the worst thing about the cycling industry aren't 15k bikes, those are built to win the tour de france....the worst thing is entry level bikes being 3k+
I have had my Giant TCR since 2014.. great bike.. if you keep your bike clean.. chain clean.. when i save up i upgraded wheels.. custom saddle.. have done multiple triathlons and iron.. no need for a 10k+ bike
First road bike I bought was a Felt F95 for £600 (2012). Took me from John O’Groats to Lands End and on countless sportives. It’s sad that the big brands don’t offer more options at a lower price, a £2,000 bill for a bike must put a lot of people off, and there’s better value to be found from companies such as Planet X and Fuji.
I have a Planet X RDT 80, unfortunately had a lot of problems with it. Main issue resolved by replacing the front derailleur with SRAM Force but issues with the front folks (bent on delivery) with tyre rubbing. Customer service was appalling, wouldn't resolve the fork issue even with an independent assessment.
Just bought my 1st road bike, a mint condition Ribble fully carbon Endurance SL, 105 groupset for £550, 2nd hand! Worth 2k brand new. Now thats value. It is freaking light!
Feeling really lucky with my end 2020 Canyon Ultimate CF SL 7 - rim brake (I live in the Netherlands, so all is flat), Shimano105-, then it was EUR 1699, 7.72 kg, super stoked with it! I see that now there is no rim brake version anymore and it is 2699 !
I got mine last week. A 2017 canyon ultimate cf sl 9.0 with sram force groupset and rimbrake. Aside from the whole bike the seller gave me freebies of fizik antares saddle, canyon stem and dropbar,look pedal, carbon bottle holders and a sram force RD with short cage for 800€. Most of Todays brand new bike are so expensive thats why i go for second hand.
It reminds me of living in Indianapolis it is so flat then I return to Australia, where we have hills and almost died with the change. Having hills will get you fit.
@@stephenjewitt9009 Lol, this left me with the question: how to get hills in NL 🙂 Spoilers: we do have some, but only in a few areas and very limited in height
I’ve ridden, but not owned, a couple of Giant bikes and I’ll have to say the ride quality is impressive. I’m not getting off my old Bianchi just yet, but Giant will be my next serious consideration. Great video!
I just got a Giant Revolt 2 for 1100 euro straight from Giant. It's a gravel bike but still wonderful on road, changing out the crosscut 2 tyres to something more road worthy would really improve it aswell but I live in Ireland and even our bike lanes have potholes. It's a lovely ride and could not recommend Giant enough to people, especially those who are starting out cycling, like myself
Bought a 2019 Giant Defy Advanced 2 with Shimano 105 gearset just before covid for a pretty good price at the time. Super happy i did, similar spec 2023 models are nearly double the price here in Canada...
Trek Domane AL5 is another great value bike with 105 group set and good specs and good quality parts. Tires would be the only thing out of the box I’d upgrade but that’s with any of these bikes in this price range.
Replacing stock tires with 28c faster and lighter tires is a big improvement of my riding experience. Love my Domane AL5 despite the bike is a bit heavy at 10 kg. Probably can make the bike lighter if going for carbon wheels (guessing like 700g lighter?)
@@benleatherland7020 true. when i spend 2000 euro on a road bike 5 years ago, i considered it to be a luxury item. and that was after many years and kilometers on a steel randoneur. i still own and ride both. disk brakes, tubeless, electronic shifting, carbon etc... you don't need all of that to have a good and fun ride.
£2,000 for a low-end road bike, no wonder bike sales are down. We can blame the bike industry for phasing out rim brake bikes, which allowed light weight bikes at affordable prices.
This one of your best videos. You have applied your extraordinary judgment to the ordinary world in which we live and to great practical and quality of life benefit for us all. Thank you once again, and all the best.
I give you crap for not holding the manufacturers to account on their batshit prices. But, fair play, you've done a good job here of giving the masses useful info.
“But you missed out [insert random name of every bike ever made here]”. Seems you can’t win. Something to keep in mind with this price point is resale value. Getting a “branded” bike often means when people buy at this level, don’t ride it much and then decide to sell, they fetch a better price back than “lesser” brands. Facebook marketplace is littered with examples of broken dreams and best intentions. Plus always buy a bike you like the look of, as if you are not a super enthusiast roadie, it’ll make you want to ride it just that little bit more! The list you have provided is an excellent start point for sure.
2000euro cathegory and not pick any Cube bike is a big blunder. That would be my first choice out of all your recommendetions without thinking toolong. Awesome frames of really high quality, top groupsets. Attain or Agree lines are what everyone should be considering in 2000 budget
I have been riding/racing Rose Bikes for far over 10 years, however their bikes are great value, I must add that one should avoid their carbon fibre frames. My MTB is now on it's sixth frame in 7 years time, all the frames broke down due to manufacturing issues. My racing bike is the same as I'm on my second frame after 8 years but still kinda sad to have to go back to the german shop (live in the Netherlands) to bring the bike away and pick it up a few weeks later. On the ALU bikes I only have positive experiences tho!
My ORRO Terra C 105 came to £100.00 less than the £2000 and that included pedals and mudguards and a personal bike fit. Im absolutely delighted. Although its my first bike so I have nothing to compare, what I used to cycle in 1 hour on my wife's bike I can now achieve in 45min on the ORRO and her bike is a good quality Specialised hybrid. I feel every ounce of downward pressure is converted to the drive train. Ive now cycled almost 500 miles with no issues at all.
@@slipknotsoad86 I bought it from The Bicycle Lounge in Ormskirk, Lancashire. If your local and interested have a look at Merlin cycles in Chorlely. The have a 2022 Terra C at a very competitive price (at least it was there last week when I called in!).
