New road bike suggestions please.

wannabecraig

Lumen wrote: »

Can't see a specific Stevens listed in the thread.

The Cube has 10sp Tiagra and better wheels and tyres than the Cannondale. 9sp in this day and age is a bit parsimonious.

http://www.fitzcycles.ie/p/2507/stevens-san-remo#description-tab-tab

Here you go.

wannabecraig

I asked about the Cube and they're sold out but said the Orbea would be very similar.
Any input on those? I like the looks and they're Tiagra 10 speed.

http://www.fitzcycles.ie/p/3166/orbea-avant#description-tab-tab

Feedback I get from the shop is that this is the time of year that manufactures change their bikes so won't get the Cube for months.
The Orbea is also out of stock but they're getting the 2018 models at end of Aug' so if I hold out I'll get the 2018 model of that.

Thoughts?

WRT this: also as Lumen has mentioned the Synapse is a quite upright geometry not really aligned with your mention of occassional Tri use.

Am I right in saying it's the angle of the crossbar that we're talking about?

Lumen

wannabecraig wrote: »

Am I right in saying it's the angle of the crossbar that we're talking about?

The drop (or lack of) from the saddle to the handlebars, caused deliberately by the tall head tube, plus the shortness of top tube (cross bar), means that it doesn't create the "long, low" position suited to road racing.

In tris it may or may not matter depending on whether you intend (or are allowed) to use clip-on tri bars.

Lumen

wannabecraig wrote: »

Thoughts?

OK, so Stevens (and Cube) are a German brand. German roads tend to be smooth, and German bicycle frames consequently tend to be stiff (also because German bike magazines publish measured values of frame stiffness, because they're German, so the manufacturers compete on this basis).

Now with a carbon frame I wouldn't be bothered, but with an alloy one...maybe. That specific alloy Stevens bike actually advertised its stiffness, so....

That said, I have an alloy Canyon road bike which is also German but comfortable. Maybe all bikes are fine now.

Just don't buy an Italian bike because they're crap and overpriced (runs for cover from Colnago fans).

Sorry, that's probably not helping.

You could just buy a bike you think is pretty from a shop who treat you well. It's not a terrible approach.

magicbastarder

Lumen wrote: »

Just don't buy an Italian bike because they're crap and overpriced (runs for cover from Colnago fans).

what sort of reputation do bianchi have these days?

wannabecraig

Lumen wrote: »

You could just buy a bike you think is pretty from a shop who treat you well. It's not a terrible approach.

Honestly just thinking of doing this! I mean I have to ride it. Only concern about Stevens is the lack of them in the country. Somebody told me they were made in China, so I kinda ruled it out. I like it otherwise. But not I really don't want a bike that's so upright, for whatever reason!

No thoughts on Orbea? Seems that they're designed in Spain and made in China? IS that a worry?

CantGetNoSleep

wannabecraig wrote: »

Honestly just thinking of doing this! I mean I have to ride it. Only concern about Stevens is the lack of them in the country. Somebody told me they were made in China, so I kinda ruled it out. I like it otherwise. But not I really don't want a bike that's so upright, for whatever reason!

No thoughts on Orbea? Seems that they're designed in Spain and made in China? IS that a worry?

Pretty much everything is made in China or Taiwan I thought?

rtmie

wannabecraig wrote: »

Lumen wrote: »

You could just buy a bike you think is pretty from a shop who treat you well. It's not a terrible approach.

Honestly just thinking of doing this!   I mean I have to ride it.  Only concern about Stevens is the lack of them in the country. Somebody told me they were made in China, so I kinda ruled it out. I like it otherwise.  But not I really don't want a bike that's so upright, for whatever reason!

No thoughts on Orbea?  Seems that they're designed in Spain and made in China? IS that a worry?

95% (100%?) of what you buy will be designed in US/GB/Germany/Spain etc and manufactured in China/Taiwan etc. In some cases you will have assembly in Europe of frames made in China/Taiwan , e.g. Cube I think do final assembly in Germany.
Oh hold on, according to Google, Orbea do assembly in Portugal now.
http://www.bike-eu.com/home/artikel/2015/4/orbea-expands-production-in-portugal-stops-in-china-10123688

Lumen

wannabecraig wrote: »

No thoughts on Orbea? Seems that they're designed in Spain and made in China? IS that a worry?

Orbea used to make nice floppy bikes that were perfect for Irish roads. There were a few fans on here.

I'm not sure what they're like now.

