use the scheme to buy. They all said they needed to charge the “initial full/ book” price, I imagine its still the same but check first.

    I ended up buying a higher spec than I would have if I were paying directly myself!

    June 20, 2012 at 3:59 pm #687735
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    robert_obrien

    I think you should reset your
    I think you should reset your expectations about a change of bike stopping the overtaking though. Unless you’re a young racer you’ll always be getting overtaken by those that are. What you never see are the people who are behind you and slower. They just get further away.

    June 20, 2012 at 3:47 pm #687733
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    Simon E

    I was going to say the same
    I was going to say the same as drheaton. The really good bikes start above £500. If you’re paying over several months you should be able to find the extra.

    I’m not trying to say an Airlite or Dawes Giro is rubbish, but in terms of the overall package you usually get what you pay for. Wheels and drivetrain are where the biggest compromises are made and, while even cheap hoops aren’t made of cheese, most people can feel the difference. Good stuff lasts longer too.

    Don’t forget a decent lock and insurance (household contents should be sufficient but check the small print). And take any overtime that’s offered because once you’re bitten by the bug you’ll be spending plenty more – pumps, tools, clothing, upgrades, gadgets…

    😉

    June 20, 2012 at 3:22 pm #687731
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    drheaton

    veseunr wrote:For that money,

    veseunr wrote:
    For that money, I would go second hand.

    In the car world, new Kia or second hand Merc?

    There are some excellent Boardman’s for £400 second hand.

    Good advice, but that wouldn’t work on the C2W scheme. Although, the savings offered through C2W aren’t as much as they used to be and you may be just as well getting a cheap sale or 2nd hand bike outside of C2W on a 0% credit card or short term interest free loan and paying it off over 12-24 months.

    June 20, 2012 at 2:31 pm #687729
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    veseunr

    For that money, I would go
    For that money, I would go second hand.

    In the car world, new Kia or second hand Merc?

    There are some excellent Boardman’s for £400 second hand.

    June 20, 2012 at 2:11 pm #687727
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    Bedfordshire Clanger

    +1 for Airlite and they can
    +1 for Airlite and they can often be had on a deal although maybe not on the C2W.
    Stretch that budget if you can – you are making a long term investment and as a commuter you are saving money on public transport or a car. You really do get a lot more for your money if you can aim for the higher end of the C2W scheme. If you can get a bike with half decent wheels and a groupset that isn’t 2300 or Sora you’ll love the easier operation and extra speed. Good luck with the search.

    June 20, 2012 at 1:34 pm #687725
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    malps04

    Just looked at the Triban 3,
    Just looked at the Triban 3, looks cracking value for money, may have a winner….

    June 20, 2012 at 11:17 am #687723
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    malps04

    Thanks guys, I will be buying
    Thanks guys, I will be buying through the cycle scheme at work which does restrict things slightly, but i think I may hold on as suggested to see what deals can be had when the new models come out. I’ll keep posted on what I eventually go for.
    Thanks again.
    Chris

    June 19, 2012 at 5:42 pm #687721
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    lob

    Bought my first road bike
    Bought my first road bike earlier this year. Sought advice from a local bike shop (Dave Mellors in Shrewsbury) and ended up with a Compact Allez after considering Boardman, Raleigh and a Giant.

    Seems a great bike for the money (around £550 on a bike scheme but have seen them cheaper). Good range of gears, very comfy for a newbie to road cycles, responsive and light.

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