Road bike for etape??

[snollygoster]

Hi All

I know this is a road bike question but I know you lot are keen cyclists so probably have both!!

I have been given the chance of taking part in the etape this year and seeing as I haven't ridden or owned a road bike in some yrs I'm interested in your advice regarding my purchase.

I have 1k to spend and I know there are a lot of bikes available within this bracket. Seeing as I will have to do quite a bit of training and a sportive or two to get into shape I need something comfortable but light.

I shall be looking into doing some testing but at first glance the Boardman team carbon looks like good value but a low riding position. Perhaps a Specialized Allez elite???

Any guidance appreciated
Many thanks
Chris

[DrB]

Great I always wanted to do the etape, but never got round to it! So road bikes, first thing to say is. It is different from a hardtail mountain bike so don't worry too much about whether or not the bike looks like it's uncomfortable, It's all a matter of finding what works for you.... Which brings you to the question how you'd find out. LBSes are easier than internet shopping as you can sit on the bike and feel it...However the 200 meters on the carpark will not give you more than a first impression...So it's tricky.. Ask your mates to have a go on their bike and then...Well I'm currently riding a a bit of an obscure BH lh-60 Carbon. Quite a few peeps I know enjoy riding their Focus Cayo but in the last year they've gone a bit above your budget (£1200) The boardman 's got a good write up so have a ride on it at Hellfords! Around the web there are a few good deals. Ribbles sportive road bikes are from under £900. It's just internet shopping with all its pitfalls. The spesh Allez is alu but what I hear it isn't that harsh a ride, but alos have a look at the planet X website and have a browse as there are some silly deals to be had!

Hope that helps a bit

[Steve Gordon]

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

[cap tin Kev]

Hi Guys

Hey, this is a mountain bike club!!!

anyway, if you're interested in the Etape,

you may want to check out the free dvd that comes with Cycling Plus March 2010,

It's all about the SIS team riding a sportive on the Etape stage, 173 km (108 miles) with 3 mountain climbs and how to keep the body fuel levels correct on one of the hardest sections of the 'Tour de France'.

Regarding the bike choice, worth looking at 'Cycling Active' Nov/Dec 2009.

They have reviewed 5 of the best value sub £1000 bikes, the Boardman Team Carbon won hands down, 2nd place was the Focus Cayo 105, closely followed by the Giant Defy 2 and the Cinelli Xperience sora (let down by the shifters), then the Genesis Aether 20

Also worth checking the Alloy Specialized Secteur Elite, same geometry as the Roubaix. A step up from the Allez and still within your budget and of course, as Rob and Steve suggested the Planet X is top kit for the money.

Riding positions can be greatly softened or raced up with simple changes to 'reach and lean', by choosing different stems, bars and stack height.
The perfect geometry for serious, riders being set up on a power meter, fine tuning their wattage output at given effort and heart rate levels is probably ideal, but it can easily add a couple of hundred pounds to the bike cost.

A lot of manufactures are aiming at the £1000 price point as this qualifies for the goverments 'Ride to Work' scheme.

Go and check out the local shops, you may get a great deal when they know you're looking around.

Kev

[Steve Gordon]

The Etape has Mountains and bike is required - surely that qualifies?

As a happy Focus Cayo 105 rider of 3 years, I can say that at the time it was the best specced £1,000 I could find, I would not have a prob if I needed to buy another. Boardman bike (did not exosts 3 years back) are consistently doing well in reviews and as Kev has pointed out Cycling Plus know their stuff well.

Chris, why not come along to some of the Sat pm rides with me and DrB for some 60 - 80- 100 miler training rides, once the nasty ice stuff has departed our lanes.

And there is the May 2nd sportive from the Tank Museum and the Tour of Wessex for good practice.

[cap tin Kev]

Heres another good deal

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/specialed ... type=RIBMO

[snollygoster]

Thankyou all for your input and letting me talk road bikes on a MTB site....

I purchased cycling plus but haven't had a chance to view the etape DVD yet..

Hopefully my cyclescheme voucher should come through at the beginning of March, but in the meantime as suggested I will be visiting the local shops and seeing what they can come up with.