Brian?

wannabecraig wrote: »

Honestly just thinking of doing this! I mean I have to ride it. Only concern about Stevens is the lack of them in the country. Somebody told me they were made in China, so I kinda ruled it out. I like it otherwise. But not I really don't want a bike that's so upright, for whatever reason!

No thoughts on Orbea? Seems that they're designed in Spain and made in China? IS that a worry?

They're all probably made in China. It's not a worry at all.

Buy the one you like the luck of the most, as long as it's 10sp

wannabecraig

Ok, so just bought this: https://www.donedeal.ie/bicycles-for-sale/ex-demo-2017-cannondale-caad12/15855802

It's in perfect condition, loads of upgrades, happy with my choice

Edit: Yes, got it o BTW, no discount on the 1,200 but loads of upgrades, comes with peddles, mudgards etc, so good deal I think.

I', 5'7. Old bike measurements, says that's perfect size for me.

wannabecraig

wannabecraig wrote: »

Ok, so just bought this: https://www.donedeal.ie/bicycles-for-sale/ex-demo-2017-cannondale-caad12/15855802

It's in perfect condition, loads of upgrades, happy with my choice

sweet bike for the money. got it on BTW as well I guess?
once it fits you (48cm is very small) , all good.

did you check the size at the shop or ask them about this?

48cm is the very smallest size frame in that bike.

wannabecraig

glasso wrote: »

did you check the size at the shop or ask them about this?

48cm is the very smallest size frame in that bike.

HI, I asked, he said that it's perfect, I've only put down the deposit, I'm heading up on Sat for fitting, if there are issues I can cancel.
Do you know if it measures the same as the synapse?

wannabecraig

My brother, who rides a lot (not in Ireland so that's why asking on here too) had a look and bike and size, he's 1" smaller than me and rides 48cm on all his bikes

Yeah. 48 is right for you. Next size up will be too long. I run a 515cm top tube and 120 head tube with 130cm stem and no spacers under the stem. I ride a lot so am used to it now. The CAAD 12 has a 510 top tube and 100 head tube. So you'd probably need a 100mm stem with maybe 2cm to 3cm of spacers under the stem depending on how flexible you are. Don't worry about saddle height or stand over height. It's all about the reach (top tune length) and drop (head tune length) both of which can virtually manipulated by hanging stem length and spacers.

wannabecraig

wannabecraig wrote: »

Do you know if it measures the same as the synapse?

no idea. but usually the sizing should be fairly consistent across the same brand.

they say a rough-ish rule is to get the bike. lift up the bar to the same height as your crotch (bottom/lower part thereof) . the wheels should be 1 to 2 inches off the ground.

It's not only your height - it's also your inseam. 2 people who may be the same height, but one who has short legs, the other long, would take different sized frames.

here's a general chart copied from evan's cycles
https://www.evanscycles.com/help/bike-sizing-road

Rider Height Suggested Road Bike Size
Feet & Inches Centimetres Frame Size (cm) Frame Size
4'10" - 5'0"148cm - 152cm 47cm - 48cm XX-Small
5'0" - 5'3" 152cm - 160cm 49cm - 50cm X-Small
5'3" - 5'6" 160cm - 168cm 51cm - 53cm Small
5'6" - 5'9" 168cm - 175cm 54cm - 55cm Medium
5'9" - 6'0" 175cm - 183cm 56cm - 58cm Large
6'0" - 6'3" 183cm - 191cm 58cm - 60cm X-Large
6'3" - 6'6" 191cm - 198cm 61cm - 63cm XX-Large

wannabecraig

Yeah, Ive been looking about and seems like the best bet is to go in and sit on the yoke, heading in on Sat morning for a fitting.

rtmie

wannabecraig wrote: »

Yeah, Ive been looking about and seems like the best bet is to go in and sit on the yoke, heading in on Sat morning for a fitting.

Hope it does fit you. If it does you have got yourself a real bargain.

wannabecraig

Yeah, my brother reckons it will:
"You're in/around the same height as Venus and me. We both ride 48s so no reason it wouldn't work for you. Don't worry about cross bar (top tube) height as sloping top tubes make that a not important measurement anymore. Saddles stick up massively more from the frame these days. Only consider reach i.e can you reach the handle bars comfortably. That's the only real consideration."

Two things, I'm at least an inch taller :-) and yes, he's married to a chick call Venus!

rtmie

And FFS don't lock it to a railing in town! :-)

wannabecraig

So went in to have a look today and a quick size up. Could not fit better. Perfect size.
Bike is in great condition too and comes with some nice extras. Very happy.

Thanks for all advice.