is it silly to re-buy the same bike?

[bluegirl]

I just finished paying off all my credit card debt and I'm planning to commute 26 miles round trip to work once the heat of the summer is over. (I'm in AZ.) Therefore, I think I deserve a new bike!!

In all the internet looking I've been doing, it seems that I see the Jamis Aurora mentioned over and over as a great road/commuting bike. The thing is, I HAVE a 1998 Jamis Aurora.

I love her DEEPLY, but she's old and got millions of miles on her. Plus, the 650 tires are just too small for alot of the cracks in the asphalt around here.

Would it be ridiculous to re-buy the same bike? Or would by new bike money be better spent on something more upgrade-related?

Thanks for any opinions!!

[Grog]

Hi Bluegirl and welcome to TE.

A bike can have lots and lots of miles and still be good to go. My husband's road bike is about to be retired as a winter bike and has over 60,000 km on it (roughly 40,000 miles). It needs new wheels and will be a few new parts (again), but otherwise works great.

You can probably just get new, wider tires and an in-depth tune up. You'll be good to go! In the meantime, you can start saving money for your next bike instead of using a credit card to pay for it.

Good luck!

[Eden]

The new model may very well be lighter and have nicer components - its been 10 years since you bought the old one , so no I don't think its crazy to think about getting the same bike over again -one thing though, the diameter of your tires shouldn't make much difference in regards to cracks/potholes etc.... 650's may not have as great a selection of widths as 700's but the issue is more one of having wider tires, not bigger wheels.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

The new model may very well be lighter and have nicer components - its been 10 years since you bought the old one , so no I don't think its crazy to think about getting the same bike over again -one thing though, the diameter of your tires shouldn't make much difference in regards to cracks/potholes etc.... 650's may not have as great a selection of widths as 700's but the issue is more one of having wider tires, not bigger wheels.

I totally agree with all Eden said. :)

[Zen]

I rode my new Aurora today and I am loving that bike. I know this is of no help. I just wanted to say it :D

[bluegirl]

hi all! thank you for your replies!

I think that's mainly what I was wondering: whether a 10 year difference would be a significant upgrade, or whether I should up my budget and go for a more dramatic upgrade, i.e. the Jamis Quest. More bang, for my buck, so to speak!

As for the tires, yes, that's an important clarification! HA! My thought is that with 700s, I'll have a wider range of choices in terms of getting something sturdier.

That rough asphalt is EATING ME UP! :)

And don't worry! I don't even OWN credit cards any more. I messed up and I worked hard to get myself free, and I have DEFINITELY learned my lesson! HA!! It's all cash, all day, every day!

Thank you so much!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

As for the tires, yes, that's an important clarification! HA! My thought is that with 700s, I'll have a wider range of choices in terms of getting something sturdier.

That rough asphalt is EATING ME UP! :)

Rivendell lists a few different 650 tires and tubes, you might look at those and then do some additional googling/price comparing.
http://www.rivbike.com/products/list/tires_tubes_pumps_patches?a=1&page=all

[sgtiger]

Bluegirl, it's not silly to buy the same kind of bike you already own if you love it so. Keep in mind, though, that with bigger wheels, they probably had to fiddle around with the geometry some. That could possibly affect the fit. Is there any place where you can try out the updated version?

[Cataboo]

I rode my new Aurora today and I am loving that bike. I know this is of no help. I just wanted to say it :D

did you get new brakes?

[bluegirl]

hee hee! I love it when people pop in and say: I have one! :)

I'm really hoping I'll find a shop that carries Jamiseses. I called one shop today that was listed as a dealer, but he said they could order one, but that they primarily sell Specialized. I really do want to ride as many as possible, it's just a matter of finding out who has what and where.

Do they ever let you order one with no obligation? Just to try?

I'm just excited. Yay, new bike time!

[bluegirl]

Oh, and thanks for the tires recommendation! I will definitely be checking that out!

[Ana]

I don't want to rain on your Aurora parade but why don't you treat this as an opportunity to see what else is out there! :) Keep the Jamis in mind and test ride a lot of bikes. What if you find another bike, for example, made of a different material and you would like to have that kind of diversity in your stable?

If, it turns out that no other bike speaks to you (or the one you fall for is in your price range), then you can always go back to your trusty choice of the Aurora.

Who knows, you could discover a great find! :)

Good luck!

[Biciclista]

If you like a 10 year old Jamis you're going to like a new one even better!
My husband has owned several Raleighs and has no regrets.

Go for it!

[bluegirl]

Well, I took good old Bluegirl out for a spin today, keeping in mind all the things I've read about in the forums over the last couple of days.

