From worst to best: Liv bikes Scott Speedster 50 RB Carrera Vanquish Pinnacle Laterite One Canyon Endurace 7 RB / DB Triban RC 520 Trek Domane AL 2 Specialized Allez
I have this bike and also the triban Rc500. They are very different bikes. The EDF is a much lighter, nimble and responsive bike. However it is not a bike to load up or anything. It is basically racier and very fun to ride. The RC500 is more of a workhorse while still being a bit sporty. I personally commute and bike pack on it.
The female version was on discount in France a few weeks ago, snatched a brand new one for 700€ (£600) for my girlfriend, probably best bang for the buck ever for a new bike
I love my RC120. My buddies at the bike shop give me grief as a joke but they all love what I got for the price point and I'm still pulling my weight on rides!
Can James please do a run down of a range of steel bikes on the market? See what less mainstream brands offer in terms of fit? This was a great episode!
Had the Canyon Endurace 7 RB for over 2 years and still my pride & joy. I'd agree with James though and go for the disc version - not because rim brakes are being left behind but because the clearance only allows for 28mm tires.
That is also my feeling after 3 years on the rimbrake version. Recently went from the standard 25mm tires to a 28mm setup for a long bikepacking trip. Probably will upgrade in a few years but this rimbrake version is a really nimble and light bike.
Love my RB too! I upgraded the wheels to a set of Hunt Aero Wides and have ordered Swiss Stop brake pads to beef up the stoppers. Fitted 28mm Conti GP5000 tyres and it rides like a dream, as well as being slightly lighter than the stocker and a hell of a lot stiffer through the wheels now, better for climbing and descending, once the new brakes are on.
How could anyone go for anything else than the RC520.. fantastic value, easy to maintain. Have had one myself for several years now, built up as a gravel bike. ❤
got it in jan 2024. pretty much best al road bike at the moment. better than some of the entry level carbon bike. i wanted to go used carbon but couldn't find any that fits me(6' 4") .
Thank to Francis and James and all at CADE i am awaiting delivery of a beautiful Mulsanne blue TREK AL2 Domaine. Im 62 and getting back into the cycling. Tommy in Dublin 🤗😊🚴
Good to see this affordable entry bike video!! Just for the having fun on the bike and discover if you like it attitude! Have to remember the days on my way to heavy cheap mountainbike that got me into cycling! I got my rimbrake endurace 7 as my first roadbike! Still enjoy it 4 years later with even bikepacking trips!
Tourney brifters are just fine. I've got them on my 30 years old steel bike, it's a 2x7, hence. I usually ride with hands on the hoods or top of the bar, I love just flicking my thumbs or other available fingers to change down, not having to reach down for the brake lever.
In my experience the comfort of relaxed geometry wins every time. Ridden for hours at a time on my Giant Anyroad which is even more relaxed than the Allez and Domane and I don’t get a peep from any part of my body and I am not flexible or young. I bought an old Defy with the old Sora group set with levers on the side of the shifters and I cannot actually believe how well it all works. Really old but well maintained and as good as the 105 on my Anyroad.
I saved up and got a Voodoo gravel bike from Halfords. No, set up wasn't perfect-front mech rubbed-but £700 for Sora transmission and a 48-32 /11-34 combo is great for what I need it for. It's got an alloy fork but quite frankly I dont really notice, even on local bridle paths which are often sketchy AF. Keep up the good work.
Pretty happy with my Giant CFR 3 (circa 1996/7). Shimano RSX transmission w/ microshift R7 brifters, and conti 25mm tires. Bought used for $125 and bike shop work was $260-ish. Add a $90 saddle, and it's a sub-$500 bike ($540 w/ new tires thrown in). Very affordable for a very decent bike that cost $1k when it was originally sold (closer to $2k in today's dollars).
Can't recommend the Allez enough, have an old Allez Sprint from 2003, still a racey feel, still works great and fits lovely. And for 3 years of ownership my total costs for it are £200.
Earlier this year I bought a 2024 TCR Advanced +1, but I kept my previous Canyon Endurace AL 7 RB. Thank God I did, while the TCR is off for a check-up, I'm riding the Endurace and I swear it's such a good bike (maybe even better than the TCR). Definitely my 'for life' bike.
There is no way rim brakes will ever go extinct in the sense of spares and repairs. Yeah in the top bit of the market I can see it but for normal people bikes they are an effective and economical solution. Maybe if your daily experience is fitting dentists and hedge fund managers that kind of talk might have some bearing but for regular people it isn't true.
