What to buy sub $2K?

[overthehill]

Hi all

I've been riding a singlee (not a fixie) for a while, and the time is coming for a road bike. I don't want to spend more than $2000 - which means Avanti Giro or Specialized Allez Sport territory. (Although I love the matt black look of the Specialized Allez Double! - AND its cheaper!)

Can anyone suggest a good buy? I'm looking for the best quality I can get at the price - I think if the frame is right I can upgrade parts as I go along. I will use it for 100K+ rides with maybe some hill work.

Thanx

[Kev365428]

Hi,

Moved this to Buying a Bike/Parts where it is more suited.

Kev.

[tripstobaltimore]

Hi all

I've been riding a singlee (not a fixie) for a while, and the time is coming for a road bike. I don't want to spend more than $2000 - which means Avanti Giro or Specialized Allez Sport territory. (Although I love the matt black look of the Specialized Allez Double! - AND its cheaper!)

Can anyone suggest a good buy? I'm looking for the best quality I can get at the price - I think if the frame is right I can upgrade parts as I go along. I will use it for 100K+ rides with maybe some hill work.

Thanx

If you know your size, www.this link is broken is worth considering. Good bang for buck.

[overthehill]

Thanx for the heads up tripstobaltimore. Love the look of the Cell triumph - and well specc'ed too, for the price. Now if only they had my size…

[jaykay]

If you consider buying off the net, have a look at the bikes at chainreactioncycles.co.uk or this link is broken. a forum member (durx) recently purchsed a bike from wiggle and has nothing but good things to say about the process.
I owned a cell swift and it was a great bike for the value but if i was going to buy off the net again i would buy from a uk site, looks to be even better bang for buck!

[snedden9485]

CHeck out the malvern star oppy A4. A mate who is starting out recently got one of these, very good looking bike and cheap. $1250 bucks, FULL tiagra gruppo, mavic aksium wheels and alloy frame. Alot better than a cell or similar.

[Zynster]

The Scott CR1 Comp is a very good buy in this price bracket. It's a very nice quality carbon frame with Tiagra groupy and R500 wheels. They are very well regarded and owned by a number of forum members. The frame is the same as it's higher specced brethren, so eminently upgradeable. Do a forum search on Scott CR1 Comp and you'll turn up quite a few threads.

[familyguy]

CHeck out the malvern star oppy A4. A mate who is starting out recently got one of these, very good looking bike and cheap. $1250 bucks, FULL tiagra gruppo, mavic aksium wheels and alloy frame. Alot better than a cell or similar.

+1. I've watched these walk out of my LBS for starters, you'd have to look hard to beat them for value at the moment.

Jim

[cjrich]

I looked at the Avanti Giro and Specialized Allez Sport recently. The Giro is endurance (relaxed) geometry while the Allez is race geometry, so depends on how you want to be seated. I ended up buying an Avanti Cadent 1.0 (bit more expensive than your budget) which has endurance geometry so I can more comfortable on longer rides, I'm not into racing. If I'd had less $ to play with I would have gone the Giro.

CJ

[overthehill]

Thanks guys. My LBS sells Avanti and Specialized, so I'm going to test ride those in my $ bracket first. It'll be the first time I've sat on a road bike in oh I dunno about 18 years… and THAT was one I built meself.

I'm after relaxed geometry for the long ride, not race geometry. I reckon the Giro is a better finished bike than the Allez - in the details like how the rear dropouts are joined to the stays. And the weld quality around the BB…

AND I like the look of the Scott CR1 Comp - aaahhh, the choices!

Considering I'm a wannerby newbie roady, what does 'flight deck compatible' mean? Heads-up display?

Simon

[dirty_harry]

flight deck pretty much heads up display no not quite its a computer made by shimano that links to drivetrain through shifters to give gear and i think u can control the computer through buttons on the shifter hood. not an expert on this but im pretty sure its just the shimano computer system
harry.

[overthehill]

OK, it looks like the Giro for me. LBS (literally at the end of my street) has the 09 model at runout $: 105, carbon forks and seat stays etc etc. I got fitted for one today, it felt good - bars were a tad wide for me so I'll get them swapped out for 42cm bars. I think the LBS will do me a deal with the bike/water bottle/shoes/lycra etc.

