Right guys you have €2500 what do you buy?

Diarmuid

How about the Cervelo Soloist Team? I've my eye on that for a future buy. Alu frame but good enough for CSC to have used it in pro races.

BUACHAILL

yeah another good option,ok officially confused

blorg

BUACHAILL wrote: »

thanks blorg i had that in the back of my mind alright and is wellworth considring in the mix, did you upgrade there and then or later on down the road?

I upgraded pretty quickly but only because it wasn't a first bike by a long shot and I had a fair idea as to what I wanted. I would have been happy had I had to stick to the bike as it came, it is a great bike stock.

I replaced saddle (for a Brooks Swallow, heavy as hell but I like it), seatpost (for Bontrager XXX lite carbon, saved all of 25 grams! but was primarily looking for less layback), and wheelset/cassette/tyres- for DT Swiss RR 1450, Ultegra cassette, Schwalbe Ultremo tyres. Great wheels and they did make a noticable difference going up hills, although there was no problem with the Aksiums the bike came with.

The only thing that HAD to be upgraded from the get-go was the saddle, it was a nightmare. But saddles are personal things.

I had originally ordered a Focus Izalco Team at £2,400 (then €3,200) but gave up on it after waiting on it for a month (out of stock.) Heard they were raising the Cayo prices so cancelled that and got an order in for the basic Cayo. Very happy with it, it goes up hills like nobody's business (the engine is also important mind; Raam's Cervelo stormed past me on Killiney hill today but on reflection I put it entirely down to the Cervelo ;-)

Once you get to a certain point most of the increased price is down to marginal weight savings- and unless you are a pro cyclist you can generally get that off your belly easier (and cheaper!) than off the bike- bear that in mind!

King Kelly

My tuppence halpenny worth......

http://www.probikekit.com/display.php?code=j1073

One of the guys in my CC bought one of these in March. Rode the Gorey 3 day on it and numerous other open races since. No problems. Fantastic value.

Ordering one for my brother at the moment. Upgrade the wheels to a pair of Mavic Kyserium ES in a years time and you have a great racing bike

blorg

You should also consider the Planet X Dura-Ace build for £999 or thereabouts. Not full Dura-Ace (brakes, cassette, crankset) but any of these bikes will give you a great introduction while holding a pretty good resale value I would imagine should you want to get something else in the future.

jefferson73

Roughly and i mean roughly...

Frame:
http://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=0&idproduct=17194

Groupset
http://cgi.ebay.ie/2008-Campagnolo-Record-Race-Feel-Carbon-Groupset-NEW_W0QQitemZ170231967667QQihZ007QQcategoryZ109120QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262

Wheels
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.aspx?Cat=cycle&ProdID=5360026717&n=Fulcrum%20Racing%205%20Evolution%20Wheel%20Set

Stem and handle bar
http://www.aspirevelotech.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=PCBARCOMBO&Category_Code=PC_BARS

headset
http://www.aspirevelotech.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=CKNTS18BLK&Category_Code=CKNTS

seatpost
http://www.aspirevelotech.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=AVT&Category_Code=TH-ENSB-318

Ask asprie nicely for your Gifts:)

BUACHAILL

ok guys have i this right ? buy something around 1k-1.5k and upgrade if i want. focus, planetx seems to be the top two in this bracket but excellent bikes,that way covering your outgoings as much as possible and offers great optional upgrades!!

am i close ?
who sells planetx here?

blorg

BUACHAILL wrote: »

ok guys have i this right ? buy something around 1k-1.5k and upgrade if i want. focus, planetx seems to be the top two in this bracket but excellent bikes,that way covering your outgoings as much as possible and offers great optional upgrades!!

am i close ?
who sells planetx here?

Buachaill- that is certainly what I would recommend. Spend less now and upgrade in the future; get a good frame that will justify it.

Focus are sold exclusively by Wiggle in the UK/Ireland so you have to buy it online, although it does come set up immaculately. Planet X you generally buy direct too but they do sell through shops, I know you can get them in some NI shops, maybe you could get a shop down here to get one for you either.

http://www.planet-x-warehouse.co.uk/

Bambaata

i ordered a Focus Cayo on Thursday, should have it by Tuesday (was processed and shipped Thursday cos i emailed them and they said they fast track it ;-) ) so i can give you my thoughts on it then

blorg

Bambaata wrote: »

i ordered a Focus Cayo on Thursday, should have it by Tuesday (was processed and shipped Thursday cos i emailed them and they said they fast track it ;-) ) so i can give you my thoughts on it then

Hope you plan to try it out on the Ring of Kerry next weekend?

Chips Lovell

Thanks for the beep today, even if I did think you were an irrate motorist at the time;) I was the guy in black.

