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Help with deciding on what bike to choose

Posted: Fri Apr 05, 2019 10:12 am
by magma004
Hi everyone,

I will try to make this short as possible. I am off to uni in September, and I am looking for a new bike. My choices are between the Emonda SL 6 Pro and Emonda SLR 6. I am unlikely to have much money to upgrade my bike in the coming years, so I am looking for something that will be a future proof bike.

My worry is the braking surface on the carbon aoelus pro 3 wheel set and the higher chance of it breaking/wearing down (especially once it comes out of warranty after 2 years)

I am guessing that the SLR 6 is a much more future-proofed bike and its much lighter (6.6kg vs 7.3kg) but the lack of carbon wheels makes it hard to choose it, especially with the higher price tag and worse looks!

The SLR 6 has been reduced to £3450 while the SL 6 Pro is £2900, but the price difference are not a major concern.

Basically what would you choose? The lighter frame / handlebars or the heavier frame but with nicer wheels? ( I don't really want to upgrade the wheels if I buy the SLR 6)

Thanks for any thoughts on the topic!

Regards, Sam

Re: Help with deciding on what bike to choose

Posted: Fri Apr 05, 2019 10:21 am
by calleking
Which wheelset is the SLR 6 supplied with?

Based on my terrain and my weight (hills) I'd pick the SLR 6. Honestly, you will be fine with the stock wheels for the most part and 700g difference is a lot. SLR will feel much snappier = more fun. If you get some extra money down the road it's always easier to pick up a new wheelset rather than changing your frame and moving over all components etc. It all depends what type of riding you are going to do. If you're a heavier rider just riding around on the flats then it becomes a different discussion. The Aoelus Pro 3 isn't a deep section wheelset so not much difference to the stock wheels supplied when riding on the flats.

Re: Help with deciding on what bike to choose

Posted: Fri Apr 05, 2019 10:21 am
by Weenie

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Re: Help with deciding on what bike to choose

Posted: Fri Apr 05, 2019 10:26 am
by magma004
calleking wrote:
Fri Apr 05, 2019 10:21 am
Which wheelset is the SLR 6 supplied with?

Based on my terrain and my weight (hills) I'd pick the SLR 6. Honestly, you will be fine with the stock wheels for the most part and 700g difference is a lot. SLR will feel much snappier = more fun. If you get some extra money down the road it's always easier to pick up a new wheelset rather than changing your frame and moving over all components etc. It all depends what type of riding you are going to do. If you're a heavier rider just riding around on the flats then it becomes a different discussion. The Aoelus Pro 3 isn't a deep section wheelset so not much difference to the stock wheels supplied on the flats.
Thanks for the quick response! I weigh around 62 kilos so I am pretty light. The SLR 6 has paradigm comps. I am going to be going to uni in Newcastle UK, so it's a bit of hills and a bit of flats I guess.

It's a good point about the aoelus pro 3's, I guess it's largely about the looks and the feeling of having carbon wheels, as well as the advantages that come with having nicer wheels.

In all honesty I do really enjoy riding up hills, and the aluminium wheels give me more options with bringing my bike abroad to do some larger mountains, as I hear that carbon rim brake wheels are not a good idea on long descents!

Thanks!

Re: Help with deciding on what bike to choose

Posted: Fri Apr 05, 2019 10:28 am
by robeambro
A future-proof bike with rim brakes? Let me grab my popcorn.

Re: Help with deciding on what bike to choose

Posted: Fri Apr 05, 2019 10:29 am
by calleking
Based on that I'd go for the SLR 6 straight away. Chances are you will be able to pick up a pretty nice wheelset for less than you think while everyone is switching over to disc brakes. Good point on the alu wheels being a better option for traveling. If money isn't an issue then the SLR 6 seems like the better option for you but be wary of your bike not being future-proof. There's nothing wrong with rim brake bikes but they're being cleared out by retailers and price should be adjusted accordingly.

Enjoy your new bike! 8)

Re: Help with deciding on what bike to choose

Posted: Fri Apr 05, 2019 10:29 am
by Weenie

Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



Re: Help with deciding on what bike to choose

Posted: Fri Apr 05, 2019 10:32 am
by magma004
calleking wrote:
Fri Apr 05, 2019 10:29 am
Based on that I'd go for the SLR 6 straight away. Chances are you will be able to pick up a pretty nice wheelset for less than you think while everyone is switching over to disc brakes. Good point on the alu wheels being a better option for traveling. If money isn't an issue then the SLR 6 seems like the better option for you. Enjoy your new bike! 8)
Yeah that's what I'm thinking. I work part time in a trek dealer so I can get some decent deals! Lots of people go on about disc brakes, but for someone like me who is light and doesn't care about racing / descending , it seems that rim brakes are just superior, especially for the price point!

Thanks for all your help... Now I just need to find some ways to make the bike look more sexy 😅