So will be about the same $ as buying Scott or Cell over the 'net, + I get fitted to the bike and LBS service and support - which is valuable I reckon, especially for a first time buyer.

I had a look at the 2010 model - seems the only real difference is the paint job…

Test ride Monday! Can't wait!

[cjrich]

OK, it looks like the Giro for me. LBS (literally at the end of my street) has the 09 model at runout $: 105, carbon forks and seat stays etc etc. I got fitted for one today, it felt good - bars were a tad wide for me so I'll get them swapped out for 42cm bars. I think the LBS will do me a deal with the bike/water bottle/shoes/lycra etc.

So will be about the same $ as buying Scott or Cell over the 'net, + I get fitted to the bike and LBS service and support - which is valuable I reckon, especially for a first time buyer.

I had a look at the 2010 model - seems the only real difference is the paint job…

Test ride Monday! Can't wait!

Nice one. I'm sure you'll like it. Keep us posted.

[tripstobaltimore]

OK, it looks like the Giro for me. LBS (literally at the end of my street) has the 09 model at runout $: 105, carbon forks and seat stays etc etc. I got fitted for one today, it felt good - bars were a tad wide for me so I'll get them swapped out for 42cm bars. I think the LBS will do me a deal with the bike/water bottle/shoes/lycra etc.

So will be about the same $ as buying Scott or Cell over the 'net, + I get fitted to the bike and LBS service and support - which is valuable I reckon, especially for a first time buyer.

I had a look at the 2010 model - seems the only real difference is the paint job…

Test ride Monday! Can't wait!

sounds like you've done pretty well, enjoy.

[_mike_]

Ended up with a 09' Giro in silver and nothing but good things to say! Build quality is excellent. Only 'lower' end component are the wheels (but rather have good frame/g'set for this amount of $$$). Paid $1900 through the LBS back in March/April

When i took delivery the bars were slightly tilted back, head stem raised all the way ----> relaxed/v stable position. Over time i slowly altered my position to a more 'racier' style which i now prefer ---> dropped 2 spacers, tilted drops forward etc etc

enjoy

[overthehill]

Thats good to know _mike_. At my level of riding I reckon the standard wheelset will do just fine - can always upgrade later if I feel the need…

Is it Monday yet?

[overthehill]

Its a done deal! Avanti giro + new helmet + Speccy Sport road shoes + nics + gloves + bottle and cage = $2200.

Pickup tomorrow. Interesting thing was it didn't feel ALL that much different to ride than my single speed. A fraction lighter and tighter, and the seat ain't up to a Brooks… but I know for the long haul it'll be heaps better.

Yay!!

[cjrich]

Its a done deal! Avanti giro + new helmet + Speccy Sport road shoes + nics + gloves + bottle and cage = $2200.

Pickup tomorrow. Interesting thing was it didn't feel ALL that much different to ride than my single speed. A fraction lighter and tighter, and the seat ain't up to a Brooks… but I know for the long haul it'll be heaps better.

Yay!!

Well done. Betya can't wait for that first ride

Look forward to seeing the BNA required pics.

CJ

[bionic wombat]

nice posts there

I recently bought my Kona Zing last week $1700 inc two water "Look" bottles/ two 'Jetblack' cages / Fox race jersey / netti twilight cycling shorts.

[overthehill]

Now the proud owner of a Giro (you can scope it out here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/74943457@N00/3922287573/).

And my first ride? Round the block with my son on his trainer bike! Oh well, got some practice with the cleats…

And I was wrong - it is WAY better than my fixie. Work permitting I'll get a long(ish) ride tomorrow.

[cjrich]

Now the proud owner of a Giro (you can scope it out here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/74943457@N00/3922287573/).

And my first ride? Round the block with my son on his trainer bike! Oh well, got some practice with the cleats…

And I was wrong - it is WAY better than my fixie. Work permitting I'll get a long(ish) ride tomorrow.

WOW, great looking bike, nicer than the silver/white one I looked at.

Congrats

CJ

[overthehill]

thanx cjrich - black just looks better I reckon - I was lucky to get the last 2009 one in my size too. Was looking forward to a ride today, wouldn't ya know it, its raining!