In the land of Oz that’s Australia for you chaps.. Chinese unbranded carbon frames are very common and the quality is not that far off the brands you mentioned and in some cases the mix up of unknown brands do give better value for many especially for beginners and mid level riders. Great review as always 😊
For two grand you can get a fantastic second hand bike. A mate of mine picked up a carbon Fondriest, Full Ultegra with Zipp 404v wheels for £600. It had hardly been ridden and was like new.
Yep, it was many years ago but in the past I paid $2,000 for a barely used Colnago C40 with Campy Record, some kind of rare special carbon cranks that Colnago sourced for a while, and a set of some special edition (extra light) Zip 303s (I think to buy all that new was over $10,000 at the time). Your friend got a really great deal on that Fondriest
2:49 I have a Giant Propel 2022 model. I know it's not in this price range of road bikes, but I just wanted to say that I love the bike so much! Giant is a great value for money regardless of what price range you're looking at. I'd love to save up for a TCR one day, but right now I'm having fun enjoying my Propel ❤
I have that exact same TCR that was £600 more expensive in 2021. Great bike, great groupset. The wheels are ‘meh’ and the front thru axle adapter collapsed within 2 rides. The tyres - nice that it comes set up tubeless, but the tyres are heavy, and like treacle on tarmac. However- like your comments, I changed the wheels to some 50/60mm and added some F1 tyres and it’s absolutely transformed! Not much else I’d change - might add a thicker bar tape down the line. The saddle is ok as well although it creaked after a while so I’ve replaced it only due to that.
1:03 I think alloy and alu are two different things. In the (not that remote) past, all bicycles were made out of steel; which is a combination (alloy) of iron and carbon, whereas alu is the material on its own. Now, maybe, that's an habit you have in the Anglosphere to call it like this.
Alloy is by definition a mixture of different types of metals. All aluminum bikes are alloy too, since no bike today is made from 100% aluminum. One quite common type of aluminium, named 6061 for example also contains magnesium, silicone, copper and chrome.
I wanted an American (Wooo America!!! We rock!!!! Don't forget we saved you Brits in WW2, the big one) bike but none of the local dealers had my size and price point in stock!!! So I bought a Giant Revolt 2... It's okay, but I haven't broken past 30 miles per hour downhill yet... Trying to ride every day or other day!!!!
If you 1. Pack your bike in a car 2. Take your bike on a plane 3. Ride for fun 4. Do overnight rides 5. Are over 90kg 6. Ride on a variety of roads - then you need Alloy Frames... If you 1. A show off 2. A tosser 3. Think you are some elite racer... You need a carbon frame.
Great video and great choice for value roadbikes. Small correction David. The Rose road bike is very light aluminium build with a very fine finished, which it looks like carbon. Greetings from Germany.
You can actually get the Emonda SL5 disc for £2k if you look around. Good discount and I did consider it but ended up with a TCR,based on the frame weight.
You also end up with a bike that's easier to work on (sub-hour headset service) and compatible with almost any, if not any direct-drive turbo trainer. There's simply not much to fault about this bike.
Merida used to have some well spec'd mid range bikes even in carbon but they seem to have disappeared. but I saw an escultura 400 for £2400, which seems pretty cheap for electric assistance, with hydraulics discs and 105. Might be worth reviewing the e-road bike market. La Pierre seem to have nice ones as do giant and trek
One year ago, canyon aeroad 2019 incl. Everything, ultegra di2, dtswiss arc1400 62mm, 7,8kg, 3,3k€ almost new. And now stores are presenting me super base level, partially aluminium entry level bikes for almost 3k. Yeah, not feeling it. Little better than a good used deal. However, the used market has realized that and increased prizes harshly over the pandemic
Aluminum has a bad reputation? Never heard that. Bike companies are ripping everyone a new one. I wouldn’t spend 2000 on tiagra group set. I also don’t need batteries on a road bike, something else that breaks down. I think 105 non Di2 at 1800 reasonable. If not I’ll keep riding what I have. Rose Ultegra, mechanical groupset that sounds good.
It doesn't have a bad reputation, but it has an unfair reputation for offering a harsh ride, a hangover from the 90s and early 2000s but that just isn't the case these days imo
@@davidarthur Even my early 2000's GT ZR3.0 with 28mm tires rides very comfortable with it's carbon fork, the bike it replaced an earlier GT with aluminum fork however was a hard ride.
Lol. I bought my old road bike from a guy on the local classified ads for $80. It was a piece of junk, and I had to put about $250 into it to get it working and safe, but I've ridden it for hundreds of miles, and it's great. $2,000 for the "best value" road bike is just insane.
The big brands also need to get with the program with respect to crank length and handlebar width. Too often the offerings are too big. The only way to get 165mm cranks is with a small or extra small frame. Sub 400mm handlebars likewise.
One thing that drives me crazy is that quality aluminum bikes are going out of style. It's so hard to find a quality aluminum bike with decent components these days; everything is carbon fiber. But you're spot on about your comments about gravel bikes. I have an Canyon Ultimate w/ ultegra di2 and a Grail AL w/ mechanical grx. I much prefer my grail for most riding because it feels more planted on windy days going downhill. If Canyon had a aluminum ultimate with similar components to my cf sl with ultegra di2, i would have gotten that one in a heartbeat.
@@davekendall1338 Ability to bolt things to a bike. If you're looking for something with utility. Bolt holes on carbon are never going to be a good thing.
If you want to drill hole in things and also want comfortable bike-steel frames are much better than aluminum. Aluminum is very stiff. Steel soak up much more road buzz.
Thanks for good video! If I should by a roadbike now I would look for tyre clearance. The Canyon Endurace looks interesting. Gravel bikes are probably the kings of clearance and a versatile choice. My first "roadbike" was a Rocky Mountain Rail cyclodrossbike and has given me thousands of good kilometers during almost 20 years.
Van Rysel the Decathlon in-house brand also offers, both alloy and carbon, well specced road bikes in this price range. Unfortunately there still is some stigma buying from Decathlon.
