moving from MTB - hybrid or road bike?

[vickster]

You are evidently a bloke. I wouldn't ride a bike that I don't like aesthetically, like a black one

My first roadbike budget was £800. I spent £1400. More with shoes and stuff That said I have had that bike for nearly 3 years I think...a record for me especially as I have no intention of changing it!

 

[Slawek]

I guess my acceptance level must be pretty low as I have not seen a bike that I could say does not look good enough to ride. I guess that makes me quite lucky - trying to make the shortlist of bikes based on the specs and prices is difficult enough without taking into account how they actually look.

 

[Cyclone1]

For the sake of £50 why not have your cake and eat it....

http://www.dolan-bikes.com/road/dolan-l-etape-carbon-road-bike-builder.html

 

[Slawek]

@Cyclone1 I wish you have not mentioned anything... when I started, I really wanted to spend as close to £400.00 as possible. I have now stretched the budget to £800.00 as it's still something I can, at least in my head, justify. But £872.00... then, on the other hand, carbon bike for this money sounds like a steal to me.

So, on that thought, two questions:
1) I have read reviews online and it seems that most are positive. Someone did wrote 'Its a little firmer/less forgiving in the rear' - no idea what that means.
2) How do I possibly go about having a go on the bike? From what I can see, there is no option to test ride. I'm just not quite so sure about not being able to make sure I will feel comfortable on the bike. So how do people buy bikes they have never sat on?

 

[vickster]

Dolan have a showroom, in the NW I think

 

[Cyclone1]

@Cyclone1 I wish you have not mentioned anything... when I started, I really wanted to spend as close to £400.00 as possible. I have now stretched the budget to £800.00 as it's still something I can, at least in my head, justify. But £872.00... then, on the other hand, carbon bike for this money sounds like a steal to me.

So, on that thought, two questions:
1) I have read reviews online and it seems that most are positive. Someone did wrote 'Its a little firmer/less forgiving in the rear' - no idea what that means.
2) How do I possibly go about having a go on the bike? From what I can see, there is no option to test ride. I'm just not quite so sure about not being able to make sure I will feel comfortable on the bike. So how do people buy bikes they have never sat on?

Sorry lol

Ref the 2 questions......

1) it depends what they are comparing against, but probably just means they found the rear was not as absorbent of the many road defects as expected, hence giving the feel of a firmer ride. I can only compare my Dolan to my Cube (Alu frame) and they do ride very differently, both excellent with the Cube feeling more robust and very precise steering, sometimes overly precise if that makes sense forcing a quick correction, the Dolan is smooth, easier to control which inspires confidence in steering, plus it accelerates noticeably faster.

2) As Vickster has mentioned you can go to their shop up in Ormskirk, I did and for me it was worth it. You can do this for most bike brands, however the most they will do is let you sit on the bike.

I threw Dolan in as a curve ball, but the choice is so wide that regardless of your choice you won't go wrong.

Good luck with your search,

Jules

 

[Slawek]

Their list their showroom somewhere to in Lancashire - far too far for me to contemplate driving up there.

 

[Cyclone1]

Their list their showroom somewhere to in Lancashire - far too far for me to contemplate driving up there.

The good thing is that there are many, many great bikes out there.

Their list their showroom somewhere to in Lancashire - far too far for me to contemplate driving up there.

That's a fair point.

The good thing is there are many great bikes available, so draw up the short list and then plan to go and have a look / test ride....

Jules

 

[Slawek]

Right, I have had a bit of discussion with myself and came back to the same conclusion as before - I was happy riding my old, steel mtb, weighing 17kg, with some bits not quite in good working order and I have been enjoying my rides as much as ever. The only reason for a new bike was not to spend money on 'repairs' of an old bike + getting away from mtb since I cycle on roads only. One step further from there lead me to road bikes. I can hardly justify spending 800.00 on a bike in the first place, so going to stick with that. Aluminium frame will do me fine.

