advice on buying a racing bike

drogdub

Hi all,
I am currently giving up smokes and am saving the money to get a new bike. I reckon by april I will have around 600-700 euro for the bike, pedals ans shoes. As I don't have a clue about racers can I get a bit of advice about which are the best buys in this price range. At the moment i am looking at the Lapiere stech 200

E@gle.

the trek 1000/specailazed allez/ giant ocr3 are around the same price as the lapriere and they have a better spec

drogdub

Thanks E@gle. Gave me some food for thought. Looking at reviews of the bikes on websites they all look good for starting out, but I think the specialized looks best. It will be a few months before I buy a bike so I might get one of them in a sale

ba

if you're to get one in a sale, this time of year is the best. 2007 specialized models go on sale shortly as 2008 bikes arrive.

second hand is youre best bet. 700eur is not enough to get a new spesh allez (as they are 750eur new for the double model) with shoes/pedals/gear/etc.

e.g. i bought a second hand Giant ocr3, 450eur, but i have spent 400eur easily on gear.

drogdub

Thanks BA, yeah the gear is expensive, so I may have to go down the second hand route. Where is a good place to get second hand bikes

ba

i dont know much about buying second hand from shops, but i think keeping your ear to the ground on this forum is a winner. keep an eye on the buyandsell etc.

FrankGrimes

Great thread - I'm looking for the same - a racer for under say €850. Don't know much about them (my trusty Raleigh Vitesse I had during college got plenty of miles on it and I loved it, but am looking forward to cycling a better racer).

I did a bit of looking around on the web and had a gander in the Cyclye Superstore aswell. I like the idea of a carbon front fork and the smoother ride it should give and Shimano Sora looks like it should be the minimum.

After my digging I'm thinking the Saracen Sestriere 2007 is the one for me given that it has carbon front fork and Shimano Tiagra components and is €750 in Wheelworx in Clondalkin. It would be €600 delivered from winstanley in the UK. Any concerns with buying online - fixing minor issues under warranty would obviously not be a runner?

Winstanley also have a very good price on the Giant SCR 2 2007 here given that it would be €736 delivered. It's €799 in Wheelworx. but for the hassle of the extra €65 I would buy that in bricks & mortar.

What do you think of the Sestriere? Any concerns on Saracen and is there anything on the SCR2 that makes it worth the extra? It has a carbon composite seat post for comfort, but I'm not sure how the carbon composite fork compares to the Sestriere.

The guy in Cycle Superstore told me I'd need 51cm - how big a deal would one size either way make if that's what was available, and should I go up or down?

pete4130

51cm is a small bike. My gf rides a 51cm womens specific frame (she's 5 foot 4 inches) but I know the geometry is different from womens specific frames. I ride 56cm spec allez and I'm 5'11". I know friends who ae about the 5'8" mark ride 54cm frames. If you get a bike thats too small you'll feel cramped on it and it wont be comfortable with you arms, legs, back, neck and shoulders feeling scrunched up a little to accomodate the lack of space. if you go too big then you can feel really stretched on the bike which can make it hard to control it properly as you are off balance. Check out different sizes to see which one fits you properly. Ideally a GOOD bike shop should do a fitting for you to determine what soze bike you should get. This is unlikely to happen in Ireland as a good fitting can take up to an hour. Friends who have gotten bikes i the states have got good fitting like this with bike shop staff switching the stem to a shorter one to accommodate a shorter reach in my friends arms. I can't see service like that over here.

You never said what height you were either.

niceonetom

pete4130 wrote: »

51cm is a small bike. My gf rides a 51cm womens specific frame (she's 5 foot 4 inches) but I know the geometry is different from womens specific frames. I ride 56cm spec allez and I'm 5'11". I know friends who ae about the 5'8" mark ride 54cm frames. If you get a bike thats too small you'll feel cramped on it and it wont be comfortable with you arms, legs, back, neck and shoulders feeling scrunched up a little to accomodate the lack of space. if you go too big then you can feel really stretched on the bike which can make it hard to control it properly as you are off balance. Check out different sizes to see which one fits you properly. Ideally a GOOD bike shop should do a fitting for you to determine what soze bike you should get. This is unlikely to happen in Ireland as a good fitting can take up to an hour. Friends who have gotten bikes i the states have got good fitting like this with bike shop staff switching the stem to a shorter one to accommodate a shorter reach in my friends arms. I can't see service like that over here.

