Road bike recommendations

Just to confuse matters. The Mistral is £1.3k, and very much loved by its owners. Half decent kit too.

http://www.fatbirds.co.uk/detail.asp/sku=VN-Mistralbike/Van_Nicholas_Mistral_Titanium_Road_Bike

Fatbirds also have the Sabbath Silkroad for £1.5k with Sram Apex (£100 more for rival, or £50 more for 105).

and very much loved by its owners.

Affirmative.

I'd get the Cannondale- which I doubt is a surprise to anyone.

If you could fit on a 54cm then this is an awesome bike http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110663375402&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT at £820 with two days to go.

I've got the 58cm version (which has a 56cm seat-tube and 57.5cm top tube if that helps)
What do you think his minimum bid is?

£1020 now

If someone really, really wanted that Cannondale and the guy wouldn't post, I could pick it up and post it on.

Im in for a geared bike at the moment at its current bidding price. And for something that nice, i will snipe it later on.

I'd say Dan's estimate of £1,500 being a steal is pretty spot on, they are great bikes (in my biased view).

Cannondale stopped the alloy/CF mix for a number of reasons- one of which being that making them was extremely labour intensive, making pure CF was much cheaper.

given that it's DA 7900 etc if it goes for under 1500 I'll be surprised. But you never know - though the whole forum will be bidding on it now :)

I'd say Dan's estimate of £1,500 being a steal is pretty spot on, they are great bikes (in my biased view).

Cannondale stopped the alloy/CF mix for a number of reasons- one of which being that making them was extremely labour intensive, making pure CF was much cheaper.

Is it a heavy frameset?

The Racemaster is 2,1Kg for frame fork, and seatpost. Which is probably nearly 30% heavier than anything else on the pro circuit post 2009. Did'nt make me think twice, before buying one. but have wondered if it makes the bike difficult to market, and that this, along with production costs, led to the carbon/alu design being dropped for 2011.

surely if something is stiff enough (and/or aero) it will make up for the weight difference? Especially if you're not doing 40 min climbs?

surely if something is stiff enough (and/or aero) it will make up for the weight difference? Especially if you're not doing 40 min climbs?

Totally. I've heard it described as 'not having an once of fat on it'. Which I liked.

My point was that maybe its difficult to sell a 1.85Kg frameset for over £1.2k when the Ribble stealth is 30% lighter and half the price.

ED: I will be doing 90min climbs on mine BTW.

I still think that stiff probably outweighs light on climbs - to an extent obviously.

But then I'm heavy anyway, so bike weight makes little difference. I also know fuck all, other than what I read in magazines and on the internet, my experience with long climbs is minimal and mostly involves chewing bartape until the agony stops.

I still think that stiff probably outweighs light on climbs.

I think that depends on the rider. Its certainly the case for me. At least it feels that way.

I tend to attack climbs, while berating myself horribly under my breath. Untill the level of self hate makes my brain inplode, and I get off my bike and cry into my arm warmers.

We all have our different styles ;)

I have seen on a shop website 1800g for frame, fork, headset and seatpost clamp for the 58cm.

Moving production to topkey killed it as the factory inTaiwan could not work with the alloy parts with sufficient ability.

It was very interesting meeting Ben Serotta

He explained how back in the day race frames were made as stiff as possible, tourers more relaxed and forgiving.

However there was a physio specialist who was caught in an earthquake who felt physically drained by the experience and thought it was not just the shock but also dealing with the vibrations. This then prompted him to create the first powerplate type machines to measure the fatigue caused by vibrations.

Serotta found out about this and used the research to help them design bikes which were more discipline specific. So shorter races - the fatigue from road buzz is not going to be so signficant, but for a long day in the saddle the same geometry can used but the frame set (tubing, butting etc) can be adjusted for a more compliant ride. The energy saved in fatigue can then let the rider perform better for longer.

Yeah but Prancer. Bike Radar tells nearly every road bike produced is 'responsive while virtically complient'.

They would'nt lie to us.

De Rosa Milanino, Alu, carbo fork, Veloce groupset, £1.3k
Wilier La Triestina, Alu, carbon seat stays & Fork, Mirage groupset £1.2k
Colnago Ace, full carbon, 105, £1.5 (bank/ relationship breaker)
Colnago Arite Alloy / Carbon 105, £1.3

So you're on a tight budget and you chose the the most expensive companies £1500 for a bike with 105, pah.

If you're really on a budget look away from big italian brand

Planet X Pro Carbon SL with Red- £1300
^ with Force- £1099
Or
Build your own, I recon if you grab a second had frame i.e Cervelo S1 you could build it with Rival for roughly £1000

Yeah but Prancer. Bike Radar tells nearly every road bike produced is 'responsive while virtically complient'.

They would'nt lie to us.

lol.

Cycling plus reviews are a sham. I love it when they do a group test "at £1200" and then have a bunch of aluminium Trek/Verenti's and completely ignore PX, Ribble or any of the people who offer insane value for money at that price point.

The editorial in that mag is a joke anyway - "Your complete winter training guide" consists of:

1. Buy tights, they are warm - oh, and here are some other not very good products we have been paid to feature.
   
2. you might want to buy a second bike for crap weather
   
3. Make sure you have lights
   
   
   

wtf? Does that count as an article these days?! Their circulation is up a third too applies palm to face

Did anyone on here end up getting that Cannondale. £2k was probably a fair price for it.

[/noseybugger]

I was wondering if i paid the right amount for it...

Been stressing that i overpaid as it was about £600 more than i was going to go (stupidly i was drunk and the chalenge of finding the limit and the highest bidder got to me)

Didnt say it was me cause of overpricing issues [/shybugger]

You bought that Cannondale?

I'm guessing the bike's worth £3.5k or so new. So £2k for used but in great condition seems like a more than fair price. But as the framset's been discontinued, it could be worth a lot more to the right person I suppose.

Ultimately it depends on how much you want it, relative to how much you can afford. Like anything.

The DA version was 4K new, mine was the Ultegra and was 2.8K.

The DA version was 4K new, mine was the Ultegra and was 2.8K.

Was thinking that. Did'nt want to overprice it though. Half price used, is a great price if the pics are accurate about the condition.

Wheels = 500
Groupset = 1200
Frameset = 2200
Finishing kit = ends up being free on a OTP bike.

IMO, there are better ways to drop 2k on a bike.

though there are worse ways to drop a 4k bike

(sorry Dov)