New road bike- how much bike should I buy?

[ace]

This is one of those theoretical questions that I know no one can really answer for me, but I'd appreciate your input and experience.

I have a hybrid, and I've been riding a lot in the past year (I've had the bike for 8 years, but I used it for about the first 3 years only to commute to work, and then didn't ride much until last year). I started riding with my local club last April, and by the fall was riding about 100 miles a week. So I decided it was time to get a road bike (by the end of the season, the beginners group I rode with was doing 50 mile hilly rides, and I was the only one with a hybrid) and to go clipless, which I've done.

I'm a little concerned about switching over, because I have back issues, and I like the upright position of the hybrid, but everyone keeps telling me it will help me keep up with the pack. I tend to ride about 3 people from the end, no matter who I'm riding with, for some reason! Hills kill me, and we got lots of 'em in No. Cal. I'm also going on a bike tour in Italy in May, and the company I'm going with gives you a choice of a Bianchi road bike, or a hybrid, so if I switch over, I definitely want to do it in the next couple of months.

I'm not thinking so much that a lighter bike (my hybrid weights 26 lbs) will make that much difference- I'm a very big girl, so a few pounds difference on the bike shouldn't theoretically make a difference, right? But the tires should help.

Anyway, what do you think-should I buy what I can afford (around $3000 tops), or get an entry level bike? I'm thinking I'll grow out of an entry level bike pretty fast, given the level of obsession I've developed. I love my local lbs, and I know they'll make sure I get a good fit. They've helped me enormously adjusting my shoes/pedals so my knees don't kill me since I went clipless (yah, got knee issues too), I think they're certified Serotta fitters, if that means anything.

Any input would be appreciated.

-Amy

[SadieKate]

What are your ultimate goals as a cyclist? Where and what would you be riding? Centuries? Loaded tours? Club rides only? Multi-day supported rides?

It sounds like you are going through a metamorphoses as a cyclist. When you see yourself emerging from the cocoon, what do you see?

[KnottedYet]

Robinson Wheel Works at 1235 MacArthur Blvd in San Leandro. (510) 352-4663 Very cool. Chris or Tim will make you a great cup of espresso, you can sit at the counter and watch them work on a bike, and chat about what you want your next bike to be.

They'll help you narrow it down. They are a small shop and they love all bikes, and they are realistic about what a rider needs.

and they give you espresso....:D

[mimitabby]

Gee, $3,000 will cover most bikes, even a lot of custom bikes.
I was in the same place as you are about a year ago. (how time flies)
I decided I didn't want to spend gobs of $$ until i knew whether or not
I was going to do roadbiking. so i bought a $700 bianchi veloce on Ebay..
and I am learning everything backwards. Like I finally know what size I am,
after bike shop people have looked at me on the Bianchi and said "you look comfortable" I know I like riding road bikes, but it's a chore to find a bike that fits. You say you are big, do you mean tall? Because that will really help in finding a new bike.
So, what I think you ought to do is beg or borrow a road bike, any road bike and see if you like it. And then if you do, start researching (like where Knot told you to go) and go buy that $3000 bike! and weight DOES make a diff, for $3k you can buy a darn good bike!
Just curious, what bike tour are you doing in Italy?

[ace]

Hmm. Good questions. I guess I see myself doing distance. There are two things I know about myself as a cyclist.

1) I like riding with groups
2) I have a lot of endurance, but I don't think I'll ever be speedy. And I don't really care that much.

So I'm not sure, specifically. I want to do the Cinderella, go from there to centuries.

In answer to Mimi, I'm not tall, I'm 75 lbs overweight (I'm 5'5 with long legs). I do have very strong legs, from carrying all that weight around :-) I'm working on losing weight (have been for a while, it's a lifelong struggle for me), and I don't think I'll ever be any good on hills unless I drop quite a bit.

The bike tour I'm doing is http://www.ciclismoclassico.com/trip/16/assaggio_toscana. I am so looking forward to it, I've had a very tough year, and I need to do something completely different.

Thanks for the lbs rec. I like Cyclesports in Oakland (where I live). They are really, really good guys, and Chris, the owner, is even fatter than I am, makes me feel he can relate. I will check our Robinson, though. I could use some free espresso.

[Trek420]

ace,

Hi I highly reccomend Robinson, they built up my namesake Trek, my commuter, my custom road bike and someday they will done with my freewheel...