You never said what height you were either.

true. it's surprising how often the size you 'need' just happens to be the one they have in stock. 51cm is small, so be sure.

Membrane

FrankGrimes wrote: »

The guy in Cycle Superstore told me I'd need 51cm - how big a deal would one size either way make if that's what was available, and should I go up or down?

What size frame you need very much depends on the type of frame, for example Giant compact frames have a top tube that slopes back a lot, this means that you need a smaller size frame compared to other frames.

FrankGrimes

Thanks for the info lads. I'm just over 5'11" so doubt a small frame would suit.

Basically the guy in the Cycle Superstore just did a very rough guesstimate on me and said 51cm but based on what you've said it looks off. I'll go into Wheelworx on Friday and get a better idea of what I need. They have the Saracen Sestriere 2007 in 51 and 54cm, so hopefully the 54cm would do the job.

Any thoughts on the Saracen Sestriere or other options I should be looking at?

I'll only buy online if the saving outweighs the loss of being able to get problems fixed under a warranty, but have to say I was surprised there weren't many more sites in Ireland and UK that came up during my googling. Looks like online in the US has great options and savings, but the hassle of delivery and possible custom tax probably make it not a runner.

I counted up my coins there yesterday that I've been building up over the last year from loose change and it came to a whopping €800 which is feckin sweet, so if it was a case that I'd get an awful lot more bike by pushing the budget to €1000, I can do that, but to be honest I'm not sure the usage I'll have for it would be worth the extra spend.

ba

something isn't making sense. 5'11'' should not equate with a 54cm?
i'm 6foot and ride a Giant L (57cm), or a Specialized XL (58cm)

trek climber

ba wrote: »

something isn't making sense. 5'11'' should not equate with a 54cm?
i'm 6foot and ride a Giant L (57cm), or a Specialized XL (58cm)

I agree, I am 6ft 1 and I cycle a 58cm Trek. THe smallest bike in our group is a 56cm and there is a couple of guys well under 5 ft 11.

Ghost Rider

I'm just under six foot and have a 58cm road bike, which seems perfect. That said, frame size is only one aspect of getting a bike that fits you. Stem length and seat post height are also very important. The frame size might be right but the handlebars could be a stretch, for example. In that case you'd need a shorter stem.

In summary: whatever size frame you end up getting, make sure the geezer in the shop fits you for the bike.

paddyb

im 5' 11 and i have a large frame (Giant)

Clum

pete4130 wrote: »

Check out different sizes to see which one fits you properly. Ideally a GOOD bike shop should do a fitting for you to determine what soze bike you should get. This is unlikely to happen in Ireland as a good fitting can take up to an hour.

Wheelworx in Clondalkin spent an hour sizing me up on a Saturday afternoon. Great Service.

Ghost Rider

Stagg Cycles in Lucan did the same for me. Good people.

Clum wrote: »

Wheelworx in Clondalkin spent an hour sizing me up on a Saturday afternoon. Great Service.

FrankGrimes

Emailed them about the size and they came back saying the 54cm would be a better fit than the 51cm....funnily enough thats the only other size they actually have in stock!

Doubt it'll fit - I'll get them to do a full fitting for me and will then decide the bike based off that.

Any suggested models to go for?

pete4130

I got my 2007 Allez Sport in McConvey cycles in Belfast in June 2006 while the Tour de France was on, having a sale with 20% off at the time so I saved quite a bit. I originally wanted one of the Giants they had going, it was cheaper and better spec but they didn't have my size. Look to England as well for 2006/2007 models that they might be selling cheaper and see if the shipping costs.

As for choosing models, entry levels start with the Trek 1000, Specialized Allez etc....

www.chainreactioncycles.com is another good shop based up north with free shipping all over Ireland too.

Ghost Rider

Trek have changed their product names (and products) for 2008. The new entry-level Trek is called the 1.2 and it's lower in spec than the 1000 used to be. If you want the equivalent of the 1000, I think the 1.5 looks closer.

pete4130 wrote: »

I got my 2007 Allez Sport in McConvey cycles in Belfast in June 2006 while the Tour de France was on, having a sale with 20% off at the time so I saved quite a bit. I originally wanted one of the Giants they had going, it was cheaper and better spec but they didn't have my size. Look to England as well for 2006/2007 models that they might be selling cheaper and see if the shipping costs.

As for choosing models, entry levels start with the Trek 1000, Specialized Allez etc....

www.chainreactioncycles.com is another good shop based up north with free shipping all over Ireland too.