And I've come to the conclusion that I think the top tube is actually too long, not by much, but by enough that I now understand why I ride with the hand position that I do. My mountain bike is a women's specific, and I can feel how the handlebar position on that one is much more comfortable.

Also, the vibrations on my hands and wrists are just bad. It's bad enough when I'm tooling down the bike path at 16mph. No wonder I feel like I'm about to lose it when I'm going down hill on the rough asphalt at 30mph.

The things I do like: I LOVE how light and how fast (and blue) she is.

Good things for me to think about as I begin the process!!

My friend has a Raleigh Sojurn and LOVES it. And I was peeking at the Novara Randonnee at REI today. Of course, I live in a third floor apartment, so I have to be able to carry it up and down those stairs! :)

As many have mentioned before, the main issue is finding shops that actually have something built up in my size. BUT, that's why I'm starting early, so I have plenty of time to check things out instead of getting anxious and rushing.

Thanks! I LOVE these forums. They are making me happy and very bike crazy right now!

[elk]

since you like this....I have an Aurora and LOVE it! It's the root beer colored one...there is also now an Aurora Elite --a little upgrade...

and the colors are still good.

The other ones I really liked were the Bianchi Volpe and the Surly LHT...
But all the research I did confirmed that the Jamis was a SUPER value and I have yet to find someone who doesn't like their's.

here's her portrait.... i want a Salsa seat post....

[elk]

oooooooooooooooo it's gloss black. yum
http://www.jamisbikes.com/usa/thebikes/road/aurora/09_auroraelite.html

[Zen]

Ooh, that black and tan with scripted lettering is soooo classy compared to the big block letters of JAMIS.
That's OK.
I still love this bike
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb14/zencentury/DSCN2171.jpg
The stock saddle wasn't bad for 20 miles, I need to get better brakes because a) they're just lousy brakes and B)there isn't much fender clearance if I ever decide to put some on. $120.00 :(
I am having some trouble with gears though. The bottom bracket had to be shimmed because it was out of alignment with the frame and derailleur.Skips around in the climbing gears. Not good. Mechanic blames this on small frame size:confused:
The front derailleur could use some adjusting too. Cruising along in the big ring the other day when all of a sudden when BLAGHERLASLERLABLERA (this is an actual noise) the chain was down on the middle ring.

But I still love this bike.

[elk]

huh? I got fenders....and a rack....

once you get her set up the way you want...you'll never go back...

and that's despite the lettering which is...like many things today...I agree, badly designed.

[bluegirl]

Just for fun! The new ones are so shiny and pretty, but I'll have a hard time giving up that sweet combination of blue and red! :-)

http://s38.photobucket.com/albums/e121/angiedawnf/141.jpg

[elk]

Bluegirl...she's got character!!!

Did you see the Elite via the link?

[bluegirl]

Yes, indeed! I've been drooling over that one! The Quest is powder blue!! I'm not sure how I'd feel, having a black bike. Maybe it would make me more badass! :)

And I LOVE your setup with the fenders and the rack and the shiny rootbeer color! (block lettering or no!)


EDIT: Wait, after checking again, I LOVE the tan accents. Black + Tan = awsesome! :)

[dervilfal]

I'd have no qualms rebuying an old bike, particularly one (as has been mentioned) that will be rife with upgrades/improvements. I would also take that opportunity to go check out other bikes as well. Bikes are constantly being improved, new products developed - it wouldn't hurt to go check some of them out; there's always a chance you'll find something you like even better.

[MartianDestiny]

And I've come to the conclusion that I think the top tube is actually too long, not by much, but by enough that I now understand why I ride with the hand position that I do. My mountain bike is a women's specific, and I can feel how the handlebar position on that one is much more comfortable.

Also, the vibrations on my hands and wrists are just bad. It's bad enough when I'm tooling down the bike path at 16mph. No wonder I feel like I'm about to lose it when I'm going down hill on the rough asphalt at 30mph.

The things I do like: I LOVE how light and how fast (and blue) she is.


Playing with stem length could give you enough of a difference for reach on your current bike, but judging from the image your current stem is not particularly long. It's not unreasonable to try to find something with a shorter reach (be it women's specific or not).

As for the vibrations try looking for something with a carbon fiber fork. They really do make a world of difference and aren't hard to find on newer bikes. You can also swap the bars out for carbon as well. I was impressed that I could tell the difference with carbon bars vs. aluminum even on my full carbon bike (unfortunately the bars are still a pricey aftermarket swap on most bikes). The stuff is really good at vibration reduction when it's designed right.

[tulip]

bluegirl, first off, You are awesome for paying off your credit cards! Congratulations! Sometimes it's a hard lesson to learn, but one that sticks.

