Road Bike Recommendation OT

[Dolomite]

If there are any cyclists here.

I'm considering getting a road bike. I use to ride a lot when I was younger and I want to get back into it. Here are the two bikes I'm considering.

REI has a Scott CR1 Comp Compact Bike - 2012 on sale for $1299.93 that I was considering but I can't test ride it. I have to order it and they would ship it to my local store. I also don't know much about the brands reputation. Its A great price for a carbon bike. I don't need a carbon bike but if its in the same price range as an aluminum frame why not. I'm not crazy about the shimano tiagra that it comes with but I won't be racing in the Tour of anything.

http://www.rei.com/product/828249/sc...pact-bike-2012

The other bike I'm looking at is a Specialized Secteur Comp Apex Compact for $1350 Its at my LBS. Specialized is great name, good reputation. The bike rides great. I liked it the Sram shifters would take a little getting use to.

http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bik...xcompact#specs

Any opinions or recommendations are greatly appreciated.

My Girlfriend says $1400 is too much to pay for a bike without pedals. Walmart has them for a couple of hundred dollars. She says if I'm going to waste money I should waste it on her.

[Bardy]

Tell her every dollar you spend on her is a wasted one - mission accomplished.

[JuTMSY4]

$1,400 is too much for me personally, but I'm not an aficionado. I really can't tell you what to consider unless I know your plans for riding and how aggressive you are.

Secondly, Carbon is overrated for 2 reasons. 1) Unless your being competitive, the weight is irrelevant. If you're in it for amateur racing, then maybe its worth it, otherwise I think the different is negligible for most riders. 2) If you break a carbon frame (and they break) you need to buy a whole new one. They're not nearly as durable as Aluminum ones. So that $1,400 may double when you put a few thousand miles down.

Personally, I think most people can get bikes in to 500-1000 range and get more than enough quality to merit their hobby riding. Additionally, Road bike tires pop and their wheels bend more often and so that cost will add up as well.

There are probably better experts on this than me, but that's just my 2 cents. I've never heard of Scott, but you won't be disappointed with a specialized.

[Two Gap Penetrator]

Get this one

http://www.adrenalinebikes.com/store...oductid=127280

[TerpEagle]

$1,400 is too much for me personally, but I'm not an aficionado. I really can't tell you what to consider unless I know your plans for riding and how aggressive you are.

Secondly, Carbon is overrated for 2 reasons. 1) Unless your being competitive, the weight is irrelevant. If you're in it for amateur racing, then maybe its worth it, otherwise I think the different is negligible for most riders. 2) If you break a carbon frame (and they break) you need to buy a whole new one. They're not nearly as durable as Aluminum ones. So that $1,400 may double when you put a few thousand miles down.

Personally, I think most people can get bikes in to 500-1000 range and get more than enough quality to merit their hobby riding. Additionally, Road bike tires pop and their wheels bend more often and so that cost will add up as well.

There are probably better experts on this than me, but that's just my 2 cents. I've never heard of Scott, but you won't be disappointed with a specialized.

I agree with this. As a rider though you need to determine what you're getting it for. If you just want to ride leisurely and/or get a good workout spending too much on a bike doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

Low weight and very high end products help serious racers more than anyone else. For most people, what you ate for lunch that day is going to cause more change to your "bike weight" than titanium components, etc.

Also, if you aren't totally sure how much you're going to enjoy it (and the necessary maintenance time and costs regardless of the bike price) going small and getting back into it is a good bet.

I'd spend at least $500 to get components that won't totally be shit but you shouldn't need to go over $1000 if you're considering yourself a beginner again.

The bikes I ride are Konas. The mountain bike was a $1500 bike I got second hand from a friend but the city/workout bike was $700 new and it's served its purpose. It's kinda heavy and not so fast but it's a trainer.

It's also worth looking into second hand bikes on craigslist too because there are always the new year/new model enthusiasts out there looking to get some cash for their "old" bikes.

I will say, I'm basing this off my experience mountain biking and more city/hybrid biking as I have yet to go to a full road bike - although I may be looking into that soon as well.

[JuTMSY4]

.

I will say, I'm basing this off my experience mountain biking and more city/hybrid biking as I have yet to go to a full road bike - although I may be looking into that soon as well.

