Setting a budget

Brand spanking new rider question:

I would eventually like to ride a century, and I'm looking into figuring out how much the gear should reasonably cost me. From what I've been reading, $1000-$1200 would probably be reasonable for the bike (would it?). How much would the rest run me? I can't go too overboard, but I don't want to go cheap and regret it later.

Any recommendations on what bike brands would be a good value for the price range I'm looking at? I'm short, probably wanting a women's design, and I had neck surgery a few months ago. As long as I'm careful and aware, the neck shouldn't pose any problems, but I just don't want to get a bike that will strain it. I know that ultimately, it'll be a matter of trying the different options out, but I thought I'd try to get a feel for what's out there ahead of time.

Thanks!

I'd think that for a century you'd want to get at least Shimano 105 or the equivalent. You might consider upping the bike budget a bit. How short is short, and what's your inseam? Specialized makes some good bikes if you're on the shorter side. A Ruby, while perhaps pushing the boundaries of your budget a bit, might be good for those neck issues.

You can cheap out on jerseys, but things that you should be willing to spend on: Shorts (at least 2 pairs, so that you don't have to do laundry before every ride), gloves, saddle, shoes. The sky's the limit on what you could spend, but the question is what can you afford?

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Originally Posted by Owlie

I'd think that for a century you'd want to get at least Shimano 105 or the equivalent. You might consider upping the bike budget a bit. How short is short, and what's your inseam? Specialized makes some good bikes if you're on the shorter side. A Ruby, while perhaps pushing the boundaries of your budget a bit, might be good for those neck issues.

You can cheap out on jerseys, but things that you should be willing to spend on: Shorts (at least 2 pairs, so that you don't have to do laundry before every ride), gloves, saddle, shoes. The sky's the limit on what you could spend, but the question is what can you afford?

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5'1"; 28.5" inseam.

I'd like to keep everything under $2000, but could possibly stretch it by a few hundred if necessary. Probably no more than $2500.

Thanks!

One of the other TE members had mentioned there are bike fitters that can suggest bikes based on your body/neck problems (obviously, you would have to pay them for their time). But this way, you might even be able to figure out the best bike for you, then you can buy used (make sure to conduct the sale at your LBS and pay your LBS to inspect the bike prior to the exchange of money) or last year's model.

Also, a lot of the bike shops will be having a bike sale around September-December to get rid of this year's models, so you might want to look into that too.

If you know you love biking and are serious about biking, I would recommend a carbon frame with Shimano 105 components or better. Save up for a better bike rather than getting severe regret later and then needing to upgrade sooner than you expected. But, just to warn you, we all get bike upgraditis...very contagious on the TE discussion forums.

Also, we all love seeing pictures/stories of your bike when you finally make a decision.
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2012 Specialized Amira Elite, upgraded carbon handle bars, Jett saddle 143mm switched to 145mm 2012 Selle Italia Max SLR Gel Flow saddle

2011 Specialized Ariel Sport,suspension post,Serfas Rx Women's Microfiber saddle
TigerMom is offline Reply With Quote

Things you can go budget on-
Water bottles (as long as you can drink from them and they fit your bottle cage)
Bottle cages- plastic or metal is fine
Cycle top- as long as they can wick sweat and have back pockets, you don't have to pay top dollar.
Socks- any thin sport socks will do
Cycle glasses- sunglasses (that are robust and can survive failing) are OK or go and buy safety glasses from a safety equipment store.
Underseat bag- as long as it fits all your gear of course.
Clipless pedals- buy a well known brand but you don't need carbon fibre or titiamum.
Cycle gloves- as long as they are comfortable
Helmet- as long as it is safety certifed and fits your head you don't need a $200 helmet.
Cycle computer- you probably only need speed, distance and maybe cadence at this time. Use you phone for GPS if you need it.

Buy the best you can-
Bike
Cycle shorts- too cheap and they will not last, pill, snag or be very uncomfortable.
Floor pump- don't buy the cheapest. Metal is better than plastic.
Cycle shoes- buy what is comfortable. Try not to buy full plastic or nylon sole shoes. Stiffness is good.

I think this covers it all. Have I forgotten anything?

Budget??? What's a budget???

Sounds like something to feel bad about when you blow it ALL THE TIME!!!!

No, actually your getting great advice. My biggest mistake has always been to buy the cheap stuff to begin with, then upgrade the next year to what really works. Get the good stuff to start, as advised above. You'll actually save money in the long run and make riding so much more enjoyable!

Glad to see someone else caught the bug!

First- welcome to TE. This place was a great source of information and support when I came here 6 years ago.

Great suggestions have already been given. KiwiStoker hit it on the head what to splurge for and what to skimp on.

I will say, tho, that you don't have to wear a cycling jersey. I ride in regular moisture wicking shirts. I use the same shirts for running as I do riding since I didn't want to have two sets of workout clothes (that's just silly and a waste). I buy nice shirts that will last a long time. To carry food on the bike, I have a bento box on my top tube for food on long rides and I usually wear my Camelbak in summer (since my bike is small and I only have one bottle cage on the frame) so I can put extra food in my Camelbak. You can skimp there for sure.

Do NOT skimp on the shorts. You'll have to try on a dozen before you find on that fits your body. It should fit snug in the crotch (if it is loose you will have more trouble with saddle sores and such).