If I was spending that much on a bike I'd definitely go for a build rather than a stock bike. The reason is that with stock bikes you'll rarely find the right combination of components you want and invariably spend more money swapping stuff out.

Saddle and tyres are the most obvious ones, but my main issue would be wheels. Most stock bikes are sold with wheels that usually aren't up to the same grade as the rest of the bike, primarily I think because punters tend to focus too heavily on the groupset. However the wheels are even more important in my view.

I wouldn't worry about warranty issues, since all the parts come with their own warranty. You don't necessarily have to build it yourself either, you can get a shop to build it up. Having said that, you'll be limiting yourself to buying all the bits from that shop, or at least enough of them for the shop to consider it worth their while building it up for you.

However, going down the build route means that you need to know exactly what you want to make it all worthwhile. If you don't, save your pennies and wait until you're sure.

For that kind of money, you'll get yourself a nice carbon frame, a reasonably high level groupset and very good wheels.

For what it's worth, here's what I'd build for €2,670:

Look 555 Frame €1,279.00 Cycle Superstore
Campagnolo Zonda Wheels €378.00 Chain Reaction
Chorus Shifters €188.00 Chain Reaction
Centaur Cranks €214.00 Chain Reaction
Centaur RD €82.00 Chain Reaction
Veloce FD €25.00 Chain Reaction
Veloce Brakes €78.00 Chain Reaction
Veloce Cassette €47.00 Chain Reaction
Campagnolo Cable Set €25.00 Chain Reaction
KMC X10L Chain €31.00 Chain Reaction
ITM Visia Bars €50.00 Wiggle
ITM Visia Stem €65.00 Wiggle
Easton EC70 Seatpost €63.00 Chain Reaction
Selle Italia SLR Saddle €83.00 Wiggle
Continental GP4000S Tyres €62.00 Chain Reaction

I'd probably find better value for money on the parts by shopping around more than a five minute trawl. And you'd probalby build it up for less if you went for Ultegra or Sram Rival.

You'll get varying recommendations here because everyone's opinion is somewhat skewed towards their own preference and experience. I know my build list certainly is.

BUACHAILL

Thanks el tonto oh and the group looked very well yesterday apart from the slow lad wearing black in the back ha ha,just kidding.I have taken today off and gonna go have a look at everything I am now leaning towards spending less on a stock bike and upgrading the parts. Think its wiser all round

Bambaata

blorg wrote: »

Hope you plan to try it out on the Ring of Kerry next weekend?

I'd love to but alas i am playign at a music festival in Gort, Galway. Im then heading around the country for a week with the girlfriend and we are bring in the bikes so i'm going to do the ring of Kerry the following week. Hitting Clare, Kerry, Sligo and Galway in the week and hopefully get a few spins during that time.

tunney

penexpers wrote: »

The only thing I don't like the look of on that bike is the integrated crankset. I believe this means you can't upgrade the crankset and if it ever breaks then it's an expensive trip to a Specialized dealer to have it repaired.

you sure its just not cranks designed to work with the new BB30 technology?

tunney

el tonto wrote: »

Thanks for the beep today, even if I did think you were an irrate motorist at the time;) I was the guy in black.

If I was spending that much on a bike I'd definitely go for a build rather than a stock bike. The reason is that with stock bikes you'll rarely find the right combination of components you want and invariably spend more money swapping stuff out.

Saddle and tyres are the most obvious ones, but my main issue would be wheels. Most stock bikes are sold with wheels that usually aren't up to the same grade as the rest of the bike, primarily I think because punters tend to focus too heavily on the groupset. However the wheels are even more important in my view.

I wouldn't worry about warranty issues, since all the parts come with their own warranty. You don't necessarily have to build it yourself either, you can get a shop to build it up. Having said that, you'll be limiting yourself to buying all the bits from that shop, or at least enough of them for the shop to consider it worth their while building it up for you.

However, going down the build route means that you need to know exactly what you want to make it all worthwhile. If you don't, save your pennies and wait until you're sure.

For that kind of money, you'll get yourself a nice carbon frame, a reasonably high level groupset and very good wheels.

For what it's worth, here's what I'd build for €2,670:

Look 555 Frame €1,279.00 Cycle Superstore
Campagnolo Zonda Wheels €378.00 Chain Reaction
Chorus Shifters €188.00 Chain Reaction
Centaur Cranks €214.00 Chain Reaction
Centaur RD €82.00 Chain Reaction
Veloce FD €25.00 Chain Reaction
Veloce Brakes €78.00 Chain Reaction
Veloce Cassette €47.00 Chain Reaction
Campagnolo Cable Set €25.00 Chain Reaction
KMC X10L Chain €31.00 Chain Reaction
ITM Visia Bars €50.00 Wiggle
ITM Visia Stem €65.00 Wiggle
Easton EC70 Seatpost €63.00 Chain Reaction
Selle Italia SLR Saddle €83.00 Wiggle
Continental GP4000S Tyres €62.00 Chain Reaction

I'd probably find better value for money on the parts by shopping around more than a five minute trawl. And you'd probalby build it up for less if you went for Ultegra or Sram Rival.

