Help me decide between two bikes

sullivlo

I'm in the final stages of choosing a bike. Both are ex display/ex demo, both in stock.

http://www.merida-bikes.com/en_int/bikes/road-fitness/road-race/2016/reacto-4000-4519.html

http://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/category/bikes/road/product/review-bianchi-infinito-cv-14-48603/

Obviously the Bianchi is the better bike - full ultegra whereas the merida is 105. However the merida is an aero build and it felt nice when I brought it out.

I'll be mainly using the bike for leisure/sportives and I'm planning a few triathlons this summer. I'm not a big fan of hills. The weight difference in the bikes would be fairly negligible as I don't weigh a little.

I'm just upgrading because I fancy a change. I'm currently on a Scott speedster contessa. It has Shimano Sora (27 gears) so 22 will take getting used to!

Appreciate any advice.

robyntmorton

If you haven't test ridden the Bianchi, is it possible to do so? That will tell you which bike you feel more at home on, and that would be the main thing I'd say.

The Merida (while I am not a fan of aero bike styling) is a fine looking machine though.

iwillhtfu

sullivlo wrote: »

I'm just upgrading because I fancy a change.

A £5300 change. :eek: I'm assuming you're getting it cheaper than that.

Either way I'd take the bianchi. The Merida is nice and I have an aero bike myself but I think the Bianchi looks the part and will be better suited to your interests. The Merida is full on race geometry long and low.

In saying that it comes down to personal preference which do you prefer the look of both are good bikes and the 105 5800 is every bit as good as the ultegra 6800 these days.

sullivlo

Neither will cost what is advertised!!!

I love the bianchi. It was what I was initially looking for brand/groupset wise. But I don't like the colour. Or rather I prefer the colour of the Merida.

I had initially just wanted ultegra but have heard good things about the 5800 105 so it's a case of whether the bianchi is worth the extra change. There's a few hundred in the difference.

iwillhtfu

You'd be amazed at the number of people that have bought aero bikes only to end up trying to make them into something they're not.

If the Merida is the one you prefer and you're comfortable on it then that's the one you should go with. The 105 5800 is very good.

Everything else is another mans personal opinion and inevitably you're going to get other suggestions for bikes on this thread to confuse you more.

ninoon

I have a Bianchi Intenso Dura Ace mix which is a lower spec but very similar frame to in Infinito CV. Is very smooth and responsive and looks great (imo) and I understand the Infinito is even better.

OleRodrigo

The Merida is the sensible option here. 105 5800 is good enough that when properly maintained, there's no difference between it and electronic gearing, in terms of shifting action, with just slightly more resistance when changing on the FD. The geometry may be a bit harsh but this can have a positive effect on how your performance develops if you're willing to go through a period of acclimatization.

However, the Bianchi is sexy and that counts for a lot. It's got black and red in just the right amounts (without looking like an accessory on a vampire B movie ), good wheels and Ultegra. Not sure I'd be a fan of the dampening mechanism though, which seems at odds with carbon wheels and tubulars. They are generally not a wise choice unless you're racing.

I'd probably go with the Merida and put the spare change towards a new set of wheels, a 105 crankset (for the sake of groupset harmony) and a new saddle. But I would make sure it wouldn't be too uncomfortable first.

Eamonnator

Black and Red?: Correct.
Bianchi?: Correct.

I'd go for the Bianchi all day, every day, if it had clinchers.
Tubs can be a pain in the ass.

sullivlo

These are them

iwillhtfu

The silver and red on the Bianchi doesn't work aswell as the black.

The reacto does look well I'm guessing pink is you thing

I'd probably still go for the Bianchi though

smacl

sullivlo wrote: »

I'm not a big fan of hills. The weight difference in the bikes would be fairly negligible as I don't weigh a little.

I'm just upgrading because I fancy a change. I'm currently on a Scott speedster contessa. It has Shimano Sora (27 gears) so 22 will take getting used to!

Appreciate any advice.

