Advice for buying bike

[SMcConnell05]

Hey gals! I am buying my first road bike for racing in January. How much would you suggest saving for a good bike with good parts on it that wont kill the bank. Any ideas would be awesome!

[CorsairMac]

tough question. what do you want on/in the bike? type of frame? your budget? I"m figuring on buying my first new road bike maybe next year (I ride vintage right now) and I"m hoping I can get away with finding a good one for $1500. You can easily spend 2x to 3x that amount depending on what you want.

[betagirl]

I bought a lemond zurich this year and love it. It cost me $2300. Worth every penny. Not sure if that's in your price range or not. If so, I can tell you more about it.

[RoadRaven]

Kill the bank!!!

Kill the bank!!!

Who needs food, warmth or other basic essentials...

I want this... *drools*... I want this...

(2005 carbon from de Rosa)

LOL - if I get it... I won't be able to afford to eat and that will assist in my hill-climbing efforts! Always a silver lining, gals...

Ohhhh. I sooooo want this...

[Trekhawk]

I have a Trek5000 which I think normally retail for about 2300 but got it for 1800. I tried the Womens specific but the 5000 felt better for me. I love it. Im new to all this but I assume when they bring out new models the older ones get reduced so this might be an option for you if you want to keep the price down.
Roadraven Sweeeet bike.

[Trek420]

Roadraven, OOOOOH, that's a puhrty bike.

Isn't the de Rosa the one with a rider weight limit? You have to be under 130 lbs or something to ride it?

If so it would be a good thing that I could not afford to eat. ;)

[Selkie]

Specialized is supposed to come out with a carbon Dolce next year (according to my LBS). I'm already saving up so I add one to my "collection" of rides. ;)

[DirtDiva]

Yo, RR - food schmood. Will think of you every time I look at my stack of mags and the bits of paper that come with them; somewhere in there is a catalogue containing the entire (as far as I can tell) de Rosa range. They make me drool and I'm not even a roadie.

[RoadRaven]

Um... I don't know about rider weight... but if 130lbs is it, then I'll stop eating now... have to drop a few pounds yet! However, it has been pointed out to me I couldn't ride it at nationals as is because it would be too light - I would have to add weight to it!

Blurb about the "king lite"

A full 200 grams lighter than the 2004 model, the King Xlight maintains the same remarkable strength and sheer ride-ability of the prevoius model.
Now weighs in at just over 1 kilo.

I suppose I should settle for this... the de rosa tangoshadow... mmm-hmm... I could tango with this

*goes back to drooling daydreams and promises to stop hijacking the thread...*

[DirtDiva]

LOL. Shall I just send you my catalogue so you can drool 24/7? :p

[CorsairMac]

Holy Harbingers Cowboy Bob! I am in LUST with that DeRosa! Let me guess - they don't sell it in the USofA????? The lines of that bike have my name written all over them!!!

[Dogmama]

Either custom or Orbea. The mortgage company will understand.

Seriously, you need something YOU feel comfortable on. If that is a Schwinn, so be it. Just take duck tape & cover up the lettering. :D

I've had so many LBS people try to stick me on a bike that is WAY wrong for me - I think it's called 'clearing out the stock'. So, ride, ride, ride LOTS of bikes. Take notes after each one - how did your back feel, were you able to apply max pressure to each pedal stroke (i.e., is the frame design right for you), was the shifting smooth, could you reach the brake levers, was the handlebar width good for you (easily changed out - often women need narrower handlebars). Then, go home, burn the notes & buy the Orbea.

http://www.orbea-usa.com/fly.aspx?menuid=4&layout=viewproduct&taxid=226

[tatormc]

Oh please don't mention the Orbea Orca or I'll start drooling all over my keyboard! That is such a sweet looking bike. I bought a new bike a couple of months ago and would have liked to have ridden the Orca but it was a bit out of my price range so I stayed away from that LBS. Maybe in a couple years.....

[SMcConnell05]

geez louise girls.. I am gonna eat that's for sure!! :) how will I be able to win any races if I am even more skin and bones than I am now? I decided on the bike I am getting. I am so pumped! I am getting a Bianchi Giro. It looks like it's going to work. I am actually getting a bike fit next week. Thanks for all the advice. You girls rock

[Barb]

YEAHHHH another happy Bianchi rider! I have the Eros Donna and I love her.