Am I ready for a road bike?

I've been posting since September and am a newbie when it comes to biking. I currently have a folding bike and absolutely love it. I also have a beater bike that I bought on CL that I'm using on rollers (I am terrible and keep falling which is why my beater bike works) but I was looking to upgrade to a full size bike in the Spring. I thought I wanted a hybrid and was seriously interested in the Jamis Coda. In fact, I was waiting until Black Friday to see if there would be sales.

Today I went to the LBS who sells Jamis but they were closed. Since I had time on my hands, I ended up going to the other LBS in hopes of trying out a Specialized Vita or some other comparable hybrid. My salesperson (bought my folder from him) started talking to me about my biking style (recreational rider, mostly paved trails). He was shocked when I mentioned the rollers since I've only been biking since the summer. He even had ride on the rollers in the store (I was terrible) to see my form and give me some pointers.

Long story short, he brought out 2 bikes - a Vita and a Ruby. I have to admit the Ruby felt nice....real nice but I don't think I'm ready for a road bike. For goodness sake, I didn't even know how to use the shifters! Anyway, the LBS said that he could sell me a hybrid but he thinks I'll be back in a year or even less looking to upgrade. He said that he can see I like to ride, and with practice on the trainer, I'll outgrow a hybrid. He suggested that I should maybe wait a bit, save more money and then take the plunge and buy a roadie.

I'm so unsure. I don't really spend a lot of money on myself and $2k is a lot to drop on a bike when I mostly ride paved trails a couple of times a week (have a family and work full time in a demanding job so hard to ride more often). But, I do think that I might as well buy the best thing I can afford now, rather than buy an interim bike that I'm going to end up upgrading anyway. I'm hopeful that I can find more time to ride, especially as my kids get older.

What do you think? Buy a hybrid or save and get a road bike. If I go road, I'm going carbon or steel. Thanks in advance for any help/insight you can provide.

Another option would be to see if you can find a used bike in your size. Just a thought.

Thanks Koronin - it's hard to find my size because I'm petite (5'0) but I can start looking on CL. I just am not quite sure what I'm looking for in terms of components.

What does "being ready" for a road bike mean? Do you want a road bike? Will it make you ride more or make you ride less? If you can afford it and it enhances your enjoyment - get it. That's really the only thing that matters.

Veronica

And you don't need a Ruby to start off with. You can start with another one of Specialized's bikes that are NOT $2K!

I just purchased a Dolce Sport and it's a great bike and it was less than $1000 with discount.

So, first of all, there are other options than dropping so much money on a road bike you might not like later.

Secondly, I was given a mountain bike that didn't fit me, but I like bicycling, so I went ahead and purchased a hybrid (relatively new) on CL. It's a good bike, but after a year of using it, I knew I wanted a road bike (and hence my Dolce now).

For me, it was fine to keep the hybrid because I'll add a basket and maybe some panniers so I can use it to run errands.

In this case, I would go for a more "entry level" road bike or a hybrid with thinner tires (so you can go faster!).

Since you don't know how much you will be riding in the future (and especially if you're doing it alone) you may want to stick to the hybrid.

If you decide you like it, you can get an entry level road bike later and see if that's what you really want. But don't let yourself be talked into buying a $2K bike when you don't really need to right now. Try going to another shop and see if they'll really listen to your needs, rather than just trying to see you something expensive.

How about considering a cyclocross bike? Then you have the option to take it off-road and ride in conditions that are not favorable with a road bike. You can use knobby tires or slick ones.

Thanks All! You're right, there are other options but I am leaning towards the road since I have the used hybrid already. Perhaps an entry level road bike or a cyclo would work. $2k is a scary number but $1k is more manageable. I did not try any aluminum road bikes but perhaps I will try those out next. I'll see if the Jamis dealer is open today, I know they have some nice bikes that are less expensive than the Ruby. I have to admit that I like the look and feel of the Ruby but the price was a little hard to swallow.

What is your beater bike and what do you like and not like about it?