FrankGrimes

Re-reading what the posts above, it seems more like a 57 or 58cm frame will be what suits me cos I'm pretty much 6ft and as long as it's in the right ballpark and means I can still touch the ground with my toes, it will suit me. Wouldn't say I've unusually long legs or arms for that height, guess I've just never actually thought about that though.

Thanks - I looked at the sites for both those shops up North. Chain reaction didn't have a whole lot that took my fancy, but this BeOne Storm 1.0 2007 does look a very good bike, though at €932 it's over the original budget.

This Specialized Allez Sport Double looks a good deal for €808 delivered - only available in 58cm, but that might be exactly what I need.

So I'd say a 57cm in the Storm which has the 105 groupset but costs €124 more than the Allez 58cm with the Tiagra groupset....not much in it, though the Storm does really look the business imo. Any preferences between these 2 and would I be mad to just go ahead and order - I'd be reluctant to go into a shop for a free fitting and then just walk away if I wasn't going to purchase there.

Will stick to the island of Ireland I reckon, cos knowing I could just drive up to Belfast if there was an issue under warranty definitely has a Euro value to it.

Ghost Rider

If this is your first road bike, I'd strongly recommend getting it at a bike shop where you can go there and they'll fit you for it. Might cost a bit extra but it could really be worth it.

FrankGrimes wrote: »

Re-reading what the posts above, it seems more like a 57 or 58cm frame will be what suits me cos I'm pretty much 6ft and as long as it's in the right ballpark and means I can still touch the ground with my toes, it will suit me. Wouldn't say I've unusually long legs or arms for that height, guess I've just never actually thought about that though.

Thanks - I looked at the sites for both those shops up North. Chain reaction didn't have a whole lot that took my fancy, but this BeOne Storm 1.0 2007 does look a very good bike, though at €932 it's over the original budget.

This Specialized Allez Sport Double looks a good deal for €808 delivered - only available in 58cm, but that might be exactly what I need.

So I'd say a 57cm in the Storm which has the 105 groupset but costs €124 more than the Allez 58cm with the Tiagra groupset....not much in it, though the Storm does really look the business imo. Any preferences between these 2 and would I be mad to just go ahead and order - I'd be reluctant to go into a shop for a free fitting and then just walk away if I wasn't going to purchase there.

Will stick to the island of Ireland I reckon, cos knowing I could just drive up to Belfast if there was an issue under warranty definitely has a Euro value to it.

FrankGrimes

Great advice lads, thanks.

Based on good feedback they got in another thread here, I went out to Stagg's Cycles in Lucan today and have put a deposit on a Giant SCR 2.0 2007 for a price of €775, which seems a very decent price based on my looking around.

Happy enough with that bike given that it has a lot of Tiagra components and carbon composite forks and though it does look a bit plain, it seems a perfect fit and a lot of bike for that budget.

I'm so glad I listened and didn't order blind online, cos it's a large Giant (58cm I think) he has me on - and he acknowledged I might go a little smaller on frame on next bike if I was looking to do more serious cycling, but this will be a good comfortable fit for my needs. He's also changing the stem to one size down, which I can easily see will be more comfortable for me, so defo worth it for the few extra quid to get at least the first bike in store.

Very nice lads in there, very approachable and I liked the fact that there's 6 month warranty and they're very happy to do any adjustments to finetune it to my needs in the first 6 months.

When I mentioned I'll be using it for a lot of commuting, they suggested I go for a wheel upgrade for a pair of €250 wheels (€150 price increase if they swapped them for the wheels currently on the SCR2.0) - does this seem a smart move or should I just see how I get on with the current wheels?

Also, I have an approx. 3 years old Lapierre Sub 590 Alloy Lite 2 hybrid that's in quite reasonable nick and they said to bring it down tomorrow when I'm collecting the new price and they'll give me a price for a trade-in. It was around €700 new and I'd be hoping for around €250 for it - sound right?

Pete4779

FrankGrimes wrote: »

Great advice lads, thanks.

When I mentioned I'll be using it for a lot of commuting, they suggested I go for a wheel upgrade for a pair of €250 wheels (€150 price increase if they swapped them for the wheels currently on the SCR2.0) - does this seem a smart move or should I just see how I get on with the current wheels?

Also, I have an approx. 3 years old Lapierre Sub 590 Alloy Lite 2 hybrid that's in quite reasonable nick and they said to bring it down tomorrow when I'm collecting the new price and they'll give me a price for a trade-in. It was around €700 new and I'd be hoping for around €250 for it - sound right?