Bikerz and Spazzdog (the latter MIA from the board for some time) both are wheelworks gals.

Chris goes by the slogan "you're faster when you're comfy".

He'll build the full out racer or tri-bike if you want (those pro jerseys that line the walls? Those aren't from e-bay :p Some are his clients, others teams he wrenched on)

But he'd rather build you a bike that's zippy, peppy and fits like an old pair of blue jeans.

In 2004 I did my first CA AIDS Lifecycle ride on the Mondonico he built.

They say "don't do anything to your bike a month before a long tour, pump the tires, get new water bottles...that's it"

I got the bike less than a month before a 585 mile ride:eek:

Did my muscles hurt? Yes. Was I sore? Heck yes. But none of that was the bike. When I picked up the bike after the ride, riders stood waiting and kvetching my _____ hurts, my _____ hurts.

I, and another gal who rode a Riv :D 'ing "nothing hurts"

Check out his Mondonico and Torelli bikes, one of them would loooooove to go back and visit Italy. Tell him the gal with the plum Mondonico sentcha ;-)

[jobob]

You might want to check out the Rambouillet from Rivendell. It's about $2500 for a complete bike.

http://www.rivbike.com/bikes/rambouillet

It's an excellent all-around road bike. Both Veronica and Lisa SH (and their spouses) have Rambouillets.

[ace]

Lots to think about- I just wonder, if you don't ride a road bike, how can you tell what comfortable should feel like? I get what you're saying, Mimi, about buying a cheapish bike to see if I like riding a road bike, period. I'll have to think about that.

[Trek420]

jobob and riv riders,

Chris now has the Bleriot

http://www.rivbike.com/bikes/bleriot

[KnottedYet]

The right road bike will be comfortable. The wrong road bike will feel uncomfortable.

It's not an earth-shattering change. My hybrid and my road bike are almost the same as far as seat/bar/pedal relationships. My hybrid bars are a bit higher than my seat, my road bike feels great with my bar-tops a just slightly higher than my seat.

If you buy a cheap roadie to see if you like riding a roadie, you might end up with a bike that is uncomfortable because it isn't the "right" roadie for you.

Go test ride roadies, lots of them. Have the shop raise the bars to touring height and go for a ride! Write down your opinions of the various bikes so you can keep track of what you do and don't like about each one. Then take your list to your favorite shop, have someone sit down with you, and work on your list to find the right bike and components. And color. color is important! And saddle!

If you have a saddle you love, take it with you on your test rides.

[jobob]

Lots to think about- I just wonder, if you don't ride a road bike, how can you tell what comfortable should feel like? I get what you're saying, Mimi, about buying a cheapish bike to see if I like riding a road bike, period. I'll have to think about that.

That's a difficult question to answer. I went from a hybrid to a road bike (which in my case was a Rivendell Romulus, which was a lower-price version of the Rambouillet, but alas Rivendell doesn't really sell that bike anymore. Well, they do, sort of, they have a few Romulii with cantillever brakes instead of sidepull brakes, which in some ways is good, but that's a whole 'nother discussion) and it took me a couple of weeks to get accustomed to the handling of the road bike.

An advantage of Rivendell (and similar style bikes) is that their bikes aren't generally meant to be ridden in an "aggressive" posture, that is, with the handlebars well below the level of the seat. Instead they're meant to be ridden with the handlebars about level with the seat which is generally more comfortable for the average non-racer type.

Check out the Riv website if you get the chance (they recently did a pukey redesign of the site, I hope that doesn't put you off too much), there's a lot of info there about what makes a bike comfy.

The Bleriot is another bike made by Rivendell which features slightly smaller diameter wheels, in a size called 650B. It's worth checking out at Robinson Wheelworks if they have it in stock.

[SadieKate]

1) Go test ride a lot of bikes and 2) find a shop with a FitBike that will do a very careful position analysis. You don't have to be hunched over on a road bike. Some have higher front ends (head tubes) and shorter top tubes than others. Racers like the opposite so they can get stretched out and low on the bike but this isn't a good position for recreational centuries. With a good bike fit, a good shop should be able to tell you what frames might work for you.

