Still currently on the lookout for a new bike, not easy during lockdown.
I’ve always ridden shimano 105 (plus a couple of times ultegra) but a couple of the bikes I’ve been looking at have SRAM force 22.
Anyone on here had experience of riding both? Probably being mad being concerned about the ease of use when swapping but curious to know other’s opinions.
My old Cannondale Evo Supersix had SRAM Rival on it. It was the double click shifters where Up and down shifts are on the same button. Took a while to get used to, but I ended up liking it.
I found SRAM shifting stayed smooth for longer than Shimano 105, but when it did need adjusting it was a bugger to get it smooth again and usually ended up in the local shop.
Just buy something with Di2 and it all becomes irrelevant anyway. On the rare occasion that the shifting goes wonky and its not time for a new cassette/chain, you plug the bike into your laptop, launch the e-tube program and it realigns everything for you.
I’ve got the RC 520 and I love it. Best thing about it (other than the mad value for money) is the tyre clearance. I’ve got big boy 35mm tyres on mine now, basically turning it into a gravel bike. If I put 25mm on it it’s a road bike again.
Particularly interested in the chain spray. I've got the parktool chain cleaner which works really well, but it's a bit of a faff. Also does nothing for the cassette or the crankset.
That just looks like every other motoring/bike industry tie up. Looks like a generic shitty carbon frame with a trick paint job, pair of zipps with some flash decals on and a proper average SRAM groupset for the best part of five and a half grand. You're basically paying two grand over the odds for it.
Unfortunately still going with Evans but they have 4 bikes in the laterite range with the only difference really being the drive train, I think the more expensive ones have a better paint job but can't see anything else different. To recap I want a good etry level road bike, live on the edge of Dartmoor so gears are essential for hills.
So in short I have the following options.
Pinnacle Laterite 1 - Torney drive train £400
" " 2 - Claris £500
" " 3 - Sora £600
" " 4 - 105 (R7000) £725
I had decided on the Sora but tempted by the 105, I am buying via cyclescheme so price I pay will be 25 - 40% less, I have ordered a £800 voucher so any money left will go toward extras, priority being SLR pedals and shoes.
I am 55 and not slim but have cycled for years on a 24 gear Tourer, what one do I go for?
105. Anything better than 105 is weight saving and not worth it. But 105 is the benchmark of quality.
Basically, if you can afford 105, always go 105.
This
Sort of... 😏
There's a benefit to Ultegra over 105, but it's only for racing (faster gear changes, more responsive etc). There's no benefit to Dura-Ace other than weight (and it's made out of cheese, so needs replacing much more frequently than Ultegra).
At the budget end, the difference between 105 and anything below it is like the change between running in trainers and running in clogs
Cheers @Leroy Ambrose and @Huskaris, from reading this thread you two are more 'pro' weekenders than 'am', whislt I am more 'am' than 'pro'. But I am hugely tempted by the 105 and will use your advice to justify (to myself) the 'upgrade' in drivetrain.
Impressed that it only took four minutes to get good advice!
Cheers @Leroy Ambrose and @Huskaris, from reading this thread you two are more 'pro' weekenders than 'am', whislt I am more 'am' than 'pro'. But I am hugely tempted by the 105 and will use your advice to justify (to myself) the 'upgrade' in drivetrain.
Impressed that it only took four minutes to get good advice!
I put a new saddle on my bike today! Can’t begin to say how pleased I am. Bike maintenance and fettling really intimidates me. I spend ages worrying that I’ll fuck it up before doing any job on the bike. Often with the result I do fuck it up. The minor things I do are celebrated by me disproportionately.
I am selling my winter bike if anyone is after a bargain.
Just don't use it enough to warrant keeping it.
Giant Defy 2 Advanced -Size ML (5ft 9ins to 6ft)
Full Carbon and full 105 drive train.
