Need help choosing my first road bike.... Which of these would you choose and why?

[Polcup]

I need help choosing which bike to go with. I'm buying a bike with a view to completing some endurance cycling next summer.

Which would be the best to go with, with long cycles in mind....

Also can you tell me why you pick the one you do so that I can learn from your experiences as to what I need to be looking out for?

Thanks...

1: http://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-5-road-bike-black-id_8239801.html
2: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/moser-bikes-speed-sora-2013/
3: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/felt-f95-sora-2013/
4: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/raleigh-revenio-1-2300-2013/

 

[jon222]

I am currently choosing my first road bike also. If i were you i would go to as many bike shops as possible and try as many bikes as possible to see what suits. I did and in the end i chose the giant defy. Which i see you dont include another good bike are the entry level treks and specialised. I didnt try a triban but they seem best price for the spec.

 

[goody]

If it's your first bike make sure you find out which size to get. Best bet is to go along to a bike shop and try a few or find a friends that fits, there are some online bike fit calculators like this one; http://www.competitivecyclist.com/Store/catalog/fitCalculatorBike.jsp
For long distance rides you might appreciate a taller head tube to give a more relaxed riding position. The Raleigh and BTwin look taller at the front than the Moser or Felt but there might not be much in it and there are adjustments you can make to get a comfortable position.
FWIW I think the Felt looks nice and there doesn't seem much between the specs of the bikes (except the Raleigh has the older style shifters).

 

[NEO]

I have just spent months choosing my first road bike. Went to loads of shops and as goody said previously you need to check the sizes as for me I have a short inside leg and depending on the make of bike I ranged between a 52-56cm frame. I settled on the Raleigh revenio 2 as it has a more relaxed riding position and the spec list was very good for the price plus I wanted to support my LBS. Depending on how much your looking to spend you can pick up the revenio 2 for £600-£630 check out Raleigh's website for specs it's a big jump from the revenio 1. Happy cycling

 

[NEO]

Both the triban 5 and the revenio 1 look very good value for money.

 

[Polcup]

Thanks a million for the advice!

 

[Cletus Van Damme]

I'd get the Moser as it has pretty good reviews from owners and the spec is better than the others. At least you know that the wheels (Fulcrum 7) on it may not be the lightest but they are supposed to be tough and very well reviewed. The Felt has Alexrim wheels on it, my Secteur came with cheap Alexrim wheels and they were utter shite, first thing I changed as the back one would never stay true and I am not fat or anything. You will probably read other similar opinions elsewhere on here regarding the brand. Entry level wheels are usually crap apparently but at least the Fulcrum 7's are tough.

Although you may plan to change the wheels anyway at a later date so ignore the above.

 

[mickle]

4. Never a Raleigh. No cred, poor build quaility and overpriced (fact).
3. The Triban isn't a proper brand - it's a sporting goods supermarket bike (snobbery).
2. Moser, the man, is a legend, a sporting hero. His surname has cred - but he's never, of course, actually made a bicycle.
1. Felt is the only genuine bicycle brand among them, and so it's really the only choice.

Though having said all that - it would come as no surprise to discover that - at least the last three - are all made in the same Taiwanese factory. Raleighs are now made in a grotty shed in Cambodia.

Also look at, Giant, Merida, Trek, Specialized..

 

[Polcup]

@mickle what puts you off the tribal other than the name? Its getting great reviews. How does the spec stack against the others?

 

[Globalti]

Triban is made in Italy - or at least the frame is. Triban's biggest weakness is the wheels and tyres, which are dire. Factor in £100 for a set of entry-level Shimano wheels and a bit more for some decent tyres.

Once you've fitted the new tyres, if T5 is the same as T3 you will find that deeper tyres come up against the chainstay bridge and prevent the rear wheel from going far enough forward for the QR to clear the derailleur hanger, so rear wheel removal and fitting is not straightforward. T5 may be different and they may have sorted this on the new T3.

I would also go for the Felt, they look the biz.

 

[Linford]

4. Never a Raleigh. No cred, poor build quaility and overpriced (fact).
3. The Triban isn't a proper brand - it's a sporting goods supermarket bike (snobbery).
2. Moser, the man, is a legend, a sporting hero. His surname has cred - but he's never, of course, actually made a bicycle.
1. Felt is the only genuine bicycle brand among them, and so it's really the only choice.

Though having said all that - it would come as no surprise to discover that - at least the last three - are all made in the same Taiwanese factory. Raleighs are now made in a grotty shed in Cambodia.

Also look at, Giant, Merida, Trek, Specialized..

I was told a couple of years ago by a Merida dealer in my town that the Specialised brand were made by Merida in their factory.

 

[mustang1]

4. Never a Raleigh. No cred, poor build quaility and overpriced (fact).
3. The Triban isn't a proper brand - it's a sporting goods supermarket bike (snobbery).
2. Moser, the man, is a legend, a sporting hero. His surname has cred - but he's never, of course, actually made a bicycle.
1. Felt is the only genuine bicycle brand among them, and so it's really the only choice.

Though having said all that - it would come as no surprise to discover that - at least the last three - are all made in the same Taiwanese factory. Raleighs are now made in a grotty shed in Cambodia.

Also look at, Giant, Merida, Trek, Specialized..

Yeah, +1 to all of above.
Check out giant defy and specialized secteur. They are more expensive at the LBS but, well, you need some street crew. PS its great to be in the buying phase of a new bike!

 

[Polcup]

Throwing another one into the mix..... What do you folk make of this one? Hearing good things about the frame....

http://m.evanscycles.com/products/cannondale/caad8-2300-2013-compact-road-bike-ec042912

 

[goody]

Have a look at the Triban 5 in the classified section.

 

[Dusty Bin]

I was told a couple of years ago by a Merida dealer in my town that the Specialised brand were made by Merida in their factory.

Correct - but I don't think that was ever a secret. Merida have followed Giant's lead - originally just an OEM factory, they then decided to put their own label on their own bikes There are a handful of factories in Taiwan, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam and others which are responsible for most of the world's production.