Cell Bikes Triumph or Avanti Giro

[fenn_paddler]

Hi,

Went bike browsing with a friend yesterday, who is getting into bike riding due to knee deterioration from running. He's after a ~ 50cm road bike on a budget < 2k, to ride in the bobbin head/akuna bay/west head area.

Two bikes of interest are the Avanti Giro 2007 (http://www.woolyswheels.com/listman/listings/l0095.html) and Cell Bikes Triumph (http://www.cellbikes.com.au/p_564_CELL_ ... _Road_Bike).

The Cell has ultegra front/rear derailleur and r-550 wheels vs. R-500 wheels on the avanti, plus the avanti has non-105 brakes and crankset.

What's the view on these two...is Avanti a sufficiently better 'name' over cell to justify going for a bike with lower quality componentry for the same price?

Have I missed any other red-hot deals (on 50cm bikes) going around at the moment?

Cheers,
Alan W

[FAswad]

I don't know much about the Cell frames. Who makes them anyways?

My view is that you will not notice a difference between the 105 brake calipers and the (most probably) Tektro calipers. The biggest issue there is the brake pads. Swap the brake pads for an extra $10.

I have an FSA Gossamer Triple crankset on my Felt. Its been there for 2 years now, and still going. Its reasonable equipment at that level I guess.

The wheels, I am not sure. The R500 are the tiagra level wheels and are around $265. The R550 are the 105-level wheels and are around $390 (Dean Woods prices). I have read complaints about the R500 and slightly less complaints on the R550s (go out of true, noisy, spoke breakages) (especially with the heavier riders).

If I was buying and had to pick between the two, I would go Avanti with a wheel upgrade only because I have no experience with the Cell frames. A pair of Velocity wheels (bomb proof, aussie made, and great value for money), (or something with Mavic Open Pro Rims) should keep you under $2000 (and better than the R500 and R550s giving you grief and ending up having to upgrade them anyways.

Just my 2cents.

[mikesbytes]

Have heard that the Cell frames are made in Tiwian and are the previous year model of some other brand, which has escaped me for the moment.

R500 are bottom end wheels, however at least they have conventional spokes, where the R550's have a reputation for breaking spokes at $10 each. I would choose R500 over R550 for the better servicability or better still get a wheel upgrade as part of the deal.

If you go down the cell path, they have a good selection of wheels to choose from http://www.cellbikes.com.au/c_12_Bicycle_Wheels

[fenn_paddler]

Thanks for the info; it sounds as if neither wheelset is fantastic - the 550's looked better with the straight-pull spokes, but $10 replacements spokes is a bit OTT.

The other differentiator between the two bikes is that the Cell frame has a matt finish and doesn't have the sloping top tube.

I've been told that the Cell frames come out of the same factory as one of the other major brands such as Trek or Felt.

Thanks for the tip on brake pads - I hate the tektro brakes on my bike; their lack of stopping power almost matches that of old super record brakes.

Cheers,
Alan W

[weiyun]

Cell frame is well known to be one made for rebadging. Around the world, it has been rebadged under at least 4 or 5 different brands and is made in Taiwan. In other words, it's pretty good value for what you get.

So as long as one doesn't have a thing about brand names, then I'd say do it.

[T-Bone]

Compact cranks may be useful for the area he'll be riding in, though being a runner i expect he would be fairly fit, so they might not be needed.

Tektro brakes are no where near as good as shimano, though it seems both bikes have shimano 105 brakes unless i'm missing something. Nothing wrong with Gossamer cranks if Cancellara used them in the Tour.

If I was buying and had to pick between the two, I would go Avanti with a wheel upgrade only because I have no experience with the Cell frames. A pair of Velocity wheels (bomb proof, aussie made, and great value for money), (or something with Mavic Open Pro Rims) should keep you under $2000 (and better than the R500 and R550s giving you grief and ending up having to upgrade them anyways.

I agree, though without experience on the shimano wheels i can't judge, but my dura-ace/open pros have been excellent.

Otherwise i'd consider looking at a Giant. Probably the TCR Alliance 2.

Anyway, the best thing to do is have a look around as the bike shops will be clearing stock to make way for the 2008 models, so you should be able to get a good deal.

[njb]

Just be very careful what you buy there.