You don’t need to be a dentist to be able to afford a £1500 bike with hydraulic disc brakes. I think it’s just as out of touch assuming that the average person has a cheaper bike with rim brakes. The average person I pass as a roadie daily, has a full carbon bike with disc brakes. Why? Because people finance everything these days. I very rarely see rim brake bikes (I average about 200 miles a week between commuting (150 miles a week) and riding for fun) so I’m out a lot!
The problem will become that you won't be able to get anything good - like the basic minimum level stuff will be available, but that'll be it, no higher tiers available at all. I have a fair number of older bikes including my tandems so I encounter this issue a lot.
I don't ever want to move to disc brakes. I don't need them and I can be arsed with all the extra faff. It's really annoying to be coerced into making the shift. I'll stay on rim brakes as long as I can.
My Radon R1 105 costed me 1.190€ with hydraulic 105, full carbon fork and some wheels. All I changed was the saddle to a Selle Italia SLR and put a shorter stem ob it. Just under 10kgs (as if I'd care) and it's black! At the time there was a hydraulic Claris version for under 1K €, but I did not line the color and I just wanted the 105 for no logical reason whatsoever.
Happy with my second-hand 10 year old Zullo Inqubo artisan steel bike with Campagnolo Record 10 speed group and Passoni titanium hubs with HED rims at similar price to the Canyon 😊
I have a Btwin Triban 540 that I brought used a a backup to my CAAD10. £300, hardly used with 105 11 speed. Rim brakes and external cables so easy to maintain. They crop up regularly in this condition on eBay.
I have auto imune disorder ibs and fatigue syndrome. I have good days and i have very bad days. I still try to ride my road bike when i can as its keeps my mental health up. Would love to someday own a pretty bad ass carbon bike and such that would inspire me to ride more or just drool over it thats good for mental health too 😂 i have a Gavia treviso aluminium frame with 105 does whats its made god for me 😁
Entry level bikes have never been such bad value. 7-12 years ago you got a Canyon/ Rose carbon frame ultegra 11speed Mavic Ksyrium wheels 7,3-7,5kg for 1300-1500 euro. Today you get a 10kg alu frame with the the bad wheels and a tiagra 10speed for the same price.
Tiagra is good though but yeah this is crazy. That's why people love Decathlon bikes, you can get a 105 groupset for like half the price of some major brands.
Groupsets are way better than they used to be though, the tier names have stayed the same but that's about it. My first bike had Claris and it was terrible, Claris now is the same as 10 speed 105.
@@dan44zzt231 makes no sense claris is 8 speed. Shimano had 9 speed more than 25 years ago. And claris and tiagra dont have direct mount derailleurs so the shift the same as a 25 year old groupset.
Try having a look at the cost of groceries compared to today. Butter in the UK, for example, has increased in price by more than 25% between 2017 and 2024. A sliced white loaf cost around £1.00 in 2017; it's £1.40 today. Inflation affects everything, and the cost of raw materials for bicycle parts has skyrocketed since the 2010s. Since March 2020, the price per tonne of raw aluminium has risen by 77%. There's been a 16% increase in the cost of carbon fibre between 2023 and 2024. Look at all the brands that have either gone out of business (Wiggle, Chain Reaction, Orange, Islabikes, etc) or have reported significant losses (Trek, Giant and - this week - Shimano). No one's making any money in the bike industry at the moment.
The Allez is a great choice, it will be probably be enough bike for 90% of the cyclist (including myself). If they are not more popular is because they are overpriced (as always with Spec), but if you manage to grab an Allez with Tiagra (hydraulic disc brakes) at a sale you have a winner there.
@@noze02 I don't know if it's still true, but Allez bikes used to be really touchy and squirrely to ride. Like I can barely even use my drops because they're so unstable they feel unsafe.
All nice bikes but missing at the top of the list and comparable to the Specialized in features and groupset is the Felt Broom Adventure bike with Claris, mech disk brakes and carbon fork all with a smaller price tag - definitely worth checking out if it's available in your neighbourhood :-)
@@zegmakker010been riding a 2x Shimano 105 version for almost 3 months now and very happy with it. Even went through a gravel race and no issue whatsoever. Can surely recommend
My first bike in 2016 was a carrera vanquish, and then in 2019 I got a pinnacle dolomite from Evans. Had that until 2024 when I got a Ribble Endurance Sl. Really liked that pinnacle though. Did a few upgrades but it rode great, for £1000
I got my friend to consider the Trek Domane al2 for her first drop handlebar bike and she loves it. She has the disc version. Quite a few of them are on the secondhand market (uk) in various versions from rim brake to 105 disc.
