£1800 for a bike and what to buy????

@notfastenough - yeah you were right in your post. For once in my life I wasn't attempting to be a smart arse

@Velopeo - so it is, good spot. Ultimately I was just trying to point out that all the bikes on the shortlist weren't similar in nature.

The frame size is a bit of a red herring - you want to be looking at the actual top tube measurement

I'm riding a Focus Cayo (105 - 2009 model) at the moment and have recently had a fitting which (amongst others) gave me a flipped, 12 degree angled stem to raise the bar height. Made a massive difference - I can spend more time in the drops and my overall ride position is so much more smooth, powerful and comfortable.

I'm the same size as you and currently looking at the Focus Ergoride (which is their endurance model - not the Cayo) and two 2014 models that are out later this year - the Cannondale Synapse Hi Mod & Bianchi Infinito CV. Waiting full ride reviews and prices for those two with interest. I tried a Trek Domane and it didn't blow me away as much as I was expecting. I'm allergic to Specialized

The to-tube lengths for these on a "54" are all 530-535mm which suit my shorter upper body and have taller head tubes that suit my preferred riding style

You could do a whole lot worse than this: http://road.cc/content/review/82718-stevens-izoard-2013

just to further muddy the waters

Cervelo s2

What components you got on the current bike? You could buy frame only if your current components are in good nick.

Trek Domane 4.3, nice.

£1800 will get you a phenomenal bike from Canyon. In fact, if you're on a tight budget, you don't even need to spend that much.

How about a Giant Defy? Top quality frames, whether carbon or aluminium.

Like notfastenough, I too would steer you away from racers towards the 'sportive' geometry (and TBH anyone can race perfectly well on a bike with a slightly taller head tube).

I'd go round the dealers. Sit and, if possible, ride a few. The one that is best for you is the one that fits you and like the look and feel of it. Don't fret about spec details - bars, saddle etc - they are easy to change. Get the basics right first.

Also, do you prefer Shimano, SRAM or Campagnolo shifting?

I would consider spending a bit less on the bike and try to angle for a deal on some lighter wheels - either instead or as well as those supplied. Nearly all bikes, even at this point, have inexpensive OE wheels. Further to this recent discussion, I'd seriously consider some nice handbuilt wheels. Those, and good tyres, will do far more for ride quality than a fancy looking carbon stem or seat post.

Can you confirm that you're comfortable on the Synapse? No aches/pains after 80 miles? How many headset spacers do you currently have under the stem (if any)?

If not, I'd suggest getting a bike fit sorted first. That will narrow your list down considerably. Admittedly this means paying cash up front (I paid £110 for mine in Manchester), but mine wasn't tied to a shop or purchase of a particular bike, so I have an unbiased baseline from which to work, and doesn't involve a shop trying to get me to fit the particular brands of bikes that they sell.

From there you'll know which ranges you can choose from, i.e. if you're comfortable on Cannondale's 'endurance' offering - the synapse - then perhaps a Focus Cayo (their endurance bike) should be on the list, and the Izalco (their race bike) scrubbed off. This may also imply that the Supersix and possibly the Kharma should be dropped. The Synapse is, however, a bit more agressive than the Roubaix, so you could probably drop the possibly-too-upright Roubaix and add a headset spacer or two to the racier-geometry Tarmac to achieve an equivalent position to the Synapse. See where this is going? It's all based on the presumption that the position you're trying to achieve is indeed the position you should be in. Bike fit first, then bike shortlist.

If you can do that and come back to us with a diagram provided by the bike fitter, then together with a budget and your other info re type of riding etc, you should be able to narrow it down to list of similar bikes, then you just need to pick the one that looks fast and will make you drag yourself out of bed early to ride the knackers off it.

having ridden a Kuota kharma Ultegra at the weekend, (as i am one of the local bike shops little magazine tester)i thought it was fantastic, a bit agressive so probably not fantastic for longer rides but maybe worth a go if you think consistant speed is better than arriving home and feeling relaxed.

The biggest chestnut is ride as many of them as you can.

Joe

Starley bikes will give you 105, a free bike fit and custom paint job for that money. They're really nice looking bikes and have good reviews

I have a Cube Agree GTC Pro and although I quite like it I wouldn't buy another one. I will be replacing it shortly.

I would strike that one off your list.