shopping for my first road bike!

[cathleen]

Please excuse me if I sound silly. I'm just really EXCITED! :D

My father & his wife (who got me into cycling) have offered to buy me a real road bike!

Dad gave me his old hybrid 3 years ago and I've had fun riding around town and doing club rides on the weekends. Haven't gone much further than 35 miles or so, but my goal is to hit the 60's next summer.

Now that I have some experience, I notice the fit & performance of my bike is somewhat lacking. You know how it is when you're a rookie - everything hurts because you're not used to it. But, now my body has gotten used to things and I see areas for improvement.

Budget is kinda low - $600-800, but I have a couple of things to my advantage, 1: LBS's are getting new models in and putting older ones on sale, 2: it's Christmas sales season.

Luckily, there are 4 bike shops in a 30 mile radius, so I can shop around.

Ladies, any help you want to offer, would be really appreciated!

Right now I have a couple of things in mind, and will probably have some better ideas after more research:

1: I figure I can always upgrade components down the road, if that's what I need to do to stay in budget right now.

2: I'm coming from a bike that's decent, but heavy and the derailleurs/shift levers are getting testy. Probably just about anything lighter in weight & smoother on the shift will make me happy.

3: I don't understand steel vs. aluminum preferences. Anyone want to help with that? I hear talk like steel is preferred, but my current bike is steel (I think) and weighs a ton. Hefted some aluminum babies at the LBS last night & thought, "wow - so light!" Weight matters to me somewhat. (No garage, have to haul bike up & down trecherous basement stairs!)

[CorsairMac]

there is a thread here about steel vs alum. Its the bike more than the material. I have what they call an alpha alum frame and it weighs about 30 lbs to start. There are steel frames out there that weigh 8 lbs. A hybrid like yours or a commuter like mine will weigh more than a road bike. Beyond that - I believe its a personal thing like shoes or shorts. Its gotta fit You and work for You or it won't matter much what it weighs. Your LBS should let you take some out and ride around on them and they Should fit you to the bike. Have fun - and know I"m jealous. My first "comeback" bike was a commuter bike and I LOVE it - but wish now I Had bought that road bike - coz I LOVE to go fast! ;)

BTW: born and raised in Comstock, Mi - right there on the outskirts of Kalamazoo. Still have relatives living there.

[emily_in_nc]

Cathleen,

I can't offer you much brand/model suggestion in that price range (I'm sure others can, though); however, just a couple of points:

Absolutely #1. Make sure it fits! Have a professional fit at one of the LBS in your area, because your position on a road bike will be quite different than on a comfort/hybrid bike. Depending on your proportions and height, you may need a WSD (womens-specific design) bike (as I do) to get a short enough top tube. Make sure you get a short enough top tube that you end up with at least a 9 cm (90mm) stem or you'll sacrifice some bike handling. You may also need narrower handlebars, short-reach brake levers, and shorter cranks than on a non-WSD bike. Some women do, some don't.

2. Steel can be light. I had an old steel hybrid that weighed a ton, but that was because it was big, had cheap, heavy components, and was a less expensive steel. There are steel alloys that are much lighter, like the ones Terry uses in their WSD bikes. Steel makes for a very comfy ride. Aluminum can be harsher but has its devotees. With a carbon-fiber fork, which you'll want no matter which frame material you end up with, you may find aluminum perfectly fine. I have two steel bikes and a carbon-fiber bike so just haven't ridden aluminum to have an opinion. I would certainly test ride one and see what you think, though. Try to ride it on some bumpy roads too as that is where you'll feel any harshness.

3. Test ride as many bikes as you can before making your decision. That can be hard if you're a smaller size, but do the best you can. You want to make the right decision and not be back for something else in a year (as I was).

Good luck, and let us know what you decide on. Exciting!

Emily

[pedalfaster]

"1: I figure I can always upgrade components down the road, if that's what I need to do to stay in budget right now. "

Just remember that it is always more expensive for *you* to buy components than it is for say, Trek. In other words, if you know you like to ride and plan to ride a lot...try to reach the top-end of your budget in your initial purchase. I've watched many people start off with a $600 road bike...9 months and $900 in upgrades later...they have the bike they *could* have bought for $1200 to begin with.

Also make sure that the bike you buy is up-grade worthy. The frame is the heart of the bike, and as Emily pointed out size DOES matter. An ill-fitting bike will never be a good bike.

When shopping at the lower-end of the road-bike spectrum, make sure that you are getting at least nine-speed. This will make any future upgrades much easier.

" I don't understand steel vs. aluminum preferences. Anyone want to help with that? I hear talk like steel is preferred, but my current bike is steel (I think) and weighs a ton. Hefted some aluminum babies at the LBS last night & thought, "wow - so light!" Weight matters to me somewhat. (No garage, have to haul bike up & down trecherous basement stairs!) "

High end, light steel (e.g. Reynolds 853) is difficult to find in the lower price ranges. Generally (sadly perhaps) you'll find this wonder-metal in the small and custom-builder market. Frames in this class (and we are talking frame or frame-and-fork only) will generally run $800-1200.

