Possible roadie newbie

[Marcg868]

Looking at getting into road cycling after Christmas as a alternative to the Mtb after work. Budget £400 and max of £500. Mainly to help build up fitness and strength in knee after my surgery on the 21st this month.

Also due to my shifts I do a lot of night riding on the Mtb is this possible on a road bike. I live within spitting distance of great countryside and not many main roads thankfully. Any advice appreciated.

Also what gear do I need. Don't want my battered legs on show.
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JACK, MISS YOU LOADS YOU LEGEND.

[lihp]

I bought this and found it to be pretty awesome for my first road bike.

https://www.wiggle.co.uk/felt-f95-sora-wiggle-exclusive/

If you don't have a wiggle account, I think I can refer you so you get a free pair of cycling sunglasses with the order
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covent.gardens: lihp is my most favourite member ever

[ithyphallic]

£400-500 isn't going to get you a great deal of bike to be honest. If it was me I would double that budget and get something that is worth keeping and is going to last me.

[UnknownStuntm...]

[Marcg868]

Don't really want to spend £800 - £1000 if I won't enjoy. By a Entry level and see how I get on is the way I wanna go. When I first got back into mountain biking I bought a £275 Carrera Vulcan and upgraded as bits Broke. Then I bought a Cannondale SL1 Hardtail for £900 and it's fantastic, but I use my Carrera still for winter rides and as a spare bike.

That felt road bike looks like a nice piece of kit. Also seen the btwin Triban 5 is that any cop?
____________________
JACK, MISS YOU LOADS YOU LEGEND.

[JonB]

[lihp]

Why spend an extra £500 for a bike that is 2kg lighter, when most people starting cycling can lose more than that for free.

Additionally, higher end bikes are less likely to have compact gearing and won't be as new rider friendly.

What I found from research though, is that with £400 to £500 to spend, it is better to buy a discontinued 2013 model that has been reduced than to buy a current £400 bike.

For example, the Felt 6 months ago would have been close to £700, just because it's now £400 as the 2014 model is out, does not mean it's not a worthwhile purchase.

However, a reduced price bike will get you more for the money than a current bike
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covent.gardens: lihp is my most favourite member ever

[Marcg868]

Well when i come to purchase (most likely feb) as i've got to be NWB for 6 weeks from the 21st. Having a partial menisectomy and microfracture to the articular cartilage (drill a hole in bone to create a blood clot to replace damged articular cartilage) first. I will go with the Felt as 1st choice if there is any available if not what about the Btwin Triban 5, similar Sora Spec and £429

I've never sat on a road bike so unsure of sizing, I fit well on a 18 inch Mountain bike but also fit alright on a 20 inch.

Im 5ft 10 andd long ish legs. So i'm assuming a 56cm bike?
____________________
JACK, MISS YOU LOADS YOU LEGEND.

[handbasket]

[Marcg868]

Yeah got two magicshine lights for the Mtb. And A basic Cateye one also for if I go on the road at night. Although I much prefer night riding or early morning it's peaceful.
____________________
JACK, MISS YOU LOADS YOU LEGEND.

[G]

If I had the cash, something like this would be tempting.
https://www.wiggle.co.uk/basso-devil-xenon-2012-1/
Plenty of perfectly usable bikes for a lot less money too.

[ithyphallic]

[lihp]

[G]

You could get a wider range rear cassette?

My Hybrid has 50/34 on the front and 11-34 on the back, so you've got a bit more range than a road bike (it's on 700c, though 32mm wide).
Only time I've had to get off was a switchback on a steep hill - I'd have been ok if I hadn't stuck to the inside where it's steepest.

[D O G]

Most road bikes come with compact gearing, for example this nearly £3k bike I just picked at total random:

https://www.wiggle.co.uk/colnago-cx-1-ultegra-11-speed-2014/

Non compact 53/39 is generally old school (or for the pros), especially now 10 speed cassettes are the 'base' standard, when you can get a decent top gear at 50/11 - most people would be seriously pressed to push that on the flat, and a pretty easy bottom at 34/25.

[UnknownStuntm...]

The major motivator for me to upgrade TO a carbon bike was that my chainset on my 1st bike was an old school 39/53. The smallest ring I could get on it was 38, this made zero difference to my heart rate on teh local 1:25 climb, so I looked at swapping chainsets, then groupsets and thus wheels then screw it, I need a new bike.

That escalated quickly.

But I'd not be without my new bike with SRAM compact. I swear it's got a bigger range than my first MTB had!

[D O G]

Rule 5 applies.

[UnknownStuntm...]

I couldn't turn the pedals to get past rule 4

[JonB]

The latest Ultegra 6800 11 speed now comes with a 32-11 option, so nearly 1:1 gearing with a compact 50/34.
____________________
Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it?s worth.

[D O G]

Presumably that is restricted to only those living within cycling distance of the Angliru?

[Drew]

One of the bikes on my 'hitlist' for next year has the 11 speed Ultegra.

But going from a compact 50/34 with 12/30 cassette to a double 53/39 with easiest option of 11/28 may just be too tough for me.

EDIT:

Looking at https://sheldonbrown.com/gears/

providing I've done it right, the easiest gear on the double is around the same as the 3rd easiest gear I have now, which isn't so bad.

[G]

If I get a road bike I'd definitely like a little higher gearing - I can still be adding something to it on the steep (down) hills we get around here while with 50/11 the speed's too high for me to add much.
Best so far is 44mph on the GPS.

[JonB]

The highest speed I've had is 51.3mph on 50-12 gearing. There becomes a point where gearing is not an issue and it's all about how straight a road is and how aerodynamic you can make yourself.
____________________
Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it?s worth.

[G]

This looks like a good deal: https://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/360-for-a-750-road-bike-moda-intro-alloy-road-bike-10-speed-from-probikekit-1736214 .

My 44 was on the tribars, but not a massively long stretch of downhill - also, always rode that route at night and had to be a little wary of other vehicles as just had a not very good flashing headtorch on the front.

[JonB]