Sorry, geared bikes but which bike do I get? help please

Just been given the details of our new company cycle to work scheme and I’ve got to pick a bike from one specific website. The company is cycle solutions who I’ve never heard of before but they seem to have an okay selection.

I’m lookin for something to get me to to work and back (30mile round trip) I’m struggling on my fixed gear with the combination of weather and the hilly bits.

Lookin at these three.

Not the best lookin bike but seems to make sense for the money spec wise.

http://www.cyclesolutions.co.uk/p34230/Claud-Butler-Milano-2010.aspx

More partial to the looks on this one but I’m not sure about the microshift shifter/levers and square taper bottom bracket.

http://www.cyclesolutions.co.uk/p38690/Felt-F95-2011.aspx

Love the look of this but is there any way to justify the price?

http://www.cyclesolutions.co.uk/p39016/Genesis-Aether-20-2011.aspx

The main problem is I really don’t know much about aluminium frames or carbon forks and what’s good or not for the money.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Looks make no difference

Buy the one that fits you

Felt if it fits. Proper bike and the Genesis isn't offering you £200 extra quids worth.

...why worry about the price if youre getting the cyclescheme (40% ? ) discount, plus its spread over 12 months.....buy cheap/buy twice

genesis looks nicest to me, will retain most residual value if you want to resell too....felt looks good but i have no experience of the microshift STI's ( though their flat bar shifters are crap! - imho )....best sticking with SRAM or Shimano in my book...Claud Butlers probably surprisingly ok

Claud Butler owned by Falcon...not greatsets warranty back up in my experience...Felt i know very litttle about...guessing Genesis will have the best warranty back up

does it get sent out direct to you in a box? if so probably worth getting a decent LBS to give it a go over/tune/PDI prior to riding ( if youre not confident/experienced to do so yourself...)...most interweb bikes seem to be built by idiots in my experience

wouldnt worry to much about square taper bb....if youre lucky itll be a shimano...should get 18 months at least out of it and theyre cheap to replace....
doubt theres much differnce in frame quality between all 3...at a guess the CB will be chinese or vietnamese, the other too will be taiwanese and slightly better build and finish quality...

go with the Genesis!
(my 2p's worth)

^ what prancer said.

Get a fit done, if you can't do that then go throw your leg over a few of them and see what you like.

For what it's worth, i'd buy the felt if it fitted me. As BT said - proper bike

^ Failing that, get a Red one.

ooohh...

I'd have this one.

ooohh...

I'd have this one.

good shout....appprox £50 a month on cyclescheme...?

Love the look of this but is there any way to justify the price?

http://www.cyclesolutions.co.uk/p39016/Genesis-Aether-20-2011.aspx

Yes. Full(ish) Tiagra gruppo inc. STIs, lovely frame, bet it's comfy if it fits, Genesis actually stand behind their bikes and aren't afraid to muck in on the forums.

if you are going to spend this kind money though you could also consider a CAAD8.

http://www.cyclesolutions.co.uk/p39587/Cannondale-CAAD-8-Tiagra-Compact-2011.aspx

Or the Sora version;

http://www.cyclesolutions.co.uk/p39586/Cannondale-CAAD-8-Sora-Compact-2011.aspx

If you can cope with Sora shifters...

Looks make no difference

That's a lie, black bikes are fastest!

Felt ftw

Yes. Full(ish) Tiagra gruppo inc. STIs, lovely frame, bet it's comfy if it fits, Genesis actually stand behind their bikes and aren't afraid to muck in on the forums.

if you are going to spend this kind money though you could also consider a CAAD8.

http://www.cyclesolutions.co.uk/p39587/Cannondale-CAAD-8-Tiagra-Compact-2011.aspx

Or the Sora version;

http://www.cyclesolutions.co.uk/p39586/Cannondale-CAAD-8-Sora-Compact-2011.aspx

If you can cope with Sora shifters...

Sora shifters are fine. Red C'dale ftw

i love the advice on this thread, buy the felt, buy the genesis

FFS buy the one that is going to fit best so you can be more comfortable and not damage yourself riding the bike.

I hope you will spend more time looking at the road ahead than at what is between your legs (ram fucking poor innuendo in here), so the aesthetics count for very little.

it's not a proper thread James, and he's not going to listen anyway — just let him buy whatever piece of shit he thinks looks more 'retro'

Looks make no difference

Buy the one that fits you

End thread.

