# Road bike recommendations



## Dannbodge (Sep 26, 2010)

Hello.

I'm looking to get a road bike fairly soon.
It will be used for my 6 mile commute through Portsmouth which is pretty much flat, along with a turbo trainer and weekend rides.

I'm looking into the cycle2work scheme as my company takes part in it.

I think I want a road bike but am unsure on which brand to go for.

If I get it on the scheme I'd be willing to spend around £5/600 but if not it would be £3/400.


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## Dave50 (Mar 14, 2013)

Shops that have a good reputations are merlin cycles, ribble cycles and boardmans have quite a good reputation if you can only use halfords.

Dave

Or if you want to buy 2nd hand I have a very nice medium giant


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## Dannbodge (Sep 26, 2010)

Dave50 said:


> Shops that have a good reputations are merlin cycles, ribble cycles and boardmans have quite a good reputation if you can only use halfords.
> 
> Dave
> 
> Or if you want to buy 2nd hand I have a very nice medium giant


I had a look at a boardman in halfords which was nice.

Medium giant sounds so wrong.
Have you got any details?


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## Jem (Aug 10, 2007)

I can't recommend Boardman Bikes highly enough :thumb:


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## Kerr (Mar 27, 2012)

Cycle2work didn't include Halfords when I used the scheme earlier this year.


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## Jem (Aug 10, 2007)

Kerr said:


> Cycle2work didn't include Halfords when I used the scheme earlier this year.


It depends on who your employer chooses to supply the scheme. Halfords do run their own www.cycle2work.info


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## Dave50 (Mar 14, 2013)

It's a giant tc1 half carbon, half aluminium with 105 nearly showroom condition in silver, black and orange. Very few miles on the clock. Lovely bike to view and ride.

Dave


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## Kerr (Mar 27, 2012)

Jem said:


> It depends on who your employer chooses to supply the scheme. Halfords do run their own www.cycle2work.info


I had my names mixed up. This is mine. http://www.cyclescheme.co.uk/

I got my bike from Edinburgh Bicycle Co and they said with a voucher they couldn't discount the bike at all. No little sweeteners and he couldn't even sell me a bike that was on sale for the price it was on offer as the margins are too tight.

The Boardman bikes are very nice though. They did look very well made and also very good looking.

I didn't opt for a full road bike. I went for a Cannondale Quick hybrid and it has been fine so far.


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## Dannbodge (Sep 26, 2010)

Jem said:


> It depends on who your employer chooses to supply the scheme. Halfords do run their own www.cycle2work.info


I need to check who my work use. All I know is it's Vat free and you pay monthly



Dave50 said:


> It's a giant tc1 half carbon, half aluminium with 105 nearly showroom condition in silver, black and orange. Very few miles on the clock. Lovely bike to view and ride.
> 
> Dave


I'll have a Google


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## Kerr (Mar 27, 2012)

Dannbodge said:


> I need to check who my work use. All I know is it's Vat free and you pay monthly
> 
> I'll have a Google


It isn't VAT free.

What they do is deduct the money from your wage before tax deductions are made.

So it is dependant on your tax contributions how much you save.

Also read carefully what happens at the end of the 12 month lease. Some you have to buy the bike at prices that make it unreasonable to be honest. You save nothing.

Or hand it back meaning you've had a very expensive bike lease for a year.

Some allow you to extend the lease for another period of time for just a few pound and after the end of that, the bike is yours.

It really isn't as clear as it sounds in the schemes I've seen. Just be careful.


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## Dannbodge (Sep 26, 2010)

Kerr said:


> It isn't VAT free.
> 
> What they do is deduct the money from your wage before tax deductions are made.
> 
> ...


I read it very wrong.

A few of my colleagues have done it so I'll speak with them too


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## dandam (Apr 10, 2011)

I looked at bringing in a scheme at my employers (I run payroll and fancied a new bike at the time) but it seemed confusing the the savings not that great in the end, I found it easier to buy secondhand


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## afoggo (May 5, 2014)

I done the cycle scheme through work- have to say it wasnt great. The savings were minimal and I had to pay 7% on the bike at the end of the 12 months to keep it. If I was to get another bike- I would buy through interest free instead of cycle scheme


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## profoundoblu (Jan 30, 2013)

Dannbodge said:


> I need to check who my work use. All I know is it's Vat free and you pay monthly
> 
> I'll have a Google


Where are you in Portsmouth? I live out in horndean, IMO I would speak to the boys at Solent cycles (they have a shop in port jester, fareham, lee and whitely) my mate bought his c2w bike through them and I have dealt with the guys in there for the past 6 years, can't recommend them highly enough. They stock cubes, giants, cannondales etc

Best shop around Our local area IMO.

James


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## Dannbodge (Sep 26, 2010)

profoundoblu said:


> Where are you in Portsmouth? I live out in horndean, IMO I would speak to the boys at Solent cycles (they have a shop in port jester, fareham, lee and whitely) my mate bought his c2w bike through them and I have dealt with the guys in there for the past 6 years, can't recommend them highly enough. They stock cubes, giants, cannondales etc
> 
> Best shop around Our local area IMO.
> 
> James


Southsea at the moment but moving to the Milton area of Portsmouth soon. I work I Cosham so my commute is tiny.

I'll have a look on their website. I won't be buying it for a couple of months anyway. At work the cycle to work doesn't run again till October


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## bigup (Jun 4, 2009)

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-3-red-road-bike-id_8274036.html

if you can get one in your local store in your size, grab one, awesome bike and cheap too! (triban red, not the white one)

i had a Giant Defy 1 which was not gettng as used as much as the Triban, so sold it and now use the triban exclusively


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## Barchettaman (Dec 16, 2007)

That Triban has alu frame and carbon fork, so basically all you need.

8-speed isn´t the newest stuff around but it will be workmanlike and reliable.

I would swap out those pedals for your type of riding. I like the MTB/Platform hybrid pedals on my commuter (Shimano PD-M 324 or or A-530).

Best of luck whatever you decide.

Remember that road bike tyres need high pressures so factor in a track pump into your budget, as well as better tyres as OEM spec ones are usually pants.


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## Tricky Red (Mar 3, 2007)

The latest Triban 3 has been detuned a bit from the last one which had a Shimano chainset IIRC. Now it is a different make, I can't remember which. The white bike is the latest Triban 3. You won't find a red.


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