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Road bike beginner
Hi, hoping you guys can help me. I currently own a mountain bike and am now looking for my first road bike. I have £1000 to spend at evans cycles with the ride to work scheme and just acquired an old bike to trade in so my budget can go up to £1100 before it costs me anything. I also get £60 of accessories which I intend to use for pedals, mudguards etc as I already have clothing and helmet.
I'm looking at the following 2 bikes. Both the same price both have hydraulic disc brakes. Beyond that I know nothing, the specification may as well be written in Chinese for all the sense it makes to me. The bike would be used for riding with a local club and some of the evans sportives plus obviously going out alone if only for the thrill of risking my life 
So my question is, how do these bikes compare on spec? Obviously I will be visiting my nearest store before making a final choice.
Also I know the cube has its own specific mudguards from the manufacturer but these are currently unavailable due to a product recall. I can't find anywhere that someone has used alternatives, does anyone know if this is possible? Would I be able to fit clip ons for example?
Any other possible options gratefully received but please bear in mind that I know nothing so anything technical will go over my head.
https://www.evanscycles.com/pinnacle-dolomite-4-2017-road-bike-EV275636
https://www.evanscycles.com/cube-attain-race-disc-2017-road-bike-EV287828
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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82 comments
OK. I'm actually female which may help understand the complete lack of knowledge. I started MTB last may with a male friend after 2 years of him trying to convince me that it was a good idea. I really enjoyed it but getting out during the week is hard work and once at a weekend is not enough to build the relevant fitness. I have been riding the mtb on the roads locally but that too is hard work so I want a road specific bike. I haven't been out off road since the end of November because my friend decided they didn't want me to go with them any more and with my complete lack of knowledge I was concerned about the safety of going alone.
The scheme that my employer does is through evans only. It is up to £1000 and you can use discount codes and trade ins to get the best deal for your money. They also include clearance bikes. I get £60 of accessories, free servicing for the first year and free entry to evans ride it events.
The trade in for a bike less £1000 is £75, over £1000 is £100.
I literally know diddly about bikes, any bikes. My only experience of rim brakes is that they don't work when they get wet but that was 28 years ago. I have no idea now.
So yes, please give me options. That's why I'm here. I know I know nothing so I'm not about to completely disregard anything I'm told because I need as much help as I can get.
I did read the feature on £1000 road bikes but the problem is its all gobbledygook as I have no clue what the components are that they mention.
A company I used to work at was tied into Evans. No option to go elsewhere.
Maybe this is OT, but it is interesting that you suggest your bike to work scheme is restricted to Evans. I have been involved in a couple of schemes, and all that was needed was a receipt from any participating bike shop, which is most. Might open up your choice a bit.
Also, the £100 part exchange might sound attractive, but apart from a few brands which discourage discounting, many shops will give 10% discount anyway, or throw in accessories to that value. Local bike shops often have more flexibility than a national chain.
With regard to brakes, there are some good points made above. Like yourself, I came to road cycling from MTB, and was disappointed in the rim brakes on my first, entry level (£600 Trek) bike. I then bought a Scott Addict with Ultegra brakes on DT Swiss rims and was astounded by how good the brakes are. Yes, discs ultimately have more stopping power, but personally I don't find the need.
Presumably you've read the road.cc feature from 9 January on £1000 road bikes?
Because they quoted a £60 accessories voucher I assume that the OP's cycle scheme is the same as mine and actually run by Evans so it is restricted.
But as they allow sale items to be bought on the scheme, allow other offers too like the trade in, will honour price matching and throw in a £60 accessories voucher into the mix I do not think it a bad deal at all.
Even as an advocate of disc brakes, i wouldn't be going that way on that budget, you can get a much better bike with rim brakes for the same price.
The specs of the two bikes are fundamentally the same, although I think a 34 tooth cassette is extreme for road use, it will leave you with large gaops in the range and often struggling to find a suitable gear.
Depends on your fitness but 34 front and 28 rear (as on the pinaccle) is likely sufficient to get you up most hills. Although you can always change the cassette down if you fancy.
If you must have disc brakes i would go for this
https://www.evanscycles.com/cannondale-caadx-105-2017-cyclocross-bike-EV...
or this would probably be better
https://www.evanscycles.com/cannondale-synapse-alloy-105-disc-2017-road-...
more comfortable riding position and higher top end gearing
Slightly more money, but I would be looking to get 105 groupset if at all possible.
or the akrose 3
https://www.evanscycles.com/pinnacle-arkose-3-2017-adventure-road-bike-E...
105 gearing, hydraulic brakes and proper mudguard mounting points
depends on what you think of the colour i guess, it seems a bit love it or hate it to me, and I generally just stick with black bikes.
You mention mudguards, not all bikes are compatible, so you should check this first.
