Help with Choosing a First Road Bike £700-£800

[vickster]

If you're in London, you could always strut into one of the many branches of Evans with your debit card and some ID and for a penny have a testride. They are very accommodating - just call around the branches and see if they have the right size and model. Chap in Spitalfields yesterday offered me a testride on a Genesis even though I had already said I intend to build one from the frame up

 

[themosquitoking]

If you're in London, you could always strut into one of the many branches of Evans with your debit card and some ID and for a penny have a testride. They are very accommodating - just call around the branches and see if they have the right size and model. Chap in Spitalfields yesterday offered me a testride on a Genesis even though I had already said I intend to build one from the frame up

Phil Collins or Mike Rutherford?

 

[crazyjoe101]

If you're in London, you could always strut into one of the many branches of Evans with your debit card and some ID and for a penny have a testride. They are very accommodating - just call around the branches and see if they have the right size and model. Chap in Spitalfields yesterday offered me a testride on a Genesis even though I had already said I intend to build one from the frame up

I never said the testride would be at the LBS . Thanks for the suggestion, it's what I intend to do.

 

[vickster]

Phil Collins or Mike Rutherford?

Phil Collins - it was only a small 52cm frame

 

[Cyclist33]

Giant Defy2 is a steal at less than £600 on many online stores right now, great bike too. The forme looks interesting also.

that would be the 2013 defy 2 though which is neither black nor blue!

the 2014 defy 2 is black and i would recommend buying it.

 

[crazyjoe101]

that would be the 2013 defy 2 though which is neither black nor blue!

the 2014 defy 2 is black and i would recommend buying it.

Thanks for the suggestion, I know I said I wanted black but I much prefer the looks of the caad8 in blue, also for £100 more (I get a discount) I'll get 105 gruppo and carbon forks. Also, the LBS do not stock Giant.

 

[Cyclist33]

Thanks for the suggestion, I know I said I wanted black but I much prefer the looks of the caad8 in blue, also for £100 more (I get a discount) I'll get 105 gruppo and carbon forks. Also, the LBS do not stock Giant.

thats a fairly good set of criteria for not getting one, then!

ive got a giant and a cannondale so would happily lick the frame of any of either make's bikes,

 

[NEO]

how about the raleigh revenio 3 with 105 groupset on sale at wiggle £899.00 with 32% off i have the revenio 2 with sora groupset and i've been really impressed with it. The 3 is alot of bike for its money.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/raleigh-revenio-3-105-2013/

 

[crazyjoe101]

how about the raleigh revenio 3 with 105 groupset on sale at wiggle £899.00 with 32% off i have the revenio 2 with sora groupset and i've been really impressed with it. The 3 is alot of bike for its money.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/raleigh-revenio-3-105-2013/

I realise that it's a lot cheaper but I can't seem to find anywhere which both stocks it and would be willing to let me take it out for a test drive. If I'm not keen on the Cannondale after taking it for a spin this weekend then I'll have to reconsider.

 

[vickster]

Enjoy - do it Saturday, Sunday weather looks awful at the mo

 

[crazyjoe101]

Enjoy - do it Saturday, Sunday weather looks awful at the mo

Good point, I doubt they'd be too keen on letting someone muck up a shiny new bike.

 

[vickster]

And you really don't want to be riding one in the pouring rain

 

[crazyjoe101]

And you really don't want to be riding one in the pouring rain

There's nothing I like more than the steady stream of water a mudguardless bike shoots at my legs and backside. Joking aside I could enjoy riding in the wet with proper guards.

 

[vickster]

I will never enjoy riding in the wet

 

[crazyjoe101]

I just did the test ride and unfortuneately the bike was a bit too big. It felt like a stretch to get atop the hoods and the cranks were 172.5, not 170 as I was informed. I may be imagining this but they felt too big.
I'm going to try a size down but the fear is that if I grow at all (which is unlikely I know) that I'll then be too big for the bike. I might just get my rough use bike and wait some more.

EDIT: Also the spokes were white which was annoying.