No David!! Alloy is NOT short for Aluminium. An alloy is a blend of metals. Steel is an alloy, as opposed to iron, for example. Please don’t spread this common misconception. Thanks for the video all the same
@@davidarthur In your world perhaps they are interchangeable but in tbe real world and in every bike shop I have been in over 40 years they are as different as apples and oranges. My first really good bike was made of Reynolds 531 alloy I believe, a steel alloy. It was not sold as an aluminum frams bike by the shop. I have had an aluminum frame road bike and it was sold as an aluminum frame bike not an alloy bike. Both bikes were soldd in different states (US) by different bike shops. As well after I first seen your video I called six different dealers separated by hundreds of miles snd brands and not one has ever heard of using alloy and aluminum interchangeably when referring to bike frames. As well i called a biking friend in England, outside of London, and he had never heard of using the two different materials interchangeably over his 60 plus years. Further, aluminum generally gives a rather stiff ride while an alloy frame usually provides a more forgiving ride. The two materials are worlds apart in the biking world as well as the rest of the world. You should just accept an error when you make one not try to cover it up with a false statement. There is never a problem with an occasional slip up. We all make them. The problems arise from trying to cover it up. This is hoping you just made a mistake and not are actually that unaware of bike materials. Outside of this obvious error I enjoy your videos and would not comment on it except your reply is too off base to ignore, sorry.
@@larrycurran7005 Type alloy bike into google and see what comes back, much easier than phoning all these dealers. I'm well aware of the material differences I was using a common shortening of the name which while incorrect has been in common usage as long as I can remember. I'm not really sure why it has caused you so much upset is it worth it?
@@davidarthur It did not upset me. Those are your words not mine. Yes it was worth it to put in my reply. The way you used the term could be very misleading to someone who is not aware of the difference in materials. Further, if you are so aware of the difference then why did you use a misleading term? If you trust Google surches so much that is a shame. They are noted for information, not always correct information. Accepting a misuse of terms is ok, defending it with not very valid statements makes me wonder if you are the one upset over it. Hence your type of non relevant defense.
I’m just not sure why you are pursuing it so much that’s all, just accept that while technically incorrect it’s a common term used to describe aluminium. Sometimes things stick
The way to get the best bike for 2'000€ is going used. I just bought a Simplon Pavo Granfondo (Full Carbon, Shimano Ultegra, 5 years old, 4'500€ new, 3'300km) for 1'600€
In my experience you can get about 20-30% off base price if you look for 1-2 year old bikes that have only been ridden for a few hundred kilometres. If they are close enough for you to take a thorough look before buying you can potentially get a proper deal and essentially bump your aspirations up a complete price bracket. For some reason there seem to be quite a lot of people buying new bikes every year and getting rid of the old ones. Especially in the pricier "entry to full carbon and aero" 2k-4.5k range. And buying almost TDF grade stuff for 3k instead of >4k sure feels better. Just stay away from the trek stuff that always seems to cost 40% more than it delivers compared to good value brands..
Yep. About 5 years ago I bought a Felt F6x (forget the last number), barely used, at a 50% discount from MSRP. I think is a cyclocross bike, aluminum frame, Shimano 105. The retail price at that time was $1,500 and I bought it for $750 which was very close to the wholesale cost. It's a great bike
for me its all about the quality of the wheels, I bought a set of v fast deep 50mm Chinese wheels 10 years ago and they have not needed as much as a spoke change, get an average bike with fast wheels
I have to say nice video and the price point more realistic. Does seem some people think you should have covered every bike in the world in the 2k range. Clearly not possible.
Surprised no Boardman slr 8.9 £1750 ... It always seems to get on other lists? I only ever had the TT bike but from others+reviewers it is still great value!
I’m wondering if Shimano is still producing mechanical 11 speed group sets for sale? I haven’t seen any full groups sets for sale, I just bought a full mechanical Dura Ace but had to buy it in pieces. Love my mechanical!
You don't need to spend anywhere near £2,000 to get a decent bike and enjoy cycling. You can spend £350/£400-£600 (or even less there are new road bikes at Decathlon starting at £250-£350) and get a reliable new bike from a reputable company. And people don't need 'road' (i.e. racing) bikes with drop handle-bars, they can get hybrid bikes, mountain bikes, town bikes etc.
I agree especially decathlon they have amazing value for the average person, even Halfords have bikes at this price point. But what worries me is that big brands have basically ditched the sub £500 bikes and I guess in part it's because Shimano is now more expensive, it would be amazing for the market if decathlon licenced out Microshift to other companies to build bikes with. My worry is that as time goes on the average person who cannot drop £2k on a bike will be stuck with buying 2nd hand or just going to decathlon.
@@faequeenapril6921 ANother problem now is electric 'bikes' as they are getting many people away from actual cycling and is contrary to point of cycling and many of its benefits...and eBikes are expensive and so will be an excuse to drag up the prices of normal bikes as they will be compared to eBike prices.
@@ZaydDepaor oh yeah for sure, to me bicycles is all about low tech, repairing at home with nothing more than a few tools that anyone can do. To me bicycles are already really expensive, the "budget" specced bikes now being way more expensive than they use to, I'm at the point that instead of buying brand new I'm tempted to buy 2nd hand and then specc it up myself to how I want a bicycle for my needs.
Let me tell you as a vintage and new old stock kind of rider, anything Shimano Claris and Sora that’s being made by Shimano now, is as good if not better than Dura Ace and Ultegra of yesteryear. AND is compatible with previous groupsets. Where as new Tiagra id im not mistaken isn’t compatible with other precious 10 speed groupsets.
I just order it the same ultimate yesterday for 2100 US. I am training for an Ironman. I cannot wait to see what this new bad boy can do. I think this bike is a great deal. Sadly, the new canyon bikes have higher prices so the value per dollar has decreased.
You forgot another good german Brand. I bought a Stevens Aspin to ride during winter. A really fantastic bike. Complete Ultegra Groupset with only Rim Brakes, but this is for me ok.
