Is the Specialized Venge worth the price tag?

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mattjamesclarke

New Member
Hello,

I’ve been cycling for a couple of years, I really enjoy it.

My current bike is a 2016 - Trek 1.2 series. It has served me well but I’m wanting more of a road race style biycle.

I really like the Specialized Venge, but most sites sell it for 3k. E.g. below:

https://velocollective.co.uk/product/specialized-venge-expert-disc-2018-road-bike/

Do you cycling experts think it’s worth the money or should I consider something like the Ribble R872? Half the price!?

Suggestions for other bikes welcome too.

Matt
 

mustang1

Guru
Location
London, UK
I think everything is too expensive.

I haven't read your thread but these threads usually go along the lines of someone wants a bike but need a bit of convincing. So just get it. If I wanted it, if just get it.

Edit. Now I read your thread :smile:

The thing is if you buy the Ribble then may be you'll carry on thinking about the venge. If you buy venge, then you can sleep easy. Therefore does being date, it's the better buy.
 

SkipdiverJohn

Deplorable Brexiteer
Location
London
I think everything is too expensive.

I certainly think anything in four figures is complete overkill for anyone but a professional racer. The blurb in the link is going on about aerodynamics. Well, unless you race for a living, aerodynamics don't matter a monkey's anyway - and are certainly not worth paying £3k for. The limiting performance factor for a leisure cyclist will almost always be the rider, not the bike. Therefore spending a big chunk of money is pointless because the rider's ability will never come near that of the bike.
I've been out today on a £12 bike. Would I have been significantly faster on a £3k bike? Would it be a lot more comfortable? No on both counts; any difference would have been marginal.
 

Kempstonian

Has the memory of a goldfish
Location
Bedford
Assuming your Trek cost around £600, this bike will cost five times that amount. Is it five times as much value? Will you get five times as much enjoyment out of it?

But if your heart is set on it and you have that amount of money going spare - go for it!
 

screenman

Legendary Member
Go for it, but I do not get this only riding old clunkers just to hoard more money. Earn more spend more, now would I go into debt to buy a bike, no way.
 

mustang1

Guru
Location
London, UK
I certainly think anything in four figures is complete overkill for anyone but a professional racer. The blurb in the link is going on about aerodynamics. Well, unless you race for a living, aerodynamics don't matter a monkey's anyway - and are certainly not worth paying £3k for. The limiting performance factor for a leisure cyclist will almost always be the rider, not the bike. Therefore spending a big chunk of money is pointless because the rider's ability will never come near that of the bike.
I've been out today on a £12 bike. Would I have been significantly faster on a £3k bike? Would it be a lot more comfortable? No on both counts; any difference would have been marginal.

If I'm not mistaken, there is a new category of bike coming to a shop near you (I think I got that from GCN but cant recall): aero gravel bike. Funny world.
 

NorthernDave

Never used Über Member
Only you can decide if you need it, but if you want it and you can afford it, it's not too expensive.
 

Cycleops

Legendary Member
Location
Accra, Ghana
Thats right only you know if it's worth it, for me it would be complete overkill but that's just me.
As you go up the price chain the law of diminishing returns kicks in but I'm sure you know that.
It's not an "obscene" amount for a bike.
 

vickster

Legendary Member
Go ride it and then decide. Certainly don’t spend 3k online on a bike you’ve never sat on!
If you love it, want an aero race bike as opposed to something for long comfortable days in the saddle and can afford it, then buy it

Knowing Specialized as a brand, it’s probably overpriced for the spec. An alternative big brand would be something like a Giant TCR or Propel, 2018 models cheaper

https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Giant-TCR-Advanced-1-Disc-2019-Road-Bike_200585.htm

https://www.giant-bicycles.com/gb/bikes-propel-advanced-disc

Or a Trek Emonda
https://www.evanscycles.com/trek-emonda-sl-6-disc-2019-road-bike-EV311902

Over the Ribble, you get a lifetime frame warranty vs a few years

Personally, I think it’s really ugly, but I’m never going to ride it :whistle:
 
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SkipdiverJohn

Deplorable Brexiteer
Location
London
I do not get this only riding old clunkers just to hoard more money. Earn more spend more.

You're assuming that just because a bike didn't cost much to buy, therefore it must be mechanically maladjusted and unpleasant to ride. Not the case even with my skip bikes. All have properly lubricated & adjusted wheel, headset & BB bearings, and the brakes and gears work correctly. That's all the moving parts there are on a bike!.
Now some of my bikes are cosmetically horrible, and would probably offend the typical Lycra-wearing weekend warrior, but the shabby neglected appearance and badly-applied paint is entirely intentional. It's what allows me to use my bikes in dodgy areas and leave them unattended on the street without them getting stolen.
As for the "earn more, spend more" mentality; if you spend less but spend wisely you can enjoy the same or better material standard of living without having to kill yourself maximising your earnings. All the people who always buy new and spend big are doing, is spending half their time earning money that will simply evaporate in depreciation of the assets they buy. They are in effect the people that provide me with cheap cars and cheap bikes, because they pay full whack, then I buy them a few years down the line for a few pence in the pound. And if they pay interest on borrowed money to purchase fast-depreciating assets like bikes and cars- that is even more stupid!
 

derrick

The Glue that binds us together.
Hello,

I’ve been cycling for a couple of years, I really enjoy it.

My current bike is a 2016 - Trek 1.2 series. It has served me well but I’m wanting more of a road race style biycle.

I really like the Specialized Venge, but most sites sell it for 3k. E.g. below:

https://velocollective.co.uk/product/specialized-venge-expert-disc-2018-road-bike/

Do you cycling experts think it’s worth the money or should I consider something like the Ribble R872? Half the price!?

Suggestions for other bikes welcome too.

Matt
Its only expensive if you cannot afford it.:okay: if i could afford one i would buy one.
 
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