I will draw a shortlist and no doubt will come ask for some advice regarding components and value for money. I can then test ride 2 or 3 of those and decide.

Thanks a lot for all your posts. Your input has indeed helped me in my journey to buy a new bike.

 

[Slawek]

@vickster that genesis volant you have posted link to - I have tried to search the net but could not find much to read about the bikes - is it some sort of obscure brand or something? I mean for £ 525.00 I would go to the shop tomorrow to buy this bike. It meets pretty much all my demands: 9 speed, shimano sora components and carbon fork (though they list it as carbon/alu which I have found explained to be 'The cheapest type of carbon fork that has carbon fork blades bonded to an aluminium crown and steerer tube'). As far as I know, for such a set up I would have to pay 700.00 with other brands (giant defy 3, cube peoloton, trek one series 1.2, cannondale synapse 8 sora, specialized allez sport - which are on my 'long' list) so £ 525.00 looks to me like a steal?

So, two questions before I run to the shop:
1) Any reason why I should avoid genesis volant frames / bikes as being inferior to other more known brands?
2) If I was going to replace that carbon/alu fork with full carbon fork, how much would I end up paying? I found on the net carbon forks for as little as £ 60.00. Not that I would run to replace it as such but for having better understanding of the actual value of the bike.

 

[Cyclist33]

1. Nope.
2. Don't know but it wouldn't be worth it as an upgrade in itself. Carbon/alu forks are totally the norm at this price point. They also have the advantage that it's much harder to break the steerer!

 

[vickster]

I have a Genesis equilibrium, it's fab and oh so pretty

Why would you need to replace the steerer? The fork bits are what's needed to reduce the road buzz, the raison d'etre of carbon forks. Every other bike under a grand is probably the same

Why do you need reviews, just go test ride the thing It's a £750 bike reduced remember - they probably have stock to clear as other folks won't buy a bike unless there are a dozen reviews (which the manufacturer has kindly asked the magazine to do, providing a bike out of their ample marketing budgets )

Here's one of the Volant 00, same bike but "only" 2300 gearing

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/reviews/touringaudax-bikes/genesis-volant-00

Verdict
Ultimately though, the effect of all this is that the Volant 00 is just an intriguing taster of what may lie further up the Volant range. For a wannabe racer on a budget it's a really decent way to start, rather than compromising with a more sportive or endurance-orientated machine
For the same reason, it won't be to everyone's taste but clearly Genesis has got the fundamentals right on this new design right out the factory.

and another

http://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/category/bikes/road/product/review-genesis-bikes-volant-00-46801/

and another

http://www.triradar.com/gear/genesis-volant-00-bike-review/

 

[RebornBumbler]

If you're going for a racy aluminium/carbon fork bike with 9 speed Sora, I'd recommend taking a look at the Felt F95 (various suppliers) or the Moser with Sora from Wiggle (though they've run out of larger frames now I see) too.

Is there no end to the advice ?

 

[MarkF]

I bought a road bike after 25+ years of not riding, I quickly gave up. I then bought a MTB and gave up again.

I bought a hybrid and never looked back, ok, I now, 12 years later, have 2 hybrids, a road bike, MTB and a folder. But that was then, the hybrid removed all restrictions, didn't matter what I wanted to do or where I wanted to go to ride the hybrid did the job, fantastic do it all bikes to get started on.

 

[Slawek]

@MarkF Well, I was considering the flatbar myself as a serious possibility - something lighter than mine 17 kg MTB and versatile (btw, I have pretty slim tires on my MTB that I'm sure look quite silly). However, I have most fun riding on roads and after having a chance to spent 2 hours on a road bike for the first time in my life last weekend, I can only think of a road bike as my next bike.

@RebornBumbler I must say that £525 for Genesis is very very appealing as it's right withing the budget I had in mind before I started speaking with you lot (and at one point I even considered dipping deep into my pocket and buy a carbon bike!).

So, I just simply need to find a place where I can test ride the bike as I really do not want to be buying it without having chance to sit on it.