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If you had £1-1.5k to spend on a road bike, what would you buy?
Looking to upgrade from my entry level Boardman SLR 8.6 to something a little higher up the ladder. Seeking something for around £1-1.5k with the following requirements:
1. Lightweight frame (top spec aluminium or carbon)
2. Shimano 105 (ideally)
3. Wide gearing for climbing, ideally 11-30 or above
4. Strong braking performance (rim or disc)
5. Fun to ride i.e. responsive handling, feels fast
6. Clearance for wider tyres (28mm)
The bike will be used for club runs, longer endurance rides and short, pacy evening rides.
Any recommendations appreciated?
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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12 comments
Personally I wouldn't look further than the Ribble r872. Within budget, carbon, 105 groupset, great reviews...configurable so you can customise it however you want...and a decent paint job.
£1400 for 105 or £1100 for tiagra and you could upgrade the wheels instead
Ribble Endurance AL Disc - £1,299 with 105. Though you'll probably have to wait for it (I've been waiting two months for my Titanium model - due at the start of June).
+1 on on the Ribble here. Depending on your usage the CGR AL is great too.
You will in all liklihood be waiting some time for it.
Giant Contend SL has 105 and rim brakes for £1,249 - if you can find one in stock.
https://road.cc/content/review/221061-giant-contend-sl-1
Otherwise some new wheels, decent tyres and a brake upgrade would provide you with a noticeable improvement for now.
Even if you don't do that then I'd fit new cables, new handlebar tape and definitely fit cartridge holders and upgrade to Kool Stop dual compound pads. Then I'd start putting some money aside so when really nice bikes are widely available you can buy yourself something genuinely exciting.
Alu Caad or Palace R for sure. used rim brake but the disc version isn't that much different go old skool Caad. Both are great to ride and can take a 28mm tyre. Gearing can be changed easily so as long as you find one compact which I would imagine most are anyway job done
Something like this would be good and with upgrades would become extremely light, good luck finding one in stock though!
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/ultra-cf-105-road-bike/_/R-p-301046
If you wanted disc brakes with a light carbon frame then I'd go to Planet X and look at the Pro Carbon or Holdsworth Super light although both those options are just above your budget.
Secondhand for sure. Usual caveats about buying online apply. Don't be afraid of contacting sellers with questions. If you're willing to travel, bikes that are listed as 'collection only' usually attract less interest.
A few examples include a Bowman Palace in 58
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/164823989325?hash=item2660467c4d:g:Ai8AAOSwfY...
...a Cannondale CAAD12 in 56
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/333975318229?hash=item4dc27aeed5:g:iqMAAOSwuQ...
...and a Dolan L'Etape in 48
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/114778895838?hash=item1ab95af5de:g:OOkAAOSwn6...
Dolan L'Etape is very nice and the sizing is a bit misleading - check the stack and reach rather than assuming 48 is tiny. My son has one in 48 and though he's due an upsize, he's still riding it at 5'10" (as he prefers it to the more conventionally shaped 58 caad optimo I can lend him).
Crikey O'Riley, they've only just gone and announced an updated version arriving in July for for 1400 quid with rim brakes and 105 with the old version now sitting at 1200.
Very, very reasonable for a well reviewed machine - and a customisable build too.
Canyon Endurance 6 disc or Endurance 7? In stock or available relatively soon depending on size/colour. 6 Disc has Tiagra but disc brakes while 7 is 105 but rim brakes.
Probably something like this, you can ask for a wider range cassette as an option on the build and it will take 28mm tyres
https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/ribble-r872-disc-anthracite-shimano-105/
Honest answer? At the moment, given the supply crisis, whatever I could get, if buying new.
Given that, assuming you're fairly confident and clued up, I would go s/h for that money. You won't get 105 and 'top spec' alloy - much less carbon - for 1.5k new.