Upgraded Fizik Aliante R3 saddle
Schwalbe Durano Plus Tyres 700x28 (less than 50 miles on them)
SKS Raceblade Mudguards
2x Bottle Cages
Cable Disc Brakes with Giant Semi Aero Wheels
Shimano SPD Pedals
Brand new bar tape
Recently Serviced
Had a few cosmetic blemishes but nothing major. Relaxed geometry is aimed at endurance riding rather than aggressive racing. Very forgiving on my 46 year old back.
The Wahoo Mount and Saddle Bag are not included in the sale and will be removed.
Collection only from Eltham. I have it advertised elsewhere for £750 but will take £700 from a lifer.
I know it's only the Tour of Turkey, but Phillipsen is a pretty good scalp at the moment and the acceleration to get past him was mint. He isn't there yet... And he won't go to the tour because Bennett is an absolute class apart right now - but that's really encouraging.
Tour of Turkey is on. Its been shortened to 72km. Its flat. I'm surprised I responded as slowly as I did, tbh 😏
Need to lose some kilos to get your speed back up.
🤣🤣🤣
I respond quick enough on a sprint... To the caf 😏
Thing is I am sure you are stick thin, which I am far from.
Always think of Higos con Miel when I talk to you (I could murder a jar of them).
OMG - I had a massive craving for figs last week. You know when you can literally almost taste them and you feel like you're salivating? 🤣
Instead I had to make do with (almost) the last of the ron miel from last time I went to see my mum in January last year. Can't believe it's lasted as long as it has - funnily enough, I hardly drank at all during lockdown because I didn't want to get fat. That stuff is the one thing that could make me an alky...
How come you're on the edge of Darrmoor and not in Cordoba?
Still have the house in Spain (Zuheros) and the aim is one day to have the best of both worlds and slowly eat my own body weight in figs and sheeps cheese.
Comments
I found SRAM shifting stayed smooth for longer than Shimano 105, but when it did need adjusting it was a bugger to get it smooth again and usually ended up in the local shop.
Just buy something with Di2 and it all becomes irrelevant anyway. On the rare occasion that the shifting goes wonky and its not time for a new cassette/chain, you plug the bike into your laptop, launch the e-tube program and it realigns everything for you.
Particularly interested in the chain spray. I've got the parktool chain cleaner which works really well, but it's a bit of a faff. Also does nothing for the cassette or the crankset.
Bottas posted a picture of his new bike on Instagram but looks like that’s a limited edition model they have produced.
https://www.f1authentics.com/bikes/n-mercedes-amg-petronas-v11-road-bikes/?cookies_accepted=Y
So in short I have the following options.
I had decided on the Sora but tempted by the 105, I am buying via cyclescheme so price I pay will be 25 - 40% less, I have ordered a £800 voucher so any money left will go toward extras, priority being SLR pedals and shoes.
I am 55 and not slim but have cycled for years on a 24 gear Tourer, what one do I go for?
Basically, if you can afford 105, always go 105.
Sort of... 😏
There's a benefit to Ultegra over 105, but it's only for racing (faster gear changes, more responsive etc). There's no benefit to Dura-Ace other than weight (and it's made out of cheese, so needs replacing much more frequently than Ultegra).
At the budget end, the difference between 105 and anything below it is like the change between running in trainers and running in clogs
Impressed that it only took four minutes to get good advice!
I respond quick enough on a sprint... To the caf 😏
Always think of Higos con Miel when I talk to you (I could murder a jar of them).
Instead I had to make do with (almost) the last of the ron miel from last time I went to see my mum in January last year. Can't believe it's lasted as long as it has - funnily enough, I hardly drank at all during lockdown because I didn't want to get fat. That stuff is the one thing that could make me an alky...
How come you're on the edge of Darrmoor and not in Cordoba?
Still have the house in Spain (Zuheros) and the aim is one day to have the best of both worlds and slowly eat my own body weight in figs and sheeps cheese.
Being a veggie the Jamon doesn't bother me, in Cordoba the speciality jamon dish is Flamenquin which is basically jamon made more fattening.