Setting a budget

[luvmyguys]

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!

[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?

[luvmyguys]

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?

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!

[TigerMom]

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

[Kiwi Stoker]

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?

[smittykitty]

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!

[rivergal]

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.