Best road bike I can get for $1500 to $2000

user2357
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Best road bike I can get for $1500 to $2000

Postby user2357 » Sat Oct 22, 2016 1:56 am

Hello,

I sold my current bike recently for $500, it was a heavy trek hardtail (14kg) because I want to upgrade to a decent road bike.
I would like to take cycling a bit more competitively and may be join the university team so I am looking for the best road bike I can get for $1500 to $2000.
Preferably I want the bike to have Ultegra or SRAM Red components but 105 is also fine.
I don't mind aluminium but prefer carbon if it is stiffer and reduces the weight by a few grams.

I am currently looking at these two options. I am 180cm tall and my inseam is about 86 so from experience a frame of size from 54cm to 56cm suits me.

http://www.this link is broken/au/e ... prod135394
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/351880454989

Which do you think is better value for the money? The specialized tarmac has great components but it is used. The chain reaction one also has great components but I don't know if the frame/wheels are as good.
Last edited by user2357 on Sat Oct 22, 2016 1:00 pm, edited 3 times in total.

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rodneycc
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Re: Best road bike I can get for $1500 to $2000

Postby rodneycc » Sat Oct 22, 2016 11:24 am

The size 54 tarmac might be on the small size being 180cm if you are in average proportion. I would lean to a 56 or ML so make sure you don't feel too cramped. Also is the Tarmac 10sp or 11sp? Its a good buy if its 11speed. You can't go too far wrong with the pedalpusher either. He is a pretty good guy and would fit you up but I'm just not convinced thats the right bike so I'd maybe keep looking (or see what else he has got or coming in).

The Vitus is sight unseen so a bit risky really.

Actually I saw a real bargain the other day on Gumtree a 2013 ML TCR Giant Advanced SL without wheels about $850 in Tassie what would be right up your alley. Get him to ship it over and buy some decent wheels and get it cleaned up and serviced and could be a real bargain.
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user2357
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Re: Best road bike I can get for $1500 to $2000

Postby user2357 » Sat Oct 22, 2016 1:07 pm

I found it on gumtree. Seems interesting.

What model and size wheels and tyres do you recommend for it? Can I get decent race quality wheels and tyres for $500?

Yeah I like the specialized tarmac, I messaged the guy and he said all components are brand new. I also asked about number of gears and it is 11 speed.

My MTB that I sold recently was 21.5"/54.5cm and it fit me well. The tarmac is 54.8 so it is about the same size.
I will try and find the top tube length, 56cm suits me perfectly.

2wheels_mond
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Re: Best road bike I can get for $1500 to $2000

Postby 2wheels_mond » Sat Oct 22, 2016 2:48 pm

$2200 for carbon, Ultegra and nice wheels?

https://www.bicyclesonline.com.au/polyg ... mano-ulteg

user2357
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Re: Best road bike I can get for $1500 to $2000

Postby user2357 » Sat Oct 22, 2016 3:20 pm

2wheels_mond wrote:$2200 for carbon, Ultegra and nice wheels?

https://www.bicyclesonline.com.au/polyg ... mano-ulteg
Looks nice to be honest. Are there any drawbacks? Component wise it is great but is the frame good enough in terms of stiffness and durability?
I've never heard of this brand that's why I am not sure but other than that it seems good.

OUT OF STOCK
Last edited by user2357 on Sat Oct 22, 2016 3:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.

user2357
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Re: Best road bike I can get for $1500 to $2000

Postby user2357 » Sat Oct 22, 2016 3:38 pm

The Gumtree 2013 ML TCR Giant Advanced SL is sold :(

There is this option as well http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-view-detail ... 1125759130

Giant TCR Advanced Large frame (my size) with pedals and shoes for $2500.