Jo's recommendation of a Rambouillet is good for an all around frame that will soak up the jars of bad Bay Area pavement and give you all day comfort. Salsa is bringing out a new bike called the Casseroll (http://www.salsacycles.com/07_frames_preview.html) which I find intriguing. Read the description. Much the same attitude as the Rambouillet at a lower price tag.

[ace]

Ya know, I just realized how sad it is that I have about 5 friends who would LOVE to endlessly go shopping with me for just about anything, except bikes. Which is the only thing I like shopping for (plus bike accessories). I think I need some new friends.

Just kidding.

[KnottedYet]

Oooh, boy, that Cassaroll sounds cool! (and is that a Brooks saddle on the finished model bike?)

[SadieKate]

The Casseroll fork and frame is $540 from bikeman.com (http://www.bikemannetwork.com/biking/p/CELLFRMRD/FM8054). The component build on Salsa's page is just very traditional, err, Riv-like.

The Bleriot (http://www.bikemannetwork.com/biking/p/CELLFRMTOUR/FM2402) is $800.

[SadieKate]

Ya know, I just realized how sad it is that I have about 5 friends who would LOVE to endlessly go shopping with me for just about anything, except bikes. Which is the only thing I like shopping for (plus bike accessories). I think I need some new friends.

Just kidding.Been there, done that. That's why I came to TE. :D

[ace]

I am just going to have to do lots of test riding. I am very un-mechanically minded, so specs aren't going to be very useful to me. I always read what you guys have to say about your bikes with great interest, but I never know what the hell you're talking about. Yeah, I can get more mechanical, but it is not my strong suit.

[mimitabby]

Been there, done that. That's why I came to TE. :D

yeah, me too.


about comfort.

When you get on a bike, it's hard to tell if it's comfortable or not unless of course something in your back (or other body part) is screaming.
After you have ridden that bike for a while, other things will come into the forefront. You know what you feel like after 25 miles on your hybrid. If you feel that good after 25 miles on a particular road bike, it's a good deal. If your back, neck, knees, whatever are hurting, something is not right. what i learned the hard way with my bike experiment was that yes, you can be just as comfortable on a road bike as you can on a hybrid, but you need to get a bike that fits.
With your budget and your nearness to some great shops, I think you can do that easily.

[spokewench]

Robinson Wheel Works at 1235 MacArthur Blvd in San Leandro. (510) 352-4663 Very cool. Chris or Tim will make you a great cup of espresso, you can sit at the counter and watch them work on a bike, and chat about what you want your next bike to be.

They'll help you narrow it down. They are a small shop and they love all bikes, and they are realistic about what a rider needs.

and they give you espresso....:D

I encourage you to go see Chris (owner) of Robinson Wheel Works in San Leandro. He is a great guy. He used to rent our second floor in our house in San Leandro when he was getting his shop started up. He used to race as a younger guy, but he has a good idea about what will work for you if you talk to him and he is easy to talk to.

[Offthegrid]

You seem to have more than proven that you love cycling. You've done some serious riding -- on a hybrid. So I don't think you need to worry about whether you'll "stick with it." And I know you say going faster isn't important to you, but I think with a road bike you'll discover a new love for speed. :D

I don't get into mechanicals, either, so I totally understand where you're coming from on that end.

You say you could afford to spend $3,000, so I say look in the $2,000-$2,500 range and leave $500 to get some nice pedals, shoes and whatever other accessories you need. Make sure the gearing you get will be suitable for your trip in Italy (don't know how much steep climbing you're going to have to do). You don't have to be a gearhead to do this -- just tell the shop what kind of riding you're going to do.

You have the luxury of getting a nice bike, and I don't think you should waste money buying an entry-level road bike that you're just going to want to replace in 6 months or a year.

[RoadRaven]

You have had alot of good advice and thoughts here, ace.
I have little to add in terms of things to look for.

I can recommend the Scorpio RA 2000 which was my first road bike. My 13 year old has it now - the frame was slightly too big for me as a medium (I am 5'10" and weigh 100kg).

I now have a Giant TCR 2 and an EMC2 Femetape.

The Giant comes with aero bars, and in the small frame size was a delight to first hop on - it fitted me so beautifully, I didn't think any other bike could fit me so well.

The EMC2 put paid to that idea. She is a dream and the extra stiffness in the frame means she feels safer and more secure downhill and around corners. Because it is female-specific, the shorter top-tube, the short reach levers and the narrower handle bars all add up to more comfort. Compact gears and short cranks make spinning and hill-climbing easier.

