Hi All, I'm after some advice. I've been a little out of the loop with road bikes having ridden my trusty steed (Trek Madone) for the last 15 or so years. Now that cycle to work has boosted up to £3k at work, I'm looking to upgrade. I've been looking at the Ribble Endurance SL and the Dolan Tuono, however I'm really stuck! and not sure if I should be looking at others too? I want as good as I can get (carbon, disk breaks, 105 or Ultegra) for the money. Thanks for all your help in advanced!
Cycle to Work - Road Bike
- Thread starter lukekemp
- Start date
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Van Rysel EDR CF is amazing value at 2999.99 for an excellent carbon frame and full ultegra. And good luck finding anything as light from other brands - 7.7kg. Only problem is it's not in stock.
Steer clear of all American brands if you care about value at all, and check out the smaller European ones like LaPierre, Orbea, Orro etc.
Ribble Endurance SL is a reasonable option but worse value than the Van Rysel. Giant TCR Advanced disc 2 is also worth a look. Full 105, great frame etc.
cyberknight
As long as I breathe, I attack.
- Location
- Land of confusion
for work the big question is room for mudgaurds and a pannier rack mounting points
Ridgeway
Veteran
- Location
- Lausanne, Switzerland
Exactly the reasons I’ve just switched from my road bike. Got tired of the rucksack and will happily accept some decent mud guards.
Grant Fondo
Guru
- Location
- Cheshire
I do like the Dolan, and you could get 105 12 sp Di2 within budget, very bling. Stingy two year frame warranty might put some folk off?
I would also be seeing if Wheelbase could go to £3k for a Cervelo, ya never know
https://www.wheelbase.co.uk/product...es-bikes-road/cervelo-caledonia-ultegra-2021/
Regular.Cyclist
Über Member
- Location
- East central Scotland 🏴
Not everyone requires, or wants, to use panniers.
cyberknight
As long as I breathe, I attack.
- Location
- Land of confusion
depends on distance , how much you need to carry and whether a bike shop is open during your commute times, i work shifts so i have to be self sufficient
a commuting bike in my eyes needs to have the option unless some are using c2w to buy a bike for leisure which is of course a different thing altogether
kingrollo
Guru
Yeah I know. Looks daft don't it.
Had a hamstring insertion point injury after that the brooks was the only thing I could get comfy on.
Meh, everything I need to take for work/spares/repairs fits in a 6 litre saddlebag and small handlebar bag or hip pack. Shoes, tools, and laptop stay in my office- though I can fit a pair of converse in my saddlebag.
cyberknight
As long as I breathe, I attack.
- Location
- Land of confusion
add waterproofs, sarnies, clothes , tools
Clothes go in the saddlebag, lunch in the front bar bag/hip pack (I vary between which one I take for work). Waterproof jacket packs away into a jersey pocket. Tools and steelies I mostly keep at work (and if I need to take them home, my tools will fit between the saddle and bar bag, and I'll take a small backpack for my steelies (helps to have size 6 feet). Now the saddle and bar bag solution will not work for everyone. But not everyone needs a full set of panniers for work. I commute quite happily on bikes that don't have rack mount points and have done for years. It's a tidy little set-up (the frame bag is only on because i was too lazy to switch it out for a bottle cage before my bikepacking trip earlier this summer so just chucked my bottle in the frame bag)
Alex321
Veteran
- Location
- South Wales
It also depends a lot on the individual.
I also thought panniers were essential;, but had never tried without. Then the rack broke on my Boardman hybrid (leaving two of the bolts sheared off in the mounting points), just as I was starting to look for a new bike. So I tried with a rucksack, and found it fine. And going without panniers gave me a much wider choice of bike. I do still feel mudguards are essential.
The OP has said the want a carbon frame, and very few road bikes with carbon frame have the capability to take panniers.
I've been commuting regularly now for over a year (normally twice a week, the other three days WFH) on my Cube carbon-framed bike, 15 miles each way, with my clothes, towel, laptop and lunch in the rucksack (multitool, inner tubes & puncture repair kit are always in the saddle bag, regardless of commute or leisure ride).
I do keep a spare pair of shoes, shampoo/shower gel and spare keyboard and mouse in the office, so I don't have to carry them.
That bike, BTW came in well under the Op's budget, at £2100 for full carbon frame with full 105 groupset including hydraulic disc brakes. But the current version appears to be out of stock everywhere until 2023.
