Road Bikes. Suggestions?

Dann · 06-29-09, 02:07 PM

Hi all, I'm new here, and here to say hii!

..and of course, I do have a few questions. I'm sort of new to cycling and plan and purchasing a decent road bike to start with. However, I'm unfamiliar with most brands and their quality/price/value, etc..
I've been doing some research and believe Cannondale, Bianchi, Schwinn have pretty good road bikes?

What I desperately need now is for someone to fill me in on the basics of road bikes i.e. components, speed, and all that jazz
Suggestions won't hurt either

I'm also thinking of buying used bikes considering the price differences

denis · 06-29-09, 02:38 PM

spend $300 on a used bike and start pedaling. You'll figure the rest out soon enough

mcewan13 · 06-29-09, 03:53 PM

My next road bike will be a Motobecane from Bikes & Bicycles - Mountain, Road, CycloCross, Hybrid and Comfort bikes from bikesdirect.com. The purists hate them bc it's just a Texas bike shop that's revived an old brand and is licencing 2-3 year old high end frame designs, but they are a great value. The kits are worth more than the bikes.

I don't know that I'd buy a mtb from them, but road bikes don't get beat on the way mountain bikes do.

stash12 · 06-29-09, 06:30 PM

300 to 500 bucks will get you a nice bike. like denis said get the bike, pedal it and you'll know soon enough. their so much to learn about road bikes in general; do stay with a name brand once you decide on a bike. when it comes to name brand components, you have shimano, campagnolo, sram, fsa(full speed ahead). each of these brands have their lower end upto their high end goods. cruise the internet for more info if you're curious good luck and welcome to the wonderful world of cycling.

oh and a cruiser welcome

.

2mbb · 06-29-09, 08:28 PM

Cannondale, Schwinn and Bianchi all make nice bikes. I've worked with some of the Cannondale guys and they are good people (Cannondale Supports AIDS/LifeCycle 7 to Record 11.6 Million Dollars) and they make a nice bike.

I think you should go to your local bike shops and ride different bikes to get a sense of what you want: traditional road/race bike, urban cruiser, touring, single speed. Unless you are going to be racing, the traditional race geometry and aerodynamic riding position may not be what you want or need. you might be more comfortable with flat bars and a longer wheel base. Good luck and welcome to cycling.

mcewan13 · 06-29-09, 09:17 PM

x10 on what 2mbb says. Ride lots of bikes and let the right one find you.

trainrech · 06-30-09, 04:10 AM

Don't rule out Specialized as well. I just jumped back in to road biking after a 20+ year vacation and was completely amazed at the improvements in everything from frame geometry to components to overall weight.

Dann · 07-01-09, 04:09 PM

Thanks everyone for your advice and suggestions =); I'm actually considering a used Schwinn or Specialized, but does anyone know the benefits of carbon v. non-carbon frames b/c they make a biiig price difference

oh and anyone have thoughts on:
Trek?
Fuji?
Gary Fisher?

Robert LaDuke · 07-01-09, 07:21 PM

x2 on the local bike shop. If you are looking for a road bike it is important that the one you get be the correct size. If your local shop is a descent one they can help you with this.

I've got a Felt that is Carbon. I like it. The carbon makes for a very light frame. It's also the "flavor of the month" so you will spend consideraly more $$.

2mbb · 07-01-09, 09:19 PM

I would be careful about purchasing a used carbon frame. Inspect it carefully to make sure it has not been crashed, etc. When carbon fiber fails it will shatter creating a very dangerous situation if you are moving fast, etc. I hear people talk about carbon frames as "one crash bikes".

Carbon has its benefits because it can be molded in pretty much any shape which gives the design engineer a chance to get closer to the ideal strengh/stiffness/weight ratio. Carbon bikes and forks are designed to be a good balance between stiffness, but still will adsorb road shock to provide a comfortable ride.

Aluminum is light but stiff. These days, aluminum is fine for a suspension mountain bike, but I think other materials are better for road riding.

Titanium is light and less stiff than aluminum and is a great material for a metal road bike, but titanium is expensive.

Steel is classic. It might be a little heavier, but is less expensive and can provide a great ride. If you tweek a steel frame you can often bend it back into place.

There are other materials, but these are the most common.

Trek makes a good road bike (Lance Armstrong will be riding a Trek in the Tour de France this year). I think they pioneered the bonded aluminum frame building technique, then developed similar technique for carbon. Gary Fisher was a leading mountain bike company. Now Trek owns Fisher (along with Lemond and Bontrager, I think). I don't know much about Fisher road bikes but I still own an old Fisher no-suspension mountain bike that is sweet.

I think at below $1000 any name-brand company is going to make a decent bike. Like I said before, ride the different bikes, find one that fits your body and your riding style and then and only then decide what color you want. Good luck.

Dann · 07-02-09, 11:30 AM

Thanks 2mbb and Robert LaDuke, but now I need to know how if a used 2004 Specialized Allez Sport (carbon fork, carbon seat post) selling for $475 is a good deal?

SLOonTheGo · 07-02-09, 01:37 PM

475 is roughly half of what it cost new. So it depends on whether it has had some part upgrades and what kind of shape it is in. Also is it your correct size? That is going to be a huge factor in whether or not a road bike feels right.

trainrech · 07-02-09, 06:40 PM

I'm riding the Specialized Sequoia Elite with carbon fork/seat post and really like it. I've put around 600 miles on it since March and the only upgrade I'm planning is to go to a set of Specialized Armadillo tires - 2 flats already...

Are you planning to road race or just road ride. The Allez has tighter geometry and is therefore a little less forgiving. Also is it a double or triple?

I'd make sure it had what you were looking for before jumping for a 5 year old bike to save a few bucks.

LDowney · 07-03-09, 06:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert LaDuke

x2 on the local bike shop. If you are looking for a road bike it is important that the one you get be the correct size. If your local shop is a descent one they can help you with this. ...

From my perspective, this is a point that is very important. Several years ago, I bought a new entry level Trek that was fitted to me. It has made a tremendous difference to my riding performance and comfort (no more knee, neck & shoulder pain after a few miles). Since then, we have bought bikes for my wife and daughter which were fitted to them correctly and they are equally happy with their bikes.

If you buy a used bike, be sure to know what size frame is right for you before purchasing. Then once you have it, a good cycle shop can fit you to it properly. The shop will probably charge you for the fitting if you did not buy it from them, but you will be happier in the end.

Good luck.

trainrech · 07-05-09, 09:08 PM

X2 on proper fitting. Rode my not-fitted Trek hybrid Saturday for a 20 mile gravel rode ride and then hopped back on my fitted Specialized road bike for the remaining 40 mile ride for the day. Night and day difference in how the knees, back, and arms felt.

Now, granted that these are different bikes for different rides, but I could tell from knee and leg positions that the seat hight and fore/aft position needed adjusting.

Robert LaDuke · 07-05-09, 11:03 PM

You might also find this website helpful.
Fit Calculator - Competitive Cyclist

For me getting fitted at a shop was the best way , but if you don't have a LBS or don't have one you like , this calculator works well. I was fitted at my LBS , but I ran my measurements through the calculator and the results were spot on. Knowing your size will help narrow your search . Especially if you are shopping for a used bike online.