First road bike purchase, help with choices

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MikeJD

Well-Known Member
Hi everyone,

After constant repairs and a lack of confidence in my current hand-me-down road bike (especially going into my second sprint triathlon at the end of this month), I'm going to purchase a bike so I can train, go to events and hopefully attend some local group rides without having to worry about reliability.

I'd be using the bike for commuting, training/group rides a couple of times a week, and triathlon events.

Here's my choices at present, my main concerns are value for money and reliability, I've got plenty of work to do on my fitness and endurance before I'll be worrying about marginal gains:

1. Giant Contend SL 1 - https://www.giant-bicycles.com/gb/contend-sl-1 - £779.00 (delivered)

----- price increase from Giant Contend of £167.98 -----

2. Canyon Endurance AL 7.0 - https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/road/endurace/2018/endurace-al-7-0.html £946.98 (delivered)
+ Shimano 105 cranks instead of Shimano FC-RS510
+ Shimano 105 rim brakes instead of Tektro TK-R540

----- price increase from Giant Contend of £379.20 -----

3. Giant TCR Advanced 2 - https://www.giant-bicycles.com/gb/tcr-advanced-2 £1158.20 (delivered)
+ Carbon frame
+ Tubeless tyres
+ Shimano 105 cranks
+ Shimano 105 rim brakes

----- price increase from Giant Contend of £437.98 -----

4. Canyon Endurance AL Disc 7.0 - https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/road/endurace/2018/endurace-al-disc-7-0.html - £1216.98 (delivered)
+ Shimano 105 cranks
+ Shimano 105 disc brakes


I know these bikes differ in terms of riding position and what type of rider they're aimed at, any of them will be a huge step up for me, I just don't know if it's worth spending the extra, or if that can come further down the line. Are the price/feature increases worth considering, or should I go with the cheapest choice, the Giant Contend SL 1?

Thanks
 
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From those above and for the cycling you describe I would go for the Giant Contend. I have an older defy which I use as a winter commuting bike - its been fine, performance notably improved when I upgraded the wheels. In the winter I use it for club runs.

Personally I wouldn't spend big money on a giant - and IMO carbon bikes are much nicer - a pal of mine recently brought on of these which looks a great bike for the money @ £999 or £979

https://www.dolan-bikes.com/road/ro...an-l-etape-carbon-road-bike-shimano-5800.html
 

vickster

Legendary Member
Which can you testride? Can you access the Canyons via a friend or similar as they don't have demo bikes in the UK

For your uses, a Contend would be a fine choice. Check it can take a proper mudguards if commuting or doing wet weather group riding

Buying locally would be sensible rather than online. Ask your local retailer if they can do anything in terms of price against the online seller. Good aftersales may well be worth an extra £50 or so
 
Test rides are all well and good - but it massively limits your options. IME you don't get to know a bike until you have been putting regular miles over a few weeks.
I waited ages to test ride a cube at Evans - they only give me 15 minutes -can't say I learnt alot really. Most of the bikes above fall into the endurance more upright position - so there is no worry the position will be two extreme.
Sure if you can get a test ride - take it - I wouldn't rule out bikes that you can't test ride though.
 
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MikeJD

Well-Known Member
Hi Mike, If it was me I'd get one of the Giants from a local store because then if you have any issue with it, you can take it back no worry, plus you have the free 6 week check etc. If you using the bike for commuting as well I'd go for the Contend because I think an alloy frame is more robust than a carbon one.All are great bikes. I think if I was getting the TCR, then I would use the old bike as a commuter/ run around.

I visited my local Giant store yesterday and they had no XL frame bikes in stock (I'm 6'4"), and could only order the Giant Contend SL 2, which would be £720 and is in a colour combo I don't like at all. It seems silly to pay £720 for Shimano Tiagra, when the Contend SL 1 with mostly 105 drive chain is £780. There lack of stock availability is due to the new season's range being announced soon (which won't have the current savings).

From those above and for the cycling you describe I would go for the Giant Contend. I have an older defy which I use as a winter commuting bike - its been fine, performance notably improved when I upgraded the wheels. In the winter I use it for club runs.

Personally I wouldn't spend big money on a giant - and IMO carbon bikes are much nicer - a pal of mine recently brought on of these which looks a great bike for the money @ £999 or £979

https://www.dolan-bikes.com/road/ro...an-l-etape-carbon-road-bike-shimano-5800.html

Can I ask why you wouldn't spend a lot on a Giant bike, I understood they were value for money across all their price ranges? It could be an option for me to buy the Contend SL 1, then after some use it can drop back into the slot of winter/run around bike after I've had some use out of it.

Which can you testride? Can you access the Canyons via a friend or similar as they don't have demo bikes in the UK

For your uses, a Contend would be a fine choice. Check it can take a proper mudguards if commuting or doing wet weather group riding

Buying locally would be sensible rather than online. Ask your local retailer if they can do anything in terms of price against the online seller. Good aftersales may well be worth an extra £50 or so

Unfortunately as mentioned above, the local Giant retailer had nothing XL in stock and couldn't get anything ordered in due to their new range being announced in around a month. Maybe I should wait for the new range, use my hybrid bike for the triathlon in a couple of weeks, I'm not even sure if they would order in any XL models when the new range arrives, they'd just be available from the warehouse.