Interesting comments on the gravel. Considering one to replace my current. Warwickshire lanes are awful these days. I’m getting to old for thin rubber 😂
I have bought 3 exceptional bikes used and in great shape. Bianchi 928 2011 Cervelo RS 2009 Daccordi Vinci 2017. Paid under 5k for all 3. The Daccordi has Campagnolo Super Record electronic. The worst wheels i have are Shimanos R50, they are bullet proof and ok. Just of all the wheels these are the only entre level wheelset that came with the Cervelo.
My problem with wheels and tires is that if I upgrade them then I feel like I may as well spend a bit more and get a whole new bike. Or if I don’t and I do by the wheels and then I decide to get a new bike later, then I have an extra set of wheels that I may not want… so I really struggle to decide whether or not I think it’s worth upgrading the wheels on my cheaper frame
Agreed. I will had, however, that I upgraded my tires [Giant Gavia to Continental GP5000] and the difference is INSANE. No components, just tires, and I honestly believe wattage has increased as well as feel and handling.
@@Crap4me2 That's interesting, I might look into that. For me though, I feel that my money is better spent on a good bike fit, some bike shoes that are right for me and a few alterations to make my ride more comfortable. But I have also heard that the tires can make a massive difference.
Good feature - many vlogs give the impression that you need a 4k/ 5k bike to be a cyclist. I’ve ridden Cube which are widely available and they are very good value- also Dolan and Ribble probably have offerings at this price point. Would like to see a feature on best upgrades for a 2k bike. PS All metals used for bikes are alloys - ie a mixture of metals - ie Titanium is an alloy - so aluminium is the accurate description for an aluminium bike. Keep up the good work.
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the worst thing about the cycling industry aren't 15k bikes, those are built to win the tour de france....the worst thing is entry level bikes being 3k+
Rose and Canyon bikes are great value…….as long as you don’t mind the 6 month to 1 year delivery time. No joke.
maybe try Cube
I have had my Giant TCR since 2014.. great bike.. if you keep your bike clean.. chain clean.. when i save up i upgraded wheels.. custom saddle.. have done multiple triathlons and iron.. no need for a 10k+ bike
Nice…long overdue for us mortals. Please do more like this in the $1500/2500 range….👍🏻
Thanks and watch this space
First road bike I bought was a Felt F95 for £600 (2012). Took me from John O’Groats to Lands End and on countless sportives. It’s sad that the big brands don’t offer more options at a lower price, a £2,000 bill for a bike must put a lot of people off, and there’s better value to be found from companies such as Planet X and Fuji.
I have a Planet X RDT 80, unfortunately had a lot of problems with it. Main issue resolved by replacing the front derailleur with SRAM Force but issues with the front folks (bent on delivery) with tyre rubbing. Customer service was appalling, wouldn't resolve the fork issue even with an independent assessment.
@@gavinward3176 That's unfortunate. I had a Planet-X RT-57 that was brilliant out of the box.
And Decathlon!
I have a felt s32 right now.
You can still buy many old road bikes today.
Just bought my 1st road bike, a mint condition Ribble fully carbon Endurance SL, 105 groupset for £550, 2nd hand! Worth 2k brand new. Now thats value. It is freaking light!
Good job
The best bike is your current bike. My 2016 Endurace still rides like a charm. Upgraded the groupset to axs.
That Rose is an alloy frame (disguised as a carbon frame) but it looks beautifully made.
Feeling really lucky with my end 2020 Canyon Ultimate CF SL 7 - rim brake (I live in the Netherlands, so all is flat), Shimano105-, then it was EUR 1699, 7.72 kg, super stoked with it!
I see that now there is no rim brake version anymore and it is 2699 !
I also got in on the last of the Canyon rim brake bikes-- CF SL 8. Perfect.
@@theatomic430 I still love it, last week it passed the 10000 km mark
I got mine last week. A 2017 canyon ultimate cf sl 9.0 with sram force groupset and rimbrake. Aside from the whole bike the seller gave me freebies of fizik antares saddle, canyon stem and dropbar,look pedal, carbon bottle holders and a sram force RD with short cage for 800€. Most of Todays brand new bike are so expensive thats why i go for second hand.
It reminds me of living in Indianapolis it is so flat then I return to Australia, where we have hills and almost died with the change. Having hills will get you fit.
@@stephenjewitt9009 Lol, this left me with the question: how to get hills in NL 🙂
Spoilers: we do have some, but only in a few areas and very limited in height
I recently bought the giant tcr trading my canyon and my what a difference in comfort and ride quality.Giant is by far the best value
I’ve ridden, but not owned, a couple of Giant bikes and I’ll have to say the ride quality is impressive. I’m not getting off my old Bianchi just yet, but Giant will be my next serious consideration. Great video!
I just got a Giant Revolt 2 for 1100 euro straight from Giant.
It's a gravel bike but still wonderful on road, changing out the crosscut 2 tyres to something more road worthy would really improve it aswell but I live in Ireland and even our bike lanes have potholes.
It's a lovely ride and could not recommend Giant enough to people, especially those who are starting out cycling, like myself
rad
Bought a 2019 Giant Defy Advanced 2 with Shimano 105 gearset just before covid for a pretty good price at the time. Super happy i did, similar spec 2023 models are nearly double the price here in Canada...
Trek Domane AL5 is another great value bike with 105 group set and good specs and good quality parts. Tires would be the only thing out of the box I’d upgrade but that’s with any of these bikes in this price range.
Yes, the first think I do when I see rubbish Tektro brakes is swap them out for 105.
Replacing stock tires with 28c faster and lighter tires is a big improvement of my riding experience. Love my Domane AL5 despite the bike is a bit heavy at 10 kg. Probably can make the bike lighter if going for carbon wheels (guessing like 700g lighter?)
Finally! WE like this type of videos. Affordable bikes
Glad you liked it!