Good luck finding a bike. SO exciting to go shopping for that first one (and every one thereafter). Woot!:D

There are a number of brands of road bikes that should fit you. The Ruby is a good choice. Felt and Jamis also make bikes that work for the height challenged and can be a good value. I recommend working with a bike shop that understands your issues and doesn't just try to force you into something that they might have on the floor for sale. I am shorter than you and also have neck issues. I ride a Trek Madone. My handlebars are about the same level as the seat.

I would think that any lingering neck issues should be the first thing on the list to address. Range of motion issues? Pain? Issues with vibrations or pounding, holding your head UP while riding a road bike with 'drop bars'?

Some bikes are designed with a nod to more comfort, with a taller head tube (the tube the front fork attaches to) which puts the bars in a higher position, and tube types/shapes that are geared for compliance and shock dissipation. 'Racers' like a stiff frame to transmit all their movements into forward motion but those stiff frames can ride harsh.

Aluminum bikes tend to transmit road vibrations and ride 'harsher' than carbon fiber but cost less. The Specialized Dolce Comp and Elite have 'zertz' vibration dampeners in the fork and frame that can take a bit of the edge off that but if you can get carbon fiber into your budget it would be even better. Looking for last year's model (often times just a color change or small change to components) can net you some savings, but it's tough finding dealers with small bikes to begin with.

I'm 5'1 with 27.5" inseam and rode a 48cm Ruby but found the 44cm a much better fit. If you can, find a dealer with small bikes in stock to try out. I had to go to a number of dealers just to find one bike to try. It can be frustrating.

As was stated already, the stiffer the better for shoes. You may want to go with flat pedals or clipless 'SPD' (mountain bike type) pedals and use MTB shoes if you want walk-ability. 'Road' shoes aren't very easy to walk in. As for shorts and shirts, I always wait for sales and found a few brands I like and stick with. Helmets- get one that fits properly, they all have to meet the same safety standards. You get a helmet with better air venting (usually) and lighter weight as the price goes up.

Then the little bits. Multitool, tire 'irons' (to remove the tire), a couple spare tubes, seat bag, on-the-bike pump, floor pump. Get a few tube 'repair kits' and have the LBS show you how to patch a tube (don't get the pre-glued patches, they suck, get the patch kit with the tube of glue and sandpaper). It's best to learn before you have a flat, how to remove the tube, find the hole, patch and remount the tire and inflate and put it back on the bike. Beats sitting on the side of the road, waiting for a sag wagon.

You can do it for $1000. Buy used- it might take a bit to find the bike that fits, but ease into it. You might not like it. Or you might and you can trade up.

You'll definitely want to shop around, test ride and see what feels best for you. I'm also height challenged, as is my sister. Started out on a Felt ZW100, and my sis still has her Felt ZW95. We both liked the geometry for our body type (short waisted).

Depending on the type of ride you want, take a look at a Cannondale Synapse Alloy with 105 or CAAD10 Womens 5. Current price might stretch the budget, but you might be able to get a deal by finding a 2011 model. Carbon would be ideal, but you'll need to really hunt around to find one at your budget, and likely would need to find a good used deal.

Thanks for the great advice, everyone!

Someone mentioned glasses - I wear prescription lenses. I used to work in industry and I think I remember remember where to get safety glasses, but what are the other options for cycling?

I specifically wanted to address this one:

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Originally Posted by tzvia

I would think that any lingering neck issues should be the first thing on the list to address. Range of motion issues? Pain? Issues with vibrations or pounding, holding your head UP while riding a road bike with 'drop bars'?

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Neck is stable at this point, and range of motion is pretty much back to normal. This was already a weak point in my neck and I was in karate and took a hard blow to the head, causing a whiplash effect. The result was Peyton Manning's injury - pretty much exactly (weak left arm with numbness down to my index finger). I was able to get away without the fusion, fortunately. He went in and removed the problem parts of the disk, but left enough there to avoid the fusion.

The doctor didn't put any specific limitations on me (although he did advise no more high impact contact sports when I asked how I could avoid being back in his office). Knowing some of what contributed to it, I've put limits on myself. No high impact sports (even running), little to no weight on the shoulders (no heavy backpacks and I don't even carry a shoulder-strap purse any longer), and make sure I'm wearing a good supportive bra (chest size contributed to the strain on the neck). Oh - and posture, posture, posture. I feel the nerve getting twitchy if I'm in a twisted or off balance position for too long (off balance from side to side). At this point, I don't think the positioning on a bike would be an issue, as the spine is not continually twisted to right or left. So far in spin, as long as I'm careful with keeping my shoulders down and elbows relaxed, I haven't had a problem.

Part of any conditioning needs to be strengthening the muscles in the neck, shoulders, and back as well.

Thanks for your advice! I clipped most of the rest of it, but I did appreciate the advice on materials and how they absorb the road vibrations.

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Originally Posted by Chicken Little

You can do it for $1000. Buy used- it might take a bit to find the bike that fits, but ease into it. You might not like it. Or you might and you can trade up.

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I think this is what makes me nervous about the higher priced bikes. I want to make sure I like it before I drop a lot of money. I think I'm willing to trade up later, if needed. But I want to buy enough to prevent sabotaging my "like" from the get-go.

It will save you money in the long run to buy a nice bike from the get-go. (Ask me how I know!)