[Closed] £3000 VFM road bike

Dolan's ride well.. and I have loved racing on DI2 both on and off road

I assume this is for racing at a decent level?
Canyon Ultimate CF SLX in that case.

If not £3k and some shopping around will get you a handbuilt Stainless steel or TI bike.

Dolan Ares SL?

Ridley Excalibur Di2 £1999 at Pearson's

http://www.pearsoncycles.co.uk/store/content/106/Ridley-Excalibur/

I've a couple of Ridley's and they ride very well.

Does VFM incorporate ride quality that you like, or fit?

Or is it just spec for the money?

If i had £3k i would be looking at something like a Stoemper Taylor ENVE fork, and then campag neutron wheels and probably end up with Campagnolo Veloce group set....

Really depends what your idea of VFM is really.

cheers peeps, ill take a look at those recommendations

yes its primary use will be racing (though not a decent level)and sportives but with speed/climbing taking priority over comfort

ride / quality and fit will be my secondary considerations. so i just want to focus on the spec for money for the moment

i had discounted the canyon as they don't do a CF with di2 and the SLX is a bit pricey, i figure i can get a better spec with a better £/lbs

Defo the Canyon Ultimate CF SLX 7 - Ive got one therefore its the best etc. Seriously I've got the current one, £2800 and its bloody great. Full Ultegra and Kysyrium SLRs for that money, and a frame that weighs 780grams...Im 14 stone and it is really solid under sprinting, but verrry comfy as well on the crappy winter tarmac/potholes.

The SLX 7 looks great.. If I wasn't supported by another great manufacturer I'd be tempted.. and on that note, Try a new Kinesis Aithein with Ultegra 11spd and wheels?

[i]ride / quality and fit will be my secondary considerations[/i]

Not trying to start the usual stw row but are you sure you've got your priorities right here?

If you are serious about racing, I'd consider the possibility of crashes and crash damage. UDi2 might be a bit pricey to replace.

If it was my money, I'd go for something that cost £2000, with cable Ultegra, and spend the rest on a bog standard wet weather bike.

ok ok ill take another look at the canyons

ride / quality and fit will be my secondary considerations

Not trying to start the usual stw row but are you sure you've got your priorities right here?

i will take those into serious consideration but im just drawing up my shortlist based on VFM first

Crikey, i take your point but im happy to take the hit if i do topple, and i already have a winter bike

Something from Rose bikes?

Planet X N2A looks good, again, I'd err on the side of less super bling and more tool for the job. Hopefully it'll be chucked in and out of cars and vans and ridden like it doesn't matter. There's a lot to be said for buying a bike that you really, really want to ride every time you look at it, but a good race bike should only be a means to an end...

Ridley Excalibur Di2 £1999 at Pearson's

Dolan Ares SL?

Stoemper Taylor

Something from Rose bikes

Planet X N2A

no weight specified, looks a bit aero/heavy ?

A few pounds either way isn't going to make any difference at all, and you can't buy a bike that will make you quicker or a better climber...

A few pounds either way isn't going to make any difference at all, and you can't buy a bike that will make you quicker or a better climber...

i must disagree, i am noticeably quicker on climbs on my 905 than my Btwin (winter bike) which is around 1,5kg heaver, and im also noticeably quicker on my XC 29er whippet than my 26 mid travel

I'm trying to suggest that by upgrading something that's already decent won't give you much in the way of benefit.

yes that's a fair point, one of the main reasons i want to change is im dropping a frame size, i had an accident a few years back which left me a little less flexible but now im much better, so whilst im changing bikes i do want to feel like im upgrading a little but dont really expect(but i do hope) to see any big performance improvement from my 905 to ?????

I kind of learned my lesson after a similar pursuit; buying lighter and lighter bits, trying to put the best bike together that I could, then getting roundly hammered by people riding bikes that weighed more than my winter trainer. I began to get decent when I stopped worrying about the bike and started seeing it as a tool to get the job done. A bit like using a hammer; if it hammers, the best way to improve your hammering is to get better at hammering, not buy a 'better' hammer.

Then I took up rambling, as you can see!

How much wind tunnel testing has the Planet-X gone through?

so whilst im changing bikes i do want to feel like im upgrading a little but dont really expect(but i do hope) to see any big performance improvement from my 905 to ?????

The Merida seems like a reasonable bike. You won't see much of an improvement in performance from your current bike to the bikes you are looking at. Probably only some very serious training, lots of racing and weight loss (you not bike) will see big performance improvements.