I remember a guy who had an entry bike that he didn't use much. He shoved his front wheel into a fence and ended up in someone's garden. After that, he left with a Harley-like bike. I'll send him this video.
The only problem of Trek domane AL 2 was the saddle but they fix it to change for a new one lot better, the geometry of the bike is perfect for beginner with lot of size
Bought a used Cannondale Caad 10 for 600€, it's fully Ultegra 10speed equipped and weighs 7.5kg (aluminium is not dead) Couldn't be happier, it's a missile and fits better than every bike I've owned before If you're looking to get bang for your buck, try the used market :)
You can pick up a Cannondale Optimo 2 with full Tiagra and rim brakes for £650, which is a cracking frame and base for a first bike. If you still don’t care too much about brake choice.
Guys, great vid covering entry-level bikes however, if it’s coming from James, I’d expect prioritising bike fit info. Scott Speedster - ZERO mention of sizing and fitting! There’s enough and more info on groupsets across the web and YT.
Man. Glad I clicked on this video because I was considering getting my wife a Liv Avail. I would've gotten her a Canyon at first, but they're always out of their smallest sizes (she's really short at 155cm).
I don't know why James gave Liv a hard time, their XS Avail should fit her fine. I'm 165cm and have bought a couple of women's models, my 2016 Trek Lexa (50cm) fits great and rides really nicely. The Lexa branding is gone, but a 47cm Domane AL 2 Rim would be worth a look. And saying that parts for rim-braked bikes would be hard to find is scaremongering. While choice of compatible groupsets is limited, all the big brands still have 1 or more rim-braked models in their range. Aftermarket rims and wheels will be available for a VERY long time because there is a massive number of bikes already out there.
I have a Trek Domane AL2 Endurance rim brake Claris with mavic wheels and good tyres. I can ride it for 50 miles with no lower back pain. My summer stead is racing geometry with Ultegra I can honestly say I like them equally for going out on.
At about the same price point is the Van Rysel EDR 105 AF is following the same concept and is a great bike: aluminium frame, Shimano 105 groupset (Microshift cassette), rim brakes, awesome wheels. Replace the handlebar with a narrower/shallower one (FSA or Deda), maybe the tires as well (I ride Tufo Comtura Duo 28) and you're good to go. You won't find a lighter carbon frame bike in the shops even for 3000 EUR. If you're a lightweight rider, if the weight of your bike matters to you more, than the myth of the extinction of the rim brake bikes (I don't beleive this will happen soon), then this is your bike.
Excellent video, I wanted an opinion on these two bikes, the Marin Headlands 2 2024 and the Commencal 365 signature 2024. The Marin has a carbon frame and the Commencal has better components. If I'm correct, which would be the better option?
Any thoughts on Polygon bikes? I've got their Strattos S5 with rim brakes and 105 throughout for just under 1.000 euros. It looks and feels amazing - but I haven't ridden many other road bikes, so what do I know?
Francis have you had a look at Merlin's Malt G2 range? Think they're the only option going toe to toe with Decathlon stuff on spec atm and they actually come in a true XS frame size for short people like me
The Liv comment focusing on bars not being narrow enough seems like a factor that shouldn't be a big concern to a beginner purchaser. The narrow bars are suitable for a racy fit but a beginner may feel more stability from wider bars - I think one of the factors that is helping gravel bikes to be so popular for beginners. Cranks, now that is a more applicable complaint. Liv does have an issue appropriately sizing cranks on their bikes.
Just bought one of these and commented the same. Great looking frame, very classical. And I work in a bike shop and have had a Trek Emonda SL6 Pro before. But wanted back to a simpler bike. I will upgrade to Tiagra callipers, and wider tires, and maybe carbon wheels later on. And still have spent under £2000 or so.
wheres the cannondale topstone 4 with promax render r brakes that are horrendous and hardly stop the bike, i had to buy some trp spyre to replace the render r brakes as i feared for my safety everytime i went out on it
The Boardman SLR 8.6 with Claris & rim brakes is £650 from Halfords but I guess James doesn't want to promote them after saying how sh*t some of their mechanics are.
i just wandering im riding a brand focus entry level endurance road bike which i upgrade the rim set to dtswiss1800 continental 4 season since its my daily driver and diy bike fit it to my spec , maybe you could give a review please 😅, focus brand merci.
