Carbon Road Bike

ref2468

I currently have a mountain bike and tend to get out most weekends. While I love the country tracks I want to really start putting in the miles.

I have obtained a place on the Prudential Ride100 and am also looking at entering others this year. Therefore I'm currently looking for a road bike but would appreciate any advice on where to look and potentially what to avoid? I'm happy to go second hand and have been checking out eBay but am a little unsure of what to go for. Also, i'm aware my employer operates the cycle to work scheme but I expect to leave my job come September so don't think this would be a worthwhile option?

Any feedback appreciated.

dotdash79

How much are you looking to spend?

If I was you I would be looking a sportive bike, have a look here for a jump off point http://road.cc/content/buyers-guide/140799-buyers-guide-2015-sportive-and-endurance-road-bikes-13-best

They do one each year so have a look at the 2014 and 2013 if you are looking for cheaper one.

I've have my eye on the Canyon Endurace at the moment.

Marco_Panettone

Worth having a look a Planet-X too - www.planetx.co.uk

Throbbe

Any particular reason that you're looking for carbon? You can get carbon framed bikes at Cycle to Work prices (Planet X, Ribble, or Dolan) but at that price point most people are offering aluminium frames. Giant Defy seems to be a regular winner in best sub £1000 bike articles, although cynically I suspect they have a much bigger advertising budget than the three I've named above.

brat

dotdash79 wrote: »

How much are you looking to spend?

If I was you I would be looking a sportive bike, have a look here for a jump off point http://road.cc/content/buyers-guide/140799-buyers-guide-2015-sportive-and-endurance-road-bikes-13-best

They do one each year so have a look at the 2014 and 2013 if you are looking for cheaper one.

I've have my eye on the Canyon Endurace at the moment.

Canyon are excellent value for money. They also offer end of season stock at reduced price too, but that won't be until about October. I'd have gone for Canyon had I not bagged a bargain on my current bike.

ref2468

Thanks for the replies. In terms of price I was looking around the £1000 mark. Rather than go new I was hoping to pick up a high end second hand bike that has depreciated. I understand this comes with risks but I just feel as though it offers better value. With your experience would you agree? Currently looking at a Felt Z2 with several upgrades for around my budget.

In terms of the cycle to work because I will be leaving my employer in September I would only get the tax/NI benefits for the next six months and hence I doubt its worth it.

Thanks for the feedback to date.

C_Mababejive

Can anyone comment on the difference between riding a carbon bike instead of a steel/ali bike? i seem to get quite worn out after only a short run on my steel bike, or is it just me thats knackered?

dandelionclock30

ref2468 wrote: »

Thanks for the replies. In terms of price I was looking around the £1000 mark. Rather than go new I was hoping to pick up a high end second hand bike that has depreciated. I understand this comes with risks but I just feel as though it offers better value. With your experience would you agree? Currently looking at a Felt Z2 with several upgrades for around my budget.

In terms of the cycle to work because I will be leaving my employer in September I would only get the tax/NI benefits for the next six months and hence I doubt its worth it.

Thanks for the feedback to date.

.


Do you know your exact size in a road bike like what top tube and seat tube size you need? Also do you know how to properly check out a used bike? like checking for play etc? If the answers are you don't know then either take someone with you who really knows what they are on about or forget it.
You will easily get ripped off if you don't know your stuff.
You would be better off going to Planet X /Ribble or Evans and getting something in the sales. Go to a bike shop that is known for doing a good sizing or bike fit. This is vitally important as its easy to get it wrong when it comes to road bikes.

Mr_Singleton

Without at least giving an indication of what your budget is any advice is going to be meaningless..... sorry.

Cycrow

May be a bit late now, but theres the boardman pro carbon road bike for about 1300, but theres 15% off, an another 10% if you join British cycling, which will come just over £1000 (including membership fee)

Althou i think the offer is ending soon

daivid

C_Mababejive wrote: »

Can anyone comment on the difference between riding a carbon bike instead of a steel/ali bike? i seem to get quite worn out after only a short run on my steel bike, or is it just me thats knackered?

If solely talking about road bikes carbon and steel are the only materials I would consider (but I may be a snob).

Steel is durable, repairable (within reason) and is a material that flexes allowing for a frame to be built that is rigid in the key places to transfer power but has some give in others to reduce vibrations and produce a comfortable ride. But not all steel bikes are created equally, the particular steel alloy used and of course craftsmanship makes the difference between a heavy pig of a bike and an awsome road machine.

Main differences with carbon: it is effectively unrepairable, less durable (particularly regarding knocks and scrapes), it is also lighter and can be layerd up to have much more precise areas of strength and flexibility. As with steel, not all carbon bikes are equal, design and build quality are key.

To my mind aluminium is a second choice material for a road bike, in some ways a worst of both worlds. Aluminium is rigid so gives a harsher ride, potentially less durable and repairable than steel (better than carbon though). But it is the material of choice for entry level road bikes and will produce a reasonably light bike at a reasonable price (allowing more to be spent on key components).

Now regarding weight, the diffence between a quality carbon and comparable steel frame will be a couple of hundred grams at most, as lightweight bikes are around 7kg this is pretty insignificant to the majority of cyclists. It would be much easier for me to reduce my weight by 5kg than my bike by 1kg.

As for feeling tired, weight of the bike may play a part (especially if your ride is hilly). My 'hack bike' is noticeably heavier (about 4kg) than the 'best bike'. There is a huge difference in how well they go even on the flat as far more significant than weight are the quality of the drivetrain, wheels and tyres. If I was to swap the components over I'm sure the hack would outperform the best despite the carbon frame and forks versus Steel.