Opinions sought !

[Andrew B]

After a bit of research and a bit of leg work I have come up with a shortlist of the following bike:

Edinburgh Continental 03 £349.99 http://www.edinburgh-bicycle.co.uk/catalogue/item.cfm?ID=2997

Dawes Giro 200 £349.99 http://www.dawescycles.com/bikes/giro200.htm

Claude Butler San Remo £299.99 http://www.falconcycles.co.uk/product.php?c.id=3&s.id=1&p.id=238

Orbea Larrau £349.00 http://www.orbea.co.uk/default.asp?type=bike&PKID=6

I have ridden the bikes from same range (either higher or lower specification) from Dawes, Claude
Butler & Orbea and they all feel good. Is there anything obvious I've not tried ?

As I do not currently live anywhere near Edinburgh I am unable to try the continental, as all of
their own brand bikes always get very good reviews. Has anyone owned ridden one ?

As discussed in an earlier thread the bike is going to be used at weekends as an alternative to
Mountain Biking.

I would be grateful if anyone could share opinions or comments.

Regards,

Andrew

 

[Alex Graham]

Andrew B wrote:

> I would be grateful if anyone could share opinions or comments.

Ive got the 2002 Giro 200, which seems good value, I certainly like it. However, Dawes are _very_
lazy and _still_ havent updated their website. I'm not sure if you can still get any 2002 giros, but
this site has their 2003 models:

<http://www.langsettcycles.co.uk/products.php?mcat=1&scat=6&prodid=276>

HTH,

--

-Alex

----------------------------------
[email protected]

http://alexpg.ath.cx:3353/cycling.php http://www.westerleycycling.org.uk
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[Just Zis Guy]

On Mon, 28 Apr 2003 20:56:50 +0100, "Andrew B" <[email protected]> wrote:

>I have ridden the bikes from same range (either higher or lower specification) from Dawes, Claude
>Butler & Orbea and they all feel good. Is there anything obvious I've not tried ?

Nice bikes. My LBS has a computerised fit-ometer which they use to give a fairly precise assessment
of what frame angles, lengths and so on you need; this is chargeable but you get the money back if
you buy a bike (and they can supply three of the four, the Dawes and the Orbea from stock). So,
that's where I would go next - but your bike shop may not be as good.

The Orbea looks good, though, doesn't it

Guy
===
** WARNING ** This posting may contain traces of irony. http://www.chapmancentral.com (BT ADSL and
dynamic DNS permitting)
NOTE: BT Openworld have now blocked port 25 (without notice), so old mail addresses may no longer
work. Apologies.

 

[Kit Wolf]

On Mon, 28 Apr 2003 20:56:50 +0100, Andrew B wrote:

> After a bit of research and a bit of leg work I have come up with a shortlist of the
> following bike:
>
> Edinburgh Continental 03 £349.99 http://www.edinburgh-bicycle.co.uk/catalogue/item.cfm?ID=2997
>
> Dawes Giro 200 £349.99 http://www.dawescycles.com/bikes/giro200.htm
>
> Claude Butler San Remo £299.99 http://www.falconcycles.co.uk/product.php?c.id=3&s.id=1&p.id=238
>
> Orbea Larrau £349.00 http://www.orbea.co.uk/default.asp?type=bike&PKID=6
>
> I have ridden the bikes from same range (either higher or lower specification) from Dawes, Claude
> Butler & Orbea and they all feel good. Is there anything obvious I've not tried ?
>
> As I do not currently live anywhere near Edinburgh I am unable to try the continental, as all of
> their own brand bikes always get very good reviews. Has anyone owned ridden one ?

I wasn't terribly impressed by the EBC - they won't swap items like tyres or saddles if something
different suits you better, and they are the first bike shop I've found that won't give me a CTC
discount (other than H*l*r*s, which doesn't count).

Kit

 

[Keith Wootten]

In message <[email protected]>, "Just zis Guy, you know?"
<[email protected]> writes

<snip>
>
>My LBS has a computerised fit-ometer

Where's that, Guy? SWMBO wants a bike.

Cheers
--
Keith Wootten

 

[Scott A]

"Kit Wolf" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> On Mon, 28 Apr 2003 20:56:50 +0100, Andrew B wrote:
>
> > After a bit of research and a bit of leg work I have come up with a shortlist of the
> > following bike:
> >
> > Edinburgh Continental 03 £349.99 http://www.edinburgh-bicycle.co.uk/catalogue/item.cfm?ID=2997
> >
> > Dawes Giro 200 £349.99 http://www.dawescycles.com/bikes/giro200.htm
> >
> > Claude Butler San Remo £299.99 http://www.falconcycles.co.uk/product.php?c.id=3&s.id=1&p.id=238
> >
> > Orbea Larrau £349.00 http://www.orbea.co.uk/default.asp?type=bike&PKID=6
> >
> > I have ridden the bikes from same range (either higher or lower specification) from Dawes,
> > Claude Butler & Orbea and they all feel good. Is there anything obvious I've not tried ?
> >
> > As I do not currently live anywhere near Edinburgh I am unable to try the continental, as all of
> > their own brand bikes always get very good reviews. Has anyone owned ridden one ?
>
> I wasn't terribly impressed by the EBC - they won't swap items like tyres or saddles if something
> different suits you better,

That's my experience too; they have a great component range but the customer service is very poor.

