Road Cycling

[Roady]

I'm after a cheapish beginners road bike for around £500 (and less if possible) - I want to be doing long cycles with the ability to pick up some decent speed, but I'm not (currently) super into cycling and don't want to go over the top and spend big as yet. I've just spotted Halford's new 2020 Carrera Vanquish for £400. While I wouldn't usually buy a Halford's own brand bike, it's got a Shimano Claris groupset, disc brakes, and carbon forks, which strikes me as really good value for money.

Does anyone have any thoughts? I was looking at Decathlon's Triban 500 with the Sora groupset, but it's an extra £150 and I'm wondering how much of a difference that will actually make to me day to day.

Go Triban. You'll find them recommended here page after page. There's not much between Claris and Sora, they're both superb. But you'll generally get a better bike, service and build from Decathlon.

At that level you'll get a better bike and more for your money going rim brakes than disk. I rode a Carrera Virtuoso for many years, it was superb for the money but heavy and badly put together. As soon as I switched to a £900 alu Giant it was worlds apart. So at that end of the price bracket going 'own branded' is your only real option. Read reviews from other places rather than their own sites too...

Also, it's worth speaking to your LBS' about second hand bikes. There should shortly be an influx of them from all those who bought them at the start of lockdown and are now back at work without time to ride. Although it is still quite early...

 

[manic111]

Go Triban. You'll find them recommended here page after page. There's not much between Claris and Sora, they're both superb. But you'll generally get a better bike, service and build from Decathlon.

At that level you'll get a better bike and more for your money going rim brakes than disk. I rode a Carrera Virtuoso for many years, it was superb for the money but heavy and badly put together. As soon as I switched to a £900 alu Giant it was worlds apart. So at that end of the price bracket going 'own branded' is your only real option. Read reviews from other places rather than their own sites too...

Also, it's worth speaking to your LBS' about second hand bikes. There should shortly be an influx of them from all those who bought them at the start of lockdown and are now back at work without time to ride. Although it is still quite early...

Thanks! That was my impression (and I'd rather have rim brakes than disc, but both the Carrera and Triban now seem to do disc, presumably as it looks better from a marketing perspective). I'll keep an eye out for some preowned bikes as well - I'm not in a massive rush to get one, and as you say hopefully there'll be an influx in the next few weeks.

When buying preowned is there anything particular to look out for or be aware of? Eg rust, groupset condition, etc. Is there anything you'll see which makes it an absolute no go?

 

[Roady]

Yeah disk brakes are the current road trend from Shimano so the other groupsets have followed and many of the frame manufacturers have also followed suit, especially with their aero bike offerings. Some don't even do rim brake variants of their top of their line bikes (nor non-electronic). Tubeless is the next big thing so you'll find many new bikes with it, but really not something you should be buying within your budget.

Second hand bikes is not something I've really dealt with, someone else is better left to advise. Even now after many years of riding & maintenance I'm still not sure I'd trust myself to buy second hand safely. I think the only way I would, would be a bike I know needs work/replacement parts. I'd happily buy one from one of several LBS around me though, I know 2 of them well and would trust probably 4 of them by their reputations and knowing riders who know them well.

 

[Trox]

Although the TCR Advanced Pro Disc frameset is £1349 without any sales, totally affordable to build up myself. Same price for the 2020 or 2021 but the 2021 comes in this awesome Gloss Chameleon Green. I'd then be hunting down some carbon aero hoops for it around £1k-1.5 to build the whole thing up for around £4k...

I quite like the look of that 2021 TCR frame although, I'd want to see more photos of it before spending the cash.

 

[UTmaniac]

I'm after a cheapish beginners road bike for around £500 (and less if possible) - I want to be doing long cycles with the ability to pick up some decent speed, but I'm not (currently) super into cycling and don't want to go over the top and spend big as yet. I've just spotted Halford's new 2020 Carrera Vanquish for £400. While I wouldn't usually buy a Halford's own brand bike, it's got a Shimano Claris groupset, disc brakes, and carbon forks, which strikes me as really good value for money.

Does anyone have any thoughts? I was looking at Decathlon's Triban 500 with the Sora groupset, but it's an extra £150 and I'm wondering how much of a difference that will actually make to me day to day.

As much as I detest cable disc brakes as much as 27.5" trendy wheels, I do like than new Vanquish 2020.

 

[RoboCod]

Why is it seen that hydraulic disc brakes are a "trend" as opposed to an actual evolution? Having rode all options, I'd never go back to rim brakes or mechanical. The efficiency of hydraulic brakes and the ease with which you can brake is a no-brainer.

 

[SDK^]

So, I gave up riding at the end of last year but have this print to remember the efforts, club rides and Sportives. I think it goes well in my computer room.

 

[grudas]

@SDK^ why did you stop out of interest?

 

[blairw]

I am also on the hoping that 5-6k bikes will see a decent end of season discount for me to snap one up on cycle scheme... may be unlikely this year.

Alternative is too look at Ribble, any experiences of them here?

 

[Lethal`]

So, I gave up riding at the end of last year but have this print to remember the efforts, club rides and Sportives. I think it goes well in my computer room.

Uhm. Random question but is that a nabru sofa? (maybe even bed?) Any good?

 

[AndyCr15]

Why is it seen that hydraulic disc brakes are a "trend" as opposed to an actual evolution? Having rode all options, I'd never go back to rim brakes or mechanical. The efficiency of hydraulic brakes and the ease with which you can brake is a no-brainer.

This is what I was going to comment. The rim brakes on my Felt were a joke when compared to the three disk brake bikes I had, didn't feel safe with them at all.

