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New road bike, budget £1500

Hi All,

Looking at purchasing a new roade bike coming from a decathlon triban that  I have been using for a few years. I use this bike to commute to work and am looking at a weekend toy, tend to do 20-40 miles on the weekend.

I have a budget of £1500.  I intend to keep the bike for a few years looking to get into a 105 group set and disc breaks if possible (proving little difficult in my budget) Ideally Carbon frame but not discounting a good AL frame.

Went to Giant over the weekend looking at defy /TCR advanced 2. My surprise really liked the TCR only went on a 5 min ride round the block didnt find it to agressive.

Looking at this bike doesnt have disc breaks in this price of £1500

https://www.giant-bicycles.com/gb/tcr-advanced-2

happy to buy last years model with the desk breaks out but its  £1649.00 (£100 off)

https://www.rutlandcycling.com/bikes/road-bikes/giant-tcr-advanced-2-dis...

I still a novice the other brand been looking at is Canyon endurance and Rose bikes. Only thing is with it being online retalier not sure how I feel buying without sitting on it before hand. I am looking at the following:

CANYON ENDURANCE AL DISC 8.0 - better group set but with AL frame. but in budget at £1469

https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/road-bikes/#section-bikeModels

Queston - do Giant do any sales? will there be further sales to come. Happy to wait a little while ideally want to buy it buy end of Aug.

Are there any other bikes you would recommend in my price range, like i said still a novice going by online reviews. Sorry for long post any help much appreciated.

Thanks

Aj

 

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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19 comments

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Aj19 | 4 years ago
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Thanks for all the advice and tips. Ribble sale has just started. It really is down between the giant TCR advanced 2 and this . Thinking disc now as well (the amount time I’ve spent debating this lol). Seen some further sales now on.

https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/ribble-r872-disc-anthracite-summer-sale/ 

https://www.pedalon.co.uk/acatalog/Giant-TCR-Advanced-2-Disc-2019-SAD-M....

 

 

 

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joeegg | 4 years ago
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wiggle have a Vitus Zenium carbon disc bike on offer at £1119.Looks to be all sizes available.

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Aj19 | 4 years ago
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Think I am steering towards the rim route unless I see an amazing disc bike deal in the next week or so. For me it’s either going to be the Ribble R872 in 105 or a TCR advanced 2 105.

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Woldsman replied to Aj19 | 4 years ago
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Aj19 wrote:

Think I am steering towards the rim route unless I see an amazing disc bike deal in the next week or so. For me it’s either going to be the Ribble R872 in 105 or a TCR advanced 2 105.

With a budget of £1500 you can’t go wrong with the TCR Advanced 2 IMHO. I’m not sure if the latest version comes with a 52/36 chainset - the Ultegra model does. My LBS offered to swap out the chainset of the TCR Advanced 1 to a compact at the point of sale at no extra cost. I mention it in case that’s a factor for you.  Go for it!

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t_j_oliver | 4 years ago
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I just bought the new 2020 Giant Contend SL 1 Disc in Australia, got 10% off from my LBS...

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vonhelmet | 4 years ago
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Planet X are rather notorious for offering poor customer service, but YMMV.

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Drinfinity | 4 years ago
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What’s up with PlanetX?

They offer better spec for less money than Ribble. I’ve never had any issue buying from them. 

I did a while ago try to buy a pair of road bikes from Ribble. They insisted the frames had to be painted in Italy, so as Italy is closed in the summer would I mind waiting till September for delivery. I would expect  they are better these days. 

 

Re three rim brake bikes - meaning you have several touring tandems? Cool!

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vonhelmet | 4 years ago
2 likes

Rim brakes won't be obsolete in a few years, and I'll bet my 3 rim brake bikes on that.

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Boatsie replied to vonhelmet | 4 years ago
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vonhelmet wrote:

Rim brakes won't be obsolete in a few years, and I'll bet my 3 rim brake bikes on that.

I like rim brakes too on smaller tyres. 28 and below with drop bars.. Or larger tyres and flatbars.. (Although I use 38 and dropbars, I know I need to accept longer distance stops) .