A bike for 2000 quids is affordable?
Yes bikes prices have gone up, also has car prices and pretty much everything else also.
Thanks for reviewing more affordable bikes that are accessible to the masses - cheers!
More to come!
£2000 bikes are now considered affordable are they. People are being brainwashed. That is ridiculous money for a bike.
@@benleatherland7020 true. when i spend 2000 euro on a road bike 5 years ago, i considered it to be a luxury item. and that was after many years and kilometers on a steel randoneur. i still own and ride both.
disk brakes, tubeless, electronic shifting, carbon etc... you don't need all of that to have a good and fun ride.
This channel is not aimed at me. Happy for your joy of this hobby
the clue is in the name ;)
£2,000 for a low-end road bike, no wonder bike sales are down. We can blame the bike industry for phasing out rim brake bikes, which allowed light weight bikes at affordable prices.
trying to make money off the folks with money.
The first bike is not 2000, as of today it’s 4500. Not exactly bargain basement prices.
These prices are singly obscene
Buy direct from China
It is not a low end road bike, but the best performance and value bikes, that perform at a higher quality, performance level.
This one of your best videos. You have applied your extraordinary judgment to the ordinary world in which we live and to great practical and quality of life benefit for us all. Thank you once again, and all the best.
Wow, thank you!
I give you crap for not holding the manufacturers to account on their batshit prices. But, fair play, you've done a good job here of giving the masses useful info.
Rose decided to clean up the front end but route cable housing under chain stay! The frame design looks good though.
“But you missed out [insert random name of every bike ever made here]”. Seems you can’t win. Something to keep in mind with this price point is resale value. Getting a “branded” bike often means when people buy at this level, don’t ride it much and then decide to sell, they fetch a better price back than “lesser” brands. Facebook marketplace is littered with examples of broken dreams and best intentions. Plus always buy a bike you like the look of, as if you are not a super enthusiast roadie, it’ll make you want to ride it just that little bit more! The list you have provided is an excellent start point for sure.
Very interesting. That giant is a screaming deal in UK. Can't get close to that price in the US.
2000euro cathegory and not pick any Cube bike is a big blunder. That would be my first choice out of all your recommendetions without thinking toolong. Awesome frames of really high quality, top groupsets. Attain or Agree lines are what everyone should be considering in 2000 budget
I have been riding/racing Rose Bikes for far over 10 years, however their bikes are great value, I must add that one should avoid their carbon fibre frames. My MTB is now on it's sixth frame in 7 years time, all the frames broke down due to manufacturing issues. My racing bike is the same as I'm on my second frame after 8 years but still kinda sad to have to go back to the german shop (live in the Netherlands) to bring the bike away and pick it up a few weeks later.
On the ALU bikes I only have positive experiences tho!
I’m in Langkawi , Malaysia, there is a nice Gusto with DI2 and calliper brakes , Taiwan carbon frame , 12500 RM or about £2200 . 👍
My ORRO Terra C 105 came to £100.00 less than the £2000 and that included pedals and mudguards and a personal bike fit. Im absolutely delighted. Although its my first bike so I have nothing to compare, what I used to cycle in 1 hour on my wife's bike I can now achieve in 45min on the ORRO and her bike is a good quality Specialised hybrid. I feel every ounce of downward pressure is converted to the drive train. Ive now cycled almost 500 miles with no issues at all.
Where did you buy that?
@@slipknotsoad86 I bought it from The Bicycle Lounge in Ormskirk, Lancashire. If your local and interested have a look at Merlin cycles in Chorlely. The have a 2022 Terra C at a very competitive price (at least it was there last week when I called in!).
@@malcolmhendra20 I'm in kent so far from local! thanks for replying though, it was worth a shot as that is a great deal!
If you're not racing you don't need a fancy bike.
You can get a really nice bike for less than $1,000 with Shimano Claris 8x2
Buy the best bike they made.... 20 years ago.
I love the Giant Contend AR! Beautiful all road bike. And very capable!
I'm looking forward to the Vitus bike reviews. Great brand with great value
I bought the same bike in just before Christmas and can’t recommend it highly enough.
I have a 2019 CAAD12 Ultegra. Still rides amazing today. Cannondale is the best when it comes to Alloy. Same with Specialized with the Allez.
I have Caad 5 from 2005, still rides amazing😅 actualy theres no big differnce between new and old bikes, specially if old is upgraded
@@Glebaka 1998 CAD3 checking in.
I sold my old Allez, a stiff, beautiful frame. Steep angles made it a great bike for crit racing. Specialized alloy frames up there with anyone's!
@@FriendlyFarmMachineryToolCpBel The Allez still remains to be the best bike for crit racing. The frames even got better.
@@Cortes19882012 , great 😃😃😃
In the land of Oz that’s Australia for you chaps.. Chinese unbranded carbon frames are very common and the quality is not that far off the brands you mentioned and in some cases the mix up of unknown brands do give better value for many especially for beginners and mid level riders. Great review as always 😊
Could you give me a link to a good recommendation of these bikes
For two grand you can get a fantastic second hand bike. A mate of mine picked up a carbon Fondriest, Full Ultegra with Zipp 404v wheels for £600. It had hardly been ridden and was like new.
Yeah this is a good point, surely with two grand you can get some incredible spec bikes second hand
@@InfinityProTeam That's a good idea. I'm nervous about buying a used carbon road bike because the frame could have an issue. Probably unwarranted.
Yep, it was many years ago but in the past I paid $2,000 for a barely used Colnago C40 with Campy Record, some kind of rare special carbon cranks that Colnago sourced for a while, and a set of some special edition (extra light) Zip 303s (I think to buy all that new was over $10,000 at the time). Your friend got a really great deal on that Fondriest
2:49 I have a Giant Propel 2022 model. I know it's not in this price range of road bikes, but I just wanted to say that I love the bike so much! Giant is a great value for money regardless of what price range you're looking at. I'd love to save up for a TCR one day, but right now I'm having fun enjoying my Propel ❤
Im considering to buy the propel 2.