Unrelated question, all my drinks bottles seem to get a grey looking (what I assume is some kind of) mould in them. I rinse them and leave them to drip dry after use, but maybe I put them back on my shelf with some water still in... Is this normal? Are there some tablets I can leave in them from time to time to clean? Should I actually be scrubbing the insides with a brush each time?

At present, I've just ordered a new bottle, but obviously that's not good environmentally to do, so what should I be doing here?

 

[xdcx]

@SDK^ - that is super cool!

 

[Jonny ///M]

My Mrs made me get Milton tablets for my bottles.

They certainly look clearer now than they ever did after a wash.

@Roady no giant here. Cube, Cannondale and Merida.

The trend seems to be the same price or higher on random models going by cube. Don't know a thing about 2021 Cannondale yet.

 

[#Chri5#]

This is what I was going to comment. The rim brakes on my Felt were a joke when compared to the three disk brake bikes I had, didn't feel safe with them at all.

Unrelated question, all my drinks bottles seem to get a grey looking (what I assume is some kind of) mould in them. I rinse them and leave them to drip dry after use, but maybe I put them back on my shelf with some water still in... Is this normal? Are there some tablets I can leave in them from time to time to clean? Should I actually be scrubbing the insides with a brush each time?

At present, I've just ordered a new bottle, but obviously that's not good environmentally to do, so what should I be doing here?

As @Jonny ///M says - I'd try sterilising tablets. I've got some supermarket own brand somewhere for cleaning Camelback bladders when they get manky. I'd also occasionally put bottles through the dish washer.

 

[grudas]

I can't seem to get the right saddle... when I cycled years ago "san marco ponza" - a lot of people hated it but it worked well for me and never had any discomfort.. but it's discontinued and I can't find it.

so I've tried a couple that I had laying around the house and bought a fizik that is to my measurements and my bum is still proper numb after 10ish miles. Have to get out of the saddle to get going.

I have tried adjusting the saddle etc, different shorts(running dhb aeron bibs right now) etc and yeah still not great.

would obviously prefer a bike fit but good luck getting that done right now.

 

[Saytan]

I can't seem to get the right saddle... when I cycled years ago "san marco ponza" - a lot of people hated it but it worked well for me and never had any discomfort.. but it's discontinued and I can't find it.

so I've tried a couple that I had laying around the house and bought a fizik that is to my measurements and my bum is still proper numb after 10ish miles. Have to get out of the saddle to get going.

I have tried adjusting the saddle etc, different shorts(running dhb aeron bibs right now) etc and yeah still not great.

would obviously prefer a bike fit but good luck getting that done right now.

there's loads of san marco ponzas on the auction site, £10-20

i'm a fuss **** too. My preferred saddle (Vetta TT) went out of production in 1997. Thought i'd found a good replacement (fizik aliante) and rode one for a few months, then got back on my bike with a vetta TT and it was like coming home.

 

[SoliD]

This is what I was going to comment. The rim brakes on my Felt were a joke when compared to the three disk brake bikes I had, didn't feel safe with them at all.

Unrelated question, all my drinks bottles seem to get a grey looking (what I assume is some kind of) mould in them. I rinse them and leave them to drip dry after use, but maybe I put them back on my shelf with some water still in... Is this normal? Are there some tablets I can leave in them from time to time to clean? Should I actually be scrubbing the insides with a brush each time?

At present, I've just ordered a new bottle, but obviously that's not good environmentally to do, so what should I be doing here?

Everything in the dishwasher, nothing kills germs like 80c water. Bottles are so cheap they are disposable to me.

Re disc v rim brakes. I love a good disc brake, but the brakes on my felt/Ridley Road bike were fine for road riding and brought me to a stop in plenty of time on mountain descents in the dry and wet, although my next bike will be disc braked but just due to ease of future compatibility and swappability with the rest of my fleet rather than anything else.

If you want scary try riding my TT bike.

 

[grudas]

there's loads of san marco ponzas on the auction site, £10-20

i'm a fuss **** too. My preferred saddle (Vetta TT) went out of production in 1997. Thought i'd found a good replacement (fizik aliante) and rode one for a few months, then got back on my bike with a vetta TT and it was like coming home.

yeah I've been keeping an eye on some of them, have yet to win one Don't want to pay much, I used to buy them brand new for £15!

talking about disk vs rim

I ended buying a rim brake bike again, for the road riding I do it is fine.

of course hydro disks are way better for feel/modulation etc, my next bike if I continue riding will be a carbon/hydro brake combo for sure but for now I am perfectly happy.

when I used to commute in all weathers disks were a must! nothing braked as good as disks in wet weather.

 

[One More Solo]

Everything in the dishwasher, nothing kills germs like 80c water. Bottles are so cheap they are disposable to me.

Re disc v rim brakes. I love a good disc brake, but the brakes on my felt/Ridley Road bike were fine for road riding and brought me to a stop in plenty of time on mountain descents in the dry and wet, although my next bike will be disc braked but just due to ease of future compatibility and swappability with the rest of my fleet rather than anything else.

If you want scary try riding my TT bike.

I always forget how bad the braking on my TT bike is, takes some getting used to. Not so much the lack of stopping power but the total absence of brake modulation. I locked up my back wheel riding it last year on a totally innocuous corner and broke a rib.

I do rate disc brakes but equally I'm in no hurry at all to buy a disc braked "nice" road bike. Suspect it'll be the bike after the next one.

 

[Saytan]

well set up modern rim brakes are plenty on a road bike, but it'd be mad to spend much over a grand on a bike with them now.