I recently purchased the Shimano Ultegra "SL" groupset to be fitted to my old bike. However problem is that CELL bikes fitted the std groupset rather than SL groupset ordered, and refuse t oacknowledge their error and replace ?

[fixedgear]

Compact cranks may be useful for the area he'll be riding in, though being a runner i expect he would be fairly fit, so they might not be needed.

Tektro brakes are no where near as good as shimano, though it seems both bikes have shimano 105 brakes unless i'm missing something. Nothing wrong with Gossamer cranks if Cancellara used them in the Tour.

I'm lead to believe that Shimano Sora, Tiagra and 105 brakes are made by Tektro. I don't find any appreciable difference between my 105 brakes on my Roberts and the Tektro clones on my Surly. Perhaps any difference is in the pads?

[jimmy]

Although I mention Cell to people, I often give them a warning about them. Having bought a set of crap wheels from them, I felt that they are prepared to sell you anything regardless of whether it is suitable for you or not.

If Cell frames are made in Taiwan, then they are probably made at the Giant Factory, I think that Factory produce a very large number of brands besides their own (Trek springs to mind there, at least for their low end aluminium frames).

When talking about cheap bikes, I often mention Giant and Avanti, they are both brands that cater for the whole range which I think makes them a more reliable choice in the long run.

Any bike for that price isn't going to have amazing wheels, considering that a good set of wheels start at about $700, and a really good set are over $1,000, you can't expect a $2,000 bike to have a set of wheels costing more than about $500 on them.

James

[weiyun]

There's always this article on where bikes are made.

http://allanti.com/page.cfm?PageID=328

Apparently there are only three major CF bike manufacturers.

[Toff]

I was in Peter Bundy's shop the other day. He asked my opinion on 2 bikes he was selling. One was a Hillbrick, but the other was an Orbea for (wait for it) under $1,000. Sure, the parts were fairly low (105 or lower), but they were all Shimano.

Like all you guys, I spend way too much time cruising bike shops, but I can't find better value anywhere than Bundy. If you give him a budget of $2k, I reckon he'll sort you out with something much better than what you've looked at. (Plus, he'll give you the right size frame, and a bucketload of advice thrown in).

BTW he also told me that Tektro DO make Shimano's low-end brakes.

[fenn_paddler]

Just be very careful what you buy there.

I recently purchased the Shimano Ultegra "SL" groupset to be fitted to my old bike. However problem is that CELL bikes fitted the std groupset rather than SL groupset ordered, and refuse t oacknowledge their error and replace ?

This is quite an old thread. Actually he bought the cell bike and by all accounts it's been pretty good, although the front brifter didn't work at first so his first ride (bobbin head) was a big chainring exercise. It was a fault rather than adjustment issue so unless it broke on the way home it should have been picked up prior to delivery.

Other than that there's a bit of brand awareness now (the only Cell in the turramurra bunch) that I forgot to warn about when mentioning brands - this isn't an issue at DH where there's almost a reverse snobbery, but may be something to be aware of if intending to ride in a north shore bunch.

Cheers,
Alan W

[Adrian E]

Reverse snobery! Do you think that a good or a bad thing for our club?

[weiyun]

Reverse snobery! Do you think that a good or a bad thing for our club?

Snobbery is bad (full stop).

[mikesbytes]

LOL Alan, I know what you mean. At DH we accept everything - Warts and all.

Bottom line is whether you enjoy riding it.

[fenn_paddler]

LOL Alan, I know what you mean. At DH we accept everything - Warts and all.

Bottom line is whether you enjoy riding it.

Yes accepting of all probaby more accurately depicts DH than reverse snobbery.

Although there's absolutely nothing wrong with riding an expensive bike, I couldn't help but notice the looks some of the riders we passed gave our lead rider yesterday through the hills south of Loftus - he on a cheapish fixie with cheapish training tyres. They with full carbon bling and the like.

Cheers,
Alan W

[weiyun]

I couldn't help but notice the looks some of the riders we passed gave our lead rider yesterday through the hills south of Loftus - he on a cheapish fixie with cheapish training tyres. They with full carbon bling and the like.

That's always a good stir isn't it? But seriously, you actually had the reserve to observe other riders?

[mikesbytes]

Think it was Simon who said this;

"If you can't afford to replace it, you shouldn't be riding it"