And i dont have written so many Bikes, but others thank components of course the ride Feeling is very Important
I have that exact same TCR that was £600 more expensive in 2021. Great bike, great groupset. The wheels are ‘meh’ and the front thru axle adapter collapsed within 2 rides. The tyres - nice that it comes set up tubeless, but the tyres are heavy, and like treacle on tarmac.
However- like your comments, I changed the wheels to some 50/60mm and added some F1 tyres and it’s absolutely transformed! Not much else I’d change - might add a thicker bar tape down the line. The saddle is ok as well although it creaked after a while so I’ve replaced it only due to that.
Giant TCR advance 1 I love it !
Really interested to see what you think of budget brands like Vitus. Keep up the great work. Cheers from hot sunny Melbourne
Vitus is not a ‚budget‘, it is a good second tier brand with great value for money.
Biig thumbs up for having the courage to include other bikes than the usual one's 👍🏻
Tnx. Dave.
My pleasure!
1:03 I think alloy and alu are two different things. In the (not that remote) past, all bicycles were made out of steel; which is a combination (alloy) of iron and carbon, whereas alu is the material on its own. Now, maybe, that's an habit you have in the Anglosphere to call it like this.
Alloy is by definition a mixture of different types of metals. All aluminum bikes are alloy too, since no bike today is made from 100% aluminum. One quite common type of aluminium, named 6061 for example also contains magnesium, silicone, copper and chrome.
I wanted an American (Wooo America!!! We rock!!!! Don't forget we saved you Brits in WW2, the big one) bike but none of the local dealers had my size and price point in stock!!! So I bought a Giant Revolt 2... It's okay, but I haven't broken past 30 miles per hour downhill yet... Trying to ride every day or other day!!!!
If you 1. Pack your bike in a car 2. Take your bike on a plane 3. Ride for fun 4. Do overnight rides 5. Are over 90kg 6. Ride on a variety of roads - then you need Alloy Frames... If you 1. A show off 2. A tosser 3. Think you are some elite racer... You need a carbon frame.
David, great vídeo, thank you for the options. Giant and Rose are my favorite, for my first road bike. Regards from Porto City, Portugal 💪🏼🇵🇹🚲
Great video and great choice for value roadbikes. Small correction David. The Rose road bike is very light aluminium build with a very fine finished, which it looks like carbon. Greetings from Germany.
Absolutely. I mistook the Rose Pro SL for a carbon bike until I saw the aluminium weldings at the bottom bracket. 😅
unfortunately the pro sl is no longer available
Just scored a Ridley Fenix SLIC for $2400 … totally loving it!
You can actually get the Emonda SL5 disc for £2k if you look around. Good discount and I did consider it but ended up with a TCR,based on the frame weight.
You also end up with a bike that's easier to work on (sub-hour headset service) and compatible with almost any, if not any direct-drive turbo trainer. There's simply not much to fault about this bike.
Haha, same did I, also took TCR and saved 800 Euro 😅
Merida used to have some well spec'd mid range bikes even in carbon but they seem to have disappeared. but I saw an escultura 400 for £2400, which seems pretty cheap for electric assistance, with hydraulics discs and 105.
Might be worth reviewing the e-road bike market. La Pierre seem to have nice ones as do giant and trek
Giant is the best value in this group by a mile, especially considering the group set.
Online price in USD is way higher than the prices on the video even after taking currency difference. Is that because US prices are just higher?
Buy used. Be patient
Amen and amen!!!
Hear hear!
One year ago, canyon aeroad 2019 incl. Everything, ultegra di2, dtswiss arc1400 62mm, 7,8kg, 3,3k€ almost new. And now stores are presenting me super base level, partially aluminium entry level bikes for almost 3k. Yeah, not feeling it. Little better than a good used deal. However, the used market has realized that and increased prizes harshly over the pandemic
Wait for the new Shimano drivetrains, the old parts will be on sale soon
Exactly!
Aluminum has a bad reputation? Never heard that. Bike companies are ripping everyone a new one. I wouldn’t spend 2000 on tiagra group set. I also don’t need batteries on a road bike, something else that breaks down.
I think 105 non Di2 at 1800 reasonable. If not I’ll keep riding what I have. Rose Ultegra, mechanical groupset that sounds good.
It doesn't have a bad reputation, but it has an unfair reputation for offering a harsh ride, a hangover from the 90s and early 2000s but that just isn't the case these days imo
@@davidarthur Even my early 2000's GT ZR3.0 with 28mm tires rides very comfortable with it's carbon fork, the bike it replaced an earlier GT with aluminum fork however was a hard ride.
Excellent stuff sir.Very impressive.
I am going to follow you because I get some good ideas of what to buy for my cycling hobby
Lol. I bought my old road bike from a guy on the local classified ads for $80. It was a piece of junk, and I had to put about $250 into it to get it working and safe, but I've ridden it for hundreds of miles, and it's great. $2,000 for the "best value" road bike is just insane.
Still rocking my trek sl6 2017 rim brake 2500€,bought some zipp 303´s for racing,still good enough today.
Trek Domane AL is a good option in the US. Trek are expanding their retail shop coverage pretty well. Which means good warranty coverage countrywide
Had the AL5 Disc not even for a year and sold it. Such a heavy slug of a bike.
@@joed7185 1. Are there lighter options for the price?
2. Is it the bike? I kid
@@jonpoon3896 Its Disc Brakes. Look to get a Specialized Allez Elite rim brake.Thats what I got. SO much better response wise and lighter.
Cannondale caad optima 1 for 1600 with 105 is hard too beat
1:07 'alloy' is not short for 'aluminium'.
Bought a 2nd hand Scott Addict (2020) for £1200 last year and absolutely love it !
