Newbie info please: Pinnacle laterite 2 vs laterite 3

[marofmtl]

Hi all,

Extreme newbie here - never owned a road bike ! (would commute by mountain bike when I was younger and riding through Canadian potholes)...

I've narrowed down my choices to the Pinnacle laterite 2 vs laterite 3 and am turning to you to help me decide if the laterite 3 is worth the extra couple hundred quid.

https://www.evanscycles.com/pinnacle-laterite-2-2019-road-bike-EV299414 (£500)
https://www.evanscycles.com/pinnacle-laterite-3-2019-road-bike-EV299415 (£700)

The main difference is that the laterite 3 uses Shimano 105 5800 11 speed whereas the laterite 2 uses Shimano Sora R3000 9 speed.

Uses: commuting in London, with hopes to take it on longer rides outside of the city. I'll be moving to Geneva soon, where I'd use it for long rides (and hilly rides)... with the aim of trying out a triathlon next year.

In your opinion is the 105 set worth the extra £200 given how new I am to this? I'm thinking if I took both out on a long ride now I wouldn't notice a difference, but I would start to do so quickly.

Any opinion you guys have are very welcomed

 

[vickster]

Test ride both. But yes, I’d say it’s worth it, smoother changes, lighter, better brakes maybe, more atttactive hoods. Would cost you more to upgrade later. But check the range of gears. Replacement parts would cost you more for 11 speed

Are you sure you don’t want disc brakes for all weather commuting?

Budget for better more puncture resistant tyres. Those won’t last 5 minutes if used in all weather on London roads

 

[Racing roadkill]

The 105 11 speed equipped one is well worth the extra, especially if you’re taking to the hills.

 

[Bonefish Blues]

No, because you will inevitably buy another bike when you move.

Only partially in jest. It's what we do!

 

[T4tomo]

The 105 11 speed equipped one is well worth the extra, especially if you’re taking to the hills.

The 2nd part of the comment is odd and confusing, as whilst the 105 has more gears, it doesn't have a bigger range of gears nor a lower gear hence no real advantage in the hills, just slightly small gaps between a couple of the gear changes.

9 speed Sore is perfectly adequate, so you are paying for a bit of look and latest gear so depends whether that is important to you. In real life you won't notice the difference and the brakes are exactly the same.

Also whilsylt I'm in correcting forth right opinion modes, the lugano guard tires aren't the best but should be good for starters, they do have a decent bit of puncture protection built in.

I would get the pinnacle just yards which ever model you get if you are commuting.

 

[marofmtl]

Thanks for the advice so far.

I’m planning on bringing the bike with me for the move... they won’t be any cheaper there. But who knows what the more distant future holds.

From what I’ve read and hearing from you guys is that it’s not a clear MUST go for the 105s... so I think I’ll save the couple hundred quid and put it to gear/better wheels if needed. If I really get bitten hard by the cycling bug then I can reconsider an upgrade all around.

Unless someone reading this comes up with a hard argument soon

Cheers

 

[Racing roadkill]

The 2nd part of the comment is odd and confusing, as whilst the 105 has more gears, it doesn't have a bigger range of gears nor a lower gear hence no real advantage in the hills, just slightly small gaps between a couple of the gear changes.

9 speed Sore is perfectly adequate, so you are paying for a bit of look and latest gear so depends whether that is important to you. In real life you won't notice the difference and the brakes are exactly the same.

Also whilsylt I'm in correcting forth right opinion modes, the lugano guard tires aren't the best but should be good for starters, they do have a decent bit of puncture protection built in.

I would get the pinnacle just yards which ever model you get if you are commuting.

Obviously you’ve never ridden a 9 speed Sora equipped bike and an 11 speed 105 equipped bike up a hill, I have, several times over many hundreds of miles. The difference is night and day, it’s not just the choice and number of ratios, or though that is very important in reducing fatigue, as you can maintain a steadier cadence more easily with the 11 speed set up. The action is far lighter and easier with the 11 speed as the pull ratio is greater with the 11 speed.

 

[Racing roadkill]

The 9 speed Sora on Box Hill in 2015

The 11 speed on Box Hill this year.

The 11 speed was far nicer for the reasons I mentioned.

 

[Racing roadkill]

Personally Id choose this

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-540-road-bike-grey-black-105-id_8377756.html

A better value for money package, with ( in my opinion ) better wheels.

 

[marofmtl]

Personally Id choose this

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-540-road-bike-grey-black-105-id_8377756.html

A better value for money package, with ( in my opinion ) better wheels.

Curve ball!

Judging by the photos and your recommendation, you seem to be a fan of B-Twin!

 

[Cycleops]

All will give you good service. I can't really see much advantage in 105 over Sora for commuting even with the two extra cogs. I'd also go for the Triban 540 over Evans own brand Pinnacle. You get a lifetime frame warranty with Decathlon plus the assurance of buying from the worlds largest cycle dealer.

 

[MikeG]

Laterite??! They've named a bike after a type of soil? Really?

 

[marofmtl]

Laterite??! They've named a bike after a type of soil? Really?

I guess a type of rock, yes. Similar to Dolomite, now that you mention it... another line they have.

 

[MikeG]

It may be a rock too, but it's the soil type you find all over the tropics, particularly Africa and Australia, rich in iron and leached of goodness. That's the reddish colour you see in pictures of African or Australian bush.

 

[Cycleops]

True, plenty of it down here.