Ridley Eos

[vickster]

Anyone ride one?

http://www.pearsoncycles.co.uk/store/product/29984/Ridley-Eos-1008A-XS/

Just been to Pearsons in Sutton and had a long chat in the pro shop. Road bikes are back on the agenda after gaining better understanding on what can be done in terms of set up etc (my testride on a Bianchi last week killed my hands and put me off, but basically down to reach, stem length, handlebar specs etc etc).

It's a good looking bike, uncommon (I don't want a big US brand) and in budget.

We had a look at a Pearsons bike, while the whole British, unusual, able to be properly specced to me etc is very appealing, £1600 odd once I have put better wheels on as advised, is just too much for a new toy

http://www.pearsoncycles.co.uk/store/product/29705/Pearson-Pavé-450mm/ Yes definitely a better bike and surely worth the extra, but I don't think I'd be able to tell the difference and so justify it!

 

[MrRidley]

Yup i've got one, hence the name nothing but praise for it had it for about a year now, done just over 3000 miles on it, fast responsive, light, good frame and best of all, as you say you don't see too many on the road, just make sure you get the right size and fit and as with all bikes try before you buy.

 

[vickster]

Thanks MrRidley...sounds great.

Pearsons wouldn't let me leave with a bike I wasn't happy with or didn't fit me and being 10 minutes away, easy enough to get stuff rectified, fixed or dare I say, upgraded They only had a small frame in stock, I'd need a medium plus the changed bars and stem and a girly saddle, so would need to be ordered and sorted

Hmmm...food for thought...that big screen TV may have to wait

 

[StuAff]

Glad to hear Pearson have put you back on the right track- a bike that didn't or maybe even couldn't fit you right was never going to be much use.
Don't rule out the Pave just yet- decent frame (there's a BR review)- and that's the most important bit to get right, you can upgrade anything else as and when. If you ride it enough- and you'll want to..you might decide it'll be worth the extra. Ridley's certainly an excellent bit of kit though.

 

[vickster]

The pave starts at 1400 which is a big difference. They are also very short of frames. Tempted by the ridley. Colour scheme is more me too

 

[StuAff]

The pave starts at 1400 which is a big difference. They are also very short of frames. Tempted by the ridley. Colour scheme is more me too

Fair enough...carbon bikes from big brands aren't cheap these days!

 

[brockers]

Good for you for looking beyond the ubiquitous Specializeds, Treks, Giants and Cannondales. (The) Ridley is the nicer looking bike of the two, and is quite an understated hardcore (cyclocross) euro-cool brand imho. Ok, so it's probably knocked up in a factory in Taiwan, but.....

The Ridley seems to be slightly longer for a given frame size, so might give a slightly less twitchy ride, but then again, there's a shedload of variables that can affect ride characteristics.

 

[accountantpete]

I have a Ridley Pegasus - nice stiff alloy frame with equally great looks.

However I get the impression that Ridley stopped developing their alloy bikes in favour of Carbon - I might be wrong but with a quoted weight for the frame of 1760g it seems to be firmly based in the past compared to what you can get elsewhere for only a few pounds more.

 

[vickster]

Thanks guys

Pete - it felt pretty light to me ... what should £900-1000 non-American bikes weigh nowadays?

So the Ridley is 9.4kg and a Spesh Secteur Elite 9.6kg so much of a muchness

It's tough to find something special and interesting at a top notch LBS. I may talk Bianchi again at Corridori but Pearsons are fab and I'd rather give them my hard earned

 

[vickster]

Some friends have said carbon but add 105 groupset! This is now getting out of hand for my fiest roadbike which is a toy and not for riding the TDF! Going to step away rapidly from the carbon before I end up spending 2k

I am still attracted by the idea of Bianchi so will take another look at the Via Nirone range, under £1200, there is a Tiagra and a 105 (plus the Campags).

Any other suggestions for 'less common' Euro brands? Wilier but they seem to come with Campag parts.
With the Ridley, I think am more wanting to buy from Pearsons rather than that bike which isn't right!

This would be way easier if I wanted a Spesh

 

[accountantpete]

Sorry but I missed the "non-US" bit in the original post. It will be difficult to source a decent "European" bike cheaply - although these days most of them are actually made in the Far East.

Personally in cycling I think you sometimes have to swallow your pride and go for the best thing available at the price.

In this case I would look long and hard at a Cannondale CAAD 10 - it looks a great bike on paper and they tend to hold their values far better than most other makes when it comes to a later re-sale.

 

[vickster]

I realise most bikes are made in the Far East, I simply want something different that I won't see much on the road. I have 2 Specialized hybrids and while they do what they need to do well and reliably, I kind of want a change

But the Connondale sooo ugly...it's black ... I am a woman and would like something that could look at least a bit feminine especially given I need a big frame (56-57cm)!

I also want something that isn't too aggressive...and the Caad 10 is still over £1200

I think the red Bianchi might be my compromise - pretty enough, under a grand, and less ubiquitous and there is a 'proper' dealer less than 5 miles away

http://www.epic-cycl...Tiag11-1000.jpg

 

[smokeysmoo]

But the Connondale sooo ugly...it's black ... I am a woman and would like something that could look at least a bit feminine especially given I need a big frame (56-57cm)!

I also want something that isn't too aggressive...and the Caad 10 is still over £1200

There's only the CAAD10 Dura-Ace that's all black. The CAAD10 105 which is almost in your budget is black and white;

I adore my CAAD10 Dura-Ace and the ride is very comfortable and not too aggresive, (I couldn't ride it far if it was!). You could always add some pink bar tape and tyres to a CAAD10 105 to 'vicksterise' it

I do agree the matt black of my bike isn't particularly feminine;

I also like to have something a bit different, and as far as exclusivity goes, I haven't seen another CAAD10 yet

I don't think you want the CAAD10, but have you considered Focus? You can get a Cayo 105 within your budget HERE.

 

[vickster]

Both are still too black I'm afraid - no black, grey, silver . The women's bike looks ok but doesn't come big enough.

What's wrong with wanting a bike that isn't an American brand

I am no expert, hence aesthetics and especially fit will be more important to me than what groupset it has

 

[brockers]

http://www.planet-x-...-alu-sram-rival ?

Planet x are somewhere oop north though, which is a bit of a pain when it comes to fitting your bike properly. Might be worth a chat with them, if you're interested.