Narrowed it down to 5 road bikes.....

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jayonabike

Powered by caffeine & whisky
Location
Hertfordshire
Edging ever nearer to buying my first road bike.
So this is the shortlist...

Bianchi Infinito Veloce
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/bianchi/infinito-veloce-2010-road-bike-ec021250

Cannondale 6 Carbon
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/cannondale/six-carbon-105-compact-2010-road-bike-ec020261

Scott cr1
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/scott/cr1-team-cd20-2010-road-bike-ec020693?query=scott cr1

Specialized Roubaix Comp
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/specialized/roubaix-comp-2010-road-bike-ec020009

Van Nicholas Mistral
http://vannicholas.com/WbmBikeHome....2j5K6lk+BsmLYiFNwJaFfgDqBii7WcrP16alx3NxvChs=

I'm after a more sportive ride rather than an out & out racer. Any thoughts/comments on these would be helpfull

Thanks

jay
 

gaz

Cycle Camera TV
Location
South Croydon
Have you ridden any of them?

The Cannondale was voted number 1 in the price range of £1000 and £2500 bikes. And it looks HOT!
 
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jayonabike

jayonabike

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Location
Hertfordshire
gaz said:
Have you ridden any of them?

The Cannondale was voted number 1 in the price range of £1000 and £2500 bikes. And it looks HOT!

No not yet, this list is just based on looks, research over the internet and in magazines, and chatting to the guys at my LBS. I intend to ride them all first if possible. This is a major long term investment for me so i want to get it right first time
 

Steve Austin

The Marmalade Kid
Location
Mlehworld
All look like good bikes and will do Sportives well.

I would go for the Ti bike, but thats partly because i've got a roadbikes made of every other material.
If i didn't have any other bikes, i think the Specialized might be the bike of choice.

You could save yourself a lot of cash if you consider Planet X. There carbon roadbike with full Ultegra was 1k recently, which is a lot less than the bikes listed
 
lazyj said:
Edging ever nearer to buying my first road bike.
So this is the shortlist...

Bianchi Infinito Veloce
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/bianchi/infinito-veloce-2010-road-bike-ec021250

Cannondale 6 Carbon
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/cannondale/six-carbon-105-compact-2010-road-bike-ec020261

Scott cr1
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/scott/cr1-team-cd20-2010-road-bike-ec020693?query=scott cr1

Specialized Roubaix Comp
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/specialized/roubaix-comp-2010-road-bike-ec020009

Van Nicholas Mistral
http://vannicholas.com/WbmBikeHome....2j5K6lk+BsmLYiFNwJaFfgDqBii7WcrP16alx3NxvChs=

I'm after a more sportive ride rather than an out & out racer. Any thoughts/comments on these would be helpfull

Thanks

jay

Not to dissimilar short list to me. I got it down to 3 then test rode 2 of them and made my mind up. I have a Roubaix SL and whilst I was initially skeptical about the zerts dampening after a 30 miler now I feel significantly fresher.

The key is the test ride. I nearly got a Madone but it just didnt feel right on the test ride.

All great bikes, good luck and let us know what you get
 

ASC1951

Guru
Location
Yorkshire
lazyj said:
This is a major long term investment for me so I want to get it right first time
In that case I would go for the Van Nick. Titanium is such a perfect material for a bike frame - resilient (although you can achieve that with other materials), durable and completely maintenance-free. Get a good titanium frame in the correct size and it will last as long as you do. Appearance is a matter of taste but I also find the look of bare titanium nicely understated.

Van Nick is essentially the old Airborne and I have a Zephyr Ti TT bike. A couple of friends have Zeppelins and a couple more have recent Van Nicks, one of which is a Mistral via Paul Hewitt in Leyland. All of us think they are the best bikes we have.
 

mossy

New Member
Look fat Paul Smith of this parish.He is a fan of van Nicholas and has some excellent articles in his links here and yacf. Cannondale do a more sportive version the synapse.
Good luck and enjoy the tests.
 

e-rider

crappy member
Location
South West
Although I've never ridden any of your listed bikes, I can see just by looking at them that the geometry (and therefore riding position) varies quite a lot between the models listed.

This makes me think you've selected based on spec. etc. I would consider riding position and available frame sizes too. Most important IMO.
 
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jayonabike

jayonabike

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Location
Hertfordshire
tundragumski said:
Although I've never ridden any of your listed bikes, I can see just by looking at them that the geometry (and therefore riding position) varies quite a lot between the models listed.

This makes me think you've selected based on spec. etc. I would consider riding position and available frame sizes too. Most important IMO.

Yes i have noticed that too. I am surprised in the difference in riding position from bike to bike considering they're all more 'sportive' bikes, except the Cannondale i think which is more of an all-rounder. I've deleted the Scott off my list so it's down to 4, although we might have a new entrant instead of the Cannondale 6 carbon i have been looking and reading up on this...

Cannondale Synapse carbon 105

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/cannondale/synapse-carbon-105-compact-2010-road-bike-ec020245

although i also like this..

Cannondale Synapse carbon Ultegra

http://www.evanscycles.com/products...arbon-ultegra-compact-2010-road-bike-ec020243

But the Ultegra is £200 over the absolute maximum limit i can spend as set by the Mrs, so maybe i'm wasting my time on that one!

jay
 
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jayonabike

jayonabike

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Location
Hertfordshire
ASC1951 said:
In that case I would go for the Van Nick. Titanium is such a perfect material for a bike frame - resilient (although you can achieve that with other materials), durable and completely maintenance-free. Get a good titanium frame in the correct size and it will last as long as you do. Appearance is a matter of taste but I also find the look of bare titanium nicely understated.

Van Nick is essentially the old Airborne and I have a Zephyr Ti TT bike. A couple of friends have Zeppelins and a couple more have recent Van Nicks, one of which is a Mistral via Paul Hewitt in Leyland. All of us think they are the best bikes we have.

Yes the Mistral is high up on my list and i'm going to go and have a proper look at one and take it out for a test ride hopefully. It's my 40th in july and i'm getting the bike for that, so i have plenty of time to make the right decision on what bike i want.
 
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