@@Penalist not going to lie, I can't actually understand all of them - he talks quite quickly, but only because he's obviously so passionate about bikes!
@@tireddadsclub From worst to best: Liv bikes Scott Speedster 50 RB Carrera Vanquish Pinnacle Laterite One Canyon Endurace 7 RB / DB Triban RC 520 Trek Domane AL 2 Specialized Allez
![Blox Fruits Dragon Rework Update [Full Stream]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/EqDAp8udhm0/mqdefault.jpg)
From worst to best:
Liv bikes
Scott Speedster 50 RB
Carrera Vanquish
Pinnacle Laterite One
Canyon Endurace 7 RB / DB
Triban RC 520
Trek Domane AL 2
Specialized Allez
Amazing what a grand will get you now days. Glad to see a video like this. well done all..
Consider also the Van Rysel EDR-AF.
Shimano 105 groupset, disc brakes and carbon fork for only £999
EDR-AF Endurance As F***?
@@DCer0😂
Alu Frame maybe?
Van Rysel EDR 105 is rim brake I have the EDR Ultegra rim. In a medium it has a 138mm head tube. That’s more TdF bike than endurance.
I have this bike and also the triban Rc500. They are very different bikes.
The EDF is a much lighter, nimble and responsive bike. However it is not a bike to load up or anything. It is basically racier and very fun to ride.
The RC500 is more of a workhorse while still being a bit sporty. I personally commute and bike pack on it.
The female version was on discount in France a few weeks ago, snatched a brand new one for 700€ (£600) for my girlfriend, probably best bang for the buck ever for a new bike
Happy with my choice of Triban RC520
I love my RC120. My buddies at the bike shop give me grief as a joke but they all love what I got for the price point and I'm still pulling my weight on rides!
Yep, don’t forget about triban rc 500 . Aluminium bikes are not dead 😊
Same, especially after upgrading the wheels to Hunt 4 season..
I have the RC500 with microshift shifters, as a beginner totally worth it. I recently upgraded with shimano spd-sl.
I was on the point to post the same comment. Position is super confy on rc520. And microshit group set for 750 box is quite well too.
Great to see bike fit James. ❤
Can James please do a run down of a range of steel bikes on the market? See what less mainstream brands offer in terms of fit? This was a great episode!
Always love when James is on screen! Time to take notes!
Had the Canyon Endurace 7 RB for over 2 years and still my pride & joy. I'd agree with James though and go for the disc version - not because rim brakes are being left behind but because the clearance only allows for 28mm tires.
That is also my feeling after 3 years on the rimbrake version. Recently went from the standard 25mm tires to a 28mm setup for a long bikepacking trip. Probably will upgrade in a few years but this rimbrake version is a really nimble and light bike.
Love my RB too! I upgraded the wheels to a set of Hunt Aero Wides and have ordered Swiss Stop brake pads to beef up the stoppers. Fitted 28mm Conti GP5000 tyres and it rides like a dream, as well as being slightly lighter than the stocker and a hell of a lot stiffer through the wheels now, better for climbing and descending, once the new brakes are on.
I love my Triban 120, it is the perfect entry level bike in my mind! Added a Garmin 130 compact and just can't get enough of my rides.
Top informative video Francis 👏 really good to see James having good chat ! 👍
How could anyone go for anything else than the RC520.. fantastic value, easy to maintain. Have had one myself for several years now, built up as a gravel bike. ❤
Got a Canyon Endurace AL 7.0 rim brake back in 2019 and I'm still happy riding that bike. Was just over €1000 back then.
got it in jan 2024. pretty much best al road bike at the moment. better than some of the entry level carbon bike. i wanted to go used carbon but couldn't find any that fits me(6' 4")
.
Love it. Just sent the video to 5 friends that's looking to start riding!
Looking forward to seeing Francis on a bicycle again soon. Enough talking, more riding.
Thank to Francis and James and all at CADE i am awaiting delivery of a beautiful Mulsanne blue TREK AL2 Domaine.
Im 62 and getting back into the cycling.
