Will a Carbon Bike make a difference to a relative newbie ?

[Coggy]

I have been into cycling since March. Started on my Halfords Carrera Subway Ltd that I bought 3 years ago and embarrassingly did 10 miles on and never rode again until March.

Went out on it in March and as I have shifted almost 3 Stone in the last few years found it a far more pleasurable activity than I did when weighing in at 16 Stone 3 years ago.

Decided to sign up for a 50 mile Sportive that I am doing this weekend and decided a Road bike would be better so bought a Carrera Zelos Ltd for £250 instead of the alleged RRP of £ 599. Since then I have fallen in love with Cycling and try and get out a few times a week and am clocking up about 80-100 miles a week.

Average speed has increased from an initial 11mph to around 15.5mph and I have decided that I now want to buy a better bit of kit. The Carrera is ok but I was foolish and bought the wrong bike for me. Is not at all comfortable when down on the drops and I think the frame is too big for me as the seat is pretty much as low as it goes and I find the reach is a little too far.

My intention is to make Cycling very much my main activity, hobby and probably only form of exercise and so I am willing to pay out in the region of £1000 - £1500 for my next road bike.

Is it best to stick with an Aluminium frame or is a Carbon frame going to make a big difference ? Would like something that has quality components and is geared for some proper hill climbing. Don't want to have to buy a bike and then immediately upgrade bits so for that sort of budget, what would be your recommendations please ?

Bear with me as I just enjoy cycling and certainly do not know the more technical aspects of bikes/cycling.

Thanks

 

[Hacienda71]

It depends what you want to do with the bike. Most race orientated bikes these days are carbon although you get some good aluminium frames like the Cannondale Caad 10 and even steel such as offerings from Madison and Condor. Titanium frames are also popular although pricey when compared to CF or Alu due to the difficulty in welding Ti.
If you want the bike to be a good allrounder for fast pleasure rides commuting and a bit of touring CF is less likely to tick all the boxes although not out of the question.

 

[Kestevan]

Weight wise, the best Alloy frames (eg CAAD 10) are as close to carbon as makes no difference. Friend has an alloy CAAD10 and is extremely happy with it. Personally I went down the carbon route with a planet X RT-57 and I'm also extremely happy. We paid roughly the same, although I got a better groupset/wheels and he got "CANNONDALE" on the downtube

In the price range you're looking at, you should be able to get a decent spec alloy, or a lower spec carbon from the main brands (Cannondale, Giant etc), or a very well specified (ultegra) carbon from the online retailers such as Planet X, Ribble, Dolan etc.
Personally I think the big retailers are over priced, and you pay a very big premium for the name... in fact I think some manufacturers (naming no names, but their bikes are very specialized....) are taking the piss component wise for the money they ask.

I'd not get too hung up on the frame material, find a comfortable frame that fits you and that you want to ride/like the look of irrespective of whether it's alloy, carbon or steel.

 

[Coggy]

It depends what you want to do with the bike. Most race orientated bikes these days are carbon although you get some good aluminium frames like the Cannondale Caad 10 and even steel such as offerings from Madison and Condor. Titanium frames are also popular although pricey when compared to CF or Alu due to the difficulty in welding Ti.
If you want the bike to be a good allrounder for fast pleasure rides commuting and a bit of touring CF is less likely to tick all the boxes although not out of the question.

Thanks

Not interested in time trials or anything like that, just want a good fast bike that is going to take my 3-4 weekly pleasure rides up a level. Would like to be aiming to add another 2 mph to my average over the next year. Next years targets would be to increase from 50 mile rides to 75 mile + rides.

Just looking for a bit of quality value for money now that I seem to have found my sport/hobby.

 

[Coggy]

Weight wise, the best Alloy frames (eg CAAD 10) are as close to carbon as makes no difference. Friend has an alloy CAAD10 and is extremely happy with it. Personally I went down the carbon route with a planet X RT-57 and I'm also extremely happy. We paid roughly the same, although I got a better groupset/wheels and he got "CANNONDALE" on the downtube

In the price range you're looking at, you should be able to get a decent spec alloy, or a lower spec carbon from the main brands (Cannondale, Giant etc), or a very well specified (ultegra) carbon from the online retailers such as Planet X, Ribble, Dolan etc.
Personally I think the big retailers are over priced, and you pay a very big premium for the name... in fact I think some manufacturers (naming no names, but their bikes are very specialized....) are taking the **** component wise for the money they ask.

I'd not get too hung up on the frame material, find a comfortable frame that fits you and that you want to ride/like the look of irrespective of whether it's alloy, carbon or steel.

Thanks

A lad I know in our village works at a LBS and has said he could get me a good deal on a Carbon framed Orbea.

I know nothing of this brand.

 

[Hacienda71]

The frame geometry that suits you will be more important than the material as @Kestevan says. Simplistically some frames are designed to be arse in the air and stretched out for fast riding which for many is not that comfortable for an 80 mile ride. The "sportive" style frame is the manufacturers way of trying to appeal to the weekend rider of a certain age with average core strength. The head tube tends to make the riding position more upright at the expense of some speed.

 

[Coggy]

The frame geometry that suits you will be more important than the material as @Kestevan says. Simplistically some frames are designed to be arse in the air and stretched out for fast riding which for many is not that comfortable for an 80 mile ride. The "sportive" style frame is the manufacturers way of trying to appeal to the weekend rider of a certain age with average core strength. The head tube tends to make the riding position more upright at the expense of some speed.

Thanks

A bit of research this afternoon has me interested in a Cannondale CAAD 10

Thoughts ?

