Moser Sora 2013 Road Bike
- Thread starter jaclau28
- Start date
Seems pretty good. The carbon fibre forks are a must at this price on a road bike. Sora is, hmm, OK. 105 is better if you can get it in budget but generally you can't. Crucially though, does it fit you? If it does, you'll ride it. If not then you won't and it will be a £500 shed ornament.
Nobody else seems to want to talk about bikes, so I'll bat on a bit. Have you considered second hand? I don't mean buying some old clunker, I'm talking about recent models that people are moving on. As an example, though it is way outside your price range, Spacey of this parish is selling a lovely Cinelli (iirc) for £1400, which is just over half of what he paid less than a year ago. Now the thing hasn't been dropped, it's hardly likely to be worn out (maybe a chain if you want to be really picky) and it looks lovely. If you can get something similar in your price range that lets you move up a range - say 105, maybe Ultegra, nicer wheels, etc. In excnage for what? 10 months of wear, odd scuffmarks here and there and some polish to the handlebar tape. No big deal, especially as in another year you won't tell the difference.
I don't know anything about the bike in question, but agree with the second hand approach - bikes depreciate so quickly and it won't be you taking so much of the hit should you decide to sell on at some point in future.
Just an FYI - some bike shops will do a fitting service for £100 - 200 ish depending where you go, and they'll spend a few hours with you checking flexibility, reach, set up and so on to sort the bike out to fit you. You'll also get your ideal measurements for when you buy another bike in future. So should you have any problems with the fit of used or new you can get them sorted, and should find you have more power into the bargain.
Just an FYI - some bike shops will do a fitting service for £100 - 200 ish depending where you go, and they'll spend a few hours with you checking flexibility, reach, set up and so on to sort the bike out to fit you. You'll also get your ideal measurements for when you buy another bike in future. So should you have any problems with the fit of used or new you can get them sorted, and should find you have more power into the bargain.
paul auster
Banned
Try Ribble cycles . new or second hand Find them on the net, british made top quality frames carbon and aluminium or both . Once recommended by Mr Boardman before his economic interests dictated otherwise .
Ribble are very good indeed. They do one carbon frame bike in particular that is assembled with exactly the same carbon frame (same factory, same mould) as a DeRosa bike. Both are available with 105, Ultegra, choice of wheels etc depending on taste. The difference is that the Ribble bike is £1000 less for any given model. Much as I'd like "DeRosa" written on my downtube, I'm not sure I want to pay £1000 for the privilege.
david ellwood
Kirabosi Kognoscente
I have a Scott Speedster for sale
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/scott/speedster-s30-ultegra-2009-road-bike-ec019434
its the largest frame size (59cm?) and virtually unused.
comes with lights, speedo, cleats and shimano shoes (size 12)
£600 (york)
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/scott/speedster-s30-ultegra-2009-road-bike-ec019434
its the largest frame size (59cm?) and virtually unused.
comes with lights, speedo, cleats and shimano shoes (size 12)
£600 (york)
Nice bike, especially with little use. I could fancy that bike myself. Nothing like my size, however, as you would know if you've ever seen David and me together. Messrs Ribee and Clark will confirm from the recent Beverley gathering that not many people would get David and me confused.
david ellwood
Kirabosi Kognoscente
is it my haircut?
dan m
pfm Member
+1 on this.
If you're buying local from a good shop I feel they should throw in the fit for free and be willing to swap out the stem to get you set up correctly. You may also want to have them swap out the saddle immediately (for the price difference) since it's usually a pretty poor saddle that comes with a fully built bike. As Steve says, if you're uncomfortable you won't ride it.
If your buying off the net, then have someone help you get measured and use this fit calculator:
http://www.competitivecyclist.com/za/CCY?PAGE=FIT_CALCULATOR_INTRO
It's very good IMO. Don't be tempted to go one size smaller or larger just to take advantage of a closeout.
It's hard to gauge VFM, since I'm familiar with US prices, but that Moser looks well spec'd -- if you get the cycling bug, you'll probably upgrade, but if not you haven't wasted a ton of money. I pro level bike is a lovely thing, but you could win a few crits or finish a few centuries on that bike - it's much more about the rider than the bike. Here, Fuji and GT seem to be the better VFM bikes.
dan m
pfm Member
Is that more to do with the roads/congestion/theft making it kind of pointless to own a 16 lb super bike?
That's part of it - riding a snazzy carbon bike does limit city parking options, but I've also never liked drop handlebars though that could be because I've never tried a road bike which was setup properly for me.
There's a market out there for nice frames and components which aren't plastered in goddam laser etched logos and in loud 'steal me' colours.
There's a market out there for nice frames and components which aren't plastered in goddam laser etched logos and in loud 'steal me' colours.
Although the wheels don't have enough spokes and I'd still have to sand and spray the rims, cranks, mechs... Ugh.Of course you wouldn't. That bike would be easy to replicate. I can get a metal frame powder coated in grey for £30, forks another £10. If it were carbon you are looking at paint, probably £70. Sensible Yorkshire pricing of course. Add that to the price of a secondhand superbike and you aren't breaking the bank. You can get wheels in matt black, the other stuff the same, odd bits may need a rattle can for the stealth look, but that's 95% off the peg. Easy.
That Parlee looks more like Ti than carbon though, it has butted tubes, swaged ends by the looks of it. It's not carbon as it has no radiussed joints. The rear triangle looks as though it might have though, and no doubt the fork is carbon.
Edit - looked them up, they are carbon, they just use tube and lug construction which is very unusual for carbon.
That Parlee looks more like Ti than carbon though, it has butted tubes, swaged ends by the looks of it. It's not carbon as it has no radiussed joints. The rear triangle looks as though it might have though, and no doubt the fork is carbon.
Edit - looked them up, they are carbon, they just use tube and lug construction which is very unusual for carbon.