Tommy in Dublin 🤗😊🚴
Good to see this affordable entry bike video!! Just for the having fun on the bike and discover if you like it attitude! Have to remember the days on my way to heavy cheap mountainbike that got me into cycling! I got my rimbrake endurace 7 as my first roadbike! Still enjoy it 4 years later with even bikepacking trips!
Some nice options, I'll stick with my Boardman 8.9c, carbon fork+frame and 105 gearing ( minus the crank and brakes ).
Not all Halfords stores are the same. Between me and the other tech we have over 50 years of experience at my store.
Not all years of experience are the same either... The way you split those 50 years matters too!
Totaly agree, our loan halfords has some great bike mecanics... Can't say the same for other stores I've been to
If i was to spend £1000 on the Allez, i would of hoped for 10 speed Tiagra, or at least 9 speed Sora for that money
That's exactly why I bought a Domane AL2, essentially the same spec bike and I saved over £300.
Tourney brifters are just fine. I've got them on my 30 years old steel bike, it's a 2x7, hence. I usually ride with hands on the hoods or top of the bar, I love just flicking my thumbs or other available fingers to change down, not having to reach down for the brake lever.
In my experience the comfort of relaxed geometry wins every time. Ridden for hours at a time on my Giant Anyroad which is even more relaxed than the Allez and Domane and I don’t get a peep from any part of my body and I am not flexible or young. I bought an old Defy with the old Sora group set with levers on the side of the shifters and I cannot actually believe how well it all works. Really old but well maintained and as good as the 105 on my Anyroad.
I picked up a Domane AL2 disc a couple of months ago, discounted to £685, and it's a fantastic bike.
Finally a good video with James!
Missed these kind of content on the channel, next ride vlog and bike packing
I saved up and got a Voodoo gravel bike from Halfords. No, set up wasn't perfect-front mech rubbed-but £700 for Sora transmission and a 48-32 /11-34 combo is great for what I need it for. It's got an alloy fork but quite frankly I dont really notice, even on local bridle paths which are often sketchy AF. Keep up the good work.
Pretty happy with my Giant CFR 3 (circa 1996/7). Shimano RSX transmission w/ microshift R7 brifters, and conti 25mm tires. Bought used for $125 and bike shop work was $260-ish. Add a $90 saddle, and it's a sub-$500 bike ($540 w/ new tires thrown in). Very affordable for a very decent bike that cost $1k when it was originally sold (closer to $2k in today's dollars).
Can't recommend the Allez enough, have an old Allez Sprint from 2003, still a racey feel, still works great and fits lovely. And for 3 years of ownership my total costs for it are £200.
I bought the Trek Domane AL2 a couple of years ago. Glad to see it's well regarded.
Great bike. People loose touch of just a great simple bike.
Earlier this year I bought a 2024 TCR Advanced +1, but I kept my previous Canyon Endurace AL 7 RB. Thank God I did, while the TCR is off for a check-up, I'm riding the Endurace and I swear it's such a good bike (maybe even better than the TCR). Definitely my 'for life' bike.
There is no way rim brakes will ever go extinct in the sense of spares and repairs. Yeah in the top bit of the market I can see it but for normal people bikes they are an effective and economical solution. Maybe if your daily experience is fitting dentists and hedge fund managers that kind of talk might have some bearing but for regular people it isn't true.
Yeah this seems like a weird out of touch take from people who don't deal with any bike under £1000 regularly
You don’t need to be a dentist to be able to afford a £1500 bike with hydraulic disc brakes. I think it’s just as out of touch assuming that the average person has a cheaper bike with rim brakes.
The average person I pass as a roadie daily, has a full carbon bike with disc brakes. Why? Because people finance everything these days.
I very rarely see rim brake bikes
(I average about 200 miles a week between commuting (150 miles a week) and riding for fun) so I’m out a lot!
The problem will become that you won't be able to get anything good - like the basic minimum level stuff will be available, but that'll be it, no higher tiers available at all.
I have a fair number of older bikes including my tandems so I encounter this issue a lot.
Agree to this also. I’d have a good rim brake over a really cheap cable disk.
I don't ever want to move to disc brakes. I don't need them and I can be arsed with all the extra faff. It's really annoying to be coerced into making the shift. I'll stay on rim brakes as long as I can.
My Radon R1 105 costed me 1.190€ with hydraulic 105, full carbon fork and some wheels. All I changed was the saddle to a Selle Italia SLR and put a shorter stem ob it. Just under 10kgs (as if I'd care) and it's black!
