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bike choice: your opinions/experience pls!

hi all
finally got myself to the shop and i shall be testing these 2 soon:

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/col ... b52#show=0

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/spe ... b52#show=0

they are both mens bikes and i am a female but i will see how i get on - opinions split on this i guess but the test will tell

any thoughts/opinions/experience on any of the two would be greatly appreciated
many thanks!
e

Comments

  • The Nag all the way...

    A million miles cooler!
  • Ditto . . .
  • risris Posts: 1,002
    its the collie for me as well, and i own an 08 spesh allez!
  • MowfMowf Posts: 272
    Sorry to be boring, but i think the correct answer is 'the one that fits you the best'.
  • risris Posts: 1,002
    damn you with your sensible answer. choose the pretty one, the pretty one!!
  • yes indeed the cool factor is important especially as this is the closest i will get to bike porn for some time
    not experienced with roadies really so i hope the test will be of help fitwise!
    i hear however that the colnago is more 'aggressive' which might feel more uncomfortable but will be better for racing ...do you experienced people agree? and is this a good thing or should one go for comfort?
    also with regards to the very long thread on gearing (triple, double or standard) do you believe they are a good choice for my level? (first roadie from hybrid) training and planning to race OD (maybe HIM) on it
    sorry to bother you my friends no tri buddies in the non-web world to bore! (fashion people dont train - they simply dont eat!!!!)
  • If you work in fashion then definitely the Nag!!

    Neither of those bikes is going to look out of place in transition, and Nags aren't that common so it will turn heads. All else being equal, if you want the bike for tri, and you were confined to those two I would also favour the more aggressive set up since it will make it easier to achieve a good aero position once you slap aerobars on it.

    If you are spending that much money on a bike and are planning on only doing TRI I would also urge you to consider getting a tri bike. Both of those bikes will be absolutely fine at any race you go to, and will be a lot nicer than most even at some some of the big races. But... neither will be as quick as a TT bike of the same price. Road bikes offer great flexibility (especially if you are still on a hybrid) and allow you to do group rides etc but if it were me I'd always be wondering what if??

    I got this: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Focus ... 360037593/ for just under a grand and thought it was an absolute bargain at the price... I can't fault it!

    This also looks like a steal if you are prepared to push the budget? http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Quint ... 360043119/ although sizing might be an issue.

    part of me is tempted to tell you to buy a 2nd hand road bike for £300 to get used to the more aggressive position and to use as a winter hack and to get the focus to race on!

    Sorry to throw spanners
  • huwdhuwd Posts: 228
    I'm not going to throw too many things into the mix but the specialized looks damn dull.

    Ewans advice is good.

    Both seem to have similar gearing, I wouldn't waste time with a triple but the 34/50 on both will give you a good range paired with their spec'd cassettes. The colnago also has an fsa crankset so you will probably find chainring upgrades easy and cheaper than the shimano unit on the specialized once you start to push the speed up
  • Absolutely, go for the one you like the look of. As long as it is nice to ride/fits you. If you love it, you'll want to ride it.
    Also, definitely go for a compact set up, 50/34. I find it so much more usable than my road bike set up of 52/42. Nicer gear ratios I find.

    Now is a great time to be looking for deals. Not sure if you are thinking mail order, but don't forget your local bike shop however. You'd be surprised what good deals you can get. Also, as a new rider it's a good idea to strike up a relationship with you LBS, as they will have a wealth of knowledge, and will undoubtedly want your future business ('cos you'll be back ). They may be a few quid dearer, but you can't beat the personal touch.
  • risris Posts: 1,002
    eve, i think you are right in that the colnago will be a bit more aggressive and the spesh more forgiving, perhaps even comfortable. once you are used to riding a road bike you will start hankering for that more taut ride though, and the extra speed and response it gives you.

    i tried a spesh allez and cube aerial last year for my first roadie and the cube felt so much more twitchy that i didn't think could handle it. within 6months i was starting to wonder if i'd bought the right bike and half way through the summer i knew i wanted a new one! at the time it felt right but now i find the spesh is just too relaxed for riding hard.

    ewan's advice is great, get a cheap a second hand roadie for getting used to with, then buy something fabulous when you know what sort of ride you want.

    on the other hand, if buying a foxy new steed will get you out on the road more, and enjoy every moment, then get the new one now.
  • thank you all for your advice i think it has come to the point where i should just cancel the spesh even for the test as the colnago is winning all the way!- i wont however because i want to see how they feel different
    yes indeed ewan's advice is really right and it got me thinking...getting a cheap 2nd hand is a good option, i am so clueless at the moment i might spend money based on the wrong criteria...i will see how the test goes...
    getting friendly with my LBS is something i very much wanted - unfortunately my LBS is mosquito and they are total $%***"! i tried to call them to book my service before my first tri and they were rude and rude and unaccomodating and then they hang up the phone on me so they did loose an otherwise good customer
    i have one local evans where i work though and one close to home and to both the stuff have been amazing and friendly and so helpful - i am actualy surprised every time as you wouldnt really expect this from a chain store this size
    i will come back to let you know how i got on with my test rides!
    thank you all again!
  • At least ride the spesh if only to decide you prefer the Nag... The more bikes you can get a feel for the better!
  • ok so i did the test ride of the 2 above mentioned bikes and this is the verdict:
    first took out the colnago and it felt strange(first time on a roadie ever!), my palms hurt as i was new to the drop bars, he felt aggressive and uncomfortable
    then i took the specialized and it felt more comfy, smooth, so instant reaction would be: 'yes, get the spesh it is easier'
    here i should mention that a sales assistant other than the one who dealt with me was like: 'hmm decisions decisions which one to choose..the colnago obviously!' basically i dont think there has been one person who thinks that the spesh would be the better choice
    so i am thinking ok, if i'm going to spend money i should get the good bike otherwise if i'll go for comfort i might as well go for a cheaper allez or sth...
    then i tried just for ref, a trek 1.5 womens spec although it was small for me and i felt too high up and the narrower bars didnt feel that great so i just took it straight back and took the colnago again for a longer albeit not faster spin (hard to do at the back of oxford st on friday after-work-drinks time!)
    he felt so much better this time maybe because by now i was more used to this new geometry and riding position - hands did not hurt that much - i dont know how my back will be after hours of riding but he is fast and responsive and i sooooooo like the lower riding position! i just didnt want to go back to my hybrid
    even the fact that because of position you are closer to the ground feels 'safer' and i think on a bike like this i might have less fear for speed
    anyway, the guy at the shop is bringing in a size smaller colnago for me to try as apparently the top tube was quite long
    so i think the spesh is gone, and it is either the primavera or a cheaper (-/+£500 range) bike
    so,...what do you guys think so far?
  • risris Posts: 1,002
    i think you've done exactly the right things so far, tried a good range of bikes in a sensible way (great idea to go back to the first one as the surprise of riding it won't be the same). try out the smaller colnago and see what it feels like.
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