Secondly, your bike is beautiful. Classic! I second Martian Destiny's carbon fork idea. Also, it's hard to tell from your photo, but you can essentially shorten the reach by raising the bars. Of course I have no idea about your riding style, but keeping your elbows slightly bent and soft will really ease the vibrations, too. If you ride with locked elbows, you'll feel everything no matter what bike you ride. I know I go on and on about it, and the regulars here are surely very tired of hearing (reading) it, but strengthening your core is very important and will allow your elbows to remain relaxed. Regular readers also get tired of hearing me tout the wonderfulness of Pilates, but it's really helped me.

Best of luck whatever you decide to do!

[bluegirl]

Hm! I was wondering about switching out the fork! That sounds like a good bet! AND, it looks like a lot of the more current handlebars seems shorter, maybe that would help with the reach issue.

What happens is that I do end up locking my elbows because I'm trying to reach for the "knobby" part of the handlebars.

And Tulip, I totally hear you about the core strength. It's something I definitely want to be working on. Unfortunately, I find that I have to get off the bike and do something else in order to get my middle in shape.

The other day I rode for awhile on the lowest loop part of the handle bars, and it was SO uncomfortable with my thighs hitting my belly. HA!! i guess that one snuck up on me! :)

I think I will end up getting a new bike, but the little blue Jamis is definitely going to stay! I am thinking about switching her back to regular pedals, adding some grocery panniers and turning her into my grocery store bike! :-)

[tulip]

Yes, you do have to get off the bike to strengthen the core. We all do. But 30 minutes a day of Pilates really helps me.

I never ride in the drops (the lowest position). I prefer to ride on the hoods.

If you have a good bike shop that can take the time to work with you on this bike how it fits you, you could have a sweet and wonderful bike.

[bluegirl]

New bike, the update:

So far the shopping experience has been all words and NO BIKES to put my butt on.

Everyone has been really nice, but they go on and on about the myriad of options and I get overwhelmed because I really don't know what they're talking about. I feel like I won't really know until I get to ride a few things around.

The guy at the bike shop today suggested that I just upgrade all the components on my existing Aurora, as the geometry would me more relaxed. He talked about how today's modern geometry is more aggressive.

What does that mean? :-)

He also thought if I fancied up the old one, I could use that for commuting and buy a fancy road bike. I guess I've always treated my Aurora like a fancy road bike. Hm. Actually, I've started thinking I might upgrade her and use her for my long day rides, and then get something sturdier for commuting.

I have widened the net to include Surlys (of course) and the Kona Sutra, Trek 520, etc etc. I just want to get my butt in a seat!

Tomorrow is Saturday! Let the great bike hunt continue!!

[bluegirl]

Oh, I was a little whiny yesterday, sorry about that. At this point, I'm just kind of documenting the process! HA HA!

Today was fewer words and more math, which oddly, was a good thing! Not so many bikes, but at least I have a better idea of fit and sizing.

I started looking seriously at the Surly Cross Check, and then realized that THAT's what they mean by more aggressive. I think?

At the end of the day I ended up at a lovely bike shop with a guy who went through all the numbers with me, put me on a Jamis Ventura and sized me up.

Then he put me on a beautiful red flowered Specialized Dolce.

EVIL, EVIL MAN! That threw everything back up into the air!!!!! God, that is a beautiful, sweet ride.

But, in my heart, I know I want a bike that can do everything. One bike to unite them all! :-)

So, at the end of the day, I didn't find the bike, but I did find the bike shop. And they have a 7 day guarantee, which is NICE, because I'm sure I'm going to have to order something.

And here's the thing, I'm think I'm going to end up just going BALLS TO THE WALL: Jamis Quest! Check this baby out!!

http://www.jamisbikes.com/usa/thebikes/road/quest/09_questf.html

Um, or the Aurora Elite. Crap. Square 1.

[Cataboo]

aggressive is usually a more leaned over geometry - more aero so you don't have as much wind resistance, as opposed to a more relaxed upright geometry or say a touring fit.

Glad you found a bike you maybe like... and if you have 2 bikes, you have one to ride when the other one is broken ;)

[Zen]

Did you look at the mens model color? I like that much better than the girly blue.
But that's me.
Grrr.

[bluegirl]

Yeah, Zen, I love blue, but I'm not terribly wild about the color. I don't hate it though, and I think it'll be nicer in person.

It's a shame, because I love the Satellite and the Aurora coloring: white and tan, and I love the Aurora Elite coloring: black and tan.


I woke up this morning seriously thinking about planning a weekend in Portland or something so I can get my butt on something (anything) steel! :-)