At the time there was a hydraulic Claris version for under 1K €, but I did not line the color and I just wanted the 105 for no logical reason whatsoever.
Had that exact Domane and it was a great bike. Put well over 2k miles on it. Switched it out for the carbon version last year.
Happy with my second-hand 10 year old Zullo Inqubo artisan steel bike with Campagnolo Record 10 speed group and Passoni titanium hubs with HED rims at similar price to the Canyon 😊
I have an Allez for commuting and can confirm that it's an excellent bike that fits very well
I have a Btwin Triban 540 that I brought used a a backup to my CAAD10. £300, hardly used with 105 11 speed. Rim brakes and external cables so easy to maintain. They crop up regularly in this condition on eBay.
I have auto imune disorder ibs and fatigue syndrome. I have good days and i have very bad days. I still try to ride my road bike when i can as its keeps my mental health up. Would love to someday own a pretty bad ass carbon bike and such that would inspire me to ride more or just drool over it thats good for mental health too 😂 i have a Gavia treviso aluminium frame with 105 does whats its made god for me 😁
Actually saving up for a Salsa Journeyer… pretty excited with what the Apex 1 650b model has to offer!
Entry level bikes have never been such bad value.
7-12 years ago you got a Canyon/ Rose carbon frame ultegra 11speed Mavic Ksyrium wheels 7,3-7,5kg for 1300-1500 euro.
Today you get a 10kg alu frame with the the bad wheels and a tiagra 10speed for the same price.
Tiagra is good though but yeah this is crazy. That's why people love Decathlon bikes, you can get a 105 groupset for like half the price of some major brands.
Groupsets are way better than they used to be though, the tier names have stayed the same but that's about it. My first bike had Claris and it was terrible, Claris now is the same as 10 speed 105.
@@runl6117 absolutly not. 1 gear less much lighter and the technic is the same
@@dan44zzt231 makes no sense claris is 8 speed. Shimano had 9 speed more than 25 years ago. And claris and tiagra dont have direct mount derailleurs so the shift the same as a 25 year old groupset.
Try having a look at the cost of groceries compared to today. Butter in the UK, for example, has increased in price by more than 25% between 2017 and 2024. A sliced white loaf cost around £1.00 in 2017; it's £1.40 today.
Inflation affects everything, and the cost of raw materials for bicycle parts has skyrocketed since the 2010s. Since March 2020, the price per tonne of raw aluminium has risen by 77%. There's been a 16% increase in the cost of carbon fibre between 2023 and 2024.
Look at all the brands that have either gone out of business (Wiggle, Chain Reaction, Orange, Islabikes, etc) or have reported significant losses (Trek, Giant and - this week - Shimano). No one's making any money in the bike industry at the moment.
The Allez is a great choice, it will be probably be enough bike for 90% of the cyclist (including myself). If they are not more popular is because they are overpriced (as always with Spec), but if you manage to grab an Allez with Tiagra (hydraulic disc brakes) at a sale you have a winner there.
I got an Allez with 11 SPD and st Swiss rims. Last year of rim brake.
The main concern with entry level is the wheels.
@@noze02 I don't know if it's still true, but Allez bikes used to be really touchy and squirrely to ride. Like I can barely even use my drops because they're so unstable they feel unsafe.
All nice bikes but missing at the top of the list and comparable to the Specialized in features and groupset is the Felt Broom Adventure bike with Claris, mech disk brakes and carbon fork all with a smaller price tag - definitely worth checking out if it's available in your neighbourhood :-)
Just bought a Laterite 2 for £290 new and love it
Had a Norco valence a3, great bike.
Can James cover the same list for entry level gravel bike please?
Look into the Triban GRVL, basically a RC 520 set up for gravel. Cube and Canyon have some stuff too, but they're more expensive
@@zegmakker010 the GRVL520 with SRAM looks good.
@@zegmakker010been riding a 2x Shimano 105 version for almost 3 months now and very happy with it. Even went through a gravel race and no issue whatsoever.
Can surely recommend
@@zegmakker010 Purchased the SRAM GRVL 520 in the end.
My first bike in 2016 was a carrera vanquish, and then in 2019 I got a pinnacle dolomite from Evans. Had that until 2024 when I got a Ribble Endurance Sl. Really liked that pinnacle though. Did a few upgrades but it rode great, for £1000
Sounds like he hasn't ridden most of these bikes
Salsa Journeyer Claris, comes in 700 or 650b starting at $800. Sizing all the way down to 4'8 for the smallest size.
