roadies

[top_aussie]

gday fellas
at the moment im looking at buying a road bike, what i would like is a full carbon fibre bike, but it may end up too expensive, at least i want carbon seat post and front forks but rear forks would nice aswell, probly the Shimano Tiagra or 105 running gear.
any recomendations

 

[sogood]

Why do you want carbon seatpost? Do you think it's that beneficial? Have you checked the price/weight/performance triangle on a carbon seatpost?

 

[top_aussie]

Why do you want carbon seatpost? Do you think it's that beneficial? Have you checked the price/weight/performance triangle on a carbon seatpost?

nvr checked mate
but i have been informed that carbon reduses the shock of a bump.
plus iv seen that carbon seatposts seem to be the first piece of carbon companys will put on the bike.

 

[sogood]

nvr checked mate
but i have been informed that carbon reduses the shock of a bump.
plus iv seen that carbon seatposts seem to be the first piece of carbon companys will put on the bike.

Sorry to say this, but carbon in the wrong places are for suckers.

The first place for carbon on modern bikes are in the front fork. If you read more, you'll find carbon seatposts are of limited benefit. The cost benefit just isn't there unless you have money to burn.

 

[top_aussie]

ahhhh

rightyo
thanks for that
start recomending me some bikes then.
about the 1400 range, used for getting to school, weekend rides and long rides like the great vic

 

[sogood]

For $1400, you are definitely in the Alu alloy price range.

For a road bike, check out the base road bike offering from Trek and Giant. Cell has some cheaper road bikes you might also want to check out.

If I were you, I would check trading post, eBay and Cash Converters for second hand road bikes. You may get a low mileage mid range model.

 

[top_aussie]

iv been lookin at the OCR 1's or 2's

 

[Ronanmk]

iv been lookin at the OCR 1's or 2's

OCRs are a good beginer's choice. You'll get carbon forks, allu frame, and decent components.

Don't get your first bike off ebay / cash converters / etc. Get it at a local bike shop. SIZE and FIT are far more important that frame material, and a LBS will be able to get a bike that fits (try that on eBay!).

cheers

 

[lance99]

OCRs are a good beginer's choice. You'll get carbon forks, allu frame, and decent components.

Don't get your first bike off ebay / cash converters / etc. Get it at a local bike shop. SIZE and FIT are far more important that frame material, and a LBS will be able to get a bike that fits (try that on eBay!).

cheers

I think the Giant OCR is a excellent bike. Ive been riding mine for a year now a few thousand miles and no worries.........

 

[sogood]

Don't get your first bike off ebay / cash converters / etc. Get it at a local bike shop. SIZE and FIT are far more important that frame material, and a LBS will be able to get a bike that fits (try that on eBay!).

I don't see anything wrong with getting a bike at Cash Converters given the buyer will be able to try the real thing. Of course, this is under the proviso that one knows the size range that'll fit oneself. After that, it's a matter of making adjustments which all of use have to do, and there are plenty of info on the web on this subject.

 

[artemidorus]

gday fellas
at the moment im looking at buying a road bike, what i would like is a full carbon fibre bike, but it may end up too expensive, at least i want carbon seat post and front forks but rear forks would nice aswell, probly the Shimano Tiagra or 105 running gear.
any recomendations

Carbon frames offer no real advantage over aluminium; the only real difference is that they cost more. I think that there will soon be a strong and entirely justified retro movement towards metal frames. Composite popularity is all about marketing and perception, with many manufacturers such as Campy and SRAM cynically making all sorts of bits on their groupsets out of composites to make them look bling. The difference in ride quality between frames depends much more on design than materials - an alloy frame can be more comfortable than a composite.
That said, a composite item that happens to be on the bike that you buy is not a bad thing, if you're happy with the overall price. I've had to put up with composite fork, stem, spacers and seatpost because they were on my chosen bike
Aluminium forks are nominally at risk of sudden failure due to fatigue, so forks need to be steel or composite (or titanium? not sure about this material for forks). Of readily available brands, only the cheapest bikes seem to come with steel forks, so such bikes are best avoided - composite reigns supreme in the fork world.
I would choose 105 as it is the cheapest groupset that is not obviously inferior to DuraAce. Tiagra will work, however, if it comes on the bike of your dreams. Avoid Sora. I can't comment on Campy.

 

[sogood]

Composite popularity is all about marketing and perception, with many manufacturers such as Campy and SRAM cynically making all sorts of bits on their groupsets out of composites to make them look bling.

I would choose 105 as it is the cheapest groupset that is not obviously inferior to DuraAce. Tiagra will work, however, if it comes on the bike of your dreams. Avoid Sora. I can't comment on Campy.

Campag and SRAM don't make bike frames. AFAIK, their choice of CF tend to relate to weight reduction more than anything else. So there is logic in their choice.

