Bicycling On-the-Road

bunnyma357 · « **Reply #60 on:** 30 Jun 2010, 05:28 pm »

Quote from: JoshK on 30 Jun 2010, 04:36 pm

Current list:
Gary Fischer - Mendota
Trek 7.6 FX
Trek Montare
Specialized Roulux
GT Transeo 1.0 Disk

Help?

You might also check out the Jamis Allegro line - they tend to provide a little better spec for the same price as the majors, but it can be a little tougher to find a dealer.

http://www.jamisbikes.com/usa/thebikes/street/allegro/10_allegro3.html

I've got 3 Jamis bikes that I really like, although I eventually figured out that I like older vintage bike technology.

Jim C

Levi · « **Reply #61 on:** 30 Jun 2010, 05:39 pm »

That is good to hear Josh.

Don_S · « **Reply #62 on:** 30 Jun 2010, 06:51 pm »

Josh,

Several things in your post make me want to recommend a hard-tail mountain bike with narrower rims and slicks. Slicks can be had in sizes from 26x1.0 to fat boys. Depends on your road conditions and riding style.

I would also avoid any front suspension to reduce weight. I can hammer pretty good on pavement with my slick-outfitted KHS and it is not all that heavy. I much prefer it to my road bike for certain roads.

Depending on your size you might appreciate the smaller size of an MTB and regain some of your "glory days" (BMX).

Good luck with whatever you choose. Remember--shiny side up, rubber side down.

Quote from: JoshK on 30 Jun 2010, 04:36 pm

Went biking for the first time yesterday. Borrowed my neighbor's wife's unisex Cannondale. My ass is hurting bad today.

Anyway, I am now thinking of getting a bike. This would definitely be for urban fitness. Roads around me are bad. Plenty of curb hopping. I like the straight bars way better!

I'd like to stay ~1K mark for a first bike. Light it good.

Any suggestions?
Right now I made a list of hybrid-urban-commuter type bikes in my price range. I know next to nothing about bikes. I know that I am an aggressive rider though as they is hangover from my BMX & Freestyle days.

Current list:
Gary Fischer - Mendota
Trek 7.6 FX
Trek Montare
Specialized Roulux
GT Transeo 1.0 Disk

Help?

coke · « **Reply #63 on:** 30 Jun 2010, 07:00 pm »

Quote from: Don_S on 30 Jun 2010, 06:51 pm

Josh,

Several things in your post make me want to recommend a hard-tail mountain bike with narrower rims and slicks. Slicks can be had in sizes from 26x1.0 to fat boys. Depends on your road conditions and riding style.

I would also avoid any front suspension to reduce weight. I can hammer pretty good on pavement with my slick-outfitted KHS and it is not all that heavy. I much prefer it to my road bike for certain roads.

Depending on your size you might appreciate the smaller size of an MTB and regain some of your "glory days" (BMX).

Good luck with whatever you choose. Remember--shiny side up, rubber side down.

29" mountain bikes are available now. That's another option.

ooheadsoo · « **Reply #64 on:** 1 Jul 2010, 04:22 am »

I ride a 29er MTB with slicks pretty much exclusively on the road. For urban riding, there ARE a few disadvantages. First, the gearing is on the low side. I'm an out of shape slob, so that doesn't hamper me too often, but even I can feel it at times, most noticeably when going downhill. Second, the wider handle bars makes lane splitting quite nerve wracking, especially when my balance isn't all that good in the first place. I ride a "large" or 19" frame, and handle bar widths vary from model to model, but I think any MTB will have wider bars than a road bike. On the flip side, the wide handle bars and relatively low center of gravity make me feel more stable (see my bad balance mentioned above,) and the lower gearing helps me climb the hills.

JoshK · « **Reply #65 on:** 1 Jul 2010, 06:27 pm »

The MTB sounds like an interesting option. I had thought of getting a MTB before as I'd love to go trail riding, I just think I'll get more road time then trail time.

If I get some slicks and some off-road wheels then I can change up. Something I hadn't thought of.

