Cycling advice

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kaptin1
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Re: Cycling advice

Post by kaptin1 » Sat Jul 20, 2019 1:25 pm

Pearcey wrote:https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre ... 2328344857

That’s quite a lot to be fair. I would say £200 would be the average. Worth keeping it. You can never have enough bikes! :-D
Cheers ... £200 would be nice!

kaptin1
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Re: Cycling advice

Post by kaptin1 » Sat Jul 20, 2019 6:35 pm

Looking at Specialized Allez Elite ... £1050 but price match gets this down to £890. That’s before tax saving on cycle to work scheme which means it will end up costing c£340 net.

https://www.evanscycles.com/specialized ... e-EV337902" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Danieljwaterhouse
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Re: Cycling advice

Post by Danieljwaterhouse » Sat Jul 20, 2019 6:40 pm

kaptin1 wrote:Looking at Specialized Allez Elite ... £1050 but price match gets this down to £890. That’s before tax saving on cycle to work scheme which means it will end up costing c£340 net.

https://www.evanscycles.com/specialized ... e-EV337902" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
It’s got a mixed group set, honestly if you’re committed spend the money, you’ll only have to spend more once you’re taken with it!

kaptin1
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Re: Cycling advice

Post by kaptin1 » Sat Jul 20, 2019 6:43 pm

Danieljwaterhouse wrote:It’s got a mixed group set, honestly if you’re committed spend the money, you’ll only have to spend more once you’re taken with it!
What is mixed?

Danieljwaterhouse
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Re: Cycling advice

Post by Danieljwaterhouse » Sat Jul 20, 2019 7:28 pm

105 rear, crap front

Devils_Advocate
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Re: Cycling advice

Post by Devils_Advocate » Sat Jul 20, 2019 7:35 pm

Not sure how much they cost but im thinking bout getting one of those motorised ones like Julian Alaphilippe is currently riding in the Tour De France
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tarkys_ears
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Re: Cycling advice

Post by tarkys_ears » Sat Jul 20, 2019 8:01 pm

Danieljwaterhouse wrote:105 rear, crap front
It's a thousand quid bike, what do you expect.

Specialized have made a few bikes btw, I'm sure they know what they're doing.

Pearcey
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Re: Cycling advice

Post by Pearcey » Sat Jul 20, 2019 8:05 pm

For what you want a mixed set is fine. I have full ultegra which is excellent. I had sora on my last one and I was happy with that too. The Allez is a great bike. Go for it.

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Re: Cycling advice

Post by Tricky Trevor » Sat Jul 20, 2019 10:21 pm

As said above if you are trying to get back into cycling go second hand.
If you are on facebook click on marketplace—categories—(under hobbies)bicycles. It will give you some great deals within reach of your location. See one you like then get the spec off google.
Once you are happily biking again you can upgrade and re-sell this bike.

SirAlec
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Re: Cycling advice

Post by SirAlec » Sat Jul 20, 2019 11:38 pm

id be very surprised if they do a price match if the other company don’t do the bike to work scheme?!

Have you worked how much you’ll save on the scheme?

My first bike was an allez, should of been £800 but was £550 after the discount. That was about six years ago.

Inchy
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Re: Cycling advice

Post by Inchy » Sun Jul 21, 2019 7:21 am

I have a cannon dale super six evo 105 and it’s a really good bike but I wouldn’t recommend it unless you plan on cycling about hell for leather. It has a very sporty set up, even when adjusted for longer rides, making it uncomfortable unless you are used to riding long distances.

I regularly do 50/60 miles at once on it but I start getting a bit of back and neck pain at those distances. That could be poor bike fit as I have never paid for one.

It is rapid though. I went from averaging 15/16mph over 30 miles to 18/19mph over 50 miles when I switched to this bike from a cheaper endurance bike

It’s worth looking to see if last years models are still about. I got my bike for 400quid cheaper than it was going for the previous year because it was last years model.

