Carrera to Secteur

[JonUK4]

Hi all

I'd appreciate comments or concerns about a bike upgrade i have planned. I get into road riding around about september last year and got myself a carrera tdf to get me started. Managed to get it in a sale and it's served me well to see if i enjoyed this side of cycling. Now I have the bug I want to move onto this bike:

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/specialized/secteur-x3-2014-road-bike-ec053051#answers

I'm looking for a lighter overall feel and easier gearing - I'm struggling up the hills and I feel it limits me too much when I consider routes around me. Being quite tall with a bad back the setup of this bike seems to suit me too.

If anyone reckons the difference between them isnt much I'm going to stick with the carrera and build my fitness but I'd like to hear from owners of a Secteur 2014 and what they think about this upgrade.

Thanks for reading all

Jon

PS a while ago I had a single speed specialized langster which I adored and is the reason I'm looking at specialized in the first place.

 

[Whiz]

Jon, have you looked At 2013 models that are in the sale?
I'm no expert, in fact I've only just ordered my first bike, but if you want a secteur, you can pick up the elite 2013 for about £100 more than the one you posted. Evans is £150 more.
Tiagra set being the immediate difference :-)

Anywho, good luck with whatever you choose and enjoy :-)

 

[phil-b]

Have you looked at upgrading the gears on the Carrera. It may be able to change the rear cassette to give you some lower gears for the hills. It may give you time to save for an even better bike?

 

[vickster]

Looks like he wants a triple. Might be able to get a better knee from another brand, 2013 model as the secteur as entry level Claris groupset. £650 seems a bucket load for the specification, even with the lifetime frame warranty

 

[Onyer]

Hi all

I'd appreciate comments or concerns about a bike upgrade i have planned. I get into road riding around about september last year and got myself a carrera tdf to get me started. Managed to get it in a sale and it's served me well to see if i enjoyed this side of cycling. Now I have the bug I want to move onto this bike:

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/specialized/secteur-x3-2014-road-bike-ec053051#answers

I'm looking for a lighter overall feel and easier gearing - I'm struggling up the hills and I feel it limits me too much when I consider routes around me. Being quite tall with a bad back the setup of this bike seems to suit me too.

If anyone reckons the difference between them isnt much I'm going to stick with the carrera and build my fitness but I'd like to hear from owners of a Secteur 2014 and what they think about this upgrade.

Thanks for reading all

Jon

PS a while ago I had a single speed specialized langster which I adored and is the reason I'm looking at specialized in the first place.

I have the Roubaix, which is the carbon version to the one you are looking at. Very comfortable riding. Given your budget the Secteur would be a good bike. However ask if it is upgradeable in the future. You will probably want to put on better wheels and maybe a better groupset, e.g. the new 105 which is due to be released next year. So the frame would need to be able to take a wheel with 11 speed cassette.

 

[cyberknight]

The gearing on the spesh will get you up anything although your still paying £650 for 8 speed , you can 9 speed sora for less
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/btwin-triban-500-id_8239801.html
The only issue with the lower end tribans is the wheels are low end and you might need to budget £70 on top to get some e,g , r501s from ribble ( last time i looked ) .
The cheapest option would be to put a bigger cassette or change the front chainrings ( and bottom bracket ) on the tdf to a compact double or triple if you want to keep the TDF

 

[JonUK4]

thanks for all the replies. I do really want a triple - nasty joints means as little pressure on joints as possible so I'm working on my fitness so I can keep my cadance up. I love the look of the secteur but i noted the issue with the claris. I dont know much about bikes at the moment - would the claris be better than what i have on my carrera:

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/..._productId_810691_langId_-1_categoryId_165710

I've seen a Mekk for 700 in the wiggle sale which looks nice but then this doesnt have the triple I wanted though it might be a good starting point for future upgrades:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/mekk-2g-poggio-p15-sora-2013/

I didnt realy want to spend anymore on the TDF as It would cost quite a bit to get it to a triple and swapping out the rear cassette I feel would only be a marginal increase in torque.

thoughts welcome

 

[cyberknight]

A compact double paired with a wide range cassette will give you a low enough gear although there will be bigger jumps in the gear ratios compared to a triple which will have closer jumps but more gears that will give the same effective ratio so although you technically have more gears some will be the same .
You can get a 30 tooth cassette to run on a compact double giving you 34x 30 = 30 inches per rev or a triple like the spesh 30x 32 = 24 inches per rev
TBH i have tried a 34x32 on a double and you could spin up a cliff but everyone's knees are different.
Claris is not "better" than normal 2300 shifters they both work the same but the claris has a lever under the brake rather on the side of the hood so you can change on the drops if you ride on the drops a lot.

 

[JonUK4]

Sounds interesting cyber - are you saying that swapping out the rear cassette would give me the gears I need. I'm not after much more but I need at least something more. At my current level i was hitting 18mph on the flat with only two "easier" gears left. That 52 chain ring up front is murder!

I think halfords are playing silly buggers as well - I know what you're referring to about the shifters - my carrera does have integrated shifters - nothing on the side of the hood. Its only 6months old and they've already changed things round and put the price up (a lot).

 

[cyberknight]

Sounds interesting cyber - are you saying that swapping out the rear cassette would give me the gears I need. I'm not after much more but I need at least something more. At my current level i was hitting 18mph on the flat with only two "easier" gears left. That 52 chain ring up front is murder!

I think halfords are playing silly buggers as well - I know what you're referring to about the shifters - my carrera does have integrated shifters - nothing on the side of the hood. Its only 6months old and they've already changed things round and put the price up (a lot).

Sounds like you have the new tdf thats comes with claris , and yes swap the rear cassette to a wider range would give you easier gears .

 

[Simmer]

Just to confirm the rear claris mech will take 12-30 cassette no worries, I did the same on mine before putting a compact double on as well. (you need an octalink BB as well for the claris compact double). .

 

[Banjo]

The Secteur is a far better bike than the TDF. Claris gears will do the job and with a 30 tooth chain ring and 32 tooth cog on the back you will be able to spin your way up any hill without over loading your joints.

Another bike similar concept to the Secteur is the Cannondale Synapse triple.

 

[JonUK4]

You work for leisurelakes Banjo? That was exactly the same recommendation they made to me in the wolverhampton store?

Will look into it

 

[JonUK4]

Just to complete the loop - i did buy the Secteur in the end. picked it up yesterday and took it straight up a long hill that's been intimidating me for weeks. Knackered by the top but straight up it at a decent pace (for me).

Just got to sell the carrera to be able to afford the bike i've already bought.