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New road bike recommendations £2000-£2500

by hawkinspeter
Tue, Mar 14, 2017 12:38
19

I currently commute (about 100 miles per week) on a Cannondale Synapse that I've had a few years and am looking to get a race geometry bike as I like to pretend that I'm quick.

My budget is somewhere around £2000-£2500 and so far I'm thinking of a carbon frame with Ultegra Di2 and disc brakes (i.e. quite different to the alu, mechanical, rim braked Synapse). So far, the bikes I've looked at seem to mainly feature mechanical groupsets at that price range, so would it be more sensible to get a decent frame and spend less on the groupset? Or should I beef up my budget to get new shiny toys to play with?

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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19 comments

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zombiejack | 7 years ago
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If you're a medium:

http://www.startfitness.co.uk/cycle/bikes/scott-2016-solace-10-disc-mens...

Discs, carbon, Ultegra. Not Di2 but you've got a bit of money left for future upgrades.

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hawkinspeter | 7 years ago
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Thanks for everyone's comments. I'm going to go visit a few bike shops and have a good look at a range of bikes to either confuse me some more or to help me decide. I am tempted to do the whole bike build process myself as I've got some experience and a bunch of tools, but I've never worked on disc brakes before - how hard can it be?

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matthewn5 | 7 years ago
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I built up my Bianchi Sempre Pro with full Chorus and Vision Metron 40s for less than £2.5k.

You can do so much better if you build it yourself and its loads more FUN!

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Daveyraveygravey | 7 years ago
1 like

I wanted carbon too, but the CAAD 12 is meant to be fantastic.
Get down to your local Evans, they have a proper demo scheme where you'll have to book and have some security, but you can ride anything on real roads.
For your needs, titanium may be better. A year round UK commuter? Kinesis or Enigma, what have they got in that price bracket? UK conceived too, if not actually built here. 105 would be tempting too, almost as good as Ultegra and cheaper to replace

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davel | 7 years ago
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I'd throw the Merida Scultura into the mix too.

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hoffbrandm | 7 years ago
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Personally wouldnt bother too much with carbon. I've gone for titanium and built it up, and am of the perspective that a good frame can be made of any material inc steel and aluminium. and I like to spend money on good components too. If I had your budget, I would try to just built my own up.

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CXR94Di2 replied to hoffbrandm | 7 years ago
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hoffbrandm wrote:

Personally wouldnt bother too much with carbon. I've gone for titanium and built it up, and am of the perspective that a good frame can be made of any material inc steel and aluminium. and I like to spend money on good components too. If I had your budget, I would try to just built my own up.

 

Ditto, I built a Kinesis Tripster V2 in Ti.  Blended Di2 road and mtb components, to make a big tyre mountain climber/ tourer.  I used it to ride up MT Teide several times with easy spinning(40T rear cass), now I use it for club runs with 11-32 cass.  I run 40mm 'G Ones',  just love the comfy easy position ride.

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700c replied to hoffbrandm | 7 years ago
1 like

hoffbrandm wrote:

Personally wouldnt bother too much with carbon. 

that's quite a sweeping statement! whatever the frame material, a bike can be designed to be as agressive, reactive, comfortable, forgiving etc as you are likely to need.

FWIW I ride both Ti and Carbon - I would just say that Ti is a little more versitile overall if it's your one and only bike - dealing with winter roads and commuting etc, they tend to be a little more durable and take knocks better.

However it sure is nice to have a light, carbon, racy 'best bike' that you take out on good days, in the knowledge that you're not exposing it to the poor conditions and it's kept nice and shiny in the shed ready for when you next want to use it

Loads of choice at this part of the market. Personally I've only got great things to say about Giant and Kinesis. Others swear by their own brands. Canyon is good vfm. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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riotgibbon | 7 years ago
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Specialized Diverge ...

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Mungecrundle | 7 years ago
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Would agree with Python. Unless it is beyond serviceable use, you already have a commuting bike. You will have your own reasons, but if I had this as a n+1 dilema I would be tempted to get something special for weekends and for the commute when it is sunny.

I am a great advocate for discs, and I also run Di2 but if I had to choose only one for a best use only bike then I'd go with the Di2 in preference.

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hawkinspeter replied to Mungecrundle | 7 years ago
1 like

Mungecrundle wrote:

Would agree with Python. Unless it is beyond serviceable use, you already have a commuting bike. You will have your own reasons, but if I had this as a n+1 dilema I would be tempted to get something special for weekends and for the commute when it is sunny. I am a great advocate for discs, and I also run Di2 but if I had to choose only one for a best use only bike then I'd go with the Di2 in preference.

That's kind of my thinking - keep the Synapse for bad weather and then zing along on the new summer bike when the roads are dry. Regarding discs vs Di2 - I'm thinking that I could upgrade to Di2 in a couple of years, but disc brakes can't so easily be fitted to a frame that isn't designed for them.

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SingleSpeed | 7 years ago
1 like

Even if the ALR Emonda is Lighter and Stiffer than the Equivalent Carbon Emonda 3

 

I'd skip Di2 also, you might find in 2 years you're left with an unsupported product...true story!

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SingleSpeed | 7 years ago
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2 min google and £2400 will get you a 60mm Carbon Clincher, Dura Ace Equipped Emonda ok it's a faff and involves a bit of stripping and flogging, but an example of mixture of off the peg and home building can get you. Plus I've seen a similar bike built and its daft light rocket for the money.