Scott A

> and they are the first bike shop I've found that won't give me a CTC discount (other than H*l*r*s,
> which doesn't count).
>
> Kit

 

[Guy Chapman]

Keith Wootten <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...

> <snip>
> >My LBS has a computerised fit-ometer

> Where's that, Guy? SWMBO wants a bike.

AW Cycles, Caversham, Reading.

There's also a free computerised version at <http://www.wrenchscience.com

 

[Colin Blackburn]

In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...
> After a bit of research and a bit of leg work I have come up with a shortlist of the
> following bike:
>
> Edinburgh Continental 03 £349.99 http://www.edinburgh-bicycle.co.uk/catalogue/item.cfm?ID=2997
[...]
> As I do not currently live anywhere near Edinburgh I am unable to try the continental, as all of
> their own brand bikes always get very good reviews. Has anyone owned ridden one ?

EBC bikes are usually rebadged bikes from other manufacturers with, sometimes, different
componentry. Maybe you can test ride the original bike (maybe you have, since the rebadge Dawes) to
get a feel for the Continental?

Also, EBC now have a branch in Newcastle, though I suspect that isn't much nearer to you.

Colin

 

[Andrew B]

I must agree, at present the Orbea is my favourite !

It didn't feel that different to sit on & ride, although I'm not sure if I could tell a "good" road
bike from a "bad" road bike. I'm a bit new to skinny tires and lycra, although road bikes are a lot
better looking, much more elegant.

Nice colour options as well, I'll probably get it in red. Is red the fastest colour still or does it
work differently with road bikes ?

Regards,

Andrew

"Just zis Guy, you know?" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]... On Mon, 28 Apr 2003 20:56:50 +0100, "Andrew B"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>I have ridden the bikes from same range (either higher or lower specification) from Dawes, Claude
>Butler & Orbea and they all feel good.
Is
>there anything obvious I've not tried ?

Nice bikes. My LBS has a computerised fit-ometer which they use to give a fairly precise assessment
of what frame angles, lengths and so on you need; this is chargeable but you get the money back if
you buy a bike (and they can supply three of the four, the Dawes and the Orbea from stock). So,
that's where I would go next - but your bike shop may not be as good.

The Orbea looks good, though, doesn't it

Guy
===
** WARNING ** This posting may contain traces of irony. http://www.chapmancentral.com (BT ADSL and
dynamic DNS permitting)
NOTE: BT Openworld have now blocked port 25 (without notice), so old mail addresses may no longer
work. Apologies.

 

[Keith Wootten]

In message <[email protected]>, Guy Chapman
<[email protected]> writes

>AW Cycles, Caversham, Reading.
>
>There's also a free computerised version at <http://www.wrenchscience.com>
Ta
--
Keith Wootten

 

[James Hodson]

On Mon, 28 Apr 2003 22:45:57 +0100, "Just zis Guy, you know?" <[email protected]> wrote:

>The Orbea looks good, though, doesn't it
>

I refer the honourable gentleman to my sig. (OK, mine's a tripple but it's near enough.)

James

--
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/c.butty/Larrau.jpg

 

[Andrew B]

I thought as I had today off I would check out one last bike shop in my search for a bike. I am
pleased that I did now !

The shop had a 2002 Peugeot Pulse. I'm not very familiar with road components, so here it goes

Aluminium Frame Campagnolo Xenon Groupset Wellgo Clipless "Look" pedals

It seems to be a bit of a bargain educed from £529.00 to £400.00. Does anyone have any experience of
Peugeot cycle ? I must admit I does seem a great bargain at a great price !

How would the frame compare to the Orbea Larrau ?

Sorry to ask so many questions, I don't was to waste my money.

Regards,

Andrew B

 

[Wafflycathcsdir]

>The shop had a 2002 Peugeot Pulse. I'm not very familiar with road components, so here it goes
>
>Aluminium Frame Campagnolo Xenon Groupset Wellgo Clipless "Look" pedals
>
>It seems to be a bit of a bargain educed from £529.00 to £400.00. Does anyone have any experience
>of Peugeot cycle ? I must admit I does seem a great bargain at a great price !

Just got a Peugeot Pulse G400 - has Campag Mirage/Veloce mix, Look pedals - paid under £400 for it.
Got it for teenage son who is into time trialling but growing like an uncontrolled weed, who has
outgrown old road bike but growing so fast I don't want to spend squillions on a new one for him.
Will be treating him to carbon forks for it, as it came in under the budget t'other half & I
allocated for new bike for him Said teenage offspring road it in a TT for the first time last
night & took a couple of minutes off his time for 10 miles. He's still not *that* fast, but he's
working on it and enjoying the cycling - plus costing me dosh as I gave him a financial incentive
scheme for improving his cycling. That'll teach me ;-)

Cheers, helen s

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