Road bike buying advice and opinions

[creaking_bones]

Hi,
I have been riding an MTD for the last 2 years. A basic 24 speed Carrera Centos. Its done me fine but I find I am now doing a lot more road cycling. It's typically 10 miles on each weekday and then up to 20 miles on Sat/Sun - but I plan on increasing it.

I therefore am going to take the plunge and buy a road bike.

I am quite nervous about having only 20 speeds though - I like the 24 on the MTB as I can ride up steep hills in very low gears and keep a cadence of 65rpm (sometimes more!).

Any advice here? This is my wish/want/need list:

1. Plenty of gears
2. Comfortable to ride (I don't have any intention of doing serious racing) but would like something a bit fast and a bit responsive. I don't want to ride 50/60 miles and then feel like I'm about to pop-it
3. I am 5ft 11in. What's an ideal frame size bearing in mind I ALWAYS like to raise the seatpost/sadlle a few inches to get the ideal position (and I personally think it looks good as well!)?
4. I want it to "grow" with me, i.e. last a few years (4+) as I improve
5. Has to have decent components (related to "growing" with me). I don't want to find I have to upgrade the gears/brakes 2 years later
6. Absolutely HAS to look "the business" and be a good name. This is just me being vain... but hey, we're all different and have vices!
7. My budget is £1100 +/- £150. I'm told this will get me a quite good bike - maybe even carbon!

Plenty of Ribble, Pinarello and Bianchi ones etc on e Bay... but I have no idea what I am potentially buying. The only things I do know, from being told, is that an Ultegra Groupset is "really very good" and I don't really want "Sora" if I am keeping for 3/4 years.

Thanks for any comments/help/advice.

 

[vickster]

What would look the business mean for you? Colour, aesthetically? One man's meat and all that. Personally, I can't bear black bikes, especially Matt but others love them!

If concerned about hills look for a compact double or even a triple, however those 20 gears with the correct cassette should give you the same or more as your MTB gears

Frame size, depends on the bike, they are all different, but probably a 56cm or maybe a 58cm in something like a cube

Pinarello really seem to offer fairly weak spec for the cash, paying for the name

105/ ultegra if sticking with shimano will be more than adequate. Then you get into sram and campagnolo on Italian machines

Best advice, go to shops, see what you find hot, test ride, come back with a short list and ask what owners think. Look through other threads, this gets asked a lot on here

 

[creaking_bones]

What would look the business mean for you? Colour, aesthetically? One man's meat and all that. Personally, I can't bear black bikes, especially Matt but others love them!

If concerned about hills look for a compact double or even a triple, however those 20 gears with the correct cassette should give you the same or more as your MTB gears

Frame size, depends on the bike, they are all different, but probably a 56cm or maybe a 58cm in something like a cube

Pinarello really seem to offer fairly weak spec for the cash, paying for the name

105/ ultegra if sticking with shimano will be more than adequate. Then you get into sram and campagnolo on Italian machines

Best advice, go to shops, see what you find hot, test ride, come back with a short list and ask what owners think. Look through other threads, this gets asked a lot on here

Thanks.

What looks good to me is a white frame. Just can't beat it IMO. Red/blue writing sets it off nicely. I'm with you - I don't really like black and I'm not keen on blue or red either. I'm fine with white as my bike always gets cleaned after each ride and I would not ride a road bike in the winter rain anyway.

I have no real idea about compact double/triple or cassettes. Looks like I have lots more reading to do.

Your comment re: Pinarello... funny that... I was told something similar. You get a lower spec at a higher price... just for the name. The advice I was given for Pinarellos was: NEVER buy new. Find a good 1yr old used one and then pay no more than 60% of the new price.... which then evens out the premium for the name. That could be good advice.

Off to the cycle shop in Croydon tomorrow for a look around!

 

[vickster]

Go to gb cycles, but also detour to pearsons in sutton could look at the cubes at cyclesurgery on purley way too

 

[Peteaud]

Best advice, go to shops, see what you find hot, test ride,

^^^^^^^ This.

 

[SteCenturion]

Got just the ticket for the patriotic colour scheme.

2014 Cube Peloton Race in White (frame) with Red & Blue decals & accents.

Aluminium frame with Carbon fork.

Full - I said "FULL" Shimano 105 - none of this lower spec chainset/brakes & cassette nonsense from other brands.

Mavic Aksium S wheel & tyre system (not the lightest or best but plenty good enough for most).

No need to upgrade as it's all there.

Great reviews - well liked Cube own brand wing shape handlebar is supposedly comfortable.

Lighter frame & fork than Giant's all conquering Defy 1 & better specced for same money.

Just applied for C2W voucher to buy this very machine (& I aready own a lightweight - high spec carbon bike).

Buy one on C2W scheme & pay roughly £650 (as lower rate tax payer) or less if higher earner.
Fast/comfortable/droolsome loveliness.
No brainer really.

If this doesn't float your boat maybe try the Ribble R872 - Planet X Pro Carbon (got a deal on - £999 with Ultegra group & White frame option) or maybe something from Canyon or Focus.

Best of British to ya.