Inpd

So its Christmas and I have to buy myself a present right?

I have an entry level BD road bike with endurance geometry Claris group set (see https://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycli...ening-dlx.html). I like it a lot but why not buy another different bike, you only live once.

So here is my plan. What do you think? Any flaws/oversights? Essentially plan a. is buy a great frame with cheap groupset and upgrade it later but if I can't find a frame I like just go with plan b which is to buy an average frame with nicer parts.

a. I plan to choose amongst all the major manufacturers road bikes which come with Claris group sets. Focusing on the CAAD8 and Specialized Allez as they have the most sports geometry which is most different to my current endurance geomtry. I'll buy the one I find most different to my current bike. My reasoning is that I can upgrade the groupset myself later to the 105 for $350.

b. If plan a. does not work out because I don't like any of the bikes. I will get one of two BD options:

i) The Ultegra Windsor Knight. Save Up to 60% Off Ultegra Road Bikes Shimano Ultegra Road Bikes - Windsor Knight This has a more sporty geometry and a mostly Ultegra drive train and will be more different than my current bike. However, this bike is bloody frustrating to research as the frame has been around since 2006 but there aren't any decent reviews commenting on weight, riding characteristics etc.

ii) The Grand Premio Elite. (see Save Up To 60% Off Pro Level Steel Road Bikes | Commuting | Commuter Bikes | Motobecane Gran Premio PRO). I would like to get a steel bike just because my current one is Aluminum so this will be different. But I'm not thrilled that the geometry is very similar to my endurance style bike. I'd like to get a Breezer or a Smoothie but I can't find them anywhere to test drive so its hard to justify the extra cost over the BD bike.

mLuMaN83

I would go bigger if I were you. It's cheaper in the long run to just get a new ride with a great frame and a great group you only have to worry about maintaining.

I just recently went from an Allez Sport to a new bike. I almost bought an Allez Comp but decided to go with the Tarmac Comp. Carbon frame, full Ultegra. I am SOOOOO happy I splurged on the Tarmac over the Allez!

But... the CAAD and the Allez are still great.

Henry III

Only thing I'd ever get from BD would be their Ti Motobacon. The only things that are Ultegra are the shifters and derailleurs. Cheesy FSA cranks, Tektro calipers...etc. Not really getting your logic for the other bike. Why not just upgrade the bike you have now? Save your money instead of buying some rebadged Chinese turd. For the money your going to spend just to have something different. You could drop into your other bike. Don't get me wrong as I've got six road bikes myself but I collect and ride vintage and handmade bikes. For what your going to spend you could pick up something decent that's used that has some class.

Inpd

Thanks @HenryIII. You have a point. I'm actually quite happy with the Claris group set since I live on a flat pancake. So what could I upgrade with my current bike? WheelSet is about it.

The logic for the new bike is to get something different. I would hope that the Windsor Knight (7005 ALU and different geometry) and Grand Premio Elite (520 Steel) frames would be step up from my current frame.

The used route is always tempting but there are too many shady sellers in my area and I'm concerned my lack of knowledge means I could get ripped off.

Henry III

I'm always one looking for a reason to pick up another bike but it's normally something my other bikes can't do. I kind of like having one of each...vintage Italian bike that's all period correct just to get that feeling of what the legends road back then. Then a fast modern bike with bells and whistles. A beater bike I can ride and not worry about it getting beat up. A do it all road bike...handle bigger tires, be comfy for all day riding. Normally for used I'll look around on ebay or just here on the forum. For the price of one of those BD bike. You could find a decent bike with 8/9/10 speed Ultegra or Dura Ace and be from a small builder with quality tubing since you were looking at a steel bike.

As for wheels that's the best upgrade you can do to your bike. Get a set of sturdy but quality wheel built up. Handbuilt wheels normally stay true and last longer then machine built wheels. I guess I just see it as you drive a Toyota Corolla and your looking at a Honda Civic and I'm not talking about a Civic SI either. lol.

indyfabz

With all the posts you make about different bikes I thought you owned at least a half dozen already.

Inpd

You would think so wouldn't you! I have two an endurance bike and a track bike.

