£800-1000 London Commuter Road Bike - Carbon or Aluminium?

[jsaipe]

So I had a crash last week and wrecked my beloved Cube Peloton Pro (2012) not to mention various body parts. The Peloton Pro served me well over 2 years and 7000 miles, and it's now time to replace it.

I need a bike that I can thrash on the roads of London every day and occasionally take for a 25-50 mile ride on sundays. My budget is £800-1000. (I figured there's no point spending more on a commuter bike).

My instinct says don't go for a carbon frame, one, because it'll be bottom end quality and, two, because it won't endure London's potholes and speed humps as well as aluminium. Heckle me at will

My main preferences are: 105 groupset, internal cable routing, good wheels (Mavic or Fulcrum?).

Brands I've shortlisted so far are: Cube, Felt, Ribble, Planet X

Any thoughts/recommendations?

 

[vickster]

Aluminium, or even steel

With bosses for rack and guard

 

[MrGrumpy]

Looking at the cube Peleton race myself, ticks all your boxes?

 

[Louch]

I'm a recent owner of the race, and about to start a petition to allow marriage between man & bike. Best £999 bike out there new

 

[jsaipe]

My brain says get another Cube (Peloton Pro or Race) but my heart says get something different just for the sake of it.

Funny how Cube seems popular on this forum but I don't tend to see many on the streets of London. Maybe they're for rural folk

 

[Louch]

Cycling weeklys thoughts on the cube , just pick the black colour scheme

 

[Louch]

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/group-tests/four-bikes-1000-115131

 

[The Brewer]

Take the Giant defy 1 out for a whirl. I commute on a Cube peloton race and have a Giant for Sundays. The Giant for me is much a better ride

 

[MrGrumpy]

The Giant Defy is slacker, longer head tube, reminds me of my current Giant SCR2 which has the stem slammed to suit me, however the spec is nowhere near the Cube. Defy I`m sure will be comfy, Cube a tad more racey.

 

[Louch]

The Giant Defy is slacker, longer head tube, reminds me of my current Giant SCR2 which has the stem slammed to suit me, however the spec is nowhere near the Cube. Defy I`m sure will be comfy, Cube a tad more racey.

Gonna hurry up and buy it then

 

[MrGrumpy]

Gonna hurry up and buy it then

waiting on my voucher

 

[tony mould]

waiting on my voucher

Same here for my Defy 1, why does it take 5 weeks for the vouchers to be delivered?