Bike suggestions

Just testing of this forum works. I don't buy expensive bikes for the road as they get nicked. And I don't buy expensive bikes for off-road either as they get nicked. Sometimes they don't get nicked, sometimes they get squashed by cars and buses, or vandalised.

Anybody got any other alternatives to the Claude Butler and Raleigh bikes for a road bike with mudguards, carrier etc (lights will be extra) around the £200 mark all in?

I expect the bike to last 3 years or 1500 miles before hitting a bad pothole, destroyed by wear and tear (easier to get a new bike) or otherwise smashed.

A good starting point is to go to the local bicycle stores, and see what brands they sell, and what they recommend. This is also a good time to get the general 'feel' of the shops, and how they'll end up treating you as a customer with regard to after-sales support and the like.

There's also the chance of finding some last-years-new-stock lying about in your size, which can give you better value.

I bought my road bike with the same idea (buy a great frame with decent parts, and then upgrade as they wear out and/or your fitness improves.) I found that a lot of high-end frames come with only Ultegra or higher groups; most bikes with 105 seemed to be the highest trim level of the lower end frames.

For what it's worth, I settled on a Cannondale R700 (CAAD5 frame, Tiagra/105 component mix -- waiting for an upgrade to Dura-Ace 9 when the prices drop! 🙂 ), the other final option on the table was the Giant TCR2, but the sizing of the 'dale was more comfortable for me (I fell in the crack between Giant's "medium" and "large" sizes.)

Alas, the local bike shop only had a 21" frame and I want a 19".

After three years, I find the time taken in maintenance and replacing bits is too time consuming, and the performance drops. A very expensive bike and the security problem outweighs the convenience of better durability and a better performance about a year after new.

My inclination would be to buy a bike for life. Alas, the hazards are too great - my best bike hit a pothole and bent the frame.

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Perseus

My inclination would be to buy a bike for life. Alas, the hazards are too great - my best bike hit a pothole and bent the frame.

Yeah, it's a bummer. My Toys R Us bike just fell apart. Gonna give Walmart a shot next.

I have been to 3 bike shops in my area so far, and they all seemed honest and customer service oriented. I do have some experience with bike shops because of my MTB background so i kind of know what to look for from a shop perspective. I live in the Washington DC area and there seems to be way more shops then i could ever find the time to visit, so i should not have many limitations on brand selection (at least i hope). The TCR2 is on the list of bikes a want to try, from what i have read it seems to be what i want. The 2 giant dealers i went to both suggested the OCR1 might be a good choice. But i am learning that fit is really important to a road bike so not sure if giant is going to be right for me.

If Giant sizing works for you, the TCR2 is a far better value than the OCR1. At many shops, the price difference between the two is very small, but study the parts lists and you'll notice that the OCR1 is at the very top of a particular technology range, whereas the TCR2 shares parts with Giant's flagship rockets.

The TCRs all sport very well-made aero carbon seatposts; the OCRs use an alloy post (in this case, a fairly heavy one). The OCRs also come with these weird quill adjustable stems, which are also on the portly side and make future changes a little trickier. TCRs, from the Composite Team to the TCR2, come standard with a surprisingly light and stiff carbon-core aluminum 1 1/8" threadless stem. You'll get a nice Selle Italia saddle with the TCR, as opposed to a generic model with the OCR (though saddles are very personal -- you may like the OCR saddle better). On top of that, the TCR alloy frame (shared by the TCRs 1,2 and the TCR Elites) is just a better frame.

Anyways, just a few things to consider. I know people riding the OCR1, and frankly, for the casual yet quick road rider, it's a great bike; full 105, a nice carbon blade fork, sturdy construction.

Good luck chosing. Fit is the key. If you're most comfy on a Cannondale or a Bianchi, forget the Giants, period.