[kingholmesy]

Hello,

I'm thinking of getting my first road bike.  I'm unlikely to go on long rides that often and I doubt I'll ever get into racing, but I want something that I go go out on for a couple of hours, get my head down and have a good blast around.

I had set myself a top budget of £1,000 and was thinking of getting a Trek 2.1, but my local stockist (Harry Hall in Manchester) can't get my frame size until the 2011 model comes in, which will be an extra hundred quid.  Instead they suggested I consider spending a bit more (£1,200) to get a Specialised Allez Comp.

For that money though I think I'd rather get a CAAD 9 105 - although I'd prefer to get one from a local independent if possible, Evans Cycles currently have them on offer for £1,200.  Or a could go for a CAAD9 with Tiagra groupset for £1,000.

Whatever I go for I think I'll swap the compact chainring for a standard double crank and stick with the 12-25 cassette.

Any thoughts on which bike I should get would be most welcome.  Do I need to spend this much for a first bike when it's hard to know how much I'll get into it?

Sorry for the rambling post, but any advice would be appreciated.

Cheers, Luke.

[slackline]

Go with the grain otherwise you run the risk of getting in-growing hairs. 

[kingholmesy]

Really? I see my missus shaving upwards all the time, apparently with no ill effects.

p.s. I have just noticed that the maximum spend on cyclescheme is £1,000.

Therefore - CAAD9 with Tiagra, or cheaper frame with 105?

[soapy]

boardman team carbon

one cautionary note: inspect it minutely when you pick it up as the wrench monkeys at halfords can and do make an awful job of assembling bikes

[Percy B]

Or, if you're between 5'10" and 6'2" then buy my Lightspeed off me....

[slackline]

According to (my wife's) beautician colleagues it increases the likelihood.

[chummer]

According to (my wife's) beautician colleagues it increases the likelihood.

How very dare you!  :oThey're called 'beauty therapists' now don't you know

[slackline]

 

[webbo]

i would look for a last years model.you'd get more for your money that way.look on the cyclists weekly bargins page,theres a specalised roubix elite at websters cycles for £1200.
also unless you live somewhere flat why would you want to change from a compact to a 53/39.at the top end i.e 50 x 11 against 53 x 12 theres not alot of diffrence and even when racing you don't use 53 x 12 much.   

[slackline]

I doubt the cycle2work scheme works with second hand bikes bought privately (and you'd likely pay over the odds for second-hand from a shop, possibly  )

[jordysi]

try Scott, usually good bike with plent of spec for the money, and If you try mountain high cycles in ferryhill 01740 565551 they will deliver.... and relieve you of your cycle to work scheme.... qnd are a little local independant

[chappers]

i would get a decent alloy frame with carbon stays and fork from ribble with 105 or velocce. or just get one of their cheaper carbon jobs.
job done.

[kingholmesy]

Ta for all the advice (and the offers to sell me bikes - but it's got to be new to get it on the cycle to work scheme).  I've done a bit more swotting up and reckon I'm gonna go for a Planet X Pro Carbon with the Ultegra groupset.  The frame seems to get decent review and it looks well spec'd for the money.

[fatkid2000]

I seem to remember Percy had a planet X fairly recently & sold it on.

Boardman bikes seem to get good reviews with good frames and kit. Mate of mine got one on cycle to work as a commuter and seems to like it - had it delivered unbuilt and he built it up himself as he didn't trust the muppets in Halfords to do it.

[Mike Tyson]

I've said it before but the Boardman bikes are ace as along as you dont let the twits at Halfrauds build them. Been very pleased with mine (Admittedly its not a road bike) and would highly recommend.

[chappers]

as far as i know, planet x are not on cyclescheme.co.uk, if that is who does your work cycle 2 work...might be worth checking out.
fairly good choice, but i would check what constitutes an ultegera "groupset" often parts are swapped out for cheap fsa equivalents.

[Duma]

Yes they are: http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/cycle-scheme/
A mate at work has just got the sl carbon with rival on the scheme - I set it up for him and it looks a great deal. They've swapped out the calipers but otherwise the gruppo is complete - calipers they used look pretty good too. My work just did the scheme for the first time and I've set up a few mates bikes in the last few weeks - the planet x was certainly the best of them (not seen a boardman though - but aren't they only availble from Halfords - who only do their own cycle to work thing?)

[Duma]

oh yeah +1 to what webbo said re compact chainrings

[kingholmesy]

Planet X are on cycle to work, but Halfords operate a separate scheme (in which my work doesn't participate) so the Boardman isn't an option.

oh yeah +1 to what webbo said re compact chainrings

Why?  What do people reckon of 53/39 (with 12/25 or 12/27?) vs 50/36 (with 11/23 or 12/25?)?

[Percy B]

Buy a Planet X - you can't go wrong. A compact (50/34) with 11/25 is my preference, but thats just me. I found a top gear of 50/12 left me spinning wildly at around 35mph, and I like to go a bit quicker than that if the road allows! (A big gear of 50/11 is actually a couple of inches bigger than the normal 53/12, so if you can get a 25/11 casette you have all your bases covered).

I got rid of my Planet X because of a fit and knee pain issue which weren't specifically related to the bike - I just had it as a second bike and my knees didn't like adjusting from one bike to another. For the price, you won't find any better I don't reckon.

[chappers]

that looks like a pretty good deal then...i like the look of their carbon fram with the horizontal top tube, very nice. and you can get sram kit too.

ditto what others have said about compacts. 50/34 with 11/25 is great.

[mjh]

Unless you are super fit then 50/34 and 11/25 should do you nicely (though to be honest 12/25 won't be that much different).

The planet X bikes are lovely.

[kingholmesy]

Cheers for all the advice.  Having tested standard and compacts today, I reckon I'm gonna go with the Planet-X Pro Carbon and Ultegra groupset with a compact chainring.  So, some additional questions for you:

1. For those that have recommended compact 11/25, do you miss the 16t?  11/25 will cost me an extra £20 over 12/25.

2.  What size should I get - large or XL?  I'm 6'1/2" with an 341/3" inseam and found the 58cm frame I tried today about right.

3. Unless I pay £25 extra (in which case I get a choice of 170, 172.5 or 175mm), the compact offered with the Ultegra groupset only comes with a 170mm crank length.  I presume this is fine?

Thanks in advance.  I've really got to stop dithering this week and actually buy a bike!

[webbo]

as a first timer you will probably get away with 12 x 25.
not sure about frame size but i reckon you will need longer cranks than 170s.i would have thought that you would get longer cranks as the frame size increases.i'm sure that usually happens.

[mr__j5]

I've always had 175 cranks, but I'm 6'3" with 35" legs.

Shorter cranks are easiler to get up to speed, but harder for mashing out a big gear.

TBH since I always ride a high cadence, I bet I wouldn't notice if I was given 170's either.