I love my Ruby- but that said, I started with an aluminum Fuji that costs $600 on sale at Performance Bikes. I used it for nearly 2 years, and put 6000 miles on it. I really appreciated the Ruby much more because of that.

If you want to do a lot of recreational riding go for the road bike. You will be more limited with the hybrid.

FYI- I am 5'1" and the Ruby 44 cm fits me much better than the Fuji 44 cm did, but the Dolce might be a good option. For gals our size, finding a bike that fits is more challenging but really important for your long term comfort and enjoyment on the bike.

Excellent thread here where many short and savvy riders pitch in with excellent ideas about a variety of great, affordable bikes for short riders. There are lots of choices out there. Get out there and ride lots of bikes, try different shops.

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=44652

Thanks All.
Goldfinch - my beater bike is a Giant Cypress. I feel like I'm riding a sofa - it's very comfortable but certainly doesn't go fast. My folder is a Dahon Speed P8 - great and fun bike to ride with nice fat tires but again not a fast bike. I also had an older Specialized Crossroad (bought on CL and never rode) but gave it my mom so she could ride with me. When i first started riding, I originally wanted comfort but am now thinking I want something more nimble.

azfiddle - what is the main difference between your fuji and the ruby? Is the Ruby a smoother ride? Funny, I'm 5'0 and he put me on a 48 inch Ruby. I also tried an Amira which was really aggressive in my opinion.

Trek - great thread! I do remember reading it back when I wasn't looking for a road bike! I'm going to reread it to see if I can get ideas.

I do appreciate the advice. It's funny because I really was looking just for a hybrid but am now thinking that a road may be better. I haven't tried any aluminum road bikes but will give those a shot as they seem to be less $ than the carbon.

Maybe it was because I changed some things on the set up after a while, but I was more stretched out on the Fuji. I could never ride comfortably in the hoods and use the brakes from that position. I used the extra "cheater brakes" most of the time. The Ruby is definitely more comfortable and performs better. The components are all better quality and it is carbon instead of aluminum, so all that helps.

I didn't even consider trying an Amira!

Your proportions may be a lot different from mine- I have a very short torso and a 48 is just too big for me.

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Originally Posted by jyyanks

Thanks All.
Goldfinch - my beater bike is a Giant Cypress. I feel like I'm riding a sofa - it's very comfortable but certainly doesn't go fast. My folder is a Dahon Speed P8 - great and fun bike to ride with nice fat tires but again not a fast bike. I also had a Specialized Crosstail (bought on CL and never rode) but gave it my mom so she could ride with me. When i first started riding, I originally wanted comfort but am now thinking I want something more nimble.

azfiddle - what is the main difference between your fuji and the ruby? Is the Ruby a smoother ride? Funny, I'm 5'0 and he put me on a 48 inch Ruby. I also tried an Amira which was really aggressive in my opinion.

Trek - great thread! I do remember reading it back when I wasn't looking for a road bike! I'm going to reread it to see if I can get ideas.

I do appreciate the advice. It's funny because I really was looking just for a hybrid but am now thinking that a road may be better. I haven't tried any aluminum road bikes but will give those a shot as they seem to be less $ than the carbon.

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It sounds like a road bike or a cross bike may be in your future! You like fast. You like nimble.

Be careful about size. I have had a number of bike shops try to put me on bikes that are way too big just because that happened to be their smallest size. It is hard to tell if something fits for the long haul on a test ride.

It is possible that a 44cm Specialized Ruby or a Dolce will fit you. The 48 sounds too big for your height but it depends on your own build. These are all too big for me but I have very short arms and am an inch and a half shorter than you are. Do you have an idea if you are long in the torso or long in the legs, comparatively? Do you know your inseam from crotch to floor?

Jamis has a number of 44cm, smaller bikes but again they were all too big for me. They have some that are very reasonably priced. Felt is another option. Heck, most of these options are discussed in the thread Trek linked to.

The Surly Crosscheck is really cool but too big for me. It might be hard to find one to try, depends on where you live. I didn't look at cross bikes because none would fit.

