£1500 limit (ish)

[Paul_L]

I'm looking to upgrade from my Spesh Allez Triple which has served me well for 3 years.

Main criteria is i need to buy it on finance over 2 years. That rules out many LBSs and also Evans who only finance over 12 months.

As a result this has limited my options to the following as available from All Terrain Cycles which just happens to be about a mile away from home.

Cannondale CAAD 10 105 in Jet Black - £1,300
Trek 2.3 in grey / black - £1,270
Trek Madone 3.1 in red / black / white - £1,600

All 3 have predominantly 105.

I've looked at all 3 in the flesh and the Madone for me stands out as the nicest looking, and the carbon frame is why the cost is a bit higher.

I think the best value is the CAAD. I'm not that impressed with the appearance of the 2.3 so really it's between the CAAD and the Madone.

Is the carbon worth spending £300 more?? The Madone also has a lowest gear of 34/28 compared to 34/27 of the CAAD so will be a better match against my triple but again, i can't see this making a massive amount of difference.

Most of my riding is sunday club runs and sportive riding.

Thoughts / reviews / recommendations would be well received.

 

[PaulSecteur]

If your allez has served you well, and you have had it for 3 years (so if must fit you pretty well) why not consider the carbon framed version, the tarmac.

http://www.specializedconceptstore.co.uk/Detail/11Tarmac/Tarmac/Tarmac Elite Compact

 

[festival]

By far the the best bike for the money is the Giant TCR 0 model available for £1495.
Mainly Ultegra & Giant frames are the lightest, stiffest and most comfortable to ride for the price.
It looks classy too.
The Treks are inferior technology and are made by Giant & the cannondales have a history of braking.

 

[Paul_L]

well they have that in the store as well, and yes it was on my radar.

BUT, i've found JE James do 0% finance over 24 months which brings the Bianchi Via Nirone 7 Veloce into the mix.

And a bianchi in celeste i'm afraid does it for me!!!

 

[zexel]

By far the the best bike for the money is the Giant TCR 0 model available for £1495.
Mainly Ultegra & Giant frames are the lightest, stiffest and most comfortable to ride for the price.
It looks classy too.
The Treks are inferior technology and are made by Giant & the cannondales have a history of braking.

The Treks are inferior technology ... if I was to agree with you on that I'd be wrong too

 

[NotFabian]

well they have that in the store as well, and yes it was on my radar.

BUT, i've found JE James do 0% finance over 24 months which brings the Bianchi Via Nirone 7 Veloce into the mix.

And a bianchi in celeste i'm afraid does it for me!!!

Bianchi....Campag...
NNNNNNice...

 

[Garz]

Bianchi or the CAAD if I were in your shoes.

 

[Sambu]

By far the the best bike for the money is the Giant TCR 0 model available for £1495.
Mainly Ultegra & Giant frames are the lightest, stiffest and most comfortable to ride for the price.
It looks classy too.
The Treks are inferior technology and are made by Giant & the cannondales have a history of braking.

just got the 2010 tcr advanced 4 and u can get teh 3 for under 1500

 

[frank9755]

I hired a CAAD10 for a week when I went to Gran Canaria in January. I really enjoyed riding it. Certainly didn't feel inferior to a carbon frame. Was plenty stiff and light and a comfortable ride up some big climbs and descents. The 105 groupset worked very well (mine had a triple, which you need out there but compact probably fine for the UK).

The only downside was that the metal is not very thick where it doesn't need to be. I managed to put a minor ding in the top tube when the bike fell against a signpost. It wasn't a hard impact and I did not expect anything more than a paint scratch, but there was a little dent in the tube. Cost me 150 Euros.


I've no experience of the others your looking at but I would recommend the CAAD, as long as you take care with it!

 

[smokeysmoo]

By far the the best bike for the money is the Giant TCR 0 model available for £1495.
Mainly Ultegra & Giant frames are the lightest, stiffest and most comfortable to ride for the price.
It looks classy too.
The Treks are inferior technology and are made by Giant & the cannondales have a history of braking.

Firstly, zexel is bang on the money, there was certainly nothing 'inferior' about the Madone I had a few years ago, I actually wish I'd never sold it, so balderdash to your statement!

