Choosing a road bike

[colin-java]

Hi,

I'm keen to get a road bike, been riding my Cannondale Trail 6 in the countryside for a few months now, and I'm urging for some speed now. The cannondale is good though as it makes you sweat up the hills, and its been great for making me lose 20 lbs.

I'm currently interested in these 2 bikes:
http://www.leisurelakesbikes.com/p/17637/specialized-allez-comp-racing-road-bike-2015-sale
and
http://www.leisurelakesbikes.com/p/18050/cannondale-synapse-105-5-disc-racing-road-bike-2015

I want a sportive road bike, with tiagra or 105 groupset, not too fussed about the type of brakes.
The specialized above is 52/36 and 11-28, but the cannondale is 50/34 and 11-32,
So I should be able to get up hills easier with the cannondale.

There is a price reduction 1200 to 960 on the specialised which makes me think it could be better value than the cannondale, but I'm not sure. I donno much about wheels or forks, or which bike is heaviest.

As for looks, they both look nice, but I prefer the cannondale, but I'm not really that fussed when it comes to colours, I think most bikes look nice.

Let me know if any thoughts, thanks.

 

[MikeW-71]

Two good bikes, but the Spesh Allez is more of a "racing" geometry and the Cannondale Synapse is a "sportive" geometry.

The Cannondale has better gearing for the average joe like us for going up hills, and the bonus of disc brakes. If it was my cash right now between those two, I'd be riding home on the Cannondale

However, here is alternative number 1: http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bikes/model/defy.1/19187/77294/#specifications
Or alternative number 2 with carbon frame: http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bikes/model/defy.advanced.3/19188/77292/#specifications

If you can get a test ride on them, that is ideal as that will make sure it fits you right and you like riding it. Fit is all-important with a road bike.

 

[Cyclist33]

Two good bikes, but the Spesh Allez is more of a "racing" geometry and the Cannondale Synapse is a "sportive" geometry.

The Cannondale has better gearing for the average joe like us for going up hills, and the bonus of disc brakes. If it was my cash right now between those two, I'd be riding home on the Cannondale

However, here is alternative number 1: http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bikes/model/defy.1/19187/77294/#specifications
Or alternative number 2 with carbon frame: http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bikes/model/defy.advanced.3/19188/77292/#specifications

If you can get a test ride on them, that is ideal as that will make sure it fits you right and you like riding it. Fit is all-important with a road bike.

No it isn't. Looks are more important.

Fit can be fixed after sale. Looks, less so

 

[Tin Pot]

This is clickbait.

The links are counting the number of visits and remunerating someone for it.

 

[colin-java]

Two good bikes, but the Spesh Allez is more of a "racing" geometry and the Cannondale Synapse is a "sportive" geometry.

The Cannondale has better gearing for the average joe like us for going up hills, and the bonus of disc brakes. If it was my cash right now between those two, I'd be riding home on the Cannondale

However, here is alternative number 1: http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bikes/model/defy.1/19187/77294/#specifications
Or alternative number 2 with carbon frame: http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bikes/model/defy.advanced.3/19188/77292/#specifications

If you can get a test ride on them, that is ideal as that will make sure it fits you right and you like riding it. Fit is all-important with a road bike.

Thanks, yes I read the specialized was more racy than endurance, probably why it has more aggressive gear ratios if that makes sense.

There's the version one below that, the allez elite, thats a tiagra, but I'm not keen on the colours...
http://www.leisurelakesbikes.com/p/17638/specialized-allez-elite-racing-road-bike-2015-sale

From those giant bikes, I like the first one, seems like a nice bike, I guess the cannondale is a bit more partially cause of the disk brakes.

The 2nd giant is outside what I want to pay, you have to draw a line somewhere, I think £1000 is enough for me, plus I don't need a carbon frame,
I would hate to snap the frame in half, I will be perfectly fine with aluminium, or maybe aluminium with carbon forks.

 

[colin-java]

No it isn't. Looks are more important.

Fit can be fixed after sale. Looks, less so

I'm not sure,...if you buy a bike too large or too small, then nothing much you can do.
I'm not sure if the frame size counts as part of the "fit", or whether you were just referring to adjusting a few things to get the bike right for yourself.

 

[Cyclist33]

I'm not sure,...if you buy a bike too large or too small, then nothing much you can do.
I'm not sure if the frame size counts as part of the "fit", or whether you were just referring to adjusting a few things to get the bike right for yourself.

You can go a size over or under usually and if you need to, feck about afterwards. People will say not, but it is rubbish.

 

[colin-java]

You can go a size over or under usually and if you need to, feck about afterwards. People will say not, but it is rubbish.

Well you could get a wrong sized frame, but that would be a constant annoyance for me, knowing that the frame is wrong, especially after paying £1000.
I think it pays to get it right first time. There are guides that help you determine size, then when you try out the bike you can go higher or lower if needed.
I wouldn't buy online unless I knew the exact frame data needed, which I don't currently.
It pays to take your time and do some research and try a few bikes first.