How do you choose a new road bike?

NeilM

Retrobike Rider
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All my bikes are retros, mainly because I am also retro. I currently have a lot of hand made mtbs, and a couple of production road bikes (a Raleigh and a Concorde).

Recently I have been toying with treating myself to a NEW bike. At first I was going to go 29'er, but that's all gone a bit sideways for now and before I looked at 29'ers I was already looking at road bikes, but which one.

Do I go Ribble / Planet X, with their generic Chinese carbon, or maybe Terry Dolan with his design of Chinese carbon and my choice of chainset, or do I go home made steel, as I really like the look of the frames that Shand and Rourke produce, or what about a new Colnago or a Raleigh Militis.

How do YOU decide which new bike get's yer cash?
 
I've just bought an Allez Sport for commuting and general fitness.

I'm not really into road bikes, but when I worked in a shop we sold loads of Allez's as first road bikes. I also thought that it was a good looking bike and an ok spec (although the entry level one is a far worse spec than I remember).

I also liked the Cannidale CAAD8 but there are no 56cm jobbies available until March and I was too impatient to wait.

The Allex also seemed to get good reviews.
 
Mindmap3":14mwoqex said:
I've just bought an Allez Sport for commuting and general fitness.

I'm not really into road bikes, but when I worked in a shop we sold loads of Allez's as first road bikes. I also thought that it was a good looking bike and an ok spec (although the entry level one is a far worse spec than I remember).

I also liked the Cannidale CAAD8 but there are no 56cm jobbies available until March and I was too impatient to wait.

The Allex also seemed to get good reviews.

I've got an Allez that I got for pennies from a user on here after trawling Ebay for ages looking for one. There are lots out there but they seem to hold their value well. I love it and find it a comfy ride with the carbon forks, looks like a much more expensive bike as well and has the same geometry as the more expensive Specialized road bikes.

Also good in that you can get the same bike with different crank set ups, standard, compact or triple. Mine is standard but I'm going to change to compact I think as I don't have roadie legs!!
 
Tazio":2wj79xeg said:
Mindmap3":2wj79xeg said:
I've just bought an Allez Sport for commuting and general fitness.

I'm not really into road bikes, but when I worked in a shop we sold loads of Allez's as first road bikes. I also thought that it was a good looking bike and an ok spec (although the entry level one is a far worse spec than I remember).

I also liked the Cannidale CAAD8 but there are no 56cm jobbies available until March and I was too impatient to wait.

The Allex also seemed to get good reviews.

I've got an Allez that I got for pennies from a user on here after trawling Ebay for ages looking for one. There are lots out there but they seem to hold their value well. I love it and find it a comfy ride with the carbon forks, looks like a much more expensive bike as well and has the same geometry as the more expensive Specialized road bikes.

Also good in that you can get the same bike with different crank set ups, standard, compact or triple. Mine is standard but I'm going to change to compact I think as I don't have roadie legs!!

Mines through the cycle to work scheme. I'm quite looking forward to it in a wierd way even though I've never shown any interest in bikes with skinny wheels.

Riding part way to work will be a good way to get some miles in; it'll be 22 miles per day then I'll start parking a bit further out in another village which will be 32 miles per day. I also figured that it was a good way to get some miles in after work when I don't ride in as I can just get straight out after workout haing to drive anywhere like I do with the MTB.
 
I spent quite a wack in the summer buying a new road bike , To be honest I found the whole thing quite a ordeal !!! :shock: Mainly because the shops never actually stocked what i wanted they always needed to be ordered then they had no interest in getting them for you to just look at THEN they were always very reluctant to let you spin them round the carpark then in reality what good does that do you anyway. Dont get me started on sizing :LOL:

The best advice I got was for the money I was spending there is no rubbish bikes so pick the one you fancy, I didnt actually do that either I wanted di2 and went for a steed with good reputation & di2 helped along with a 1K price deduction!! :LOL:

All worked out love my Steed :cool:
 
Hmm. I dunno, I'm still experimenting, don't even have drop bars yet!

The alu alloy hybrid and MTB I have had rightly or wrongly put me off alu alloy. And CF was always pricey or I had an irrational fear of it breaking! So I've become a retro steel chaser! Except in road bikes I want a new one.

Depends what you are spending and what you want I guess. I'd now consider a CF frame if it came with good review, and cos it was good value I bought a Columbus alloy tourer, but I really fancy a new retro steeler like the genesis, thorn are worth a look too I'm told. But it really is another world this roadie business. Hoping to stay on the cusp of it but it is good alternative to MTB.
 
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