 

[Hacienda71]

It is a good race orientated frame. @smokeysmoo rides one as I am sure a few others do on the site. If you can get to a Cannondale dealers and try one out or just sit on one it will give you a feel for the geometry. Bear in mind that you can change stem lengths seat position and bar width to suit you and if you are buying new you can probably negotiate a bike fit into the price.

 

[uclown2002]

http://road.cc/content/buyers-guide/70802-best-£1000-£1500-road-bikes

 

[samsbike]

There is no substitute for trying something out, but personally I struggle to really notice any real issues till I have done a few hundred miles. Given your experience with bikes you have and the amount of money you are spending, I would be tempted to go to a couple of shops and get some advice. Its worth paying a £100 over the odds to get the right bike, otherwise you could easily spend that getting your fit right.

 

[jamin100]

Ok take this with a pinch of salt etc butttttt

I started commuting to work on a hybrid about 3 years ago. I soon upgraded to a boardman CX team (£899)

Last year I got a new job and stopped commuting by bike and started going out on longer 30-60 mile rides of a weekend.

Very recently I upgraded my bike again to a giant defy 3 compotise (Carbon £800) now it has low end components (tiagra) but the frame is good so can be upgraded when funds allow.

The difference between the giant and the boardman is night and day. The carbon frame is much smoother and more comfortable than the boardman. Road vibrations seem significantly lower too.

In terms of speed, on my usual 30mile loop im constantly 10-13 minutes faster on the defy. Yes I could be getting fitter and yes the weather is better but I still think some of it is down to the bike

 

[TomSH27]

I have been into cycling since March. Started on my Halfords Carrera Subway Ltd that I bought 3 years ago and embarrassingly did 10 miles on and never rode again until March.

Went out on it in March and as I have shifted almost 3 Stone in the last few years found it a far more pleasurable activity than I did when weighing in at 16 Stone 3 years ago.

Decided to sign up for a 50 mile Sportive that I am doing this weekend and decided a Road bike would be better so bought a Carrera Zelos Ltd for £250 instead of the alleged RRP of £ 599. Since then I have fallen in love with Cycling and try and get out a few times a week and am clocking up about 80-100 miles a week.

Average speed has increased from an initial 11mph to around 15.5mph and I have decided that I now want to buy a better bit of kit. The Carrera is ok but I was foolish and bought the wrong bike for me. Is not at all comfortable when down on the drops and I think the frame is too big for me as the seat is pretty much as low as it goes and I find the reach is a little too far.

My intention is to make Cycling very much my main activity, hobby and probably only form of exercise and so I am willing to pay out in the region of £1000 - £1500 for my next road bike.

Is it best to stick with an Aluminium frame or is a Carbon frame going to make a big difference ? Would like something that has quality components and is geared for some proper hill climbing. Don't want to have to buy a bike and then immediately upgrade bits so for that sort of budget, what would be your recommendations please ?

Bear with me as I just enjoy cycling and certainly do not know the more technical aspects of bikes/cycling.

Thanks

Hi, I am a relative newcomer to cycling, I only got back into it when recovering from a running injury. I just bought my first new road bike after owning several vintage Peugeots, I did my research and read loads of reviews and spoke to a few specialist bike shops. You need to know what sort of riding your going to be doing and what the principal terrain and surfaces will be. If your not racing and want to do some long rides on rough UK Tarmac roads then I don't think you need carbon, in fact a well known local triathlete and LBS owner told me many serious cyclists are returning to steel for their main ride and only bring out the carbon for competition. Likewise alloy is not as comfortable as steel. I'm not suggesting you need to buy steel but do t write it off, if you want a good sportive for long rides and comfort it's a good option, also don't think you need to spend £1500, for under 1k you can find some great bikes. I just bought a Genesis Equilibrium and for what you are talking about I would seriously recommend you include them in your line up, Road.CC or Bikeradar have some useful reviews of them and a few guys on this site have them and rate them highly. Cannondale Synapse and Giant Defy would be a good option as well.

 

[Coggy]

Hi, I am a relative newcomer to cycling, I only got back into it when recovering from a running injury. I just bought my first new road bike after owning several vintage Peugeots, I did my research and read loads of reviews and spoke to a few specialist bike shops. You need to know what sort of riding your going to be doing and what the principal terrain and surfaces will be. If your not racing and want to do some long rides on rough UK Tarmac roads then I don't think you need carbon, in fact a well known local triathlete and LBS owner told me many serious cyclists are returning to steel for their main ride and only bring out the carbon for competition. Likewise alloy is not as comfortable as steel. I'm not suggesting you need to buy steel but do t write it off, if you want a good sportive for long rides and comfort it's a good option, also don't think you need to spend £1500, for under 1k you can find some great bikes. I just bought a Genesis Equilibrium and for what you are talking about I would seriously recommend you include them in your line up, Road.CC or Bikeradar have some useful reviews of them and a few guys on this site have them and rate them highly. Cannondale Synapse and Giant Defy would be a good option as well.

Like the look of the Synapse with Discs.

I think I am going to have a good look at the Cannondale bikes to start with.

 

[fossyant]

Any half decent bike will do. You are the engine. Try a few out and find what you like best.

 

[Big Nick]

I noticed a smoother ride when I went from a hybrid alu frame to carbon road frame

Get a small torque wrench though as over tightening bolts on a carbon frame is not good!

Just jump on a load of different bikes and see what you like best, I tried out around half a dozen bikes at local shops before buying my Bianchi Vertigo. Its a perfect fit with no aches or pains after long rides apart from the normal sore butt!
I really liked the look of the Ribble's and Canyon's but there was no facility to try one so I didn't want to risk it when spending so much (comparatively speaking) on a bicycle.

The problem is there's such a massive choice out there!!