First Road Bike Advice Required, Please!

[J6MI9]

I've found three I like, roughly based on the specification of each bike, however they're all quite different prices and I'm not sure if the step up in price is worth it or not, so if anybody could offer a little advice to help me on my way to buying my first road bike I'd really appreciate it.

The three bikes, in price order from lowest to highest are:

1. Decathlon's B'Twin Triban 5 at £429.99
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/btwin-triban-500-id_8239801.html

2. Merlin's MALT-R (2013) at £499.99
http://www.merlincycles.com/merlin-malt-r-road-bike-2013-60087.html

3. Specialized's Allez Road Bike (2014) at £600 (absolute top end of my budget)
http://www.cyclesuk.com/10491492/products/specialized-allez-2014-road-bike-in-white.aspx

There is a Cycles UK shop local to me in Norwich so I'm hoping I'd be able to go test ride a bicycle with them, however I'd have to order from either of the others online, which I'm not sure if I'm 100% comfortable with. Should I be weary of that or not? I've only ever bought sub-standard mountain bikes from places like Halfords which have failed after short periods of time so I'm literally clueless as to which path to now take regarding road cycling.

I'll be eternally grateful for any help you have to offer, I'm looking to making cycling my primary mode of transport and a means of exercise.

 

[slowmotion]

If it's your first road bike, you won't be used to the riding position. I think you would be pretty bonkers to buy one without a test ride. Why not try and find some other alternatives that you could buy from a local retailer?

 

[inkd]

As said above, test ride as many as you can, relaxed sportive geometry and full race geometry. I have had my first roadie for a couple of months now and i`m just getting used to it.

 

[J6MI9]

I hadn't considered the dramatic change in position... I like the sound of a Sportive, it seems like a sensible step between what I'm used to and a road bike. I'm struggling to find one under £600 and any information on how to determine what's a sportive, unless it happens to be in the bike's actual name, like the Ribble Sportive 7005, which looks good to me on paper but, as I said before, the actual spec means little to me.

 

[slowmotion]

As said above, test ride as many as you can, relaxed sportive geometry and full race geometry. I have had my first roadie for a couple of months now and i`m just getting used to it.

Likewise. Actually, a month or two longer.

 

[biggs682]

If it's your first road bike, you won't be used to the riding position. I think you would be pretty bonkers to buy one without a test ride. Why not try and find some other alternatives that you could buy from a local retailer?

could not agree more with @slowmotion & @inkd comments why not go and buy a cheaper 2nd hand racer / road bike to see if you get on with one before splashing out on a more expensive one , shame you are not more local

 

[J6MI9]

If it's your first road bike, you won't be used to the riding position. I think you would be pretty bonkers to buy one without a test ride. Why not try and find some other alternatives that you could buy from a local retailer?

Fair point, as I said in my last post I hadn't even considered the change in position and whether it'd even suit my tall & wider-than-desirable build. I have three local independent stores as far as I can see so, as soon as I finish work tomorrow, I'll head into the city to find them.

 

[Whiz]

Pah, don't listen to them.
Just buy the bike you like and adjust to it

 

[J6MI9]

Pah, don't listen to them.
Just buy the bike you like and adjust to it

You're joking, right? Is that your best advice, or an attempt at sarcastic snobbery? I can't decide...

 

[slowmotion]

Pah, don't listen to them.
Just buy the bike you like and adjust to it

DIY adjustments to the length of your tibia, fibula and femur tend to be a bit messy, but go ahead if you feel confident. Actually, have a go at fitting your arms too. You should be able to chop about your radius, ulna and humerus with a modestly-priced Dremel. I don't know if bone blades come as standard but you can certainly improvise. Screwfix has the needful, and there are loads of self-help surgical sites on Google.

Anaesthetics are almost certainly available on your local street corner or dark alley

 

[Whiz]

You're joking, right? Is that your best advice, or an attempt at sarcastic snobbery? I can't decide...

Certainly wasn't snobbery. If you want a road bike, buy one. If there's a particular road bike you really really really like, buy it.

And to @slowmotion I wasn't suggesting buying an ill - fitting bike, merely a test ride for 30 minutes still isn't going to give the months worth of adjusting time as you suggest.
Therefore could it be likely that actually a test ride might put OP off a bike that indeed you gave yourself the opportunity to adjust to?

 

[vickster]

Certainly wasn't snobbery. If you want a road bike, buy one. If there's a particular road bike you really really really like, buy it.

Therefore could it be likely that actually a test ride might put OP off a bike that indeed you gave yourself the opportunity to adjust to?

I think you know quickly riding a bike outside, whether it's right for you and has the feel. Getting the right frame size is crucial, stems and bars etc can be changed to tweak, but not on a frame that is the incorrect size, especially if it's too big. I speak from bitter experience that a too big bike is a bad thing

If the really like is aesthetic, definitely ride, as much as to confirm that it is the one

If you're not comfortable buying online don't, could end up being a great experience but if there's an issue with the bike, it could be an utter pita. Buying from a shop means you should get good advice and service and a free 6 week check over to make sure things are as they should be

 

[Old Plodder]

As it will be your first road bike, buy it locally from a proper bike shop, as they will make sure it will fit you correctly.
They should/will also change anything that needs to be, to get the right fit. You may pay a few more pounds for this, but you will have a bike that fits.

 

[Kbrook]

I bought my first bike blind off the Internet, adjusted a few things like seat height, fore aft, handlebar angle and is great and so comfy. My mate went to a LBS( he is way richer than me) spent an hour on a test ride on the same make bike. They fit it to him apparently. He has backache, the seat is clearly too low but he won't listen too me " as the bike shop set it up for me" on top of that he had had nothing but trouble with gears, two sets of wheels with repeatedly broken spokes. So I am sort of in whizs camp on this. Going to a LBS is no guarantee.

 

[Peteaud]

I bought my first bike blind off the Internet, adjusted a few things like seat height, fore aft, handlebar angle and is great and so comfy. My mate went to a LBS( he is way richer than me) spent an hour on a test ride on the same make bike. They fit it to him apparently. He has backache, the seat is clearly too low but he won't listen too me " as the bike shop set it up for me" on top of that he had had nothing but trouble with gears, two sets of wheels with repeatedly broken spokes. So I am sort of in whizs camp on this. Going to a LBS is no guarantee.

Depends on your LBS