Same. I used to bike to/from the office on a trek hybrid and I had a mountain bike for trails. I traded durability over speed or efficiency constantly and I was happy with it

[Riccardo]

avid cyclist here

Got back into biking last year with a mountain bike (salsa) and just bought a road bike in april (cannondale supersix 6). Definitely recommend going with a LBS and getting fitted for the bike - that is most important for a road bike. A good way to save money (other than buying used) is getting a leftover from the previous year - I got a 2012 this year and saved a few hundred bucks. Also another important consideration - especially for guys - is to budget for a good saddle. I've upgraded both bikes to SMP saddles - pricey but worth it - I was getting numbing issues with the stock saddles - not good!

A decent new road bike expect to pay at least $1700 - not including the upped saddle.

[Riccardo]

Secondly, Carbon is overrated for 2 reasons. 1) Unless your being competitive, the weight is irrelevant. If you're in it for amateur racing, then maybe its worth it, otherwise I think the different is negligible for most riders. 2) If you break a carbon frame (and they break) you need to buy a whole new one. They're not nearly as durable as Aluminum ones. So that $1,400 may double when you put a few thousand miles down. .

Disagree here. Less weight is nice but the real benefit to carbon is a significantly softer ride - I tried a cannondale 105 aluminum vs the supersix carbon and it was a world of difference. REgarding durability, for a road bike it's less of an issue than mtb - I wouldn't worry about it as long as you buy a quality brand.

[JuTMSY4]

Disagree here. Less weight is nice but the real benefit to carbon is a significantly softer ride - I tried a cannondale 105 aluminum vs the supersix carbon and it was a world of difference. REgarding durability, for a road bike it's less of an issue than mtb - I wouldn't worry about it as long as you buy a quality brand.

I've had too many friends crack frames - but I'll leave it to the expert. Then again, this was mostly in the city - which is different than suburban riding. The saddle part above is dead on though - I can't really stress that enough

[Riccardo]

I'm no expert

But know a lot of guys with carbon bikes - road and mtb. They claim the new carbons are much more durable. With the amount of crashing I do on the mtb I wouldn't go carbon but for a road bike I'm not concerned.

[Mississippi-Fan]

A bike story, way off the current thread!

The best bike I ever had was sent to me by my Uncle; who was serving with the US Air Force, in post war (WWII) Germany. It cost him a carton of American cigarettes.
One of the tires had a slow leak, and the valve stems were metric, so I had a problem.

There was a bike shop at the other end of the small town I lived in, so I took it there, turns out the shop keeper was an old German man, he was so happy to see the bike, that he fixed it for free, and told me to always bring it to him if I had problems.

Wish I still had it.

[Chief]

Once fitted and you know what you want

Always check bikesdirect.com ... The amazon.com of bikes.

[Dim Bulb]

Dump the Girlfriend, Buy the Bike

Been riding a Scott CR1 Elite for three years. Awesome ride, very light and very strong. Don't worry about the whole "cracked frame" thing unless you weigh a tone or are a 500 watt guy. Metal bikes are so good now it isn't funny. I have an old Litespeed that I only ride on the rollers because it seems so heavy.

Very light, good for the flats and the climbs. SRAM takes a little getting used to if it is equipped, but you won't go back.

The "hard ride" thing can be minimized by buying a set of bigger tires, like Continentals. This adds weight, but gives you a better ride and if you are lucky fewer flats.

Weight matters. I used to think why buy a lighter bike, I'll just lose a few pounds, but I lose too much power/weight ratio when I do that.

Lotta cash, but that is a good deal for the bike.

DB

[Riccardo]

yo dimmie, nice bike

you on strava??

[murph12]

I recently bought a bike and had many of the same questions you have. I have since put over 500 miles on it doing charity rides and just riding around my area, but nothing competitive. I ended up going with a felt f75....got it for under $1200 which was a good deal. I actually wanted aluminum to start with..so that part was easy. I know carbon has come a long way durability wise, but aluminum still gets the nod for less breakage and im not looking to race. The main thing is I wanted was at least shimano 105 level components, which the f75 and several other bikes in that price range had. A lot of serious riders I talked to said components were most important, as frames in that price range are very similar, and to get the best components I could afford. I tried some bikes with sram apex and rival, but I really preferred shimano. Just my preferance though, lots of people love the sram stuff. Anyway, after test riding several bikes I just liked the f75 the best so I went with that. The 105 stuff has been super smooth and reliable for me. Thats some of the stuff I learned while researching and test riding, good luck and have fun.