In the $600-800 range you'll see mainly aluminum frames. As Emily said test ride as much as possible because different frames (even made from the same material) DO ride differently. Most bikes will come with a carbon fork to help with some of the road chatter. You can also soften the ride of aluminum with a ti or carbon seatpost, ti rails on your saddle and by running slighly wider (25s instead of 23s) tires.

[cathleen]

Thanks, CMac, Emily & Pedal!

You ladies have given some nice advice.

I will certainly insist in a good, comfortable fit - there's just no way I would spend money on the "wrong" bike. (Current bike is a little too tall for me, so I have a strong appreciation for good fit, you could say!) And, of course, I'm not going to buy anything until I take them all for a spin.

Fortunately, I don't think finding the right size is going to be difficults for me. (I'm 5'6" and slightly long-legged, so I'm not having the same difficulties as my dad's wife, who stands 4'11"!)

Pretty much everything in my price range are alm frames and several have carbon forks. I'll be looking at carbon seat posts, tires other tricks to deal with road chatter - so thank you for the tips, Pedalfaster!

Oh, and everything's had 9 in the cassette, so, I guess I don't have to worry about that too much. However, I do think I am going to ask for a triple chainring setup.

I have been to 2 LBSs so far. 1 is a big store with lots of stuff & the usual brands: Klein, Trek, etc. The other is a smaller place that tends to carry ones that aren't QUITE as common.

So far, the ones in my price rance are:

Lemond Tourmalet (just a little over budget, but maybe I can chip in a few bucks of my own.)

Specialized Allez Sport

Trek 1200

Felt F80 (the company I've never heard of before)

Gonna get my shorts on and go do some fits & test rides next week.

This is turning out to be really fun. Hee hee. :D

PS: Southwest Michigan Shout-Out to CMac - I don't blame you for moving to Albuquerqe. (I was there on vacay 2 years ago & loved it!)

[ccnyc]

cathleen,

I have a Felt F80 (2004), 52cm and I love it. I'm also 5'6" with longish legs (and arms). I tried the 54cm and thought it was too big. I paid $750 last spring. The only modifications I made to the bike were removing the bar-top brake controls and putting on a less painful saddle. It is very responsive and fits me very well and the triple chainring has come in handy.

My husband, who is used to riding high end campy equipped bikes thought Felt was really worthy. He got himself an F45 and loves it.

Felt is known for their Tri bikes.

carol

[cathleen]

Originally posted by ccnyc

I have a Felt F80 (2004), 52cm and I love it. I'm also 5'6" with longish legs (and arms). I tried the 54cm and thought it was too big.

Sounds similar to me & my size. Don't know for sure, but standing over a bike or 2, they're guesstimating a 50 or 52 for me. (They want to make sure they have a couple of bikes ready for me when I test ride next week.)

I paid $750 last spring. The only modifications I made to the bike were removing the bar-top brake controls and putting on a less painful saddle. It is very responsive and fits me very well and the triple chainring has come in handy.

yeah, I think my LBS is quoting me $800 and it seems to be almost a given that the saddle that comes on your bike is not what you end up using.
(I almost wonder why they bother putting one on there at all!) ;)

My husband, who is used to riding high end campy equipped bikes thought Felt was really worthy. He got himself an F45 and loves it.

Felt is known for their Tri bikes.

Cool! I am glad to get a reply from someone who has experience with Felt and also with the exact same model - way lucky!

So tell me, (if ya don't mind) what other bikes did you end up comparing with the F80, when you were shopping, and what did you think?

[ccnyc]

I'm not going to be much help here... I was going to look at some Trek and Specialized bikes, but we started out with Felt and stopped there because it just felt right. I guess I was lucky for once in my life!

[cathleen]

Originally posted by ccnyc
I'm not going to be much help here... I was going to look at some Trek and Specialized bikes, but we started out with Felt and stopped there because it just felt right. I guess I was lucky for once in my life!

Well, ya know, they always say it's like that with Wedding dresses -when you find "the one", you just know - no matter how many more you try on.

Not that I've got any wedding dress shopping coming up in my near future, but, hey, at least with a bike, I know I'll "wear it" more than once. (Actually, given a couple of embarassing spills I've taken, "wearing it" is a pretty accurate description.)

[massbikebabe]

I have never ridden a Felt, but I have been overwhelmingly impressed with the Specialized line, and I know for a fact they are trying to get rid of the 2004 stuff.

good luck
karen

[cathleen]

Good to know about Specialized - thanks for the tip!

I haven't made ANY decisions yet, just looking around and was curious to know if anyone had heard of Felt, because I hadn't.
(Apparently, they got their start doing custom frames.)

I'm going to be doing some test rides this week and I feel silly asking this but, uh, what to wear?