Putting in my 2 cents worth.
I rode a mountain bike with slicks for a year and a half and then I bought my first road bike, an alu Cannondale. It fit me, but the components were crappy, and I kept dropping the chain, and never was able to shift well into the big ring. I also felt every bump on the road. A year later I bought a Trek 5200 (carbon) and the upgrade in components made a huge difference, as well as the comfort. I am not saying absolutely don't buy aluminum, but I ended up spending about $1300 and a year later, spending $2500. I still wonder if I should have kept my Trek, which I sold for the bike I have now.
I also had a Jamis Coda for 4 years, which I used as an errand/fun bike. It's a great bike for the money, and I would go for steel over alu. any day. However, it has flat bars, it's heavy, and the components are lower end (although I never had any issues with them).
A good friend started with the Vita and now has a Ruby Elite. She kept the Vita for a second bike. At first she said she would never buy a road bike, but she was wanting that Ruby pretty badly after the test ride! The bike is sweet and sexy. My friend is not a fast rider, but she is a committed rider.
Of course, I am an enabler and I say go for it.

Muirenn - Thanks for the suggestion - I actually have a Surly dealer near me so I will go check it out

azfiddle- good to know. I'm going to try a bunch of different bikes and if I go the Ruby route, I'll have to PM you with questions. Either way,now that I'm interested in a road, I have to save a little more. I do get a bonus in Feb which is probably when I can make my big purchase

Goldfinch - I thought it was odd that he put me on a 48 though he did make a bunch of adjustments. If I go down this route, I will insist on trying out a 44 as well. I have to check my measurements - I have no idea what my inseam is but I should have them on hand. Going to see the Jamis dealer tomorrow. There is another Felt dealer nearby.

Crankin - Your post really cleared things up. I never thought I would buy a road bike because I'm not the best rider. Furthermore, I always "cheap out" and regret it later. What you said about your friend hit home, I'm not fast and I don't ride as much as others but I am committed and see myself riding for a long time.

I purchased my Ruby in March. The shop was willing to order one in my size to try and knew I might choose not to buy it, but said they would be able to sell it because it was early in the season. If you can't try the right size now, see if you can get your LBS to do this.

The other bike shops did not offer to do this, and I road-tested a 48 cm Cannondale Super Six, knowing it was too much of a stretch, but did not even try a Cannondale Synapse. I also tested a Trek 47 cm and it was also too big for me. The one shop really won me over by ordering the bike w/ no commitment to buy.

Jyyanks, I have the same tendency to take the cheaper option. It makes sense in the short term, but I end up regretting it long-term. This is how I ended up with my bike. (She's a bit like AZfiddle's Fuji. Aluminum, slightly too long, low-end components...but don't tell her I said that. ;)) I did the "I don't need/deserve a nice bike, because I suck at this" thing...and now I want something lighter, faster, smoother...that fits better.

Specialized is expensive, but for those of us in the torso-challenged category, they're nice. I've never ridden a Ruby (shop doesn't have a floor model in my size), but I rode a Dolce and it fit like a glove.

When I got ready to make my big purchase a couple of years ago, I had no clue what I wanted. I ended up with a full carbon Fuji. While I got a great dealon the bike it was still a big investment. However, as long as the frame doesn't crack I see myself on this bike for a long time. I may have to upgrade the components, but not the frame........well worth the money in my opinion.

My first road bike I bought used at a local beach bike store. They had a used Trek 2000 47cm bike. I test road it, and they fit to me the best they could. Ended up buying it for $400. I'm 5'0" so you have an idea of sizing. I just bought a Felt F5 48cm bike which I love, love, love. Like one of the others mentioned having the Trek has made me appreciate the F5 that much more. I'm actually making the Trek into more a commuter/errand type bike. The Specialized 44cm bikes also fit me. Before I choose the Felt F5 I was also looking at the Specialized Ameria (44cm) and the Trek Madone (47cm). Felt also has the ZW line if you are interested in looking at that brand.

Azfiddle - I'm going to ask the shop if they are willing to do that. They are a large local dealer with several stores in the area so I'm sure they won't have a problem moving it.

