UKC

So, it's time for a new road bike - something for special occasions.

Criteria:
- I'm looking for a race bike that I can ride all day - I don't want a sportive bike
- something a bit exotic - so definitely not Trek, Giant, Specialized, Scott, Felt, Cannondale or any other similar brand.
- preferably Italian
- probably not Bianchi, as I might buy my wife one of those for her birthday.
- carbon frame
- Campagnolo Chorus groupset
- Around £3k

So far, I'm looking at a De Rosa 838 or Merak, Wilier and a couple of others.

Anyone got any good ideas?

In reply to LastBoyScout:

I have the 838. A few mods to it (carbon cranks and wheels , super record brakes, seat and post change). Super light and responsive yet very comfortable. Cant fault it. Colour scheme not everyones taste (mine is stealth black) but what does that matter. Really nice bikes. (Mine is reluctantly for sale due to thieving scum taking my cyclocross ( )

In reply to LastBoyScout:

Something a bit exotic? - one of these
http://www.rideblue.com/ac1.php or the SL if you want to spend a bit more

You won't see another one, unless you ride around the Surrey hills, in which case wave to me!

Other manufacturers are slowly catching up with the aero-road idea

In reply to LastBoyScout:

up the budget a bit and grab a Parlee

De Rosa 838 is nice
Dolan Ares perhaps? (go frame only and buy the groupset?)
Cipollini Bond
Colnag CX?

Not sure what comes with Campag but some ideas as I have no idea what exotic means in this case except perhaps Italian

In reply to LastBoyScout:

Not Italian, but a flandria competition frame set is £1200, you could use that as a great starting point for a great build with you budget.

In reply to LastBoyScout:

Why not a custom hand built 853 frame or even titanium

In reply to IMA:



>

This is my Ares:
https://scontent-a-ams.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/t31.0-8/1966159_1015200867...

E

In reply to Enty:

Like the respray. Tempted to do similar to my giant when I finally decide on what new bike.

ps recommend it especially for big 80-120 mile days with climbs (knowing where you are you can probably give a good verdict)

Sorry for the hijack!

In reply to IMA:

Respray????

E

In reply to Enty:

Ha, sorry for the offence caused. never seen any of the Ares produced like that (got a fair few in the club due to proximity to Ormskirk)

In reply to LastBoyScout:

Cervelo R3 (ultegra)

Or

Cervelo R5 if you can find one on offer .usually about £5k,but remember a shop in Glasgow that was always doing great Cervelo deals.

Billy Bilsland Bikes

In reply to andymac:

http://www.fatbirds.co.uk/1694072/products/van-nicholas-astraeus-105-titani...

In reply to LastBoyScout:

It's worth bearing in mind that many exotic Italian carbon frames are made in China with some coming from open moulds and therefore available cheaper elsewhere. The De Rosa 838 is believed by many to be the same frame as the Ribble 872 with the main differences being the paint and the price. If you prefer the look of the De Rosa you might be happy to pay a bit extra for it over the Ribble.

The Cervelo R3, mentioned above, is a great frame and complete bikes are now available at a good price. They look like they have been designed by engineers prioritising function over form and that look doesn't appeal to everyone. There have been reports of some warranty issues since Maddison stopped distributing them.

Focus bike get very good reviews and you get a lot for your money. £3K would get you an Izalco SL with dura-ace or a Cayo Evo with Di2 plus some change. Not sure if they count as exotic but Betancur's Paris Nice success will help the brand.

In reply to Unknown Climber:

I'm well aware of the number of factories that are capable of producing carbon frames compared to number of brands. I'd be happy to pay a bit extra not to have a Ribble.

Cervelo are Canadian, apparently, so fail in the "Italian" category, but I quite like the look of them, so might consider.

The Dolan Ares seems to be quite long, which wouldn't suit me - I've got long legs and a short body, so need something at the shorter end of frames. I'm going to arrange a proper bike fit to narrow the choices down a bit.

No offence to Enty, but I don't like the matt finish on road bikes - I want it shiny (one of my MTBs is matt and that looks nice, though).

In reply to LastBoyScout:
Not Italian but some swiss people speak italian
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/bmc/teammachine-slr02-ultegra-2014-road...
looks nice stick a decent set of wheels on it and bobs your unkle

In reply to LastBoyScout:
Right, so having had a good look round, I've sort of narrowed it down to these:

Bianchi Sempre Pro - if I can live with the awful green highlights:
http://www.bianchi.com/global/bikes/bikes_detail.aspx?ProductIDMaster=12459...
or
Fondriest TF3 1.2 - if I can get a build within budget:
http://www.fondriestbici.com/eng/products.php?cat=2&id=20

Wilier?

De Rosa 838 now ruled out due to questions over the frame being cheap.

LBS reckon they could do a couple of other frames from the likes of Dedacciai. Any other ideas to procrastinate over?

In reply to LastBoyScout:

http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/products/wilier-zero-7-chorus-14

Or more in your price bracket you could look at the zero 9

I think the Bianchi looks better than either though.

J

In reply to LastBoyScout:

BH G6. Various specs- should be something at around 3k. Pretty unlikely to see any others around. And a very pretty bike.

In reply to LastBoyScout:

http://www.alfjonescycles.co.uk/cycle.php?product=Parlee-Z5-Frameset&id...

Parlee Z5 in a Medium/large, i'm not a fan of the colour after visiting it but a Parlee will turn heads. Spec how you like probably put chorus on with 3k

In reply to Unknown Climber:


Have been doing a bit more research and it seems that they can't be exactly the same frame, as De Rosa are made in Japan and Ribble's frames are made by a different company (Axman - sp?) in China - most likely is that De Rosa have sold the moulds to Ribble, but that doesn't mean the frames are built exactly the same.

In reply to JCurrie:

Wilier is also a contender.

Personally, I don't like the Celeste green of the Bianchi with Campag, so going of the idea of a Sempre Pro.

In reply to LastBoyScout:

If you know your size and going the ultegra route, check out the thebikeshop.de especially if you have a card like Halifax credit card for great FX buying.

In reply to LastBoyScout:

http://bikewar.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/2013_stevens_xenon_custom.jpg
?