I thoroughly recommend trying either of those - they are both within your price range - the Giant was $2000NZ, and the EMC2 was $2500NZ.



I'm not thinking so much that a lighter bike (my hybrid weights 26 lbs) will make that much difference- I'm a very big girl, so a few pounds difference on the bike shouldn't theoretically make a difference, right? But the tires should help.

I do need to respond to this. Every ounce extra we carry in terms of personal weight or weight on the bike matters. I am overweight too, but a lighter bike in the EMC2 has contributed towards my "ease" (haha, I mean improvement) on hills.
There is a formula...

...on a 5% gradient hill, 1kg of weight will mean you are climbing for 3 seconds longer over 1 kilometre.
This may seem insignificant, but in a race situation - or just out training and facing a tough hill, every second counts.

Good luck in your choice, I look forward to hearing about your purchase.


You have the luxury of getting a nice bike, and I don't think you should waste money buying an entry-level road bike that you're just going to want to replace in 6 months or a year.

I absolutely concur with Offthegrid... dont get an entry level... you have the budget, get a bike that you will be thrilled with, not one you will replace in 12-18months.

[ace]

What great advice- thanks all.

I will definitely check out Robinson.

Do any of you have a Serotta? I think that's the favored bike of the shop where I usually go, though they have plenty of others.

Offthegrid- I don't think I'll be bringing my own bike to Italy. The company I'm going with gives you the choice of custom built hybrid, Bianchi road bike, or bring your own, and for 5 days of riding, it's too much hassle bringing my own. Of course, next year (I have a feeling the international bike trip may become an annual event) I may feel differently! The ride in Italy is 30-50 miles a day, flats and rolling hills. It's rated Advanced Beginner, so it shouldn't be too hard to do with either a decent hybrid or road bike. I am interested to see what's it like to ride that much each day for 5 consecutive days- that will be a new experience.

[SadieKate]

You want to really have your mind boggled? Wait to make any decisions until you go to this. Be prepared to drool.

3rd Annual North American Hand Made Bicycle Show (http://www.handmadebicycleshow.com/)

Serotta is a great bike. One of the best. But there are tons of good custom builders out there.

[Kathi]

I built my custom Ottrott this summer. I'm very impressed with the quality of the bike, the ride, the way it handles and fits.

I originally planned to build a custom Seven, being small I didn't think that Serotta could do the job for me but I was wrong. CJ and Kelly (at Serotta) were wonderful. My frame is a 48 cm on 650c wheels.

Check out the Serotta forum http://www.serotta.com/forum/. Mostly guys there but they are very respectful of women.

There are other small frame builders as well. They are often talked about on the Serotta forum. Sometimes they have a long wait list.

In your price range you could get a Fierte, Serotta's stock frame. I demoed it and it's really a nice bike.

[Kathi]

Here's the link to the post of my bike pictures.

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=8515&highlight=serotta+ottrott

[anakiwa]

Ace-

First off fit is the most important thing (and it's worth spending money on).

As far as whether to spend the full $3000 now, versus buy an entry level bike now and spend more in a year or two- you can argue it either way. If you fall in love with a $3000 bike and are convinced it's the bike for you- go for it. On the other hand it might make sense to ride something cheaper for a year first (which will allow you to figure out what you really do and don't want in a bike- and when you do get to buy your dream bike you'll really know what you want).

I have a Serotta Coeur d'Acier that's designed as a tri bike and am in the process of buying a Serotta Concours road bike. I'm therefore probably a little biased, but I think a custom bike has a lot to offer. (My current Trek road bike is a really nice bike, but the fit is just not quite right.) I suspect it might be hard to keep the price under $3000 though. The stock Serotta bikes would be a little less expensive (and if you have a decent Serotta fitter they'd be able to tell you if you can fit one of the sizes or if you'd do better with custom or something else).

Good luck!

[KayTee]

I have to agree with the last few posters. Custom bikes can be reasonably priced or ridiculously expensive, depending on frame material and fabricator, and would certainly fit into your budget. At this point in my own cycling life, I'd go for custom frame only and whatever components I can best afford (or re-use), then upgrade the latter if necessary. I rode various stock bikes for 6 years before springing for a custom steel Independent Fabrication Crown Jewel earlier this year. It's been worth every penny.