 

https://www.evanscycles.com/trek-emonda-alr-6-2017-road-bike-EV286642

 

£1600

 

https://www.evanscycles.com/shimano-dura-ace-9100-groupset-52-36-11-28-E...

 

£1300

 

+/- £700 (selling off unused Ultegra Groupset & Bontrager wheels)

 

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/WPPX6060/planet-x-60-60-wheelset

 

£550.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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hawkinspeter replied to SingleSpeed | 7 years ago
1 like

SingleSpeed wrote:

2 min google and £2400 will get you a 60mm Carbon Clincher, Dura Ace Equipped Emonda ok it's a faff and involves a bit of stripping and flogging, but an example of mixture of off the peg and home building can get you. Plus I've seen a similar bike built and its daft light rocket for the money.

Unfortunately, the Emonda is aluminium and I've arbitrarily decided that the frame has to be carbon. I'm now thinking I'd rather spend more on the base bike and "skimp" on the groupset so maybe Di2 will be consigned to the next next bike. Then again, Ultegra Di2 is only £900 from Wiggle.

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arfa | 7 years ago
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I commute a similar weekly distance on a caad12 105 with hydraulic discs and can't fault the bike at all. OK it is an aluminium frame but it is wonderfully stiff and there's minimal flex when you drop the hammer. I'd save the £££'s or spend them on upgrades.

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hawkinspeter replied to arfa | 7 years ago
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arfa wrote:

I commute a similar weekly distance on a caad12 105 with hydraulic discs and can't fault the bike at all. OK it is an aluminium frame but it is wonderfully stiff and there's minimal flex when you drop the hammer. I'd save the £££'s or spend them on upgrades.

There's nothing wrong with aluminium, but I've never owned a carbon frame, so I've decided it has to be carbon (or possibly titanium, but that's probably more wishful thinking).

Liam Cahill wrote:

Take a look at the Giant offerings. The components are brilliant for the price and can be bought in a real bike shop.

Di2 might be a stretch at this price, especially if you want to buy from an actual shop, but Canyon do the Ultimate CF SL 9.0 Di2 for £2,349 (not disc though). Maybe the CF SL DISC 9.0 would be a better option. 

For my money, I'd be looking for a power metre (or other such toys) before Di2. Di2 is great, but my 6800 has done 12,000 miles and it's still perfectly crisp. I'd just go to as many bike shops as possible, have a ride and see what you like.

Yep, I've been looking at some of the Giant bikes and Canyon bikes seem to be very popular with the Road.cc crowd.

You may well be right about Di2 being too expensive in relation to the bike - maybe I should ignore electronic for the moment.

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Liam Cahill | 7 years ago
1 like

Take a look at the Giant offerings. The components are brilliant for the price and can be bought in a real bike shop.

Di2 might be a stretch at this price, especially if you want to buy from an actual shop, but Canyon do the Ultimate CF SL 9.0 Di2 for £2,349 (not disc though). Maybe the CF SL DISC 9.0 would be a better option. 

For my money, I'd be looking for a power metre (or other such toys) before Di2. Di2 is great, but my 6800 has done 12,000 miles and it's still perfectly crisp. I'd just go to as many bike shops as possible, have a ride and see what you like.

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Daveyraveygravey | 7 years ago
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I say this on all these threads, go to your local Evans, and book a trial ride on a Supersix in that price bracket.  (I also usually say book a trial on a Synapse, to compare, but you already know all about the Synapse).  I tested a Supersix when I was buying, and really liked it, but in the end it didn't quite have that something extra.  You'll then have a benchmark to try any other competitors.

I'm a little out of touch with the current market, I don't think you'll get the spec you are looking for unless you go the internet route.  But I would want to try before I laid out that money.

If you're going to do that many miles on the new bike I'd go for discs ahead of Di2.  I've never tried Di2, and although my mates who have it swear they couldn't go back, I still don't see the benefits outweighing sacrifices elsewhere.  Disc brakes will work better than rim brakes and won't knacker your wheels if you are a bit slack with maintenance.

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hawkinspeter replied to Daveyraveygravey | 7 years ago
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Daveyraveygravey wrote:

I say this on all these threads, go to your local Evans, and book a trial ride on a Supersix in that price bracket.  (I also usually say book a trial on a Synapse, to compare, but you already know all about the Synapse).  I tested a Supersix when I was buying, and really liked it, but in the end it didn't quite have that something extra.  You'll then have a benchmark to try any other competitors.

I'm a little out of touch with the current market, I don't think you'll get the spec you are looking for unless you go the internet route.  But I would want to try before I laid out that money.

If you're going to do that many miles on the new bike I'd go for discs ahead of Di2.  I've never tried Di2, and although my mates who have it swear they couldn't go back, I still don't see the benefits outweighing sacrifices elsewhere.  Disc brakes will work better than rim brakes and won't knacker your wheels if you are a bit slack with maintenance.

Thanks. The SuperSix was on my list of possible bikes as they do seem to be a most excellent bike. I'll definitely arrange a ride on one.

You could well be right about Di2 - my main reason for wanting it is that I've never tried it and it's new and shiny. I'm running a 10-speed Ultegra on my Synapse and the shifting is almost perfect so maybe I should wait for electronic shifting and prioritise discs instead.

I would consider internet purchasing as I do a lot of bike fettling and would consider getting a frame and building it up, though there's a certain amount of risk involved with that (e.g. build it and then decide that you don't like it that much).

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