Which first bike?

[Widge]

That's the kind of info I am looking for with regards to the shifters, and screw on gears and such, I assume then STI is gear levers built into the brake levers?

Yup.

2300 gearing has integrated brakes and shifting (Shimano Total Integrated=sti), albeit with a thumb click lever to drop down gears. It has now been superseded by 2400 'Claris' which has exactly the same lever arrangement as all the other sti groupsets. This is the starting point for 'modern' shifting systems. REAALY cheap bikes are still using clumsy and not generally well made levers and and awkward shifters...........some even stooping to grip-shift! Beware any cheap/new so-called road/racing bike with this sort of set-up...it will likely have screw on freewheel, single pivot brakes, heavy components plastic pedals etc.............this i the usual territory of the £2-300 catalogue bike-although there ARE exceptions. The T3 being a case in point!

w

 

[PhilDawson8270]

How is this in comparison?

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/felt-f95-sora-wiggle-exclusive/

Is there anything to justify the additional £100 over the T3, I have read reviews and plenty of comments about the triban, but nothing which ac

 

[PhilDawson8270]

Also, this?

http://wiggle.britishcycling.org.uk/mekk-pinerolo-al-zr-2013/

The mekk, if I buy the british cycling membership gives a 12% discount so only £361 + £28 membership, so essentially, £390 for the bike and british cycling membership, with which the discounts would be useful as I will be buying quite a bit to start with, and the 3rd party insurance.

 

[MikeW-71]

How is this in comparison?

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/felt-f95-sora-wiggle-exclusive/

Is there anything to justify the additional £100 over the T3, I have read reviews and plenty of comments about the triban, but nothing which ac

Better components all round, carbon forks, better wheels, even has some decent tyres on. Only thing to change might be the 11-25 cassette, but that's easy and cheap. Well worth the extra £100

The Mekk is a similar story, but you drop down some component levels. I'd go for the Felt out of those two.

 

[Widge]

You're getting the hang of this!! Both bikes are well worth the additional outlay over some you listed earlier.......just better, more efficient builds all round.
Also...note that the Triban 3 'Red' that took the extreme budget end of things by storm a year or two ago is pretty much unobtainable now...but there is a splendid line-up of vfm bikes at all price levels available from Decathlon. If you are near a store...it might be a worthwhile exercis to check them out for real. Decathlon have a decent rep generally and their stuff is far from 'Mickey-Mouse' by and large.

 

[MikeW-71]

I started the same way as the OP, not wanting to spend too much just in case I found I couldn't get on with a road bike. I also knew that if you're gonna try something, buy something decent for the job to give yourself a fair crack at it.

If you buy a really, really cheap road bike it could put you right off as it almost certainly won't be as good an experience as something a little higher up the chain. In my case I spent £600 on the Defy 2... absolutely loved it... the rest is history! (and I've spent a frightening amount on clothes )

 

[biggs682]

@PhilDawson8270 If you are local to me feel free to get in touch and come and try a couple of the bikes i have and see if any of them give you a better idea of what you are looking for ?

 

[Widge]

I started the same way as the OP, not wanting to spend too much just in case I found I couldn't get on with a road bike. I also knew that if you're gonna try something, buy something decent for the job to give yourself a fair crack at it.

If you buy a really, really cheap road bike it could put you right off as it almost certainly won't be as good an experience as something a little higher up the chain. In my case I spent £600 on the Defy 2... absolutely loved it... the rest is history! (and I've spent a frightening amount on clothes )

This is da truth!!
I bought my T3 because it was the cheapest 'proper' bike money could buy at the time. I loved it - upgraded a few bits over the course of a year or two and now ride as often as I can. I wish I'd had the nerve to buy something a little further up the chain now..........maybe a Canyon or something from Ribble or Merlin....but-like you- I didn't know how much I would get out of road-biking.

I DO know now that if I had bought a grid-iron of a bike out of the Tesco catalogue...I would by now be tearing my hair out over its inadequacy. But hindsight is a wonderful thing?

Good Luck

w

 

[MikeW-71]

Heh, I'm always looking to go for a ride. I need to take my car for a service and I've already plotted a route near the garage so I can take the bike along and kill a couple of hours

Dunno what the receptionist is gonna think when I rock up in the lycra with a bike under my arm.....

 

[BAtoo]

How is this in comparison?

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/felt-f95-sora-wiggle-exclusive/

Is there anything to justify the additional £100 over the T3, I have read reviews and plenty of comments about the triban, but nothing which ac

This looks a good buy; decent brand, good components. Its about £100 more than my Dawes and tbh I now wish I'd spent the extra ££s, although what I've got has got me out on the road and getting a bit fitter....

If you go for this you'll need to spend some decent dosh to significantly improve on this when N+1-itis strikes....................

 

[Inthecup]

I'm new to road cycling & bought my first road bike in September. Like you I wanted an entry level bike with a budget of no more than £600.

I opted for the Norco Valence A3. I see it's been discounted to just over £500 on Evans website. For a first bike I can't fault it. People will tell you that you can get a better "brand named" bike for the same cost. I tested a few bikes and this to me seemed most comfortable.

My plan was to get this to see how I get on and upgrade in a few years if I'm enjoying it (which I am massively).

Hope that helps.

 

[vickster]

A few years! I am lucky to last a few months before I want something new :-)

 

[PhilDawson8270]

Thanks for the help everybody, I think I have settled on the Felt F95, it seems to be from what people say pretty well specc'd for the price, I have also kindly being given a referral code for Wiggle which gives me some freebies with it. I will be ordering it on payday Thursday, and I will be sure to let people know how I get on with it when it arrives.

 

[line71]

There are some brilliant deals at Wiggle,best i have seen

 

[PhilDawson8270]

It suggests a 56cm frame for me at 6ft tall, also that was what is suggested at Evans, can anybody confirm that it is correct?