Whatever you do make sure you get a least a 105. It’s a work horse. Anything less is no where near as good in my experience.
I wouldn’t worry too much about the weight of the bike. Always makes me laugh when blokes at my cycle club are showing off their lightweight 7k bikes, and then I go bombing past them up hills because I’m not carrying around an extra 14ib around my gut
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Pearcey
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Re: Cycling advice

Post by Pearcey » Sun Jul 21, 2019 7:38 am

Tricky Trevor wrote:As said above if you are trying to get back into cycling go second hand.
If you are on facebook click on marketplace—categories—(under hobbies)bicycles. It will give you some great deals within reach of your location. See one you like then get the spec off google.
Once you are happily biking again you can upgrade and re-sell this bike.
The cycle to work scheme is a great way of getting a new bike for a lot less money and in my company it’s only available for 1 month in the year and a monthly amount gets deducted from your pay per tax(in case you didn’t know). Buying secondhand means shelling out a lump. Doesn’t always work for some.

kaptin1
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Re: Cycling advice

Post by kaptin1 » Sun Jul 21, 2019 12:33 pm

SirAlec wrote:id be very surprised if they do a price match if the other company don’t do the bike to work scheme?!

Have you worked how much you’ll save on the scheme?

My first bike was an allez, should of been £800 but was £550 after the discount. That was about six years ago.
They have already given me a quote with price match. The C2W element is not relevant as the price match is based on the retail price not the cost post tax savings. The bike is £1050 retail and they have matched Cycle Surgery at £890. After tax savings at my marginal rate, I reckon it will cost me about £340 net, which would be an incredible deal!
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kaptin1
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Re: Cycling advice

Post by kaptin1 » Sun Jul 21, 2019 12:37 pm

Inchy wrote:I have a cannon dale super six evo 105 and it’s a really good bike but I wouldn’t recommend it unless you plan on cycling about hell for leather. It has a very sporty set up, even when adjusted for longer rides, making it uncomfortable unless you are used to riding long distances.

I regularly do 50/60 miles at once on it but I start getting a bit of back and neck pain at those distances. That could be poor bike fit as I have never paid for one.

It is rapid though. I went from averaging 15/16mph over 30 miles to 18/19mph over 50 miles when I switched to this bike from a cheaper endurance bike

It’s worth looking to see if last years models are still about. I got my bike for 400quid cheaper than it was going for the previous year because it was last years model.

Whatever you do make sure you get a least a 105. It’s a work horse. Anything less is no where near as good in my experience.
I wouldn’t worry too much about the weight of the bike. Always makes me laugh when blokes at my cycle club are showing off their lightweight 7k bikes, and then I go bombing past them up hills because I’m not carrying around an extra 14ib around my gut
Agree, the weight savings are only relevant if you are an elite cyclist who is racing and needs to eek out every competitive advantage they can. For the average ‘Joe’ it really doesn’t matter. I’m about 80kg so saving 0.5kg weight on a bike isn’t really make a noticeable difference.

Inchy
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Re: Cycling advice

Post by Inchy » Sun Jul 21, 2019 1:39 pm

kaptin1 wrote:Agree, the weight savings are only relevant if you are an elite cyclist who is racing and needs to eek out every competitive advantage they can. For the average ‘Joe’ it really doesn’t matter. I’m about 80kg so saving 0.5kg weight on a bike isn’t really make a noticeable difference.

The only noticeable difference will be to the wallet. A few grams lighter costs a bloody fortune.

Coincidentally it’s a year tomorrow that I bought my first road bike, a Carrara virtuoso for £210 from Halfords. A really good entry level bike. Since then I have upgraded the bike and in a year I have done 2500 miles.
I got the bike because I was really unfit and I hated running. Now I’m the fittest I’ve ever been and I even enjoy running because I have the cardio built up from cycling.