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rodneycc
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Re: Best road bike I can get for $1500 to $2000

Postby rodneycc » Sat Oct 22, 2016 3:48 pm

Shame about the TCR, didn't think that would last long. But go have a look at the Tarmac, would be interesting to see the fit. Simon I think was the guys name, he seems to know his stuff and a very reasonable guy (he is only up the road from me in Bayswater - its a tiny little cubby hole but don't let that put you off better than a backyard job! :-)

Edit: btw the spec is bitsy. i.e 105 brakes and front derail, deda slk cranks etc so try and bargain that down to $1500 if you are keen and maybe see if you can swap over to a longer stem, quality 25mm tyres as well (not sure what brand the gummies are). The wheels prob won't be anything flash but they can be the first upgrade.
Last edited by rodneycc on Sat Oct 22, 2016 4:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
2013 BMC TM SLR01;2013/14 Bianchi Inf CV
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2013 Giant TCR Adv SL1;2014 Giant Defy Adv SL

user2357
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Re: Best road bike I can get for $1500 to $2000

Postby user2357 » Sat Oct 22, 2016 4:04 pm

rodneycc wrote:Shame about the TCR, didn't think that would last long. But go have a look at the Tarmac, would be interesting to see the fit. Simon I think was the guys name, he seems to know his stuff and a very reasonable guy (he is only up the road from me in Bayswater - its a tiny little cubby hole but don't let that put you off better than a backyard job! :-)
I was in Melbourne a few month ago but moved to Sydney. My parents still live in Melb.
I'll go check out his bikes when I go back to Melb in a few months, hopefully he has some new stuff by then that fit me.
I tried a few frame size calculators and all recommend 56 top tube length so I think 54.8cm will not fit me.

user2357
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Re: Best road bike I can get for $1500 to $2000

Postby user2357 » Sat Oct 22, 2016 4:06 pm

rodneycc wrote: Edit: btw the spec is bitsy. i.e 105 brakes and front derail, deda slk cranks etc so try and bargain that down to $1500 if you are keen and maybe see if you can swap over to a longer stem, quality 25mm tyres as well (not sure what brand the gummies are).
Yeah, the 105 components put me off a little bit considering it is almost $2000. I could get a brand new bike with full Ultegra 6800 for that price.

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rodneycc
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Re: Best road bike I can get for $1500 to $2000

Postby rodneycc » Sat Oct 22, 2016 4:09 pm

Yeah true but its the tarmac frameset that is the nice bit with this. I'm sure there is lots of places in Sydney and on Gumtree that you can check around before that :-) Facebook bikemarket also if you can snag an invite (I couldn't so they can get stuffed!)
Can't really go too far wrong with a tarmac, tcr, defy, those sorts of well established bike brands and models.
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2013 Lynskey Helix;2013 XACD Ti Di2
2013 Giant TCR Adv SL1;2014 Giant Defy Adv SL

user2357
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Re: Best road bike I can get for $1500 to $2000

Postby user2357 » Sat Oct 22, 2016 4:34 pm

rodneycc wrote:Yeah true but its the tarmac frameset that is the nice bit with this. I'm sure there is lots of places in Sydney and on Gumtree that you can check around before that :-) Facebook bikemarket also if you can snag an invite (I couldn't so they can get stuffed!)
Can't really go too far wrong with a tarmac, tcr, defy, those sorts of well established bike brands and models.
Yeah that's why I'm hesitant to go with a Vitus or Polygon, their components and wheels may be good but I don't know about the frames, which is important in the long run.

user2357
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Re: Best road bike I can get for $1500 to $2000

Postby user2357 » Sat Oct 22, 2016 4:35 pm

user2357 wrote:
rodneycc wrote:Yeah true but its the tarmac frameset that is the nice bit with this. I'm sure there is lots of places in Sydney and on Gumtree that you can check around before that :-) Facebook bikemarket also if you can snag an invite (I couldn't so they can get stuffed!)
Can't really go too far wrong with a tarmac, tcr, defy, those sorts of well established bike brands and models.
Yeah that's why I'm hesitant to go with a Vitus or Polygon or Cube or any of those lesser known brands, their components and wheels may be good but I don't know about the frames, which is important in the long run.