As one who doesn't weigh a little either having recently moved from a triple to 11 speed double, I love it but would advise picking a crankset / rear mech and cassette combo which gives you a similar lowest gear to the lowest you're currently using on the Scott. If you're not a fan of hills, and test rides are an option, I'd cycle both bikes up a hill to see how they suit. The Merida has a 36/28 low gear which is likely to be a harder gear than your granny gear on the Scott triple.

sullivlo

smacl wrote: »

As one who doesn't weigh a little either having recently moved from a triple to 11 speed double, I love it but would advise picking a crankset / rear mech and cassette combo which gives you a similar lowest gear to the lowest you're currently using on the Scott. If you're not a fan of hills, and test rides are an option, I'd cycle both bikes up a hill to see how they suit. The Merida has a 36/28 low gear which is likely to be a harder gear than your granny gear on the Scott triple.

I've been trying to get out of the habit of using the granny ring. Towards the end of the summer I was flying (!!!) up Howth (Sutton side) in my big ring. Also did Tara in my big ring. It's when the hills go on for longer (like in Wicklow) that I tend to drop down to the granny ring, but in my usual day-to-day/weekend cycles I try to avoid anything bigger than Howth because I don't enjoy it.

And the triathlon is a personal challenge, looking to finish, not to race/make a time

smacl

sullivlo wrote: »

And the triathlon is a personal challenge, looking to finish, not to race/make a time

I tend to do Sportives in much the same way, all about the personal challenge and craic rather than setting decent times. That said, 120k into my day on the WW200 at the base of Slieve Maan, I do really appreciate my granny gear

fat bloke

Has to be the Bianchi. No question. That Merida weighs a ton. According to the 2 articles linked, the difference in weight between them is 2 kg, which in road bike terms is the difference between the sun and the moon.

Weepsie

The Bianchi is from Humphries by the looks of that photo. As my go to shop, I'd recommend that.

iwillhtfu

fat bloke wrote: »

Has to be the Bianchi. No question. That Merida weighs a ton. According to the 2 articles linked, the difference in weight between them is 2 kg, which in road bike terms is the difference between the sun and the moon.

There's at least 1kg in those budget aero whells on the merida anyway.

Eamonnator

Weepsie wrote: »

The Bianchi is from Humphries by the looks of that photo. As my go to shop, I'd recommend that.

Well spotted.
If you look closely, you can read the address on the box, thats behind the bike.
To the right of the bottle.

Lumen

That silver Bianchi looks manchi.

crosstownk

I had a similar decision to make when it came to buying a new bike recently. Like a lot of people, I looked at the specs (frame, groupset, wheels, etc.) and also considered the aesthetics of the bikes on my radar.

However, the one thing I almost overlooked was the geometery - I so nearly bought a bike that had a much more aggressive geometry than what was suitable to me.

I would strongly suggest that you look at the geometry of your current bike and see how that compares to the new bikes that you are considering. If you are used to endurance geometry then a bike with race/aero geometry may be quite uncomfortable.

All of the above is from my personal experience but everybody is different. While I did consider purchasing online, in the end I went to a bricks and mortar shop. Being able to take the bike for a test spin made me a whole lot more comfortable with my purchase.

Best of luck with whatever you purchase - there's nothing like a 'new bike day'!

sullivlo

Lumen wrote: »

That silver Bianchi looks manchi.

That's my concern. If it was celeste it would be in my shed.

triggermortis

sullivlo wrote: »

If it was celeste it would be in my shed.

The only colour for a Bianchi IMO (I'd still go for that one over the Merida though)

Lumen

triggermortis wrote: »

The only colour for a Bianchi IMO (I'd still go for that one over the Merida though)

I think they're fine in black and red too.

iwillhtfu

Lumen wrote: »

I think they're fine in black and red too.

That's a beauty it looks lovely in the black/celeste aswell I wouldn't be gone on the celeste being the main colour on a new frame. On a vintage frame it looks well but not so much on modern frames.