In the Campag range, Veloce is the desirable starting point for serious cyclists. However, for OP's budget range of $1400 new, I'd say forget it. I have never seen Veloce groupset equipped bike at that price range (well, never say never).

 

[top_aussie]

thanks fellas
i think im set on the giant ocr 2, and if i can get a bit more money ill get the ocr 1.
unless somebody can recomend me sumthin else in the same range that isnt giant, cos thats all they have round here and i dont particuly like em.

 

[artemidorus]

Campag and SRAM don't make bike frames.

I didn't realise that the frame was part of a groupset...

 

[thomas_cho]

Hi all,
One thing which you might want to consider when selecting your bike, is the frame geometry. A bike like the Giant OCR has a longer head tube than lets say the Giant TCR.

What that translates to is a more upright riding position. Of course that can be achieved as well by having a longer steerer tube. There could be other differences as well, I think the OCR has a longer wheelbase then the TCR.

The difference in geometry will translate into a different feel on different bikes.

Best thing to do is to hop on as many as you can, and ride them for as long as you can to get a feel of them handling wise.

Groupset wise, I'd say go for Shimano 105, as the Campag based bikes are kind of expensive in Australia. While there will be differences in feel between Campy and Shimano, both groupsets will function just as efficiently and reliably. I have both, and none have failed me so far.

FWIW I ride a Giant OCR comp, with Campy Chorus shfiters and Ultegra all else.

 

[Dave80]

thanks fellas
i think im set on the giant ocr 2, and if i can get a bit more money ill get the ocr 1.
unless somebody can recomend me sumthin else in the same range that isnt giant, cos thats all they have round here and i dont particuly like em.

Giant is probably the best bang for your buck given your price range. Their size/sales volume gives them a price advantage over smaller companies.

I would also have a look at Felt (they seem to have a good level of components for overall price - must be saving money somewhere). Also check out Scott. I recently bought a Scott Cr1 and had a good look at some of their Speedster range (i.e. S10, S20) before going with the Carbon frame. The S30 would be in your price range: Shimano 105, Carbon forks, sub 9kg.

If your on a tight budget get an 06 model bike or wait until the sales next year and pick up a discounted 07 bike.

 

[sogood]

One thing which you might want to consider when selecting your bike, is the frame geometry. A bike like the Giant OCR has a longer head tube than lets say the Giant TCR.

What that translates to is a more upright riding position. Of course that can be achieved as well by having a longer steerer tube. There could be other differences as well, I think the OCR has a longer wheelbase then the TCR.

The difference in geometry will translate into a different feel on different bikes.

In all honesty, it doesn't make any difference to the riding position as long as you pick the correct frame size. As long as the relative positions of the 3 contact points of the body are identical (hand, butt, foot), it doesn't matter what kind of frame you have. With the correct frame size, these contact points can be adjusted using different seatpost, stem, spacer, bar and crank, just like any other frame.

As for the different feel b/n traditional and compact frame, that's a marketing spill with no objective discernable fact to support it.

So rather than to say there's a longer head tube, it's probably better to say it has a shorter seat tube, that can be compensated by a longer seat post.

 

[artemidorus]

In all honesty, it doesn't make any difference to the riding position as long as you pick the correct frame size. As long as the relative positions of the 3 contact points of the body are identical (hand, butt, foot), it doesn't matter what kind of frame you have. With the correct frame size, these contact points can be adjusted using different seatpost, stem, spacer, bar and crank, just like any other frame.

As for the different feel b/n traditional and compact frame, that's a marketing spill with no objective discernable fact to support it.

So rather than to say there's a longer head tube, it's probably better to say it has a shorter seat tube, that can be compensated by a longer seat post.

Agreed, but the handling will differ with head tube angle, seat tube angle etc, so you don't just want the correct frame size but also the correct frame feel. OCR and TCR models offer quite a different handling feel.

 

[sogood]

Agreed, but the handling will differ with head tube angle, seat tube angle etc, so you don't just want the correct frame size but also the correct frame feel. OCR and TCR models offer quite a different handling feel.

Absolutely right. Again, that has nothing to do with whether the frame is tradition geometry or compact geometry. Bike designers can dial in all those parameters into either a tradition or compact geometry frame. At the end of the day, compact geometry is primarily there to provide fewer sizes to fit the same proportion of riders.

 

[top_aussie]

thanx for all ur help and keep it coming.
this isnt gonna be an instant thing, my parents have said that if i save half they will pay half so if i wait for the sales on the 07 modles i may be able to get myself an even better bike, maby an OCR C2 or sumthin.
thanks for everythin and keep the recomendations and help coming

BTW
anyone know of any good bike shops around Berwick