Secondly, I presume you meant 'breaking', but regardles of spelling errors how can you make such an impossibly false statement?

The CAAD10 is a brand new frameset for 2011, hence it has no history at all, yet alone any history of breaking?

Paul L - I'm looking at both the CAAD10, and the Via Nirone but can't seem to make my mind up. I'm a larger guy to be honest, and Cannondale have confirmed there are no weight limits on their framesets, but I've not heard back from Bianchi yet. The only downsides with the Bianchi IMHO is the sloping top tube, (at 6' 5" tall I simply prefer traditional geometry), and it arguably looks a bit too 'bling' with all the decals, I'd probably need to spend some time destickering if I go down this route.

I'm going to a Bianchi dealer today so I'll have good chat with him and see if things are any clearer to me after that.

For the record, I too need to buy on finance, and it has always frustrated me that options are relatively limited for 0% deals over longer periods via the high street. You would think in the current economic climate high street shops, (especially large nationals like Evans), would match the internet specialists and offer the same deals. I appreciate the whole overheads argument, but when you service and repair yourself, and you have an excellent LBS service for witchcraft things like wheel building etc, then why would I blow my brains out over 12-24 months on the high street when I can go 0% for 3 years via various excellent online retailers?

I'm very interested to see which way you go Paul L, keep us informed with your decision, and follow up with a review when you get some miles under it

 

[Boatman]

I am not as knowledgable as many on here, but my 10 penny worth is thus. Bought a Trek 2.3 with 105 compact April 2010 and I am still very happy. Not sure if this is helpfull but just a thought.

 

[festival]

Firstly, zexel is bang on the money, there was certainly nothing 'inferior' about the Madone I had a few years ago, I actually wish I'd never sold it, so balderdash to your statement!

Secondly, I presume you meant 'breaking', but regardles of spelling errors how can you make such an impossibly false statement?

The CAAD10 is a brand new frameset for 2011, hence it has no history at all, yet alone any history of breaking?



The guy asked the question and I gave him an honest, although brief answer.

The word inferior was I concede strong, but I stand by my comment that giant produce superior frame sets.
Cannondale are fine in general, but in general some models have had a reputation for frames breaking, not just my opinion, ask around.

I wasn't specific about any Cannondale models.

Go easy on the funny faces it doesn't add any weight to your comments, oh and you might like to check your own spelling.

 

[smokeysmoo]

Firstly, zexel is bang on the money, there was certainly nothing 'inferior' about the Madone I had a few years ago, I actually wish I'd never sold it, so balderdash to your statement!

Secondly, I presume you meant 'breaking', but regardless of spelling errors how can you make such an impossibly false statement?

The CAAD10 is a brand new frameset for 2011, hence it has no history at all, yet alone any history of breaking?



The guy asked the question and I gave him an honest, although brief answer.

The word inferior was I concede strong, but I stand by my comment that giant produce superior frame sets.
Cannondale are fine in general, but in general some models have had a reputation for frames breaking, not just my opinion, ask around.

I wasn't specific about any Cannondale models.

Go easy on the funny faces it doesn't add any weight to your comments, oh and you might like to check your own spelling.

I checked my spelling before I posted Buddy, and it's bang on thanks, and thanks for clarifying your first statement, perhaps your comments are based on fact, but you really need to be specific and not make sweeping generalisations.

Keep smiling and ride safe

 

[Howard]

I was sure there was someone on here that recommends Giant to all the 'what bike shall I buy' queries, even if a Giant is not shortlisted. Festival, do you work for Giant? Just wonderin'.

Actually, looking back, I probably sound like the unofficial Cannondale propaganda machine

FWIW I'm sure Giant bikes are great - I've never had the pleasure of riding one though.

 

[festival]

Smokymoose

Just thought you might like to know.

Secondly, I presume you meant 'breaking', but regardles of spelling errors how can you make such an impossibly false statement?




Also, Was that an apology for implying I lied?

I always do my best to be accurate, and whilst one can make a generalization on any subject if one wishes, it would be totally bad form to knowingly make a false statement.

You may not have said that i had lied, but as you implied yourself, generalization can confuse things, but maybe I misinterpreted your last post as well.