I got my friend to consider the Trek Domane al2 for her first drop handlebar bike and she loves it. She has the disc version. Quite a few of them are on the secondhand market (uk) in various versions from rim brake to 105 disc.
I remember a guy who had an entry bike that he didn't use much. He shoved his front wheel into a fence and ended up in someone's garden. After that, he left with a Harley-like bike. I'll send him this video.
The only problem of Trek domane AL 2 was the saddle but they fix it to change for a new one lot better, the geometry of the bike is perfect for beginner with lot of size
Would love to see them all put in a table - cost, functions, weight
List is good, but what about the cube attain series? Great bikes and great specs I just ordered a cube attain race for £865!!
Bought a used Cannondale Caad 10 for 600€, it's fully Ultegra 10speed equipped and weighs 7.5kg (aluminium is not dead)
Couldn't be happier, it's a missile and fits better than every bike I've owned before
If you're looking to get bang for your buck, try the used market :)
Im looking for something similar to but. I dont need that 2024 frames on claris and discs
I just picked up a used CAAD10 for $350 too, sweet bike. Everything you need, nothing you don’t.
You can pick up a Cannondale Optimo 2 with full Tiagra and rim brakes for £650, which is a cracking frame and base for a first bike. If you still don’t care too much about brake choice.
Used Trek Domane 4.3. Full carbon frame, Mix of 105 and Ultegra, rim brakes, Look pedals. Used is the way to go!
Guys, great vid covering entry-level bikes however, if it’s coming from James, I’d expect prioritising bike fit info. Scott Speedster - ZERO mention of sizing and fitting! There’s enough and more info on groupsets across the web and YT.
Man. Glad I clicked on this video because I was considering getting my wife a Liv Avail. I would've gotten her a Canyon at first, but they're always out of their smallest sizes (she's really short at 155cm).
I don't know why James gave Liv a hard time, their XS Avail should fit her fine. I'm 165cm and have bought a couple of women's models, my 2016 Trek Lexa (50cm) fits great and rides really nicely. The Lexa branding is gone, but a 47cm Domane AL 2 Rim would be worth a look.
And saying that parts for rim-braked bikes would be hard to find is scaremongering. While choice of compatible groupsets is limited, all the big brands still have 1 or more rim-braked models in their range. Aftermarket rims and wheels will be available for a VERY long time because there is a massive number of bikes already out there.
Include cube!
How do I get a bike fit for a tandem James? Visually impaired stoker?
I have a Trek Domane AL2 Endurance rim brake Claris with mavic wheels and good tyres. I can ride it for 50 miles with no lower back pain. My summer stead is racing geometry with Ultegra I can honestly say I like them equally for going out on.
At about the same price point is the Van Rysel EDR 105 AF is following the same concept and is a great bike: aluminium frame, Shimano 105 groupset (Microshift cassette), rim brakes, awesome wheels.
Replace the handlebar with a narrower/shallower one (FSA or Deda), maybe the tires as well (I ride Tufo Comtura Duo 28) and you're good to go.
You won't find a lighter carbon frame bike in the shops even for 3000 EUR. If you're a lightweight rider, if the weight of your bike matters to you more, than the myth of the extinction of the rim brake bikes (I don't beleive this will happen soon), then this is your bike.
Would love you to review sone boardman bikes. Ive had the Boardman ADV 8.6 and have taken it all around the world on different bikepacking trips.
I had the 8.9 adv shifting was never right stock until I swapped the crank and front derailleur.
I’m interested in a bike ranking in the £1000-£2000 range!
Excellent video!!!!!
Excellent video, I wanted an opinion on these two bikes, the Marin Headlands 2 2024 and the Commencal 365 signature 2024. The Marin has a carbon frame and the Commencal has better components. If I'm correct, which would be the better option?
I love my speedster 50, im used to shifting. Groupset isn't the most important thing on the bike
No mention of the Merida Scultura Endurance range?
In the used market, you can get a motobekaine.Le champion titanium For a $1000.
I went down such a rabbit hole learning about geometry/fit before buying the specialized allez as my first road bike. I feel so vindicated!!