Test rides are all well and good - but it massively limits your options. IME you don't get to know a bike until you have been putting regular miles over a few weeks.
I waited ages to test ride a cube at Evans - they only give me 15 minutes -can't say I learnt alot really. Most of the bikes above fall into the endurance more upright position - so there is no worry the position will be two extreme.
Sure if you can get a test ride - take it - I wouldn't rule out bikes that you can't test ride though.

What would you say was the other side of the endurance upright position, and is there a middle ground? (a Giant Defy?) You're right regarding the test rides, in a perfect world it would be great, but the shops don't seem to have the stock to provide such a service.

I could travel over to the Giant store in Liverpool today, which seems to have at least a couple of XL frames in stock, but it's 140 mile round trip and I could be in there for 10 mins.

Thanks for the replies everyone!
 
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MikeJD

Well-Known Member
I would be tempted by a Look 765 105 at Merlin Cycles... 2 grand bike for £1125 at the mo...Ultegra version is 100 odd quid more.
https://www.merlincycles.com/look-765-105-road-bike-2017-105016.html

From a quick check of those bikes, I'm conscious they aren't full 105/Ultegra (the cranks don't look to match), and also they have push fit BB30 bottom brackets, which I've heard and read have issues with creaking?

EDIT: Unfortunately after checking again, neither are available in XL
 
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vickster

Legendary Member
Test rides are all well and good - but it massively limits your options. IME you don't get to know a bike until you have been putting regular miles over a few weeks.
I waited ages to test ride a cube at Evans - they only give me 15 minutes -can't say I learnt alot really. Most of the bikes above fall into the endurance more upright position - so there is no worry the position will be two extreme.
Sure if you can get a test ride - take it - I wouldn't rule out bikes that you can't test ride though.
You can tell if the size and general feel is right though. Evans must vary massively. I've taken bikes out and told to take as long as I want

Not all endurance bikes are the same either. I've tried half a dozen Ti bikes recently. On paper they look very similar but all felt very different due to the geometry, not just slight variations in materials

I would rule out Canyon due to no UK retail presence and just one guy nationally I believe who deals with issues. Faff sending things back if not right
 
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MikeJD

Well-Known Member
You can tell if the size and general feel is right though. Evans must vary massively. I've taken bikes out and told to take as long as I want

Not all endurance bikes are the same either. I've tried half a dozen Ti bikes recently. On paper they look very similar but all felt very different due to the geometry, not just slight variations in materials

I would rule out Canyon due to no UK retail presence and just one guy nationally I believe who deals with issues. Faff sending things back if not right

Yeah, I'm just looking around my local retailers, trying to find somewhere that might have a decent range of bikes in, but to no avail.
 
Location
Cheshire
From a quick check of those bikes, I'm conscious they aren't full 105/Ultegra (the cranks don't look to match), and also they have push fit BB30 bottom brackets, which I've heard and read have issues with creaking?

EDIT: Unfortunately after checking again, neither are available in XL
Yeah L would be too small, i'm 6 3 and need XL. I got a Ghost Nivolet Tour last year after trying out several options... not many dealers though. Chainreaction has them on sale and both AL and carbon excellent bikes i have owned both and AL much stiffer and sportier but carbon really comfortable bike.
 
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MikeJD

Well-Known Member
Mike, Dont get a bike with a BB30, I've had one and it was awful, creaking and squeaking after a few hundred miles only and I'm not one to go out for miles in the pouring rain. I had it changed after about 800 miles and then sold the bike.
I agree I would get the Contend 1, not the 2 with Claris.

Sorry, my mistake, the Giant Contend SL 2 has a Tiagra groupset, not Claris (but like the SL 1 it excludes Shimano crank and brakes). I could get that model ordered in to the local store, but for the £60 different it seems to make sense to order the SL 1 online.

Thanks
 
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MikeJD

Well-Known Member
Where are you based? How do you mean to no avail?

I'm in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. None of the shops have hardly anything sized XL in stock, I'm considering some B'TWIN models from Decathlon, which I could potentially travel over to Sheffield to sit on, only issue with those is, the cranks and cassettes aren't what I'd like for the terrain where I live. TRIBAN 540 & ULTRA 900
 

vickster

Legendary Member
I'm in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. None of the shops have hardly anything sized XL in stock, I'm considering some B'TWIN models from Decathlon, which I could potentially travel over to Sheffield to sit on, only issue with those is, the cranks and cassettes aren't what I'd like for the terrain where I live. TRIBAN 540 & ULTRA 900
Have you looked at Planet X for value for money bikes?

https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBPXRT58V2RIV22/planet-x-rt-58-v2-alloy-sram-rival-22-road-bike
Rival for £700

Or Boardmans at Halfords?
 
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tom73

Guru
Location
Yorkshire
I had same issues in the end having done some looking round at options I got on the train and went to Ribble shop in Birmingham great service , got fitted in store I upgraded the spec to what I was happy with and ordered next day. Can't fault the bike or service. Maybe worth a look they have a sale at the moment.
 
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