Now I have ridden a lot of different bikes, but the problem is the BD endurance road bike is hard to beat everything has worked really well on that bike for over 5000 miles.

rms13

I thought you were talking about buying a Ritchey Logic. That would be a great upgrade. The other ideas are lousy. Wait until you can make a significant upgrade

DaveWC

All this talk about how the high end bikes aren't worth it, don't make you faster, are incrementally better... I sure see a lot of people with entry level bikes that want to accumulate more entry level bikes. There just seems to be a dissatisfaction with your choice and you're about to get another, very similar bike hoping that it will fill the void. I'd rather have one bike that I love regardless of cost than 3 or 4 that I wish were better.

Inpd

Yes I did. I had it down to a Ritchey Logic, Sonoma Smoothie or a Venturi Breezer as a steel bike but only if I could test ride one. I've spent the last month or so combing CL, the bike trails literally anywhere to see if I could beg/borrow/steal an example but couldn't. They aren't too popular unfortunately for me.

rms13

What about all the people with bike problems that just have 20-50 bikes in the garage? Some people just like having many bikes

rms13

Those are all great frames. You should be confident without having to test one. I would jump on the Breezer frameset close out at bikewagon before they are gone

Inpd

Whaaaaa. I really like my BD bike. Done 5000+ miles on it since April. Since I only spent $400 on it I can easily justify another bike so perhaps thats why people want to accumulate more? I want another bike to be different from the current one. So I'm going down the route of a i) a more racy frame or ii) a steel bike.

PepeM

I would wait until I can get something I really like. This idea of buying something thinking of upgrading it right away seems counterproductive. If you really want to spend some cash, you could get some upgrades for your current ride, then after a while you'll have enough quality bits and pieces so you can go ahead and buy a nicer frameset and transfer all the upgrades to it.

DaveWC

Do what you want. I think you're kidding yourself that either of the bikes you listed will be noticeably different than what you have. You're just incrementally stepping up to the bike you probably really want. It happens all the time... buy a $400 bike, ride it for a year, upgrade to an $800-$1000 bike, ride that for 6 months. Each 6 months to a year you leapfrog up by ~100% until you pull the trigger on a $5k bike, take back all of the stuff you posted about how large ticket bikes aren't worth it, and realize that your $5k bike doesn't do anything that your $400 bike couldn't do. Some like to accumulate equipment, never satisfied with what they have, others just ride. In the end your bike choices could easily cost more than the big ticket bike you've denigrated.

spdracr39

If you really want to upgrade go ride a name brand carbon full ultegra bike for a day and see the difference. Then you will have an educated goal to shoot for instead of all this wishing and guessing.

Lazyass

Nashbar has good deals on closeout bikes. With the additional 25% off, this 105 bike is $825.

Mekk Pinerolo AL 2.5 Road Bike

rms13

I wouldn't pay $825 for a aluminum bike with 10 speed 105. You can get the Nashbar carbon with 11 speed for under $1000 when they have a 20%

Stratocaster

I see the point here. I also can see the OP's perspective.
I went the "opposite" direction as the OP - bought an entry/mid-level race-type bike. I wanted some variety (and other things) and a few months later bought an entry/mid-level endurance-type bike.

I get wanting variety. Yes, both bikes have very similar/same components - basically just different geometry and crank.
But that was enough reason for me.

...and I then got to wondering, "You know, I could have just bought a nice $3,000 CF bike..."

Eh, I like the variety. I have different purposes for both bikes.

In summary, my vote goes to "do what you want".
You might spend some bucks upgrading...but you know what? - you might learn some things about components and maintenance that make it worthwhile.

dr_lha

I agree.

VwFix

You can always look at some nice accessories like a power meter or a nice garmin unit too if you are happy with your bike but have that earning for some new toys.

Inpd

Nice post. I think that summarizes things nicely.

Its the "one bike to rule them all" mentality vs "variety is the spice of life".

I guess I am a discipline of the later after buying my track bike. I love taking it around a 1 mile loop in my neighborhood fast for 45 minutes. Just can't do that with a road bike due to geometry and clearance.

The other factor was after tearing down my entry level bike and putting it back together again I'm amazed how smoothly it rides/shifts so my desire for a nice frame is still very high but for top of the line components not so much.

BoSoxYacht

I wouldn't buy a Pinerolo bicycle or Magnabox television.

Inpd

I agree as well. The amount of times I've put that thing in my basket and nearly checked out ...

But I don't think I can build it up myself. I can tear down and put together a bike, but if I mess up the design I'd be stuck with $1000 worth of junk. By design I mean not only choosing the right components, but spacers etc so everything worked well *together*.

PepeM

I don't think I would buy a 'Pinerolo' either. Stupid name.