What do you consider as the best sub £500 complete road bike available

Im a 58, how common a size is that? Also, do you expect a decent price drop on the allez? They are already dropped to 500, i dont know if theyll mark them much lower than that?

Last year, the 2010 model went for £400 (Allez 16).

I'm going to pop into work and check the stock inventory for each sizing, it'll give me a rough estimate of which's which will be likely to sold out quickly.

there are often (old) bikes complete bikes on here for that sort of price - you'll get so much more for your money with one of those.

It is true, but the difference is that they don't offer warranty, or free service.

It is true, but the difference is that they don't offer warranty, or free service.

Yer this is the main reason im looking to buy new.

It would be perfect to get the allez for £400 but im going to be using this bike to save money on commuting and get fitter in the process, so the longer I leave it the more im spending on travel, do you have any idea on the time frame for the Allez 2012?

I can't remember but usually late like October 2011, to mid-July 2012, specialized are usually good when it come to distribution, so likely to be in 2011.

How good are Bianchi Nirones? Ive seen a few 2nd hand ones for sub £500 which could be interesting. Ive gone off the Allez since finding out they had those Shimano thumb shifter, which ive heard were terrible.

£625 BIN?

You'd have to go throw a leg over one in a shop to check the size, but looks like a decent amount of bike for the cash

Looking for any advice on a road bike under £500 on the cycle to work scheme. Been moving towards http://www.wiggle.co.uk/battaglin-s11-sora-2013/ but wondering if anyone had any advice or better ideas?
http://www.cyclesolutions.co.uk/p61084/claud-butler-san-remo-2013-road-bike

Or pay the extra and go for a Ribble winter trainer?

Any ideas or suggestions would be really valuable thank-you

or buy a second hand bike, for max 500£ you'll get a nice bike

thats what I was thinking...

I'd definitely buy one second hand. You'll get a far better bike for your money

Yep. Ebay.

not ebay! look at the classifieds here

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/no/en/kona-zing-road-bike-2012/rp-prod95443

You can't usually buy a secondhand bike on the cycle to work scheme.

Btwin, the one that cost £300.

Btwin, the one that cost £300.

The Triban 3 (the red one at £300) is last year's stock and being phased out, and apparently the new version, the Triban 3A, is a bit pony. We found this out the hard way when the wife went to look at them yesterday and realised she couldn't get the Triban 3 in her size as it was now discontinued.

However she tried, and ended up buying, the next bike up, the 5, which is £429 (with £5 'cashback in voucher form') for a carbon fork on an aluminium frame and Sora everywhere except the brakes. The wheels aren't great but for the money it's a pretty good deal I think. Escpeically for the wife, who appreciates the triple as a new cyclist.

So in response to the thread question, the Triban 5 seems on the face of it a good deal for under £500, and from the limited time I spent on it feel decent.

The old 2300 groupset is being replaced with the newer Claris which have doubleshift, a major improvement, hopefully the Triban 3 will come with the full Claris groupset at similar price making it an even better bargain than the previous model.

Or it might get the Tourney groupset which is what happen to the old 2300 design (but with 7 speed).

The 2013 model (the 3A) has a Microshift set-up.

Better than the old 2300 set-up, pity about the change of fork, but steel is still better than alu.