PapoRoad

Hey Everybody, nice to meet you . I come from MTB background mainly downhill and enduro, and I'm looking to get a road bike to aid in training and also for fun, and a different kind of riding I'm used to. I have been looking at my options and due to pricing, carbon is out of the question so I have to go with an alu bike. It has to have discs and through axles. I was looking at a discounted GT GTR Sport. I know its a very basic bike, but if the frame is good, its upgrade-able over time. (Thinking of upgrading group to 105). What are your thoughts on buying a basic bike/frame and upgrading components? I also saw a Caad13 alu with 105, but its quite more than the GT with upgraded 105 (think almost double).

Cheers and hope everyone stays safe.

big john

That GT looks like a reasonable bike to get started with but I don't think it bears a lot of upgrading. The Cannondale is probably a better frame and probably lighter, too, if that matters to you.
GT used to have a larger presence here and they had some high end bikes. Now, I don't know about their warranty or reputation.

PapoRoad

Thanks for the input! In that case, what "cheap/basic - ish" alu frame could be worth upgrading to 105 sooner rather than later?

Thanks for the comments!

big john

I think there are a lot of good aluminum frames out there but I don't know your definition of "cheap". I think that Cannondale is good frame and I'm sure any of the major brands have good frames, too. I don't have anything bad to say about that GT and I did read a quick review on line which was favorable. I just don't know much about them.
Have you looked at Bikes Direct? How about the consumer direct brands like Fezarri?

MRT2

A question and a comment.
1. Why does your new bike have to have discs and through axles? I ask because these were not too common on road bikes, and even currently, not all road bikes have them.
2. From what I know, buying a basic bike and upgrading components is usually more expensive than buying a bike with the level of components you are looking for to start with.

PapoRoad

I also read a quick review of the GT that was favourable aswell. Consumer direct brands are a good option I have passed on, I'll take a look at it!

1. Just personal preferences. As I come from the mtb world, these are standard features for any of my bikes when possible, it just gives me that extra confidence. Maybe they're overkill for the use I'll give it (not the brakes though hehehe), but alas, don't we all want something we personally like?

2. I have to agree, but the thing is where I live a 105 disc road bike will be a lot more than a cheaper frame with a 105 on it that a friend has for quite the good price.

Maelochs

Yes, and a lot of off-road vehicles have 4WD .... and so do a lot of road-going SUVs which will never see even dirty pavement, let alone dirt. $WD is a necessity if you are going off-road---it is an expensive waste if not.

Discs are good, but rim brakes can lock up the tires, so ... if your bike is going over budget just so you can have discs, you would be far better off getting everything else better and using rim brakes than getting less of everything else ... because you would likely also get crappy disc brakes.

I have what are supposed to be the industry standard in mechanical discs, Spyre SLCs, on my Fuji. They are on par with 105 or Ultegra rim brakes. i do feel safer in the wet and in traffic because of the millisecond of more immediate response .... but that also means they lock more easily. Hydro discs are excellent, and you can stop with a finger .... but you will also have to pay for them.

Of course, you can always upgrade. As MRT2 notes, you will pay a lot more doing a piece-by-piece upgrade instead of just buying the bike you want right away.

So quit messing around and buy your friend's bike.

WhyFi

If you want TAs and disc brakes, definitely get TAs and disc brakes, 'specially if it's a bike that you want to hold on to for a while. You already know that they're ubiquitous in the MTB world and it's quickly heading in that direction for road, too.