I use my Boardman CX for the winter as it has fixing points for full mudguards. I keep my Pinarello as a summer bike as it does not.
Have fun choosing.
Evans have said that these will fit the cube? I know they do their own but it could be months before they're available again......
https://www.evanscycles.com/sks-raceblade-pro-xl-700c-32mm-EV270346
Have never used those fastening systems, preferring more traditional.
http://www.tredz.co.uk/.SKS-Bluemels-Mudguard-Set_69738.htm?sku=214005&u...
There will always be differing views and plenty of reviews to sift through.
I prefer the more traditional ones too but the cube doesn't have the attachments for them apparently? It's either their own version made specifically for the attain (then recalled) or clip on ones.
I couldn't see the fixtures required in the photograph, hence mentioning it. You have to prioritise what is most important for you. Best of luck.
I have a 2016 Cube Attain GTC SL, and I use the SKS Raceblade Pro SLs. I've got 28mm tyres, and the Raceblades are great. They really do stop the vast majority of splashes. I've put helicopter tape around the mounting points, which I'll remove when the mudguards come off.
You don't have many options with the thru-axles. But thru-axles give you spot-on axle location, and save problems elsewhere.
Hope that helps.
Delighted with my Cube, BTW.
Thankyou. The only conversation I've had about cubes is that they're very good mountain bikes and then their popularity is compared to a woman's anatomy........ :-o I do like the look of it over the pinnacle so it will just depend on how it fits me . If I don't like it then I'm back to looking at other options
Cyclocross bikes...... that gives me more choices....... I think my head is going to explode
I have QR and I know that if male friends tighten them up I am not strong enough to release them. Always made me wonder if they were tight enough when I do them myself. The bike has been thrown around a lot on a variety of terrain and so far no issues but whilst they are convenient it would be nice not to have to worry although not a deal breaker for me either. I'm hoping that by joining a club, building up my fitness again and losing the excess weight gained from 4 months inactivity I might just be able to find a new mtb partner. I do like riding the bike on the road but that will never be quite the same as being out on a dirt track in all weathers
Through Axles are actually tech transfer from MTBs. Quick releases are fine, but through axles locate the wheel in exactly the same place every time which makes it easy to make sure your disk alignment is repeatable.
There's also an argument that through axles are safer because the front wheel can't be ejected by braking forces but I think that's a pretty rare scenario if you've got your QRs done up properly.
QR vs TA isn't a deal breaker for me (I have one of each) but I prefer TA even if they are a bit of a faff to get used to.
Try road race and endurance geometry. I'd put a fiver on you prefering endurance, but it's a personal choice.
Just to make it even harder to make your mind up, don't ignore CX type bikes. As an MTB rider you'd probably love giving CX a go (or just messing around offroad on a fast bike).
https://www.evanscycles.com/cannondale-caadx-tiagra-2017-cyclocross-bike... for example.
I couldn't see any difference in the spec and assumed it would come down to frame and fit once I got on one. Is it a good spec for the money? Bearing in mind that I will be doing distance and hours in the saddle over speed are these "endurance" road bikes really necessary or just a gimmick? What is so special about the bolt through? Is that the part where the wheel connects to the frame that is a QR on a mtb?
if it were me ... The Cube purely because of the bolt thru at both ends.
The kit list on those 2 is pretty much the same.
What about this? How does it compare to the team machine? Would get £100 off the listed price with trade in
https://www.evanscycles.com/bmc-teammachine-alr01-ultegra-2016-road-bike...
I would definitely be having it serviced with a local shop who went above and beyond with my MTB service in October.
Evans have that one in stock in my size at my nearest store. With the trade in discount it would take another £75 off the price leaving me with £185 for accessories......
It is possible to get bad rim brakes (generally easily rectified), but the rim brakes on that bike are good. Dependent on use, they might need a little maintenance to be kept in tip-top condition, but if you're having your bike regularly serviced it will be done as part of that.
My last experience of rim brakes (albeit 28 years ago) was that they don't really stop you once it rains....... not surprisingly this makes me a little nervous hence looking at discs and of course I'm used to those with the mtb. Have rim brakes improved much since then?
Oh yes I will most certainly be taking my time and listening to the guys at evans. With my MTB I had a friend to tell me whether the spec was any good but I still have no clue what is actually on it. I blame my age, my gender and my hair colour (old, female and blonde! )
After a quick search I'd go for this: https://www.evanscycles.com/bmc-teammachine-alr01-105-2016-road-bike-EV2...
No disc brakes but personally it's not a deal-breaker for me. It might be for you, but that's a whole other debate...
The teammachine with that gearing will suit the club run and and sportives fine, seems to have all the sizes, decent spec, might need to get it delivered to your local shop to try...
and there's the key word - it's Evans, so try a few out, properly, tell them what you want to use it for, and listen to what they have to say.
And enjoy the process of buying a new bike!
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