If you ever need emergency fluid with hydraulics, dish washing liquid works excellent. I've used it in my car, no problems. Very strong fluid, doesn't compress much, master cylinder forces slave cylinder easily with decent feel. Brake fluid works better yet if you break a brake and want some brakes to brake, dish washing liquid works well. It'd probably compare on better side than my mini V brakes on drop bars.

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ShaunC | 4 years ago
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Aj19 | 4 years ago
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Thank you all for your reply’s. Try and answer some pints below. 

cadd12 great bike no one has a 52cm in stock.

planet X - not for me.

The Ribble is bike I would consider. The R872 looks great at they have 50% off 105 upgrade.

with my budget need to decide if I really need disc as probably save £300 on a rim version on any of the bikes I like (TCR Advanced).

I am trying to future proof my buy get the most for my money and bike.  I was thinking disc as in a few years rim may be obselete. 

I can get R872 in a 105 rim break for £1179 anyone experienced the Ribble bike before

https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/ribble-r872-black-shimano-105/

they have the disc version at £1400. (No discount at present)

https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/ribble-r872-disc-anthracite-shimano-105/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Boatsie | 4 years ago
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Lynskey have specials at the moment. Titanium framesets at half your budget.

Caad13 105 reads at £1333.33

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joeegg | 4 years ago
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I bought a carbon fibre Canyon Endurace in their sale a couple of years ago for £1750. Full Ultegra with high end DT wheels. If you look online there is advice from buyers with regard to sizing . Personally I wouldn't get hung up about having discs if its just a weekend bike that may only see fine weather.

I've had a Cube Attain disc but the wheels,Fulcrum Racing 55's,were heavy and really numbed the ride.

A Caad 12 with or without discs would give you a good quality alloy frame.The Rose Pro SL 105 is also highly rated and it would save you 500 quid.

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RafatheRed | 4 years ago
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Hi, Im more or less in the same boat as you.I have been looking for more of an Endurance type bike as these will offer more comfort. You could look at   --

Giant Contend SL1 Disc - £1200

Giant Defy Advance 2 - £1600

These bikes offer good value,however the coduct brake system put me off.

Trek do the Elmonda.Very nice looking bike,more aggressive then the Domane which only offer disc versions in the £2000 bracket

Speicalized have the Diverge,which im currently looking into.Seems to be an all rounder

Cube also offer some very good value disc brake bikes

I was put off the Canyon as they are based in europe. Rutland cycles have some bikes in a sale now.I have used them before and they offer very good service.

i think best though to buy from a LBS as they will ensure the bike will fit well.

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xchaotic | 4 years ago
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I'm riding Giant TCR Advanced 2 since the beginning of the year.

As you say the geometry is not that radical so I find very ok for everyday riding. It's also very stiff and responds very well to a lot of power.

Mine clocks just over 8kg with all the bottle cages and pedals and Garmin.

I bet that you can get a lighter bike for the price in aluminium but I wanted carbon and I am very happy with it.

Unfortunately Giant didn't stretch it outside of US but they now give a lifetime warranty on carbon frames in the US or something similar.

The model you linked is a 2020 model so it will be a while until there's a sale on it.

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matthewn5 | 4 years ago
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At that price you'd be better looking at a bike with a superb modern alloy frame rather than cheap carbon made to a price.

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mostly | 4 years ago
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caad12 disc is  on sale at 1300 in a couple of places, excellent bike. Cube attain disc 1249

https://www.paulscycles.co.uk/1400/products/cube-attain-gtc-race-disc-ro...

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EddyBerckx | 4 years ago
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I'm a big fan of canyon- my ultimate is great. Also I'd look at Ribble - they have always had a good reputation but have upped their game recently it seems to me

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Southy83 | 4 years ago
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Although this is SRAM and not Shimano, you could do worse than the Planet X EC130-E.

https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBPXRRFORDISC/planet-x-ec130-e-disc-force22

Has carbon frame, disc brakes, Force is equivalent to Ultegra (rather than 105). The rim brake version (disk has only been launched in last few months) also won Cycling Weekly Aero bike of the year in 2017.

There are some people who are anti Planet-X as they have a reputation for not having the best customer service, but I bought an RT-80 four years ago and have knocked out nearly 5,000 miles on it and I love it.

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