[Closed] Steel is real but carbon is pro...dark side

Giant Defy Advanced. Just ridden 50k on my Advanced SL this afternoon and it is a magic carpet. One on which I am happy to race, club ride, sportive... Fantasti cbike. Your budget would buy SL the frame only.

any reason for Whole bike? or considered a new frame?

Carbon (without the reverse snobbery of steel or Ti) is lighter, stiffer and cheaper these days than steel or Ti. A carbon road bike probably rides as well as anything. I have a beautiful 853 road bike too.

£2000 will buy you a really nice fully equipped carbon frame/fork bike these days.

It's all about volume and carbon is where volume is.

Well what being different?

Those stainless steel bikes look sweet too!

I was told if I go carbon that giant defy would be the bike for me...more relaxed geometry that the racey TCR....

My money but a nice steel frame, and build up, but it really depends on what you want and what you like the look of.

Not really taken with big fat tubes, yes they make a stiff frame but IMO, it really doesn't matter until your chasing marginal gains, which TBF very few are.

Buy something you like the look of, something you want to ride and ride it.

Come to The UK handbuilt bike show (I'm part of the crew this year) at the olympic velodrome on 11/12/13 April and get inspired for a custom steel/ti frame.

I've got to admit I'd love a 953 Volare but you'd blow your budget on the frame alone !!
Maybe 853 is were you need to be price wise. Don't discount Carbon though, some great bikes at that price point.

If you want different, drop Amaro a mail. Tig welded Columbus steel in Bilbao, really lovely work and a nice fella too.

http://www.amarobikes.com/gallery.html

I have an 853 frame which was built for me, and a 6/4 ti frame which came with a sign-off sheet of all the frame builders. I also have a carbon cx bike. I like to have a connection to the person(s) who made my things. My next road bike is likely to be a custom carbon road frame made in Italy for me.
If you want a bespoke frame then go for it.

Keep thinking carbon and go try a Trek Domane

I did ride a cervelo rs (now discontinued, but I think they do something similar), longer head tube and built for long more comfortable days.

I was told if I go carbon that giant defy would be the bike for me...more relaxed geometry that the racey TCR....

Other than marketing claims, there is honestly very little between them. The Defy is on the racy side of "relaxed", with a slightly higher head tube (about 1-2cm) and a half a degree off the head angle.

I ride and race both Defy and TCR and I can't tell the difference in geometry once stem length is adjusted for different top tube lengths. If you ride with spacers, get the Defy.

Thanks for the comments...the hand built bike show sounds good!

Yes Volare 953 looks too pricey but I can push to 3.000 still too much!

I recently got a TCR 1 carbon from Pauls cycles full ultegra it's a very smooth ride, very pleased and amazing value!

what about a brian rourke?
you could probably get a custom fitted frameset for your budget, just transfer the bits off the boardman.
it will fit/ride better than an off the peg bike . . .

Read this month's Cycling Plus for a review of six budget carbon road bikes, which are all equipped at 105 level. Buy one then spend the extra cash on a really good set of wheels. You'll get a superb ride and very acceptable equipment.

Great piece of advise from a local shop... if your not racing and chasing every second then buy something that makes you happy and makes you want to ride. For some people that will be the latest carbon/aero/TT wonderbike and for others it's a niche built Ti/steel/beardy mile munching cafe cruiser. Many cyclists like to ride a bike a little different to what other riders have... we tend to be individualists by the very fact that we like riding bikes.

As always; if you can get a shottie of the bikes/materials in question and in all likelyhood you will find out for yourself what you like.

You could get the Genesis Volare 20 for the top end of your budget built from Reynolds 931 tubing (One step down from the 953 that the team bikes are made from).
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Think the Genesis's look more purposeful with the ENVE fork but that's only available on the Team or the 853 frameset.

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I have a genesis flyer currently and rides superbly... A real pleasure! It's a bit difficult to compare directly with the boardman however as it is single speed!

I don't feel any weight disadvantage because it is steel.

Favouring custom steel at present

I eventually bought a lovely Accaio steel framed Condor with campag chorus group set.

The bike build was just under my budget of £3k

Very nice, any pics? 🙂

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Salsa Colossal Steel with enve fork is £450 at Billys at the Mo'. Haven't seen one of them around and the budget is spare for tasty parts. 🙂