Time for an Upgrade

[StuAff]

Worth considering trips to shops on the UK mainland or France if you want to examine a decent selection in person....

 

[vickster]

You'll have fun shopping

The third one sells Scott, they make nice bikes...and a bit different to the ubiquitous Trek, Giant, Specialized

Do you have Halfords? The higher end Boardman bikes worth lookingg at in terms of vfm. You might not spend all the £1500, leave some cash for a wheel and tyre upgrade

 

[MikeW-71]

I don't know, I've just read horror stories of people who take a small dent, or hit a pot hole they didn't see and end up shattering their bikes.

The same impact would also have trashed any steel or aluminium frame too. The only thing with carbon is that it can't fail a little bit (like bending a metal tube). When it does finally fail, it snaps. But the failure point is way higher than metal tubes.

 

[Octet]

You'll have fun shopping

The third one sells Scott, they make nice bikes...and a bit different to the ubiquitous Trek, Giant, Specialized

Do you have Halfords? The higher end Boardman bikes worth lookingg at in terms of vfm. You might not spend all the £1500, leave some cash for a wheel and tyre upgrade

Nope, it is literally only those three shops, or the local equivalent of eBay.

The same impact would also have trashed any steel or aluminium frame too. The only thing with carbon is that it can't fail a little bit (like bending a metal tube). When it does finally fail, it snaps. But the failure point is way higher than metal tubes.

I suppose that makes a lot more sense.

 

[Cuchilo]

I have a Defy ( alu ) and a TCR ( carbon) Both are lovely bikes but the carbon TCR is just so easy to ride . I have the Advanced 1 but from the link above they are pretty much the same component wise . Wheels and brakes are the only change . Frame wise I doubt I could tell the difference but I guess a pro rider could ( im not one of those )

 

[MikeW-71]

Of course they could also have been riding some badly made, cheap chinese knock-off frame.

 

[Cyclist33]

Does your LBS do Giant?
http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bikes/model/2014.giant.tcr.composite.1/14971/66532/

Now that is a beautiful bike!

 

[vickster]

It's a bit, erm, black

 

[Octet]

I think I might pay them a visit this Saturday, see what they have on the shop floor and what they say.

 

[MikeW-71]

That's the best way really. Sit on some bikes, have some test rides. The right one will jump out at you

 

[SteCenturion]

Just been researching Giant roadbikes as I have a burning desire for a 2013 TCR 1 Advanced (exact same as Chuchilo's) but can't for the life of me find one in M/L.

But I digress.

Giants website states the Carbon spec for it's road range. It goes like this -

Defy/TCR Composite = Toray T600
Advanced = Toray T700
Advanced SL = Toray T800

T600 is base level carbon
T700 is lightweight
T800 is pro level H.M (High Modulus)

A guy on here posted that he had his Composite weighed(at his LBS) & it came in a similar weight to the Aluminium model.

My point is that not all carbon is created equal & so an Alu bike with the saving spent on light/stiff wheels may be a better all round purchase.

Or maybe not.

 

[Cuchilo]

Just been researching Giant roadbikes as I have a burning desire for a 2013 TCR 1 Advanced (exact same as Chuchilo's) but can't for the life of me find one in M/L.

But I digress.

Giants website states the Carbon spec for it's road range. It goes like this -

Defy/TCR Composite = Toray T600
Advanced = Toray T700
Advanced SL = Toray T800

T600 is base level carbon
T700 is lightweight
T800 is pro level H.M (High Modulus)

A guy on here posted that he had his Composite weighed(at his LBS) & it came in a similar weight to the Aluminium model.

My point is that not all carbon is created equal & so an Alu bike with the saving spent on light/stiff wheels may be a better all round purchase.

Or maybe not.

You have very good taste Sir I shall ask the manager in my local Giant shop if he knows of one in your size .

 

[MikeW-71]

It's perhaps not surprising that the alloy frame can be as light as the carbon, but weight alone is not the main benefit of carbon. A lighter frame alone would be barely noticeable by a rider, but for the same weight, carbon can be much stiffer, and this extra stiffness can be targetted exactly where it is needed.

An alloy frame can be made to be the same stiffness, but that adds weight along with it.

Comparing my alloy Defy with the carbon Defy Advanced, the geometry is basically the same, however the downtube is massive on the carbon frame, the BB shell is huge and the chainstays are stiffer. The headtube is also beefier. The stiffer base to the frame provides better power transmission and the headtube sharpens the handling.

 

[MrGrumpy]

I have also heard of carbon frames that flex and are not as stiff as you would expect, in fact I have a very old carbon tubed Giant CFR from the late 90s and its was weighty and flexy. Anyway that was the very early days of bike frame materials. At the £1500 mark I reckon carbon frame would be good. However as mentioned else where, if you have plans to upgrade then get the best frame you can, if you don`t really have plans to upgrade soon, get the best over all.

To the original poster Cube make a nice carbon framed bike at that budget i think, me I`m quite keen on the Alu framed one but my budget and needs are different.

 

[Peteaud]

Just been researching Giant roadbikes as I have a burning desire for a 2013 TCR 1 Advanced (exact same as Chuchilo's) but can't for the life of me find one in M/L.

But I digress.



A guy on here posted that he had his Composite weighed(at his LBS) & it came in a similar weight to the Aluminium model.

My point is that not all carbon is created equal & so an Alu bike with the saving spent on light/stiff wheels may be a better all round purchase.

Or maybe not.

Like this

http://louthcyclecentre.co.uk/giant-tcr-advanced-1-2013-m-l.html



Back on topic. Cannondale CAAD 10,, a friend had one with a few carbon bits and weighs in sub 8.0 kg.

Really great bits of kit.