Have recently moved to a new area with my old Specialized Rockhopper Comp and find myself doing a lot more road than off-road cycling. Have hybridised my ATB by fitting a Bontrager Select wheelset on Marathon slicks, which has made a noticeable difference, but I still find that I'm missing out on downhill speeds, gear ratios on the climbs and overall pace along the flat on tarmac. I'll therefore be in the market for a road bike in the New year but need some advice from other recent road bike virgins. Not looking to go mad price wise and have been mooching in the Specialized Allez (Sport) and Scott Speedster (S40) ranges as they seem well speced and priced for an enthusiast (I'm not planning to race).
At this range, the 2007 ranges invariably come with Shimano Tiagra or Campag Veloce groupsets. Will these suit my needs for 60-70K circuits (mixture of flat and a few short-sharp climbs) or is it a waste of time to go for anything short of 105 or Campag Centaur? On a related subject, what are the merits or otherwise of double ring over triple?
Lot of questions there guys and girls - all info much appreciated😄
Road bike equals a lot of go for mimimal effort. I do not live in UK (US) and the question about a double or triple is simply a personal thing unless you have a lot of hilly country to traverse. I have a Felt triple, tiagra/105 and like it very much. Much of the upgrades are weight difference primarily. If you can afford a full 105, then go for it. It is not a necessity IMHO. As I already had a Specialized Crossroads Elite hybrid I looked at Specialized for my road bike but the Felt at the end of the season cost about $100 less and the difference paid for my shoes and computer. My Felt is aluminum, quite light weight, and just a little harsh on long rides. If I ever buy another road bike I think I will go with steel. I have an older Shogun in steel and the ride is different.
Thanks for the info Butch. Thing with English hills is that they are not long (no ascent on my route longer than 1km) but they can be incredibly steep, so I'll be out of the saddle for a good 20% of my circuit.
Tiagra seems to be the entry level for serious road bikes, and you then get quite a hike in prices to be equipped with 105 all round. Specialized do seem a bit pricey for what you get - I've come across a manufacturer called Focus which produces a bike with Ultegra front and 105 rear, all for £799 but haven't seen any overall reviews.
Hadn't really considered the impact of frame material, although I don't think I can be too fussy in my price-range, and you don't know until you've covered a few hundred miles.
