I don't have any personal experience of either, but these two bikes from Decathlon get rave reviews....
Red Triban 3 ...about £300
Black Triban 5...about £430
Search on those two names and you will get a lot of opinions.
Good luck
Nowt wrong with mine. Just needed some decent wheels.Or the white Triban with carbon fork and Sora gearing
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-5-road-bike-white-id_8167039.html
There aren't many roadbikes under £500. You could get a 2012 Defy 4 http://www.ashcycles.com/site/bikes/road/giant/defy-range-2012 which should be a good bike for the money, although it does have 2300 gearing with the thumb button that people either like or loath
£600 brings 2013 models from the main brands into play
OR £500 should get you a good barely used second hand roadbike
I would avoid Vikings and anything from Muddyfox
Yea it's little heavy, not weighed it since the new wheels but about 12Kg. (steel forks, I think, certain not carbon.)Aren't they rather heavy at the buget end...with older or no name components and limited lbs support. I don't know of anywhere round here that sells them. Do they come with a proper frame warranty?
And I'm a bit of a brand snob I'd rather pay more for a well known company and with a £500 budget that is possible. To be fair I wouldn't buy a decathlon bike either but my budget for new has always been more
Triban 3 and a wheel upgrade
Triban 3 and a wheel upgrade