You'll get varying recommendations here because everyone's opinion is somewhat skewed towards their own preference and experience. I know my build list certainly is.

Wouldn't touch a look frame with yours.......... they really don't last.

cantalach

tunney wrote: »

you sure its just not cranks designed to work with the new BB30 technology?

I'm 99% sure that 'integrated crankset' here is simply referring to Hollowtech II or Ultra-Torque style of crankset, where a hollow spindle is integrated into the cranks, and that gets slotted through outboard bearing cups.

cantalach

Bang for buck, it's hard to beat the Giant TCR C range. The C2, has full Ultegra and a decent saddle. The Aksium wheels are OK and will get you by until funds recover to buy some decent wheels. You'll get it for €2,750 from here. Or consider dropping down a group to the C3 (exact same frame as the C2) which is €2,200 from here. For this money you still get full 105 but with some crappy wheels. However you can use the €550 saved to get a very nice set of hoops indeed!

Hey if Giant simply changed the last 't' to an 'i' and put a small little Italian flag somewhere on the frame they could add €500 to the prices of their C range just like that

paddyb

agree with el tonto there. with the exception of maybe focus bikes, alot of 2k bikes come with aksiums which cost less than €150.
I would go for the build as well because if you are spending that much money, you should know exactly what you want.

tunney

cantalach wrote: »

I'm 99% sure that 'integrated crankset' here is simply referring to Hollowtech II or Ultra-Torque style of crankset, where a hollow spindle is integrated into the cranks, and that gets slotted through outboard bearing cups.

Thats what I thought.

The newer Spesh, C'Dale and the like bikes are BB30, more stiffer and less friction that the existing external bearings.

tunney

paddyb wrote: »

agree with el tonto there. with the exception of maybe focus bikes, alot of 2k bikes come with aksiums which cost less than €150.
I would go for the build as well because if you are spending that much money, you should know exactly what you want.

Why spec an expensive wheel when most people will just swap them out for their race wheels when racing and aren't too concerned when training?

kincsem

I'm 5'8" and 10st 10lb. You are a chunkie chappie.

I bought a Setavento titanium frame (custom size for my chimpanzee body) in 2007, and had the bike built in Ireland (Shimano Ultegra triple, Xero wheels). My total cost was about €2,600, of which the wheels were over €500. It is reasonably light at 18.8 lbs incl pedals. I used it on the Wicklow 200 and it was very stable on the downhills. Setavento are now out of business afaik.

My suggestion is you buy a titanium bike from Enigmabikes.com. They have ten models, ranging from £899 up to £1,499. Some models have a custom option for an extra £90. With titanium your frame worries are over. No rust, cracks, paint chips.

Burls also do titanium bikes. You can buy frame only, or get them to do the build.

300 cols in 30 days ... In July 2007, Phil Deeker , a pyrotecnician from Salisbury, Wilts will be taking on 3 challenging routes across the Alps, Pyrenees and Cevennes established by the 'Club Des Cent Cols'. The ride will cover 4,100 kms and involves climbing a total of 71,000 metres – more than 3 times the ascent covered in the Tour de France the same month!
"Bike going superbly – thanks again Stonehenge Cycles for tuning it up so well. Vital statistics of my Beautiful Machine, for those who have tuned in only recently : Titanium frame Omega ( model ‘Enigma) + carbon Look forks; Campag Chorus chainset ( 50/36 in front, 12/25 behind) ; Fulcrum Racing Zero wheels with Continental GP 4000 tyres."

Enigma is a new British company owned and founded by Jim Walker who with over 25 years experience in the lightweight cycle industry has teamed up with Mark Reilly, formerly of Omega Titanium, arguably the UK’s finest frame builder and bike designer. Mark also has more than 20 years expertise in the design and construction of high quality bicycles.

blorg

I have a titanium light tourer (Van Nicholas Amazon) - it's certainly worth considering, the ride quality is very nice and the material is meant to last forever.

Quigs Snr

For 2500 ? I'd get a cervelo r3 sl frame and just sit there all day lifting it up with my pinkie admiring its 770g ! But thats just what I would do, in fact what I did !