Owlie - I totally know what you mean. I always settle instead of going for what I really want and end up regretting it, or even worse, spending even more money to make whatever I bought feel like what I should have bought. Case in point is when I bought my first folding bike, it was a single speed with poor components. Within a month I was regretting my purchase. Anyway, my dear sweet DH bought me a new folder for my bday I ended up giving my new "old" one to my daughter (who loves it). That's when my bike obsession really began :)

Justdoit - thanks for the encouragement. Makes me even more excited to get a road bike instead of the hybrid I was considering.

Koronin - the Felt is on my list! Is the 48 considered a "small (700)" or "petite (650)". My local place has their inventory online but they don't list the sizes in cm, only by petite, small,medium or large.

I did not know how to shift on a road bike before I got one (today.)

Also, my DH, who has been riding a road bike for years, didn't know how to shift at first, either. He rolls with a Specialized Tarmac and today, I acquired a Trek WSD Madone 3.1. :)

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Originally Posted by jyyanks

Owlie - I totally know what you mean. I always settle instead of going for what I really want and end up regretting it, or even worse, spending even more money to make whatever I bought feel like what I should have bought.

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That's what is pretty much happening with my bike. I've done the math to upgrade to 105 + nicer wheels, and that plus the cost of the bike is...more than the cost of either of two of the bikes on my list, and probably more than half the cost of the Ruby I was looking at. Plus it still won't fit. DBF and I have been discussing whether it makes more sense to upgrade parts piecemeal or to just bite the bullet and buy another bike.

I'm learning. I managed to not do that with my computer before I went to grad school.

There's never "too much bike" (until you get to the pro-quality stuff--then it gets ridiculous), just bike that you don't know you need. ;) If it hasn't been suggested already, take a look at Jamis. I don't know how small the bikes go (since I'm at the opposite end of the size spectrum), but they make nice bikes for the money.

jyyanks. In the F5 the 48 is the smallest frame. I'm thinking you're looking at the ZW series since that one is done in petite, small, medium and tall. The 48cm F5 would be similar to the petite in the ZW although the geometry is different. For the F series the 48cm is 700 wheels. Looking on Felt's site they only list 700 wheels in the spec section of the ZW series. It looks like Felt lists the women's bikes at petite, small, ect and the men's bikes in cm.
Here's a link to Felt's website:
http://www.feltbicycles.com/USA.aspx
Hope that helps a bit.

This is more of a personal decision as finances, commitment, time, etc all fall into play. I bit the bullet a couple months ago and invested in a Ruby with 105's as my first bike since high school. I went in looking for a $700 hybrid thinking THAT would be an investment and left with a $2500 bike (on sale)! My reasoning was, the more comfortable the bike, the more I'd want to ride it. I also wanted a very light bike so I could easily take it in and out of my car. As far as the gears, I didn't really like how the Sram gears felt in the test run, so 105's was the only other option. I, too, didn't know how to use the gears until the test ride at the LBS. 2 months later: I love my bike...I ride it every chance , I get lots of compliments, and my performance has seriously improved. No buyer's remorse for this newbie :D

I can't imagine "not knowing how to shift" would be a reason not to get a bike. If you've never had a road bike, why would you know how to do this?
When I got my first road bike, I had been riding a bike with trigger shifters. The switch didn't seem too arduous and I am not the most coordinated person in the world! DH showed me when I had the bike on the trainer in the LBS and it seemed kind of intuitive. I spent a bit of time in the middle ring, exploring the range of gears on the right, but I also had to use the granny right away, too. The big ring never worked well on my first road bike, so it wasn't until I got my Trek that I started using that.
I made the decision not to switch to SRAM when I got my custom bike, after someone explained how it worked. After using Shimano for almost 10 years, I knew switching back and forth between systems on my 2 bikes would not be good for me, as I like things the same. It probably would have been OK to switch if that's the only system I would be using.

Owlie - "There's never "too much bike" (until you get to the pro-quality stuff--then it gets ridiculous), just bike that you don't know you need"
Love this quote! Buy your self a new bike! (LOL - I'm an enabler too.) I think since you've invested so much in your current bike and it's still not quite right, a new one may be the solution. Of course, it's easier said than done but you do deserve to treat yourself.