Giant/liv entry bikes bikes offer higher spec for cheaper than specialized
Any thoughts on Polygon bikes? I've got their Strattos S5 with rim brakes and 105 throughout for just under 1.000 euros. It looks and feels amazing - but I haven't ridden many other road bikes, so what do I know?
I was able to purchase a five year old domane S that was virtually new for $700. Carbon frame and fork with 10sp tiagra
Thanks, gents-great info I wish I had when I started out. P.S. nice Speedy, James…hesalite, or sapphire sandwich?
What about triban rc 120, can someone tell me is it a good choice for start?
Canyon has a sale on the endurace AL6 with hydraulic disk brake tiagra for €1200
Francis have you had a look at Merlin's Malt G2 range? Think they're the only option going toe to toe with Decathlon stuff on spec atm and they actually come in a true XS frame size for short people like me
The Liv comment focusing on bars not being narrow enough seems like a factor that shouldn't be a big concern to a beginner purchaser. The narrow bars are suitable for a racy fit but a beginner may feel more stability from wider bars - I think one of the factors that is helping gravel bikes to be so popular for beginners. Cranks, now that is a more applicable complaint. Liv does have an issue appropriately sizing cranks on their bikes.
I have been looking at the Domane AL for awhile
my first road bike is decathlon, I think it fits me better than my bianchi XR4 right now.
Nothing from Cannondale’s CAAD’s??
optimo rim also good choice ...
Just bought one of these and commented the same. Great looking frame, very classical. And I work in a bike shop and have had a Trek Emonda SL6 Pro before. But wanted back to a simpler bike.
I will upgrade to Tiagra callipers, and wider tires, and maybe carbon wheels later on. And still have spent under £2000 or so.
This is a very strange, specific question. But one I want to know. BH RS1 - good geometry for a regular human, or no?
That's weird, I want to know the exact opposite. Does the BH RS1 have good geometry for an irregular human?
Could you please take a look on the geometry chart for cube bikes. I am curious about your opinion if any of them are suited for beginners. Thanks!
Tourney lever position is so bad they try to avoid any pictures from that side. Seriously though, it's rather because of the cable exit
I had Microshift Advent X with side cable exit, it's so bad I got hand pain and got AXS. No regrets.
More likely it was a campa... whatever patent avoidance game that caused that.
Is there anything to be said about the Boardman 8.6 SLR?
wheres the cannondale topstone 4 with promax render r brakes that are horrendous and hardly stop the bike, i had to buy some trp spyre to replace the render r brakes as i feared for my safety everytime i went out on it
Surprised the Boardman SLR8.8 didn't make the list!
The Boardman SLR 8.6 with Claris & rim brakes is £650 from Halfords but I guess James doesn't want to promote them after saying how sh*t some of their mechanics are.
How about mid level bikes like Ribble, Orro, Cannondale etc. Can you do a video on those? Cheers
That Pinnacle handlebar its a nightmare, James didn't notice it?
i just wandering im riding a brand focus entry level endurance road bike which i upgrade the rim set to dtswiss1800 continental 4 season since its my daily driver and diy bike fit it to my spec , maybe you could give a review please 😅, focus brand merci.
How does the Triban RC120 compare to the Carrera?
Boardman 8.9 rim brake with 105
Enjoyed my chromoly Kona Rove w/ Sora & TRP.
(Now upgraded to GRX - but who leaves anything alone ??)
what about a cannondale Optimo 2
That canyon, is more expensive, but the money is well spend against the others on this list
What about the giant contend ar
So one minute we're told to steer clear of rim brakes, before recommending the Trek with rim brakes?
No planet x? Love my tempest
Could you guys do the same for the 3k price point, cheers!
Happy with the advice BUTT James is recorded in a reverb heavy room and difficult to follow for a non first English speaker 😢
Can we get a list of the bikes somewhere? Want to take a look at some of the options he mentioned. Thanks!
Do you own a pen and a piece of paper?
@@Penalist not going to lie, I can't actually understand all of them - he talks quite quickly, but only because he's obviously so passionate about bikes!
@@tireddadsclub There is 0.75 speed available, and subtitles I believe. I'll see what I can do.
@@tireddadsclub From worst to best:
Liv bikes
Scott Speedster 50 RB
Carrera Vanquish
Pinnacle Laterite One
Canyon Endurace 7 RB / DB
Triban RC 520
Trek Domane AL 2
Specialized Allez
I have a new merida scultura 400 rim brake full 105 £869.00 from primera sports brilliant bike.