I would look at the distance you are doing on your commute. The road bike is great for a long distances but even on my old 16km commute, I was only around 8-10mins quicker on my road bike vs. (ironically!) a Lapierre Sub 580 Alloy Lite 2 (!) which is my beater bike for commuting in the filth and grime.

You certainly don't need €250 wheels on a road bike for a commute IMHO unless you are commuting pretty far and are doing it for training also (then again, I am definitely not an expert and there a lot of people here with a lot more experience)+. Better maybe to see how you go and over a few months you'll know what you like and what you want to add (or take away), etc., .

Do you really need to sell the Lapierre? I think it's a great all-weather type of thing, and is pretty solid. Put on some good tyres for commuting and it's great. I use a Cannondale R700 for my road biking, I couldn't bare to commute in it and get it all covered in muck! Or even stolen!

I would say keep the Lapierre unless you really are in need of the €250. It's not much money really and as properly working bike it's value IMHO is more than what you get in money terms. Two bikes are better than one and if you are taking a quick spin to the shops you don't always need clipless pedals, etc., . If it gets trashed, no problems. I intend to get a mountain bike at some stage (pretty expensive thing to get into I think unfortunately ), but I would keep any bike and maintain it - a bike for every occasion!

FrankGrimes

Thanks Pete. So in the end I decided not to bring the Lapierre down for trade-in. He said he'd have given me €250 for it, which is exactly what I thought and is fair enough given that it'd be hard to sell for over €300.

I bought the Giant SCR 2.0 and didn't get the upgraded wheels - if I end up doing enough miles to justify them I won't have a problem paying the extra €100 they'll cost me at that stage.

I agree with Pete and figured that the Lapierre is more bike than the €250 would show and may still be handy in future, and the sloping top bar means the saddle is low enough for the girlfriend to be able to use cos shes thinking about cycling to work.

Idea behind getting the racer for me is I enjoy cycling a racer a lot more than a hybrid and am more likely to be motivated to actually commute by bike if I'm enjoying it. Took it out for a spin yesterday and it's a lovely bike, slight issue with changing of the front cogs, but smooth other than that. The Tiagra changers are a joy to use.

Just need to buy some decent lights now that mine have given up the ghost. I noticed that a lot of the white lights for the front are flashing ones now - I'd have thought that one that helps you see where you're going and also lets people see you would be the way to go?

Ghost Rider

I reckon flashing is better for being seen, though not for seeing. Lights that flash usually have a non-flashing mode anyway.

FrankGrimes wrote: »

I noticed that a lot of the white lights for the front are flashing ones now - I'd have thought that one that helps you see where you're going and also lets people see you would be the way to go?

DITTKD

FrankGrimes wrote: »

Just need to buy some decent lights now that mine have given up the ghost. I noticed that a lot of the white lights for the front are flashing ones now - I'd have thought that one that helps you see where you're going and also lets people see you would be the way to go?

Ghost Rider wrote: »

I reckon flashing is better for being seen, though not for seeing. Lights that flash usually have a non-flashing mode anyway.

No, don't use your front lights on flash. I'd recommend having them on constant.

A motorist friend told me that if drivers see a flashing white LED light, they assume it's a Garda car that's far away, rather than a cyclist that's very close. Not particularly dangerous or anything, just annoying for motorists.

Also, I saw a guy the other day with a red light on the front. Might seem to make sense to have some light on the front, but people will assume he's moving away from them rather than coming towards them, which is not what ya want!

Ghost Rider

As a sometime motorist myself, I think flashing is better for being seen. In fact, to a certain extent being annoying IS being seen.

DITTKD wrote: »

No, don't use your front lights on flash. I'd recommend having them on constant.

A motorist friend told me that if drivers see a flashing white LED light, they assume it's a Garda car that's far away, rather than a cyclist that's very close. Not particularly dangerous or anything, just annoying for motorists.

Also, I saw a guy the other day with a red light on the front. Might seem to make sense to have some light on the front, but people will assume he's moving away from them rather than coming towards them, which is not what ya want!

Wheelworx

Ghost Rider wrote: »

As a sometime motorist myself, I think flashing is better for being seen. In fact, to a certain extent being annoying IS being seen.

Would agree with this, you cant be too visible, I have 5 lights on the back of my winter bike and all the lads think it looks rediculous but it is VERY visible....

Karma

check out knog lights- all versions are pretty good. try wiggle.co.uk for them