Koronin - thank you ! Very helpful. I was looking at the ZW Series but will take a look at the F's. A local place has both in stock.

happysurfer - yep that was me! I was going to invest $700 on a hybrid and am now thinking I need a road. So glad to hear that it worked out for you and that you are hapyy with your purchase.

Crankin - hehehe - I did feel like an idiot when I had no idea how to shift. My current folding bike has the shifters that you turn so I had no idea what to do when I was on the road bike. It will take a lot of getting used to but since I'm new to all this, there's a lot that I've been trying to learn (like how to pedal correctly, how to stay on rollers etc). I haven't had this much fun in years!

For those still following, I just took my measurements.

5ft (exact)
27 inch inseam
25 inch torso
22 1/2 arm length

Basically, I'm short all around! I'm headed to the Jamis and Felt LBS's today to see what they have. Thanks for all the help!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jyyanks

Owlie - "There's never "too much bike" (until you get to the pro-quality stuff--then it gets ridiculous), just bike that you don't know you need"
Love this quote! Buy your self a new bike! (LOL - I'm an enabler too.) I think since you've invested so much in your current bike and it's still not quite right, a new one may be the solution. Of course, it's easier said than done but you do deserve to treat yourself.

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It'll happen eventually--probably a graduation present to myself. ;)

I had no clue how to work the shifters when I got my bike--I'd never had a geared bike before. I still have a bit of an issue trying to figure out the levers when I test ride (since Sora has thumb triggers instead of the secondary lever). And SRAM makes no sense to me. ;):rolleyes:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jyyanks

For those still following, I just took my measurements.

5ft (exact)
27 inch inseam
25 inch torso
22 1/2 are length

Basically, I'm short all around! I'm headed to the Jamis and Felt LBS's today to see what they have. Thanks for all the help!

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Felt is going to have the shortest standover I think, on the ZW line, the petite bikes with the 650 wheels. You might not have to go that small. But the most important measurement in my mind is the reach. You just don't want to be stretched out too far. You can get away with a slightly too high top tube. Though it has been nice for me to have a bike where I don't have that issue (my 43cm Madone with 650 wheels, no longer made).

Enjoy your test rides! I wanted to try the Felt but never tracked one down.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by goldfinch

Felt is going to have the shortest standover I think, on the ZW line, the petite bikes with the 650 wheels.

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Let me point out that Felt doesn't have a Woman Specific Geometry line of bikes. They simply have a single range of frame sizes. The two biggest ZW geometries are identical to the two smallest Z series geometries.

This may not be an issue for the OP who likely fits one of the two smallest ZW sizes. As those aren't offered in the unisex Z series, they might actually have WSG.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jyyanks

For those still following, I just took my measurements.

5ft (exact)
27 inch inseam
25 inch torso
22 1/2 arm length

Basically, I'm short all around! I'm headed to the Jamis and Felt LBS's today to see what they have. Thanks for all the help!

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You're height and inseam are actually the same as mine. My arm length is 23 inch. From attempting to measure my torso it's also around 25 inches. (of course I'm trying to measure myself with no help).
Definitely check out the Felt. Look both at the ZW series and the 48cm F series. For me my F 5 fits great. Now we are looking at changing out of the seat post because it's has an offset of a couple of degrees for a 0 offset seat post to give some adjustment in the front to back for the saddle, which is all the way forward right now.
If I did this right, I've included a picture of my Felt which is actually a limited edition.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by goldfinch

Felt is going to have the shortest standover I think, on the ZW line, the petite bikes with the 650 wheels. You might not have to go that small. But the most important measurement in my mind is the reach. You just don't want to be stretched out too far. You can get away with a slightly too high top tube. Though it has been nice for me to have a bike where I don't have that issue (my 43cm Madone with 650 wheels, no longer made).

Enjoy your test rides! I wanted to try the Felt but never tracked one down.

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Yes the petite ZW bikes do have shorter standover than what the 48cm in the F series has. Actually the Z and ZW lines are a bit different in geometry from the F series.