I don't own a pair of proper cycling shoes. I have a pair of funky-looking Italian sneakers that are a little narrower in the forefoot & thinner in the soles than your average athletic shoe. I like to wear them because I can "feel" the pedal underneath my foot. (And, my running shoes are wide in the forefoot & clunky/clumsy on the pedals.)

I have a feeling I'm going to look like a major idiot going in there. Maybe this is the opportunity to buy some cycling shoes?

[massbikebabe]

Wear plain ole everyday sneakers...most bike shops put old school type pedals on the demo's so you can first get a feel for the bike and not worry about getting caught in the pedals. Those bikes that come with particular pedal systems, (and this is very rare), the shop will more than likely have loaner shoes for you to wear. I love to bike shop and had a chance to ride the new Pilot over the weekend and loved it. This model starts at around a grand and goes as high as 4 grand but what a sweet ride. I have said it one thousand times before...you'll know when you find the
"ONE".

happy riding,
karen

[maryellen]

Karen, i'm jealous. I'm planning on buying a road bike in the next 6 months or so. I'm very interested in the Pilot line as I'm concerned about my low back (2 chronic back conditions). I haven't had an opportunity to test ride a Pilot yet though. I currently ride a hybrid.

Did you think the geometry was meaningfully different from other road bikes?

thx

[massbikebabe]

Maryellen:

I have had long standing back problems and never got any relief on my bike until I switched to the Trek 5200 WSD. I am short and have a short torso as well so the geometry worked out great for me. As for the Pilot, I think I would have bought it if it were available when I bought my 5200. It fit me like a glove. No tweaking, no measuring etc. etc. Matter of fact I am trying to think up reasons why I need another expensive bike...hard sell
with a kid headed for college and one in private school. I'll just have to tell my hubby that I'll take a Pilot instead of a new car
that I need!!:D

karen

[brok]

Hello ladies, I have been lurking around reading posts for quite sometime and thought it was time to introduce myself. I am a relative newbie to road biking although I had a 10 speed in high school and college. Most recently I ride a Trek7700FX but I am shopping for a road bike. I am/was a runner but a knee injury does not allow me put in the miles I need. My Dr. has cleared me to ride as much as I want - for that I am grateful. I have been shopping online and looking at the Trek Pilot 2.1 and the 1500. I'm pretty sure I will need a WSD - I'm 5'2 with long legs (well for a short person), a short torso and very small hands. On their website, Trek talks about the Pilot having a sloped top tube but the picture of the WSD 2.1 shows a straight tube. Do any of you know if it is a slope or straight tube. My LBS doesn't have the Pilot in yet but the good news is they are going to carry more WSD bikes than they have in the past so I should be able to ride several. Thanks for all your insight and allowing me to join the forum. I really enjoy reading your posts.

[trekin']

I don't know anything about the Pilot, but if you are considering a 1500, this is what I've found out about the bike, having owned one for just under a month. Unlike their other road bikes, the top tube of the 2005 model slopes down slightly, making standover less of a problem for us shorties (I'm 5'2", short legs). I love the bike, but although they advertise the brakes and shifts are designed for smaller hands, they sure weren't designed for my small hands! I added a pair of breaks to the top part of the handlebars (I'm sure there's a term for that part of the bike, but it's late and things are getting foggy) that are easier for me to reach. Shifting for the large ring is real tough. My hand is not long enough to reach all the way across then hold that position while the chain moves, plus I nearly break my fingers just to get the shifter to move in the first place! They obviously used Arnold Schwartzenegger's sister as their model when they worked on that part of the WSD design! Other than that, it's a great bike, feels great on the road, powers up hills really well, and is fun to ride.

I hope this helps in your search.

[brok]

trekkin,

Thanks for the info about the shifters. I guess the shifters would be the same, both list Shimano 105s. Just curious then, do you just not shift much or are you learning ways to make it work? Thanks again for the input.

[CorsairMac]

hey trekkin: have you talked to your LBS about it?....see if they can get the Trek dealer in or at least talk to him? I know Treks big thing is they "listen". The quick-release for my seat on my Navigator 200 isn't quick and it doesn't want to release. It takes two people to close the release when I adjust the seat. I mentioned it to my LBS and they told me A) I wasn't the first to complain about it and B) they had just seen their Trek dealer and told him about it and were told he (the dealer) would pass the word on up to see about getting a recall and replacment on the part. It could be Trek can do something about those shifters?

[trekin']

I'm happy to hear Trek listens...I'm confident my LBS will listen, too, when I impress upon them that this shifting problem is more than a matter of getting used to a new bike. I nearly veered into traffic today while trying to shift. I will let you know how this problem resolves.

And yes, Brok, I do shift often. There is virtually nowhere you can go in New England that doesn't have hills (and I live in one of the flatter regions!). My biking friends and I laugh when we use Howard Stone's book on our weekend rides, because we have huffed and puffed over a lot of his "gently rolling" terrain!

I want to emphasize however, that, except for the shifting problem, I do love this bike. I'm no athlete, but I feel like Lance Armstrong when I'm "zooming" around town on my Trek!