BTwin - go for better frame or components

[Moley1985]

Hi all,

I'm considering a few bikes. Well 3, a cube and 2 btwins.

I'm struggling to decide, but between the btwins could do with a little clarity. To summarise, one is carbon, with 105 components and Magic Aksum wheels

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/ultra-900-cf-carbon-road-bike-105-id_8339667.html

The other is aluminium but full ultegra 8000 with Magic Cosmic elites.

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/ultra-920-af-road-bike-grey-ultegra-id_8402811.html


Now I've heard a few different things, that you should prioritise groupset over carbon. But I've also heard that 105 and ultegra are basically the same. But that was old ultegra! Better wheels too on the aluminium I think.

I'm an average cyclist who will use this to commute for the next year, before I move to Surrey when I guess I will be riding a lot of hills! Will I truly appreciate the benefits of carbon ober aluminium as an average performer? Are the group set differences noticeable?

There won't really be the money to upgrade, so which is the best bike off the shelf?

p.s. As an aside here is the cube, though it will cost £1300 in my size
https://www.rutlandcycling.com/bike...tc-pro-disc-2017-carbon-road-bike-grey_373882

 

[tom73]

Well as a newbie I can say what I learned along the way. Find a bike you like and feel you'd be happy to be seen on. Go and try them out its hard to explain but you will just know which one is for you when you try them. I looked at a few before I found mine. ive only had it a few days but love it it was worth taking time to get the right one. The main thing is Fit and feel right is the top of the list above every thing else.

You will as i did debate and look up what every one says about wheels and gears. I upgraded mine to Aksum and full 105 as the extra money at build was well worth it and lot cheeper then going it later. From the few rides i have had i'm well glad i did pay a bit more. One thing to check is what ever the gear ect are just check the are a full set and not a mix of bits around this price point it's common to mix things up a bit to help with costs one thing i found out along the way.

I went for full carbon and love mine. The metal v carbon is well debated who is right i don't know.

For me the cube looks better bike for your money but that's just what i understand from what I have learned , maybe wrong i am new to this after all. Many like btwins and reviews are often good, I did look at them but for me they did not have that edge I wanted plus the way they are displayed in the shop don't help. But Remember In the end only you will know which is for you what ever you go for it will be the best bike ever as its all yours.

 

[Racing roadkill]

As someone with lots of Btwin bikes ( including the previous version of the 920 AF ) I’d say you can’t go far wrong with them. If I were you I’d go for the 920 AF, as it’s higher specced, in the bits that count the most.

 

[Soltydog]

Btwin always seem to get good reviews, & out of those I'd go for the ali for commuting, but then in 12 months time if you're not commuting & it's just leisure riding you might prefer carbon (if you have safe bike parking when commuting & there's no risk of damage to your bike then carbon might be ok, but when I had a carbon bike I rarely commuted on it as other people weren't always careful in the 'bike room' )
Then the cube has disc brakes, so how important might that be to you?
As Tom says, try them out & see which you like most, if one gives you a much bigger smile, then thats the one

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

I've heard a few different things, that you should prioritise groupset over carbon. But I've also heard that 105 and ultegra are basically the same. But that was old ultegra! Better wheels too on the aluminium I think.

I'm an average cyclist who will use this to commute for the next year, before I move to Surrey when I guess I will be riding a lot of hills! Will I truly appreciate the benefits of carbon ober aluminium as an average performer? Are the group set differences noticeable?

There won't really be the money to upgrade, so which is the best bike off the shelf?

I really don't see any point whatsoever in buying anything but the cheapest, most basic bikes possible for commuting on - preferably a secondhand one at that. They are going to get more punishment, in all weathers, and be at more risk of accidental damage, vandalism, or theft. The less money you tie up in a commuting hack, and the more worthless and scruffy the bike looks, the better. If you buy anything decent for commuting, assuming you manage to keep hold of it and not get it nicked, in a year's time it will be in "well used" condition and will probably have a good few scrapes & scuffs on it and it's secondhand value will be a fraction of what you paid for it.

 

[Moley1985]

Admittedly I could easily just keep using my current bike for a commute push comes to shove.

I'm doing Ridelondon again this year, so I guess to focus my thinking, which bike would give the best blend of comfort and performance for that do you think?

I know the right answer is whatever I try out, but what do people think purely from the spec?

 

[vickster]

Which one will take proper mudguards? Essential for commuting unless you like crap all up your back and over your legs not to mention the drivetrain and frame

I'm not sure having expensive low cost light wheels is sensible on a commuter either, unless you're financially able to fix and replace more regularly? The roads in Surrey are absolutely atrocious!

Same goes for parts on the higher end groupsets

 

[Moley1985]

If it is at all wet for the commute I'd take out my current bike.