Thank you goldfinch,laura and koronin!

I was supposed to go to the Felt and Jamis dealer (2 different shops) today but it was beautiful out and I ended up riding instead :) I'm trying to ride as much as I can before the NE winter truly sets in. The next time I can go bike shopping is Friday (most LBS's close at 6 and I don't get home from work until 7:30) but I am definitely hitting both those shops this week.

I know you'll find the right bike for what you need to feel comfortable. That is the big key, make sure you are comfortable on it. We bought a Cannondale CAD 8 for my husband and are now trying to sell it as he just cannot get comfortable at all on it. Basically just the wrong bike for what he needs in a road bike. So make sure you are comfortable on whatever bike you end up choosing.

Oooh, now I want a Surly Pacer. *drool* Why did I read this thread?!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by laura*

Let me point out that Felt doesn't have a Woman Specific Geometry line of bikes. They simply have a single range of frame sizes. The two biggest ZW geometries are identical to the two smallest Z series geometries.

This may not be an issue for the OP who likely fits one of the two smallest ZW sizes. As those aren't offered in the unisex Z series, they might actually have WSG.

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From their website, it sounds like their ZW line is "women specific." Am I misunderstanding their website? Granted, I think that label doesn't always mean much and I don't necessary agree that there is some magic geometry that works for all women, but it does sound like they make some accommodations for women with that line of bikes, e.g., shorter cranks, narrower handlebars, compact gearing.

I've never actually looked at Felt before. Given my own short legs, I might have to if I'm ever in the market for a new road bike. They're certainly nice looking.

Hee hee.

Reading through this thread really took me back. Almost exactly 8 years ago I was asking the same kinds of questions as you, jyy.

This was from my very first post on TE:

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Originally Posted by jobob

So I’m thinking I’d like to get a road/touring bike too, and expand my territory beyond the bike paths. But I feel I should up my skill and conditioning level beforehand to justify the new bike (that’s the way my mind works, I have to “deserve” it, LOL!).

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I went on to talk about a womens-only metric century ride I had just found out about, that was to be held that coming spring.

Quote:

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Heh, the big question is, do I get the new bike as a reward to myself for completing the century? Or do I get it sooner knowing that the ride will be that much easier on a road bike rather than the hybrid?

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That was followed by a resounding chorus of "Get the bike!"
(hmmm, can't help but notice a certain MS Veronica was a part of that chorus too :D)

The rest is history.

Good luck with your decision. And enjoy your new bike. ;)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by indysteel

From their website, it sounds like their ZW line is "women specific." Am I misunderstanding their website? Granted, I think that label doesn't always mean much and I don't necessary agree that there is some magic geometry that works for all women,

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The geometry of the Medium ZW is identical to the 51cm Z, and the Tall ZW is identical to the 54cm Z. That leaves just the 650c wheeled Petite ZW and 700c wheeled Small ZW as unique from the Z line.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by indysteel

but it does sound like they make some accommodations for women with that line of bikes, e.g., shorter cranks, narrower handlebars, compact gearing.

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I didn't check, but presumably they do change the componentry they hang on the frames. I lost interest in researching** further when I noticed that 1 ) the ZW line ends before growing to my size, 2 ) the larger ZW geometries aren't unique, and 3 ) their regular geometries totally wouldn't work for me.

** I've recently been downloading road/cyclocross geometry charts from many manufacturers...

Indysteel, I pretty much thought the same thing you do about the ZW line. I just didn't pay it much attention though because the F series geometry was more what I was looking for than the Z/ZW series.

Just found out that the local Felt dealer (who also carries Surly) is a "Serotta Certifies Fit" Shop. I may go there first and inquire about a fitting. If you buy the bike from them, I think they do end up giving you a discount. The only thing is that this is not the LBS that I go to but if the bike fits.....

Jobob - thanks for your input! It's so nice to hear from someone who also felt that they had to "deserve" a road bike, but, after 8 years, is still gung-ho about biking. I assume you bought the bike and had no regrets. I hope that in a couple of years, I'll be telling some newbie to take a chance and just go for it!