Road bike recommendations

If she wants a bit of comfort. Theres this...

http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m7b0s6p5237/CANNONDALE-SYNAPSE-CARBON-105-2013

But there are also mad offers around on a supersix. Size 54 perhaps?

http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m7b0s6p5514/CANNONDALE-SUPERSIX-EVO-105-5-2014

http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m7b0s6p5164/CANNONDALE-SUPERSIX-EVO-RED-COMPACT-2013

Buy my 7970 gearset and brakes? :)

Cable availability for 7970 is an issue now.

Google disagrees with you

Google is wrong

Want either 6870, or 9070.

7970 is no good to me as I have 11 speed wheels. Plus I need a direct mount rear brake. Wish they'd gone direct mount for the front too. Seems messing having two different brake standards on the same bike.

Would have bought the 9070 from Ribble. But I needed to put the funds towards a frame first.

Thoughts on the 2015 giant propel series? Looking at the Advanced 2 model as I like the look of an aero road bike.. Also took a liking to the Starley AO at the cycle show but it's nigh on 2k for a 105 build.

Any other recommendations for something around £1500?

Raleigh militis comp rrp is 1500 smackers > http://www.wheelies.co.uk/p75628/Raleigh-Militis-Comp-2015-Road-Bike.aspx

This: http://www.westbrookcycles.co.uk/cannondale-super-6-evo-105-5-replica-compact-road-bike-2014-p241104?gclid=Cj0KEQjwq52iBRDEvrC12Jnz6coBEiQA2otXAuHPccQJiDvzwhDj2lxH0bm1_2XjCtXGhUdObCPJNlMaAv3p8P8HAQ

spend the difference on contact points and nice tyres.

Or one of last years evos; you could get a frame or groupset upgrade in same price .. @Smallfurry has posted links ^^^^^^^

isn't that what I just posted?

If you really want an aero road bike. Then the felt AR series is very well priced, and meant to be more aero. I'm bias though. I have the frameset on pre-order.

The propel has a tall headtube. So watch the stack height. I've been told manufacturers do this as spacer stacks, and reverse stems ruin the teh Aeros. But lets face it. Aero bikes are MAMIL bait, and need to be MAMIL friendly.

The little v-brakes on the propel arent brilliant. But they are more accessable than other aero road bike brakes.

If you're happy With a mechanical groupset. The super6 from Paulscycles, or westbrook is the way to go though. Much better riding bike for Your monies surely?

So my New road bike will be leftovers from the BMC, including the wheels, With 6780, on a 2015 Felt AR1.

Just so its said. I have no sensible justification for this.

Aero road bikes - look cool, but handle and ride like a gate. A harsh gate.
Not worth it unless you're planning solo breakaways in road races or doubling it up as a TT bike. Even then, there are so many ways you can improve aerodynamics (position, helmet, clothing) which make much more of a difference that it hardly seems worth it just for willy waving points and a 5w saving.

Hmmm. Give it a couple if years and every serious (UCI) road bike will have been through CFD analysis or a wind tunnel (or will be marketed to suggest it has).

If you're into going fast a 5w gain is big.

Yes, for sure.. but you're missing my point- those gains are only worth looking for if you need seconds, or you're riding in a breakaway all day or are losing sprints by half a wheel. For 99.9% of cyclists the exchange of handling and comfort for marginal wattage gains is stupid.

I'm talking about proper aero road frames here - not ones that just look a bit aerodynamic.

Aero gains are worth more in time to us than to pros. If you race, you either want those gains or you don't care, but there's no arguing they exist.

Yes, you're being disingenuous though - the point I'm making is that those gains are easy to find in so many other areas that it's not worth looking for them in a frame at the expense of handling and comfort. Fine - if your position is dialed, stem slammed, you have Zipps, skin tight clothing that fits properly, an aero-optimised helmet, shaved legs etc etc etc then sure, go look for the 5-10w saving in a frame. But otherwise it's like advocating the use of a disc wheel for sportive riders.

If I made purchases based on need I'd still be on my hybrid cx commuter mongrel bike.

I dont think I'm making any compromises. I rode 550km on a famously harsh bike this year. The AR1 will be loads more forgiving, lighter, at least as responsive, and as stiff up front. So why not get some Aeros. If they're on offer. I ride With shoe covers, Air attack helmet, and offensively tight lycra already, on 56mm deep carbon tubs.

But if we're talking about need. I cant win this discussion. I ride as much for Fitness than anything else. So I should ride a 20kg bike With parachutes Attached for better effect.

ED: ....and dont discount willy waving.

Which bike was famously harsh?

If you're saying the frame is (pretty much) last on the list of changes you can easily make. I agree.

I just wanted to add that Fred Average benefits from aero gains more than a powerful rider. The buying public still haven't completely got their heads round this I think, but eventually they will.

I disagree about 'losing by a wheel' being the only time gains make sense. Sometimes aims are more humble, but the margins are the same.

Engineers will keep making aero frames and the weight and comfort penalties of those frames will vanish and we'll all go 0.16kph faster :)

Most the time though, more benefits can be had elsewhere, for example rather than buy a new frame, get rid of old zipp 40mm V's and get some firecrests, or better lycra etc. GCN did a good little review/comparison thing

The chunky rear ended BMC racemaster. Cant say I agreed With that though.

The AR1 has far smaller seat stays, and no brake bridge. So there should be compliance there.
The seatpost is split in two Down the middle, and the clamp sits in vibration absorbing polymer. So there should be some compliance there.

I'm not a big follower of this bikeradar compliance shite though.

we'll all go 0.16kph faster

I won't be able to cope with the added dilemma of whether to ride 320m further on my 33kph 2-hour ride, or cut it short by 1m18s.

Cycling's getting too stressful.