I would like to buy locally but have to say some of the web deals are fantastic, on the first page of the magazine is a picture of the ribble sportive and it looks very nice indeed as does the planet x, focus cayo..

I suppose its a case of seeing what i can demo

Steve I will try and take you up re. sat training rides when i can, but i work shift and don't get that many weekends off

[Steve Gordon]

There is now lots of choice for £1k'ish, a price point allowing a good spec for the cash, of course ribble, focus or planet-x don't get test rides as they are all brought from interweb, but if you are 5'10" or more then my Cayo is up for a borrow (says he at 6'2").

Tuesday TEME is an option maybe?

[sinbad]

Snolly, fantastic that you got accepted mate - well done!

Now for the training!
As you know, I purchased an Allez sport, under your price so could prob get a better spec than mine however, it is really quite nice to ride. Position feels quite confortable, and as mentioned the position and can be ' raced ' up by changing stem / position.

Let me know when you have one sorted, I am cycling Lands end to Poole in July, 325 miles in 3 days. As well as this, hoping to complete a John O'groats - Lands end team record attempt in August, so could do with a training buddy!

Steve, do you have any further details regarding the may sportive?

[Steve Gordon]

Steve, do you have any further details regarding the may sportive?

May (Early BH) Sportive starting from Tank Museum:
Very locla start, but I reckon not that much different to the Sat pm rides we normally do.
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=1817

May (Late BH) Tour of Wessex:
The more northerly routes give a welcome change to local roads.
http://pendragon-cc.com/sports/node/16
Did this one last year, aiming to be doing it again this.

Training:
Sounds like some 60 - 80 - 100 mile days are required, I have popped up mine and DrB's Sat pm rides as we have some noticeable mountain bashing in July to prep for.

[sinbad]

Cool, I too am up for some road rides - maybe not this weekend but poss next?

Do you put them on the calender or best just to email each week?
Sorry snoll for hikacking your thread!

[Steve Gordon]

Cool, I too am up for some road rides - maybe not this weekend but poss next?

Do you put them on the calender or best just to email each week?
Sorry snoll for hikacking your thread!

And to continue the hijacking...

We vary, each week has a 4-6hr time slot and depending on what event we are training for will focus the ride style, or sometimes what the mood decides in the days before hand.

The aim is always to get as much riding time in as possible during the afternoon, so on or off road minimal stopping is the aim.

So if you are available, let us know and we can sort something out. Road so far has been 12 miles for me this year, no intention of going out with ice n frost as throwing the ole bod on tarmac is not fun!

[hughmarsden]

There are some great road bikes around the £1 mark. Shockingly some are owned by DRR members!!!! the tentacles of the dark side!

My youngest son has an Allez comp which is alloy with carbon rear triangle - very stiff & quick bike - had probs with trim of original frame & got replacement frame on warranty (thanks Primera)- you can't even see where alloy ends & carbon begins! A couple of mates have carbon Focuses - they are great val for money & are always well kitted out. Really good ride - great acceleration & handling. The other guys have descibed the bike they know of so worth condsidering those too.

Whatever you buy, be careful with sizing - I've on my 3rd road bike size 54 but they've all felt different. Best thing is to try a few if you can - If you buy a Focus - the Cayo 105 is good val - go for the compact set - its a bit over budget but worth it I think. Wiggle will also change if the fit isn't right - this happened to my B-I-L & there was no fuss at all. If you're about 5'8 - 5'10 you'll be marginal 54/56 IMO - best to sit on one & see.

I'll be running some 50 ish miler roadrides in a month or so when it stops raining/snowing - my "baby "only comes out when the weather's nice - she's only just recpovered from a wet & wild 60 miler around Salisbury in October with Steff & Rob.

Cheers

H

[rosser]

www.bikefitting.com

some good info on here for insights into curing particular niggles if you have bought a bike without previously having a fitting

[snollygoster]

ok nearly time to buy..

I'm tempted to splash out at bit more for a scott cr1 comp

but i see the focus cayo 105 is on offer at Wiggle...reading a review it seemed to be more race oriented in its geometry!! i see some nice comments about the cayo on here but worried its not a sportive kind of ride??