New bike - 2014 model in 2015 - £1500

[G3CWI]

Next year I will probably look for a new road bike. My Triban 3 is now 18 months old and has over 3,000 miles on the clock. It was my first "proper" road bike since the 1980s. I will wait until there are some discounted models about. I don't necessarily want to pay extra for a big brand - unless its worth it.

Knowing that these threads usually result in people recommending their latest N+1; rather than recommending a specific brand, what characteristics should I be looking for at this price point? Is a test ride an essential ingredient? Online or bike shop? Ebay?

I am not a racer but I do like to sprint occasionally. Not a club rider.

I will keep the T3 and use the new bike for dry Sundays!

 

[vickster]

You need to decide what frame material you want - alu, steel, titanium, carbon. Everything else follows. £1500, I'd buy from a shop, get some freebies and a proper bike fit

I certainly wouldn't buy from eBay and probably not used

 

[smokeysmoo]

I'd chance my arm by saying there are probably no bad bikes at that price point, (of the known brands anyway).

Brands like Cube tend to offer more VFM than the big boys like Specialized and Cannondale, but then again it's horses for courses.

I love my C'dale, @vickster hates it, but only because it's all black

Test rides are important unless you are absolutely confident in what you want/need/like etc.

I've spent double your budget online in the past TBH, and the only niggle I'd say is if something goes wrong, (it did for me on 2 out of 3 bikes from Wiggle), then you've got the hassle, (not cost though), of packing it up, (they send the box but still), waiting in for it's collection, and then waiting for it getting sorted and returned, at which point you've to mess about dialling everything back in again

My C'dale I bought from a store, but although it is 60 miles away from me I made the decision and it's not an issue, TBH I've never even had cause to go back. I do all my own maintenance anyway, and I have no interest in any 'free' 6 week 'service' a store may offer.

I'm not even going to recommend any particular bike or brand for that matter. My advice would be to get along to one of the big boys like Evans, (purely for their choice, stock and ease of test rides), and then narrow it down from there. See what your LBS stock, test rides may not be as easy with them due to lower stock, and I wouldn't expect an independent LBS to order me a bike in just to test ride either, hence use Evans, they have to good for something after all.

+1 for avoid eBay, it's just not worth it IMO. A £100 winter hack is one thing, but £1.5k is a lot of money whichever way you look at it.

 

[vickster]

Yeah, no bad bikes, unless they are black

Personlaly, I've had Trek, Giant, Specialized in the past - only British companies for me from now on. IF I wanted another bike, I'd be quite tempted by the Ti from Dolan which scored very highly in Cycling Active this month

http://www.dolan-bikes.com/road/road-bikes/road-bikes-titanium.html

Were I buying an off the peg utility bike in carbon for £1500ish, I'd probably go for a Cannondale Synpase or Scott Contessa...cos they look nice

Happy with my British stable of Pearson, Genesis, Whyte for now

 

[smokeysmoo]

Yeah, no bad bikes, unless they are black

lol