The big brands also need to get with the program with respect to crank length and handlebar width. Too often the offerings are too big. The only way to get 165mm cranks is with a small or extra small frame. Sub 400mm handlebars likewise.
One thing that drives me crazy is that quality aluminum bikes are going out of style. It's so hard to find a quality aluminum bike with decent components these days; everything is carbon fiber. But you're spot on about your comments about gravel bikes. I have an Canyon Ultimate w/ ultegra di2 and a Grail AL w/ mechanical grx. I much prefer my grail for most riding because it feels more planted on windy days going downhill. If Canyon had a aluminum ultimate with similar components to my cf sl with ultegra di2, i would have gotten that one in a heartbeat.
Other than price, what advantages do you see in aluminum over carbon?
@@davekendall1338 Ability to bolt things to a bike. If you're looking for something with utility. Bolt holes on carbon are never going to be a good thing.
If you want to drill hole in things and also want comfortable bike-steel frames are much better than aluminum. Aluminum is very stiff. Steel soak up much more road buzz.
I have that Trek Emonda ALR and tarted it up with Dura Ace 😊
Did that make a difference?
@@ditto1958 Has actually made buying replacement 11 speed Dura Ace components super hard to find.
Dave..I truly enjoy your channel..thank you sir !!!
You are very welcome
Thanks for good video! If I should by a roadbike now I would look for tyre clearance. The Canyon Endurace looks interesting. Gravel bikes are probably the kings of clearance and a versatile choice. My first "roadbike" was a Rocky Mountain Rail cyclodrossbike and has given me thousands of good kilometers during almost 20 years.
Get a road bike. make sure the brakes are high screw n shaped so they can fit fat tires. Buy gravel tires. Problem solved.
@@jason200912 wouldn’t drive gravel with a road bike. Buy a 2nd bike specially for gravel and you’ll be happier
Great review of some excellent options - if you can find them in stock 😂. But I do believe the Rose is AL frame not CR. Still a stunning bike though.
This is a step in the right direction. Let the market lead the industry giants, not the other way around
Just found a Giant Defy with a paint blemish on the frame in my local bike shop, massive discount, collection next weekend 😊
Van Rysel the Decathlon in-house brand also offers, both alloy and carbon, well specced road bikes in this price range. Unfortunately there still is some stigma buying from Decathlon.
No David!! Alloy is NOT short for Aluminium. An alloy is a blend of metals. Steel is an alloy, as opposed to iron, for example. Please don’t spread this common misconception. Thanks for the video all the same
You're technically right of course but in general in cycling alloy is used as shorthand for aluminium
@@davidarthur In your world perhaps they are interchangeable but in tbe real world and in every bike shop I have been in over 40 years they are as different as apples and oranges.
My first really good bike was made of Reynolds 531 alloy I believe, a steel alloy. It was not sold as an aluminum frams bike by the shop. I have had an aluminum frame road bike and it was sold as an aluminum frame bike not an alloy bike. Both bikes were soldd in different states (US) by different bike shops. As well after I first seen your video I called six different dealers separated by hundreds of miles snd brands and not one has ever heard of using alloy and aluminum interchangeably when referring to bike frames. As well i called a biking friend in England, outside of London, and he had never heard of using the two different materials interchangeably over his 60 plus years.
Further, aluminum generally gives a rather stiff ride while an alloy frame usually provides a more forgiving ride.
The two materials are worlds apart in the biking world as well as the rest of the world. You should just accept an error when you make one not try to cover it up with a false statement. There is never a problem with an occasional slip up. We all make them. The problems arise from trying to cover it up. This is hoping you just made a mistake and not are actually that unaware of bike materials.
Outside of this obvious error I enjoy your videos and would not comment on it except your reply is too off base to ignore, sorry.
@@larrycurran7005 Type alloy bike into google and see what comes back, much easier than phoning all these dealers. I'm well aware of the material differences I was using a common shortening of the name which while incorrect has been in common usage as long as I can remember. I'm not really sure why it has caused you so much upset is it worth it?
@@davidarthur It did not upset me. Those are your words not mine. Yes it was worth it to put in my reply. The way you used the term could be very misleading to someone who is not aware of the difference in materials.
Further, if you are so aware of the difference then why did you use a misleading term?
If you trust Google surches so much that is a shame. They are noted for information, not always correct information.
Accepting a misuse of terms is ok, defending it with not very valid statements makes me wonder if you are the one upset over it. Hence your type of non relevant defense.
I’m just not sure why you are pursuing it so much that’s all, just accept that while technically incorrect it’s a common term used to describe aluminium. Sometimes things stick
I have had carbon and aluminum,one of my bikes used paid 800.00 and have had no issues it has a Claris
The way to get the best bike for 2'000€ is going used. I just bought a Simplon Pavo Granfondo (Full Carbon, Shimano Ultegra, 5 years old, 4'500€ new, 3'300km) for 1'600€
I can't find a similarly equipped TCR for that price point in the US market - I would buy it if I could find it!
In my experience you can get about 20-30% off base price if you look for 1-2 year old bikes that have only been ridden for a few hundred kilometres. If they are close enough for you to take a thorough look before buying you can potentially get a proper deal and essentially bump your aspirations up a complete price bracket. For some reason there seem to be quite a lot of people buying new bikes every year and getting rid of the old ones. Especially in the pricier "entry to full carbon and aero" 2k-4.5k range. And buying almost TDF grade stuff for 3k instead of >4k sure feels better. Just stay away from the trek stuff that always seems to cost 40% more than it delivers compared to good value brands..
Yep. About 5 years ago I bought a Felt F6x (forget the last number), barely used, at a 50% discount from MSRP. I think is a cyclocross bike, aluminum frame, Shimano 105. The retail price at that time was $1,500 and I bought it for $750 which was very close to the wholesale cost. It's a great bike
Only competition people count the km ridden. Everyone else just says used.
