[Closed] £1000 to spend on first road bike. What would you buy?

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And £101 change.

Or, wait a little while, and get £1 change and one of these;
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I went to Merlin and asked them what I could get for around that sort of money. I ended up buying a 2012 Malt-R for way less than that and love it to pieces.

Have a look at their website.

That's what's caught my eye first. Are they well specced for the money?

Fit is far more important on a road bike. But if you knew someone with one if these... And they have your size.. A million times [url= http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m7b0s6p5230/CANNONDALE-CAAD10-105-2013 ]this[/url]

Yeah. Saw the cannodale too and not too keen. So aluminium then?

I'd put fit before material. Recently gone from an Aluminium Cannondale to a Carbon frame but based my choice solely on the geometry being similar.

Ribble/Boardman?

Exact same dilemma has been puzzling me for months. I will be going for a Giant Defy 0 and I'm quite happy to wait for it.

fit before material.

Indeed. Proven frame tech, construction and fit trump any amount of [s]golf course clubhouse[/s] bragging about how you've gone all crabon fribe.

Go to a good Giant dealer, buy a Defy and get fitted properly.

I bought an aluminium TCR for about a £1000 2 years ago, shame Giant don't do 'em no more. Still going strong.

One thing I will mention is how impressed I've been with the wheels. PR-2's I think, anyway, weighty buggers but they're touted as being made by DT Swiss. They've been unfortunate enough to have been ridden through hub deep water on about 10 occasions and ridden home with no air in the rear tyre twice after using all my tubes! I recently noticed the rear wheel was rough, they looked like cup and cone due to the locknut arrangement but once I'd stripped 'em down I was impressed to find a hub with cartridge bearings and additional sealing on the front and rear hubs. Not something I expected on budget wheels, grease was still clean on the inside of the hub. 2 new bearings and the wheel's like new.

Whatever fits. My first road bike I was keen on the Giant as it always gets good reviews - but the giant main dealer was fairly useless. Couldn't get one to fit out of the box but they were happy to helpfully put on new bits to make it fit - at full RRP... Their idea of a bike fit was go ride it on the carpark, and tell us what you think.

Ended up with a Focus from my local lycra LBS who spent time with me choosing, fitting it to me a week later, and then fitting it again 6 months later after i'd spent a bit of time on it.

You really can't go wrong with a Giant Defy of any flavour (and we have Alloy 5 and Advanced SL). If you are near one of their stores they will let you demo something in your size. I took an Advanced racing last year. They actively want you to give their bikes a good thrashing, and expect you to come back impressed.

My local one does proper fitting free of charge, including stem swaps, of course.

+1 Giant Defy. One of the best sorted and comfy bikes, regardless of spec level.....they are all good.

There are some 2014 Defy 1's around with 30% off if you google. I'm tempted to get one for a winter bike but can't justify.

Sensa Trentino SL Pro. Bought mine from Merlin, excellent bike and customer service. I preferred the black, but also in red
A lot of Ultegra kit for not very much money (tad over £1k) [url= http://www.merlincycles.com/sensa-trentino-sl-pro-58999.html ]Sensa[/url]
Trentino SL Comp would give you £100+ change and some 105 kit

My money goes with Bregante's suggestion.

That Cannondale is a steal, and never gets a bad review (if they have your size).

Cannondales are relatively easy to size if you aren't sure (sold in 2cm traditional increments, with fairly average geometry).