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Re: Best road bike I can get for $1500 to $2000

Postby trailgumby » Sat Oct 22, 2016 6:27 pm

Vitus and Cube are well-established brands. Polygon is a newcomer from Indonesia, but is establishing itself as being excellent for the coin. They are sponsoring a few riders in the Enduro World Series (MTB) and are feeding the rider feedback into their product development.

user2357
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Re: Best road bike I can get for $1500 to $2000

Postby user2357 » Sat Oct 22, 2016 6:59 pm

trailgumby wrote:Vitus and Cube are well-established brands. Polygon is a newcomer from Indonesia, but is establishing itself as being excellent for the coin. They are sponsoring a few riders in the Enduro World Series (MTB) and are feeding the rider feedback into their product development.
Oh nice, I might go with them then, so much simpler than dealing with buying used bikes online.

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MattyK
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Re: Best road bike I can get for $1500 to $2000

Postby MattyK » Sun Oct 23, 2016 10:01 am

Reid Vantage Comp looks like good value. Carbon, 105, hydro discs, $1700.
https://www.reidcycles.com.au/vantage-c ... -race.html

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Re: Best road bike I can get for $1500 to $2000

Postby idler » Wed Oct 26, 2016 9:16 am

MattyK wrote:Reid Vantage Comp looks like good value. Carbon, 105, hydro discs, $1700.
https://www.reidcycles.com.au/vantage-c ... -race.html

OP said they wanted to race I think so disc brakes not an option for foreseeable future.
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grimbo
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Re: Best road bike I can get for $1500 to $2000

Postby grimbo » Wed Oct 26, 2016 12:28 pm

After having my bike smashed by an unobservant driver, I shopped around for a new roady in the $2000 dollar range (how much I got from the other person's insurance). These seemed good bang-for-buck for a "name" brand:

http://www.99bikes.com.au/2016-merida-scultura-4000 ($1600, mostly 105 drivetrain and own-brand brakes)
http://www.99bikes.com.au/merida-scultu ... green-2017 ($2160, mix of ultegra and 105)

I got the Merida Scultura 5000, like it a lot.
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mmel
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Re: Best road bike I can get for $1500 to $2000

Postby mmel » Mon Oct 31, 2016 5:06 pm

I'm in a similar boat, I'm after an endurance carbon frame, w/ 105 groupset. I'm looking at my options at the moment.

$1599 - Polygon C6 - https://www.bicyclesonline.com.au/polyg ... -road-bike
$1699 - Merida Ride 4000 - http://www.99bikes.com.au/merida-ride-4000-2016
$1995 - Giant TCR Advanced 2 - http://www.phantomcycles.com.au/index.p ... er=product
(not endurance, but drawn to it anyway)

I thought cellbikes used to be a good buy, but it seems to be clearing out old stock when I had a look.

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Re: Best road bike I can get for $1500 to $2000

Postby Mububban » Tue Nov 01, 2016 10:45 pm

mmel wrote:I'm in a similar boat, I'm after an endurance carbon frame, w/ 105 groupset. I'm looking at my options at the moment.

$1599 - Polygon C6 - https://www.bicyclesonline.com.au/polyg ... -road-bike
$1699 - Merida Ride 4000 - http://www.99bikes.com.au/merida-ride-4000-2016
$1995 - Giant TCR Advanced 2 - http://www.phantomcycles.com.au/index.p ... er=product
(not endurance, but drawn to it anyway)

I thought cellbikes used to be a good buy, but it seems to be clearing out old stock when I had a look.
The wheels and tyres will make the biggest difference to any of these bikes and that'll be the first thing you look to upgrade, so research which are the best wheels on that lot of bikes and I reckon choose that one :)
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Re: Best road bike I can get for $1500 to $2000

Postby Usernoname » Wed Nov 02, 2016 7:41 am

I have the merida ride 5000. It has the higher end frame and some Ultegra and probably better wheels. I like it but it's still a relatively heavy bike, so the 4000 would be heavier. I see the Polygon is quoted as 8kg, it also comes with full 105 whereas the Ride has lower end brakes and a lot of the drivetrain. I'd give the Polygon a go if possible. On paper it's a better bike.
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