Great video thanks
for me its all about the quality of the wheels, I bought a set of v fast deep 50mm Chinese wheels 10 years ago and they have not needed as much as a spoke change, get an average bike with fast wheels
The old gen ultimate cf sl 7 is not available anymore. They replaced it with an 'updated' version that now costs €2699 and has worse components.
I have to say nice video and the price point more realistic. Does seem some people think you should have covered every bike in the world in the 2k range. Clearly not possible.
A $3000 and $4000 round up would be awesome, maybe even a $5000 if you could swing it !
Added to the list!
Surprised no Boardman slr 8.9 £1750 ... It always seems to get on other lists? I only ever had the TT bike but from others+reviewers it is still great value!
I've got one. One of the best bikes I've ever owned and very upgradable.
I’m wondering if Shimano is still producing mechanical 11 speed group sets for sale? I haven’t seen any full groups sets for sale, I just bought a full mechanical Dura Ace but had to buy it in pieces. Love my mechanical!
They do but it's difficult to get hold of
You don't need to spend anywhere near £2,000 to get a decent bike and enjoy cycling. You can spend £350/£400-£600 (or even less there are new road bikes at Decathlon starting at £250-£350) and get a reliable new bike from a reputable company. And people don't need 'road' (i.e. racing) bikes with drop handle-bars, they can get hybrid bikes, mountain bikes, town bikes etc.
I agree especially decathlon they have amazing value for the average person, even Halfords have bikes at this price point. But what worries me is that big brands have basically ditched the sub £500 bikes and I guess in part it's because Shimano is now more expensive, it would be amazing for the market if decathlon licenced out Microshift to other companies to build bikes with.
My worry is that as time goes on the average person who cannot drop £2k on a bike will be stuck with buying 2nd hand or just going to decathlon.
@@faequeenapril6921 ANother problem now is electric 'bikes' as they are getting many people away from actual cycling and is contrary to point of cycling and many of its benefits...and eBikes are expensive and so will be an excuse to drag up the prices of normal bikes as they will be compared to eBike prices.
@@ZaydDepaor oh yeah for sure, to me bicycles is all about low tech, repairing at home with nothing more than a few tools that anyone can do.
To me bicycles are already really expensive, the "budget" specced bikes now being way more expensive than they use to, I'm at the point that instead of buying brand new I'm tempted to buy 2nd hand and then specc it up myself to how I want a bicycle for my needs.
Nice content! But the Piano(or so) background loop is KILLING me!!!
Let me tell you as a vintage and new old stock kind of rider, anything Shimano Claris and Sora that’s being made by Shimano now, is as good if not better than Dura Ace and Ultegra of yesteryear. AND is compatible with previous groupsets. Where as new Tiagra id im not mistaken isn’t compatible with other precious 10 speed groupsets.
Canyon Ultimate CF SL 8 Rim brake is a great deal full Ultegra
I just order it the same ultimate yesterday for 2100 US. I am training for an Ironman. I cannot wait to see what this new bad boy can do. I think this bike is a great deal. Sadly, the new canyon bikes have higher prices so the value per dollar has decreased.
Quick question Dave. Why do you never review PlanetX bikes? A british brand with a good Rep. Just Interested. Cheers
I’d have an alloy frame over a cheaper carbon frame every time, in fact, probably even a more expensive carbon frame.
Welcome to the David Arthur drinking game:
'pricepoint' drink!
You forgot another good german Brand. I bought a Stevens Aspin to ride during winter. A really fantastic bike. Complete Ultegra Groupset with only Rim Brakes, but this is for me ok.
Very useful examination.
Giant is good.
Other than that, Polygon & Gusto is one of the best cheap bike that worth the money. Full integrate cable.
“Down to 105… ”
I’m in the wrong neighborhood.
Bit deceptive on the Giant TCR 1, as this is the 2021 model and they have none in stock anywhere, the 2022 model they have loads of, but they are 3k
Not quite the group set you mention on the GIANT, comes with Shimano 105
Interesting comments on the gravel. Considering one to replace my current. Warwickshire lanes are awful these days. I’m getting to old for thin rubber 😂
David Arthur you're aware that alloy isn't the short version of aluminum right?
I have bought 3 exceptional bikes used and in great shape.
Bianchi 928 2011
Cervelo RS 2009
Daccordi Vinci 2017. Paid under 5k for all 3. The Daccordi has Campagnolo Super Record electronic. The worst wheels i have are Shimanos R50, they are bullet proof and ok. Just of all the wheels these are the only entre level wheelset that came with the Cervelo.
I’d love to get the Rose gravel bike, but it doesn’t seem possible in the UK. Is this still the case?
My problem with wheels and tires is that if I upgrade them then I feel like I may as well spend a bit more and get a whole new bike.
Or if I don’t and I do by the wheels and then I decide to get a new bike later, then I have an extra set of wheels that I may not want… so I really struggle to decide whether or not I think it’s worth upgrading the wheels on my cheaper frame
Agreed. I will had, however, that I upgraded my tires [Giant Gavia to Continental GP5000] and the difference is INSANE. No components, just tires, and I honestly believe wattage has increased as well as feel and handling.
@@Crap4me2 That's interesting, I might look into that. For me though, I feel that my money is better spent on a good bike fit, some bike shoes that are right for me and a few alterations to make my ride more comfortable. But I have also heard that the tires can make a massive difference.
I would love to see you test and review De Rosa Bicycles.
great man, great bike, great price, great quality ...TREK
I think in this Pricerange Cube has good offerings.
That Rose pro sl has an aluminum frame! 11:25
Good feature - many vlogs give the impression that you need a 4k/ 5k bike to be a cyclist. I’ve ridden Cube which are widely available and they are very good value- also Dolan and Ribble probably have offerings at this price point. Would like to see a feature on best upgrades for a 2k bike. PS All metals used for bikes are alloys - ie a mixture of metals - ie Titanium is an alloy - so aluminium is the accurate description for an aluminium bike. Keep up the good work.