Cyclists get a hard time from some people. I don’t commute to work because how dangerous busy roads are and I stick to country roads early in the mornings or on the weekend.
I tip my cap to anyone that gets off their arse and gets on a bike, be it going hell for leather on the road or trundling along a canal path. It’s a positive thing to do for both physical and mental health

Danieljwaterhouse
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Re: Cycling advice

Post by Danieljwaterhouse » Sun Jul 21, 2019 1:44 pm

tarkys_ears wrote:It's a thousand quid bike, what do you expect.

Specialized have made a few bikes btw, I'm sure they know what they're doing.

Specialized don’t give a rats about the entry level bikes, they churn them out en mass and the production quality is awful.

You need to spend more to get a better group set and frame, the supersix frane will take you all the way to Cat 1 and above.

You don’t spend cheap if your committed, or you’ll quickly end up spending twice as much.

CombatClaret
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Re: Cycling advice

Post by CombatClaret » Sun Jul 21, 2019 2:06 pm

I commute daily on a Decathalon Triban with Tiagra, amazing the bikes they make for the cost, economy of scale. Tiagra is fine, replaced the chain and cassette after a year due to wear.
On a Giant Defy for my leisure rides and it's a beautiful machine.

I really recommend a bike fit, I was a bit disappointed when I got this new expensive bike and it didn't feel quite right eg: hands not really engaging the hoods well, reaching for brakes etc. Thought I might have to change the stem length, maybe even gotten the wrong size. Turns out the bike was the perfect size just needed a little tweaking, had a fitting and it's like a glove. Was given the measurements too so I cant alter it myself or on future bikes.

tim_noone
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Re: Cycling advice

Post by tim_noone » Sun Jul 21, 2019 2:25 pm

Inchy wrote:The only noticeable difference will be to the wallet. A few grams lighter costs a bloody fortune.

Coincidentally it’s a year tomorrow that I bought my first road bike, a Carrara virtuoso for £210 from Halfords. A really good entry level bike. Since then I have upgraded the bike and in a year I have done 2500 miles.
I got the bike because I was really unfit and I hated running. Now I’m the fittest I’ve ever been and I even enjoy running because I have the cardio built up from cycling.

Cyclists get a hard time from some people. I don’t commute to work because how dangerous busy roads are and I stick to country roads early in the mornings or on the weekend.
I tip my cap to anyone that gets off their arse and gets on a bike, be it going hell for leather on the road or trundling along a canal path. It’s a positive thing to do for both physical and mental health
Re.Roads limited time on them onto the canal down to Barrowford cycle track for a few Laps and back to kelbrook .....I'm surprised how the track is so underused.

tarkys_ears
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Re: Cycling advice

Post by tarkys_ears » Sun Jul 21, 2019 2:55 pm

Danieljwaterhouse wrote:Specialized don’t give a rats about the entry level bikes, they churn them out en mass and the production quality is awful.

You need to spend more to get a better group set and frame, the supersix frane will take you all the way to Cat 1 and above.

You don’t spend cheap if your committed, or you’ll quickly end up spending twice as much.
Calm down love, I think he wants a bike to get around on, not do Le Tour with.

Danieljwaterhouse
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Re: Cycling advice

Post by Danieljwaterhouse » Sun Jul 21, 2019 7:22 pm

tarkys_ears wrote:Calm down love, I think he wants a bike to get around on, not do Le Tour with.
Which is why I have him the advice I did chicken xx

Inchy
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Re: Cycling advice

Post by Inchy » Sun Jul 21, 2019 7:47 pm

Êtes-vous Français?

kaptin1
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Re: Cycling advice

Post by kaptin1 » Sat Aug 03, 2019 5:59 pm

Ended up getting the Specialized Allez Elite with a good discount. Also got a Trek X Caliber MTB for a bit of off-roading. Already been out on the Trek and it’s great. Goes anywhere! Might take the Allez for a spin tomorrow.
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Pearcey
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Re: Cycling advice

Post by Pearcey » Sat Aug 03, 2019 6:52 pm

Nice one! Safe riding.
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