Hi all, I am building up my first proper road bike, but don't want to spend a ton since; I don't race, and have more important need for money. However, like you all, even if on budget, I want the best bike I can buy so my question to you is this;

What parts of the bike that you should spend as much as you can on, and what parts you shouldn't?

Specifically, I am going to buy a Canyon frame or may be a complete bike since I'm in the UK and I like their color / design. Probably the Ultimate AL or CF. They come decently equipped and have new reduced price to boot. They also get good reviews around the internet for a value bike, and known for good comfort+stiffness ratio so that's ones less thing to worry about.

I am asking this so that I can sell of and upgrade some parts that should improve the feel of the bike than what come with stock e.g. wheels, or allocate proper budget should I opt to get just frameset and build the rest.

My budget for the whole bike, bar pedals, fitting, (and computer; not even sure if I should get one since iPhone+Strava seems to be pretty good) will not exceed £1500, lower if possible.
Thanks!

Wheels and rubber.

followed by saddle and cockpit.

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CAAD10: viewtopic.php?f=10&t=107612

Just my opinion, but frame and wheels are the most important parts......spend your money there. That being said, the Ultimate Al has a great rep and is supposed to be on par with CAADs so for a relatively low priced frame you are getting top notch performance that bests cheaper carbon frames in my opinion.

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2012 Fuji Altamira SE - 6.42kg

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=111416" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

For me, it is saddle and pedals(and shoes). If the seat isn't comfortable, it's just not going to be very fun to riding. The same applies to pedals and shoes for me. Incompatible (notice I didn't say cheap here) choices lead to knee pains, hot foot, and other discomforts on the bike. It should, of course, be noted that the components only help with a good fit.

I would have to agree on saddle and footwear before wheels, and also bars. A shape that doesn't fit your hands is useless as you're going to be on it for several hundred hours every season. Sure wheels are more performance for your money, but the three contact points are way more important!

I'll leave the frame out of this, as frame/fork geometry is like 90% of the bike, I'm certain I won't have to tell you that the right frame is more important than the best frame... Oops, guess I just told you anyway

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Roadbike
Kinesis RaceLight T2

Mountainbike
Van Nicholas Zion Ti

Thanks all, yes I am prioritising contact points i.e. shoes, bars, bars tape, saddles and proper fitting. I guess decent pair of wheels with good tyres + tubes and proper pressure should be sufficient, as to not spend too much on wheels as good ones can be quite costly.

Wheels and pedals

A good comfortable pair of bibs (even though it only becomes a part of your bike when you are actually riding!)

It depends on what you are chasing. Stiffness and great power transfer for sprinting? Light weight for climbing? Comfort for long rides?

The frame is the most important, as you can't really replace it. Well you can...that's called getting a new bike . Everything else (wheels, components etc) can be upgraded onto an existing frame.

At your budget range, the best bang for buck upgrade is a wheelset. Most bikes in that price range come with wheelsets that are roughly 1800-1900 grams with fairly ordinary hubs.

I was looking at a bike in a similar price range (about $3,000 AUD) and I decided that $1,000 on wheels, $1,000 on groupset and $1,000 on a frame would give you a pretty good bike. I had a weight budget of 1,500 grams for the frameset, 1,500 grams for the wheelset and about 2,200 grams for the components.

This is a good example of a 'cheap' but well put-together bike that is just over 7 kgs.

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=102492" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

With an upgrade to carbon rims it is < 6.8 kgs.

Shorts and Saddle. Shoes need to be stiff and comfy for YOUR feet (not your mate's or mine or anyone elses....YOURS!)....then wheels ....then a decent frame, then non DU bushed pedals then bars etc. You shouldn't have a noodly crank, but some of the lightish and cheap carbon ones are a bit awful (lower carbon FSAs with alu spiders come to mind....I have some and they are terrible).
Roughly ranked, as I see it.

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Used to race....got too wrinkly and old Updated: Racing again! Thought this was unlikely! Eventually, I may even have a decent race!

Saddle, handlebar, and shoes

To the OP. The price of Canyon's in the UK are very good and they got a very good write-up some time ago in Cycling Plus magazine.

Thanks for all opinions. This has been very informative .

The Canyon frame should be more than enough for my needs (daily exercise and some long ride for the weekend, and probably a college level race), according to most reviews around that's why I'm not going to worry about the comfort and stiffness of the Canyon frame.



The price is so good that it's a lot more expensive to build the bike exactly like their spec if you opt for frameset only.
You can build better spec'd and cheaper bike if you get just frame with other brands, than their own completed bike which usually come with cheapo house-branded saddle, cockpit etc.

The Canyon AL 8.0 (the one that I want) will comes with;
- Full Athena group, not sure what crank it comes with, probably AL but that's more than enough stiffness i'm sure.
- Mavic Ksyrium equippe ( might sell these for something else, gotta try first).
- Ritchey WCS cockpit
- Selle Italia Race SE saddle

I will get a Shimano 105 pedal, and try the shoes at the store, then get a cleat+ bike fit. Handlebar will be changed out if proved uncomfortable. Gotta spare some cash for good bibs too i guess.

Price is £1200ish
Buying a frame and Athena group myself will cost almost as much as the complete bike.

Just my personal experience but contrary to many posters I would say you can save on pedals. Don't pedals go up in price mainly over weight. I have the very top range pedals on my two main bikes but on my commuter I have the cheapest Shimano spud pedals. They are a lot heavier than my top range Time pedals but work extremely well. Not as well but not far off and they are a fraction of the price and have lasted for ever.

Great choice.....that'll be a really solid bike and suit your needs very well I think. Make sure to post photos!!

One suggestion. Keep the Ksyriums and save for a better wheelset. You'll want the Ks for nasty weather and trainer sessions. Shod them with Conti Gatorskins and they will do your dirty work for years.

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2012 Fuji Altamira SE - 6.42kg

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