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Slightly better than entry level road bikes?


Raineman

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Hi all,

 

I am looking into buying my first road bike and have no idea as to the various brands that i could explore in the "slightly better than entry-level" range.

 

What i mean by this, is that i can't break the bank on a bike but i want it to be a semi-competitive bike.

 

I know full carbon frames are OUT of the price range i'm working with but i just want to find out your opinions or at least get an idea of what makes and models i should be looking at.

 

Thanks!
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Are you looking for new or second hand?

 

Price varies on the components, wheel quality and the brand/material of the frame.  For a second hand 3 year old aluminium bike in good condition with a Shimano groupset you can expect to pay about R3000 for an entry level bike with a Sora groupset, up to R4500 for a Tiagra 9 speed groupset (also considered entry level).  For a bike with a 10 speed 105 groupset anything from R5000 to R7000 and a 10 speed Ultegra up to about R9000.  Prices will obviously vary with the quailty, wheels and accessories on the bike but the above should give you an idea.

 

If you look at new bikes I don't think that the brand of the frame is that important with the mid level bikes.  Most of them are manufactured by by a small number of factories and then branded.  I would suggest looking at a few bike shops and comparing bikes with the same groupsets on and choosing the bike that fits you best.

 

As for competitiveness who knows?  I have sailed past Dura ace equipped carbon bikes on my old 11kg Trek, only to be overtaken by a girl on a MTB on the next hill.  Personaly I think that if you are happy with your bike (whatever it is) you ride fast.

 

Good luck with your search.

 

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I would definitely suggest 2nd hand as buying a new entry-just over entry level bike is not going to get you as competitive as a new entry level one.

Depending on where you are have a look at 2nd hand bike shops and in the classifieds.

 

As a start, look for at least 105 or Ultegra as the cheaper Sora and Tiagra are not great and don't last as long. There is nothing wrong with an aluminium frame, carbon is just talked about a lot as nearly all the top end bikes are made of carbon due to the material allowing for very, very light builds. You get a number of alu bikes that are actually better than many carbon bikes of "poorer" carbon brands.

 

Take the Cervelo Soloist Team for instance. Check web for info. Kicks many, many carbon bikes asses.

 

Take a mate with you who knows abut bikes and get him to check it out. The most important thing is to make sure the bike you buy is the correct size, dont compromise on size just because it is a good deal. Too big or small a bike, even be it one size up or down will not only give you poorer performance but could also result in other problems such as injuries and poor handling depending on what you do to make it fit you. Stick to the correct size for you body.
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i've been riding a rc3000 with tiagra and have done 8500km on it in the last year. had no hassles with any components so don't know what some of you have against them. important thing to also remember is the more expensive your bike, the more expensive it'll be to maintain and replace components if you crash or something.

 

 

 

the most important thing is to find a bike that fits and you feel comfortable on.

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i've been riding a rc3000 with tiagra and have done 8500km on it in the last year. had no hassles with any components so don't know what some of you have against them. important thing to also remember is the more expensive your bike' date=' the more expensive it'll be to maintain and replace components if you crash or something.

 

 

 

the most important thing is to find a bike that fits and you feel comfortable on.[/quote']

 

 

 

And remember insurance premiums.

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Thanks guys, this is exactly the information I am looking for. I can see how the correct size is stressed here. I don't mind 2nd hand at all...they say one man's junk is another man's gold, so here's to hoping i find a great deal out there! 

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Hi,

 

You are doing the right thing as there is not much of performance difference between the bikes although people will have there preferences, I have a 11 kg training Aluminuim bike and 7 kg bike and both feel heavy when going uphill although the lighter bike acclerate better the improvement is not that much .

 

I woul;d suggest making sure you replace chain and cassette when you buy second hand bike though

 

 
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