I'm not sure I'd want to spend £££'s on a bike fit, to buy a £800 bike. But a test ride on a few (for comparsion), would be essential.

Your looking at alu frame with tiagra at that price point.If you want a roadie
Something like this:
http://www.cyclesolutions.co.uk/p40336/Bianchi-C2C-Via-Nirone-7-Alu-Tiagra-Mix-2011.aspx
or this:
http://www.cyclesolutions.co.uk/p39327/GT-GTR-Series-3-2011.aspx

I've always liked these though, sensible component selection for the cost, and the added bonus of being able to add panniers.

ooohh...

I'd have this one.

Yeah, I'd love to but I need to get some wet weather gear with it and the max you can get on the cycle scheme is £1000.

Prancer, I have looked at the sizes and based on my current road bike (93 Cia Battino with tt 54.5 c-c) I think I'd need a 54 in the Felt and the Genesis and a 53 in the Claud Butler. All of which they have in stock.

Although I'm not sure if these are compact frames and would this make a difference?

Also just spotted that there's a team issue version of the Felt that looks like this on Winstanleys. http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/images/prod_34970.jpg

http://www.cyclesolutions.co.uk/p29698/Kona-Jake-2010.aspx

This^ for your (muddy) hills.

Had a more in depth look at some of the other suggestions people have made. I really like the look of the Tifosis but I think they're designed for longer distance riding than what I'm going to be doing. Also looked at the Cannondales and they're pretty well speced for the money and I reckon they should be okay with any warranty issues + I can get them in the right size so I'm gonna get the CAAD 8 Tiagra.

Thanks everyone for your input, I definately feel confident I'm going for the right bike now.

Had a more in depth look at some of the other suggestions people have made. I really like the look of the Tifosis but I think they're designed for longer distance riding than what I'm going to be doing. Also looked at the Cannondales and they're pretty well speced for the money and I reckon they should be okay with any warranty issues + I can get them in the right size so I'm gonna get the CAAD 8 Tiagra.

Thanks everyone for your input, I definately feel confident I'm going for the right bike now.

An audax bike'll get you around pretty quickly, and proper full mudguards are a godsend for autumm commutes. I imagine it'd take bigger tyres than a standard roadie too, this could be nice for winter riding. As an audax bike its designed to be able to have a rack fitted, yet doesnt have the longer wheelbase of a tourer. In short, it would make a great all weather commuter, and should you decide to get some panniers, would do for light shopping trips too.

If you're after more of an out'n'out roadie though. You could do a hell of a lot worse than a CAAD8

Test ride them?

Can't test ride em unfortunately. Think I'm gonna go for the Cannondale and fit it with some of those crud mudguards. Tifosi Sora isn't quite there on spec and even tho i really like the Campag one it's just too much of a stretch on price. I'll be taking the train at least one day a week to cover anything heavy I might have to take to work so I think the Cannondale's good to go. Cheers for the tips tho.

Can't test ride em unfortunately. Think I'm gonna go for the Cannondale and fit it with some of those crud mudguards. Tifosi Sora isn't quite there on spec and even tho i really like the Campag one it's just too much of a stretch on price. I'll be taking the train at least one day a week to cover anything heavy I might have to take to work so I think the Cannondale's good to go. Cheers for the tips tho.

As posted by many above. Youre looking at alu frame + tiagra for your price point, and the cannondale has to be one of the best in that class.

I think I was transfering my love of Audax bikes a little there.

Good luck with it.

my current road bike (93 Cia Battino with tt 54.5 c-c)

What's wrong with the dodgy resprayed Italian stallion anyway? ;-)

It's all about the cyclocross bikes this year, jeez ffs do keep up.

+1 to getting an audax bike.

Also why can't you test them? Online only?

If I were you I wouldn't buy one without going to a shop and trying it. I'd of thought that Evans and CS would have had most of these.

My 2p - I've liked every Genisis I've ridden, which is 2. They have a good rep as to C'Dale. If you're likely to keep it and upgrade, shortlist the best quality frames. If you're just going to get a new one when the Cyclescheme comes around next year, it's not so important.

If you're likely to keep it and upgrade, shortlist the best quality frames. If you're just going to get a new one when the Cyclescheme comes around next year, it's not so important.

You raise a good point there. I always recomend going for the very best frame (in terms of fit too), and upgrading parts (esp. wheels) to taste.

But if its going to be replaced, then look at stuff like wheel more carefully. On budget bike, Shimano do solid wheelsets for example.