Dear All
I bought a Boardman Hybrid Comp (medium sized frame) 12 months ago on the cycle to work scheme, and to date Ive been very pleased with it.
However, as the optimum number of bikes a cyclist should own is given by n+1 (where n is the number of bikes currently owned....), I am again in the market for some new wheels on the C2W.
The Boardman is a great bike but the alloy frame can be brutal and on longer distances my hands and feet can be numbed by vibration (as can other parts of my anatomy). Therefore I was looking for something quick but more refined. The idea being that as my fitness improves I could use the new wheels in the odd sportive etc or for the odd long jaunt.
I've maxed the C2W ticket at £1k and like the look of the Dawes Century SE as the idea of steel appeals, but I've read mixed reviews as it is considered heavy and slow to put power down. However compared to my Comp the weight is only about 1kg or so heavier and although I do understand that as the steel frame will flex more, I wonder if the speed comparison is more against other circa £1k road bikes.
Does anyone have experience of this bike? Are there any other steel framed bikes out there for this price range that people could recomend? Or indeed are there alloy options that would give the same level of comfort and versitility?
I'm also a little concerned as at 5'6", the smallest frame the SE comes in is 54... is this likely to be too big?
Many thanks for any advice that you can give.
I bought a Boardman Hybrid Comp (medium sized frame) 12 months ago on the cycle to work scheme, and to date Ive been very pleased with it.
However, as the optimum number of bikes a cyclist should own is given by n+1 (where n is the number of bikes currently owned....), I am again in the market for some new wheels on the C2W.
The Boardman is a great bike but the alloy frame can be brutal and on longer distances my hands and feet can be numbed by vibration (as can other parts of my anatomy). Therefore I was looking for something quick but more refined. The idea being that as my fitness improves I could use the new wheels in the odd sportive etc or for the odd long jaunt.
I've maxed the C2W ticket at £1k and like the look of the Dawes Century SE as the idea of steel appeals, but I've read mixed reviews as it is considered heavy and slow to put power down. However compared to my Comp the weight is only about 1kg or so heavier and although I do understand that as the steel frame will flex more, I wonder if the speed comparison is more against other circa £1k road bikes.
Does anyone have experience of this bike? Are there any other steel framed bikes out there for this price range that people could recomend? Or indeed are there alloy options that would give the same level of comfort and versitility?
I'm also a little concerned as at 5'6", the smallest frame the SE comes in is 54... is this likely to be too big?
Many thanks for any advice that you can give.
