Yet another 'which bike should I get' question

[mirliluck]

Hi Everyone. This is my first post but I've been lurking around for a while here and always thought everyone is very helpful and polite, so here goes.

I am ready to buy my first real road bike as a gift to myself for my 30th birthday next month. Yay! Just a little background about me and my riding...I have been into cycling for about a year now and my current bike ( a Novara express hybrid) would just become my commuter and the new bike reserved for rides only. I am fairly athletic and I mention this only because I like to do climbs ( I live in Utah so I run into a mountain after about 10 miles any direction anyway), and I've been given mixed opinions about whether a person like me should get a triple or a comp.

Anyway, I'm down to 2 favorites, an Orbea Dama T105 which is a comp, and a Specialized Ruby Comp triple. I can get about the same price on each bike, as the place that has the Specialized is doing a sale. I really like the way both of them feel and fit, the Orbea is more striking, but the Specialized seems like more bike for the money.

http://www.orbea-usa.com/fly.aspx?layout=bikes&taxid=61&pid=429

http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=47460&eid=4818

What are your opinions?

~ Miranda

[redrhodie]

The thing that would influence me to go with the Ruby would be the wheelset. Those look nice. If I were in Utah, I'd probably be happy I had the triple.

[buddha_bellies]

I talked to my chiropractor the other day about the same thing: compact vs. triple. He does ironman so he uses compact. But he said if all I am doing is leisure rides, then triple makes a lot of sense. I live in Vancouver and like you, we have hills everywhere. If I were to do more mountain climbs, and not just my daily commute/ ride out to Delta where it's flat, I probably would've got a triple too. I also have a Ruby and I love my bike.

[tzvia]

I ride a Ruby Expert compact, and compared with the standard cranks of my past bikes, it's like a whole new world. On the Ruby, the rear cogset has a low 27t gear and unless your hills are killer it should work ok with the double. I'm 49 and carrying an extra 15lbs that just won't go away- but I've been hitting the local hills and am getting up hills that I had to stop on a few months ago. So I would say a compact is doable, and they weigh less too. Just be honest with yourself and your abilities and you will end up with a bike that works with you and not against you.