I'm probably going to completely ignore the commuting factor in my choice of purchase tbh.

 

[User10119]

There won't really be the money to upgrade, so which is the best bike off the shelf?

I think the following two posts between them sum up my thinking pretty well.

In the end only you will know which is for you what ever you go for it will be the best bike ever as its all yours.

if one gives you a much bigger smile, then thats the one

Try 'em if you possibly can, and buy the one that brings you joy.

Because it was a bit of a one shot deal for me too (I knew I'd have limited options to upgrade or significantly change the spec aftwerwards) I spent ages speccing up the tandem, pondering over brakes and kickstands and comparing gearing and considering dynamos and all that sort of stuff - and that was a thoroughly enjoyable part of the process; one where various online cycling friends were able to give me some useful insights (including @kimble who was able to make gear inches make sufficient sense and explain the options in terms of 'relative to your existing bike') and when it arrived it was, and remains, the BEST thing I've ever bought. And the second most expensive, after a house...

 

[pawl]

105 v Ultegra.I changed to 105 med cage from Ultegra because i wanted a to fit a32 cog 105 is cheaper ,slightly heavier. Personally I can’t see any difference in the operation.

 

[mustang1]

The higher up groupsets feel nicer which shifting gears to the point where, whenever I shift gears, I think to myself "wow that's smooth". But I would never upgrade a groupset just because it shifts gears extra smooth because the lower Shimano groupsets shift just fine

I'm I'm case I would get a better frame.

 

[swansonj]

I really don't see any point whatsoever in buying anything but the cheapest, most basic bikes possible for commuting on - preferably a secondhand one at that. They are going to get more punishment, in all weathers, and be at more risk of accidental damage, vandalism, or theft. The less money you tie up in a commuting hack, and the more worthless and scruffy the bike looks, the better. If you buy anything decent for commuting, assuming you manage to keep hold of it and not get it nicked, in a year's time it will be in "well used" condition and will probably have a good few scrapes & scuffs on it and it's secondhand value will be a fraction of what you paid for it.

Your conclusion is radically different to mine because your starting assumptions are different. That's fine, each to their own, but it's helpful to recognise the different assumptions.

I don't see "commuting" as something different to the rest of my cycling; I see "commuting" as "cycling" and therefore the same criteria apply in my choice of bike:
- comfortable
- reliable
- low maintenance
- puncture resistant tyres able to cope with modest off road
- able to carry luggage
- low enough gears to climb hills
- proper mudguards

Which is why I commute on the same bike I tour on and go shopping on and pootle to the cafe on - well, I would do, wouldn't I, as it's the only full size solo I own. And as I've never sold a bike yet the second hand value is irrelevant to me.

Like I say ymmv.

 

[Soltydog]

Your conclusion is radically different to mine because your starting assumptions are different. That's fine, each to their own, but it's helpful to recognise the different assumptions.

I don't see "commuting" as something different to the rest of my cycling; I see "commuting" as "cycling" and therefore the same criteria apply in my choice of bike:

I agree with you too, but I guess the it depends on the commute. I regularly commute on my Ti bike, but it's 16 miles each way, so don't want a cheap heavy bike, I want to enjoy the ride in, but if your commute is a shorter ride & there's no where really safe to leave the bike whilst at work, I can understand the logic of a 'cheap' bike for commuting

 

[swansonj]

I agree with you too, but I guess the it depends on the commute. I regularly commute on my Ti bike, but it's 16 miles each way, so don't want a cheap heavy bike, I want to enjoy the ride in, but if your commute is a shorter ride & there's no where really safe to leave the bike whilst at work, I can understand the logic of a 'cheap' bike for commuting

I acknowledge that my commuting experience as regards security is atypical. To enter work, I have to present a personalised key fob to two different electronic sensors, the second of which opens a sliding gate in a twelve foot electrified security fence. If I'm first on site I have to unlock various padlocks, unset the alarm system, and notify the national control centre I am about to do so.

Having got inside that perimeter, I don't even bother locking my bike.

 

[fossala]

I really don't see any point whatsoever in buying anything but the cheapest, most basic bikes possible for commuting on - preferably a secondhand one at that. They are going to get more punishment, in all weathers, and be at more risk of accidental damage, vandalism, or theft. The less money you tie up in a commuting hack, and the more worthless and scruffy the bike looks, the better. If you buy anything decent for commuting, assuming you manage to keep hold of it and not get it nicked, in a year's time it will be in "well used" condition and will probably have a good few scrapes & scuffs on it and it's secondhand value will be a fraction of what you paid for it.

Maybe, I have somewhere indoors to store my bikes at work and a motorbike tent for my trike in a private courtyard. I also have to ride 22miles a day and climb over 2000ft. Sod doing that on a piece of crap.