BTW, why 29ers?

coke · « **Reply #66 on:** 1 Jul 2010, 06:39 pm »

Quote from: JoshK on 1 Jul 2010, 06:27 pm

The MTB sounds like an interesting option. I had thought of getting a MTB before as I'd love to go trail riding, I just think I'll get more road time then trail time.

If I get some slicks and some off-road wheels then I can change up. Something I hadn't thought of.

BTW, why 29ers?

When in college, I had a mountain bike with 2 sets of tubes and tires. I could switch them in about 10 minutes. I personally wouldn't spend the money on a 2nd set of wheels.

29ers roll over things better than 26" bikes. The larger wheels can also soften the ride some.

I just bought this one and got an extra $100 off

http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/windsor/windsor_cliff29team.htm

UPS shows it's sitting at my front door. Can't wait to get home.

JoshK · « **Reply #67 on:** 1 Jul 2010, 07:15 pm »

How did you get the extra $100?

Levi · « **Reply #68 on:** 1 Jul 2010, 08:58 pm »

Hey Josh see you at the race in 6mos?

I was racing after 9 mos. See my first Mtb race at Lewis Morris Challenge last Sunday. I placed 15 out of 45 in CAT 3 Mens 40-49.

Merlin XLM

coke · « **Reply #69 on:** 1 Jul 2010, 09:01 pm »

Quote from: JoshK on 1 Jul 2010, 07:15 pm

How did you get the extra $100?

I ordered a different bike, made the payment, and after everything went though, they emailed me saying the bike was out of stock. To make up for it, they offered me a discount if I wanted a different bike.

PhilNYC · « **Reply #70 on:** 2 Jul 2010, 01:08 am »

Quote from: JoshK on 1 Jul 2010, 06:27 pm

The MTB sounds like an interesting option. I had thought of getting a MTB before as I'd love to go trail riding, I just think I'll get more road time then trail time.

If I get some slicks and some off-road wheels then I can change up. Something I hadn't thought of.

BTW, why 29ers?

I will say that reading your post made me think of recommending a MTB and using slick tires for the road. If you go that route, there are lots of bikes to choose from in your price range...and my recommendation would be to find a local bike shop where you feel comfortable talking with the people there and see what they have in your price range...

ooheadsoo · « **Reply #71 on:** 2 Jul 2010, 03:06 am »

It may be difficult to find a shop with 29ers in stock. It seems a bit regional. Here in SoCal, there are very few bike shops with 29ers in stock, and very limited model selection. Could be that the east coast has a different scene. The slicks make a big difference on the road, but I haven't had much luck with them in the dirt. A separate wheel set is quite expensive, because a $1000 bike will likely have disc brakes, and you will have to buy an extra set of brake rotors to make things easy. Not cheap.

PhilNYC · « **Reply #72 on:** 2 Jul 2010, 01:01 pm »

29ers are actually pretty popular on the east coast...I read somewhere that they are far more popular on the east coast than the west coast, which is kind of weird, because they are probably much better-suited for west-coast mountain bike riding (east coast features more technical single-track riding that requires more tight handling)...

And no need for completely separate wheels if you're willing to change tires...

BikeWNC · « **Reply #73 on:** 13 Jul 2010, 08:29 pm »

From my ride last week around the San Juan Mountains in Colorado. Lizardhead Pass.

jackman · « **Reply #74 on:** 13 Jul 2010, 09:27 pm »

Quote from: BikeWNC on 13 Jul 2010, 08:29 pm

From my ride last week around the San Juan Mountains in Colorado. Lizardhead Pass.

Beautiful picture and beautiful bike. I'm looking at an S-Works Roubaix after checking out the one my neighbor just picked up. It's a '10 model and is matte black with matte gray lettering. Very nice looking bike but I think your bike is equally stunning. He's in love with the ride and the feel of the frame. He has the BB30 version with Specialized stock BB30 cranks.

Thanks for sharing the picture of the bike and the beautiful scenery!

