£1000 carbon or alu for first serious bike?

[Mike71A]

Thanks for all the advice guys. Much appreciated. Looks like the Giant comes with a few recommends so I think I will try and get one of those..thanks again.

 

[MikeW-71]

Get a test ride first though, it'll be no good for you if it doesn't fit.

 

[DooDah]

FWIW a rule of thumb I was once told when buying a new bike is to buy the very best frame your budget will allow, (everything else is easy to upgrade if you need/want to), so with a £1K budget that will always be alu, but as others have said, you need to try as many as possible.

THIS.

+1 for Boardman bikes though. Cube also look excellent.

 

[vickster]

Get a test ride first though, it'll be no good for you if it doesn't fit.

+1

 

[AndymcDevon]

Cannondale synapse alu 105, lovely bike and a great frame

 

[musa]

You get better spec'd alu bikes ie trek madone at a grand with 105

 

[Cuchilo]

When I was looking at bikes I was told the defy has the same frame through out the defy range . The defy 5 has the same frame as the defy 1 . The defy was also a lot lighter than bikes of the same price range . As I wasn't sure if it was a road bike or a hybrid I wanted I went for the defy 5 and im very glad I did .

 

[vickster]

The 5 doesn't have a carbon fork, it's alu...nor the 4...carbon fork comes in at the Defy 3

 

[Milzy]

Look at the saving on this Ridley http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ridley-damocles-special-edition-105-2012/

 

[vickster]

An XL Ridley will be very big - their geometry is on the large size from what I understand

 

[Cuchilo]

The 5 doesn't have a carbon fork, it's alu...nor the 4...carbon fork comes in at the Defy 3

The Defy 5 doesn't have a lot of things the 4-3-2 and 1 have but its still the same frame . Are carbon forks a "must have " on a road bike ?
I'm asking as I know nothing , just trying to help out with bike buying things and stuff

 

[vickster]

I find them much more comfortable - my arms are shot and the roads around here are awful - and they are lighter

 

[Milzy]

Carbon forks are cheap as chips anyway.

 

[tigger]

A decent Carbon racing snake is streets ahead of anything aluminium I've ridden. And they are incredibly affordable if you go the direct sale route, you get twice the bike for your money that way. Planet X, Ribble, Boardman or the Facet5. Why have cotton when you can have silk?

 

[TheSpence]

so let me get this right spending 1K but you dont know what bike to buy surly then you would be better off spending a lot less by buying a 2nd hand bike to try a road bike and then once you know for sure that you like road bikes then make a decision , but hey thats only my mho

I do have to agree. I am fairly new to road biking (About 15 months maybe? Half on a hybrid, and the other on a road bike).

My road bike is a retro steel frame with of course old parts etc. By riding it daily I now know what I would look for in a bike upgrade, which parts I require and of course I would need to test ride a few frames etc but I have some base knowledge on my personal preference.

The bike I ride was only £150, does 18 miles a day and has many miles left in it.