Road bike for a short person. ?105 groupset. ? disc brakes ? tubeless

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Binka

Über Member
Location
Lincoln, uk
I currently ride a recumbent trike but looking at getting back into uprights. I've got a specialized tricross in the shed but I'd like something a bit faster and also I think it's too big for me. I'm 5ft 2", the tricross is a men's bike and is 49cm and I find the reach a bit long. I sat on a Liv Avail xs small today and it felt a lot better.

I want the bike for zwift on a tubo trainer and group rides with the local club. I'm certainly never going to be looking at doing racing. I'd prioritize comfort/endurance so being able to go out for quite a few hours over extra speed. I broke my back in an accident a few years ago so am not looking for an overly sporty position.

I've been reading good things about the 105 groupset and would ideally like this but would be ok with a tiagra. The tricross has rim brakes which seem ok but disc brakes seem to be the thing now - are they worth paying extra for? Which should be more of a priority disc brakes or a 105 groupset because at my budget of around 1k I think it's one or the other. But I could maybe get finance and push the budget a bit. I also saw an Avail AR today with tubeless tyres which sound amazing. But the guy in the shop suggested that with it being a gravel bike rather than a road bike it wasn't what I was looking for and I'd just be replicating the Tricross.....but I am thinking of selling the Tricross. But is the geometry not suitable or something for road bike use, or are the tyres to wide/slow to keep up with a group ride well?

Anything else I could be looking at from Trek, Specialized, etc?

Thanks
 
I currently ride a recumbent trike but looking at getting back into uprights. I've got a specialized tricross in the shed but I'd like something a bit faster and also I think it's too big for me. I'm 5ft 2", the tricross is a men's bike and is 49cm and I find the reach a bit long. I sat on a Liv Avail xs small today and it felt a lot better.

I want the bike for zwift on a tubo trainer and group rides with the local club. I'm certainly never going to be looking at doing racing. I'd prioritize comfort/endurance so being able to go out for quite a few hours over extra speed. I broke my back in an accident a few years ago so am not looking for an overly sporty position.

I've been reading good things about the 105 groupset and would ideally like this but would be ok with a tiagra. The tricross has rim brakes which seem ok but disc brakes seem to be the thing now - are they worth paying extra for? Which should be more of a priority disc brakes or a 105 groupset because at my budget of around 1k I think it's one or the other. But I could maybe get finance and push the budget a bit. I also saw an Avail AR today with tubeless tyres which sound amazing. But the guy in the shop suggested that with it being a gravel bike rather than a road bike it wasn't what I was looking for and I'd just be replicating the Tricross.....but I am thinking of selling the Tricross. But is the geometry not suitable or something for road bike use, or are the tyres to wide/slow to keep up with a group ride well?

Anything else I could be looking at from Trek, Specialized, etc?

Thanks

Get all of it with this bad boy.

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-rc-520-disc-road-bike-navy-105-id_8554421.html

Fits well into your budget, and if you want to upgrade something (which would be the wheels) there are great options that stay within your budget.
 
OP
OP
Binka

Binka

Über Member
Location
Lincoln, uk
Thanks, that certainly looks a lot better spec for the money than the Liv bike. I'm right at the bottom of the size range for the xs size. Does anyone know if Decathalon allow a return if not the right size? I can next day delivery to an open decathalon store pretty close to me. If I bought it, turned up, sat on it and said nope would they refund?
 

CanucksTraveller

Macho Business Donkey Wrestler
Location
Hertfordshire
My wife rides the Giant Defy with a 105 groupset and rim brakes, I think that cost about 700 or just less, it was a "last year's model" reduced offer. I think I'd go for something like that... I'm personally not that bothered about disc brakes on a leisure bike, though I'd want them on a commuter.
 

rivers

How far can I go?
Location
Bristol
As a fellow 5'2"-er, look for something in the 46-48cm range. You will be fine with tiagra or 105, I have bikes with both. Both shift equally well. With regards to disc or rim, up to you really. Are you likely to be riding through all weathers? If so go with disc. Just nice weather, then get rim brakes. A gravel bike can be set up to ride on the road. My winter/wet weather bike is a CX/gravel bike. I have 2 sets of wheels for it. One shod in road tyres for winter/wet weather commuting/club rides. Another with knobblies for off-road use (mountain bike trails, single track, gravel, etc). Both sets are tubeless. I love it in winter. My road bike is yet to go tubeless. My wheels are tubeless ready, and once these tyres wear out, I will probably give tubeless a go on my road wheels. Most importantly, buy a bike that fits :-)
 
Giant Defy/contend & as above decathlon are always great value.
Tiagra is fine these days. IME disc brakes are becoming the standard - but rim brakes are still fine if you can't finance discs.
 

Dwn

Senior Member
The triban rc520 is a great bike for the money, and I have to say that decathlon have been pretty exemplary with customer service. As mentioned above they also have a pretty good returns policy.
 
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