BikeWNC · « **Reply #75 on:** 13 Jul 2010, 09:36 pm »

Quote from: jackman on 13 Jul 2010, 09:27 pm

Beautiful picture and beautiful bike. I'm looking at an S-Works Roubaix after checking out the one my neighbor just picked up. It's a '10 model and is matte black with matte gray lettering. Very nice looking bike but I think your bike is equally stunning. He's in love with the ride and the feel of the frame. He has the BB30 version with Specialized stock BB30 cranks.

Thanks for sharing the picture of the bike and the beautiful scenery!

The Roubaix will change to the SL3 platform for 2011. While it might make some slight difference, there should be some good deals on the 2010. My bike is a 2009. I think it is a great all around ride.

jackman · « **Reply #76 on:** 14 Jul 2010, 01:29 pm »

Quote from: BikeWNC on 13 Jul 2010, 09:36 pm

The Roubaix will change to the SL3 platform for 2011. While it might make some slight difference, there should be some good deals on the 2010. My bike is a 2009. I think it is a great all around ride.

It seems '10 models are scarce. My friend didn't want to get an S-Works but he's a 60" and couldn't find much in his size. I need to ride the bike before buying. Tarmac and Roubaix are on the list, along with Lynskey Helix, Serotta Ti, and a couple others. This could all be kaboshed if I get a powertap for my bike. Looking for a used wireless on CL because I don't want to spend the $ on a new one.

I want to have one bike and need to decide between a racing geometry ride and a more relaxed frame. If I get a high end model (with Red or DA), I can only have one bike. Another option would be to keep my current ride (Pilot 5.0) and get an inexpensive racing bike like a CAAD9 or similar. Most of my rides are over 50 miles and I plan to do some 100 mile rides very soon. The Roubaix would be perfect for this distance and would still be fast.

No hills in the midwest (where I ride) but lots of wind. That's my main concern. My group is still faster than I am. I continue to improve but so do they, and I'm not closing the gap. Need to find a way to get faster or find a slower group to train with. This is a fun hobby and I'm hooked!

Cheers,

J

BikeWNC · « **Reply #77 on:** 14 Jul 2010, 10:16 pm »

The Tarmac and the Roubaix are two different beasts. The Tarmac will be quicker handling and snappier on hills while the Roubaix will track more easily and have a bit more comfort due to its longer wheelbase. It just depends what flavor you want.

jackman · « **Reply #78 on:** 14 Jul 2010, 10:20 pm »

Quote from: BikeWNC on 14 Jul 2010, 10:16 pm

The Tarmac and the Roubaix are two different beasts. The Tarmac will be quicker handling and snappier on hills while the Roubaix will track more easily and have a bit more comfort due to its longer wheelbase. It just depends what flavor you want.

Thanks. Yep, I am familiar with both bikes. Was leaning towards a Tarmac or racier bike until my friend got a Roubaix. His Roubaix is strange looking because he has a very large size but he loves it because of the ride. In a perfect world, I'd own both but my budget and space consraints don't allow for it.

LadyDog · « **Reply #79 on:** 14 Jul 2010, 10:56 pm »

Jack,
As you've already mentioned, you just need to go ride each of them and see what you think.

A few of my thoughts;

Look used. A lot of great deals out there. I basically had to give away a recent frame of mine at about a 60% discount just to get it sold. Kind of mirrors the audio world right now.

Maybe look at buying a frame separate and piecing together. There is a Seven Elium on the bay right now that is probably your size and I bet it goes for $900. Certainly a lot of money, but also a steal at that price for one sweet riding frame. May also want to check out some of the non house brands. Kuota, Ridley, BMC, etc, all make very nice bikes.

While D/A, Red, and Record are nice, look at the levels right below. I notice virtually no difference between the highest end stuff to Rival/Force, Ultegra, and Chorus/Centaur. 95% the performance at 60% the cost.

Wish you were a bit taller, pretty sure I'd have something for ya.

Having more than one like is a nice luxury. And you may be a good candidate for two bikes. The Pilot for longer distances, and a racey one that gets your blood boiling.

The CAD9 is a great bike. About as good of an aluminum frame as you can get.