For anyone else... I'd get a planet x pro carbon SL Road Bike with Ultegra and the Pro Carbon Stealth TT bike with 105, you can get the 2 together for about that money right now ! Then I would enter all manner of stage races and triathlons (and no doubt finish last in all of them, but hey it wouldn't be because I didn't have the right gear !).

Seriously for that money just self build or buy something without the fancy badge like the planet x or focus and upgrade the hell out of it (focus on the wheels). You'll get a lot more bang for your buck. I advocate Planetx a lot on these forums and I have some of their parts but not their bikes (I currently have Cervelo and Trek carbon road bikes), but my next purchase will be their stealth TT frameset.

BUACHAILL

kincsem wrote: »

I'm 5'8" and 10st 10lb. You are a chunkie chappie.

I bought a Setavento titanium frame (custom size for my chimpanzee body) in 2007, and had the bike built in Ireland (Shimano Ultegra triple, Xero wheels). My total cost was about €2,600, of which the wheels were over €500. It is reasonably light at 18.8 lbs incl pedals. I used it on the Wicklow 200 and it was very stable on the downhills. Setavento are now out of business afaik.

My suggestion is you buy a titanium bike from Enigmabikes.com. They have ten models, ranging from £899 up to £1,499. Some models have a custom option for an extra £90. With titanium your frame worries are over. No rust, cracks, paint chips.

Burls also do titanium bikes. You can buy frame only, or get them to do the build.

300 cols in 30 days ... In July 2007, Phil Deeker , a pyrotecnician from Salisbury, Wilts will be taking on 3 challenging routes across the Alps, Pyrenees and Cevennes established by the 'Club Des Cent Cols'. The ride will cover 4,100 kms and involves climbing a total of 71,000 metres – more than 3 times the ascent covered in the Tour de France the same month!
"Bike going superbly – thanks again Stonehenge Cycles for tuning it up so well. Vital statistics of my Beautiful Machine, for those who have tuned in only recently : Titanium frame Omega ( model ‘Enigma) + carbon Look forks; Campag Chorus chainset ( 50/36 in front, 12/25 behind) ; Fulcrum Racing Zero wheels with Continental GP 4000 tyres."

Enigma is a new British company owned and founded by Jim Walker who with over 25 years experience in the lightweight cycle industry has teamed up with Mark Reilly, formerly of Omega Titanium, arguably the UK’s finest frame builder and bike designer. Mark also has more than 20 years expertise in the design and construction of high quality bicycles.

yeah i am a fatty, was a muscle at one stage when played rugby but turned to relaxed muscle when i stopped but that said i am fit enough.

i really think my onle way to go is buying something like the planetx and upgrading the hoop out of it

thanks guys for all your help much appreciated

BUACHAILL

ok guys i took the plunge
thanks to everyone who replied

i took Blorg, Pen's and a few kind others advice. think it would have been foolish to spend anymore so soon.

i bought a planet x pro carbon sl with Ultegra 10 casette and breakset, dura ace 10sti levers, dura ace 10 front mech and upgraded my saddle to a selle italia slr ti . I am happy to get the standard wheels with it for now as i know i can get better wheels elsewhere so i will wait till bike arrives before i buy.

all in all spent 1186 sterling so good value me thinks

what you think ?

DirkVoodoo

Damn good I would think. The best advice given here to ya was focusing on the frame and getting one you would be happy with, components can be swapped out at will.

My only concern with the P-X was the 2 year guarantee on the frame, but I am a natural born worrier.

Having read this thread, I would love to try out a Ti bike now, never really considered it before.

blorg

Sounds like a great bike Buachaill, I'm sure you will be very happy with it.

TinyExplosions

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

I would love to try out a Ti bike now, never really considered it before.

It's also something I've been thinkin about lately... wonder how much extra a Ti frame is of the same weight as a carbon...

Hungrycol

BUACHAILL wrote: »

ok guys i took the plunge
thanks to everyone who replied

i took Blorg, Pen's and a few kind others advice. think it would have been foolish to spend anymore so soon.

i bought a planet x pro carbon sl with Ultegra 10 casette and breakset, dura ace 10sti levers, dura ace 10 front mech and upgraded my saddle to a selle italia slr ti . I am happy to get the standard wheels with it for now as i know i can get better wheels elsewhere so i will wait till bike arrives before i buy.

all in all spent 1186 sterling so good value me thinks

what you think ?

That's one spiffing bike for starters. With components like that you'll never have to upgrade. Spend some of your left over dosh on some decent pedals and shoes and get yourself kitted out for the winter. Gotta get pikkies up here when you get it.

BUACHAILL

i wonder how long it will take now to get delivered ? anybody know how long they take ?

Cant wait for it to arrive now i am like a big kid