Pre-newbie looking for guidance!

[VeloVT]

Just for another opinion...

I really like the IDEA of steel bikes. When I bought a commuter I was sure I wanted a steel one. I tested lots of bikes in my price range and it came down to a lightweight steel cyclocross bike (Lemond Propad, before they put disc brakes on it) and an aluminum cyclocross bike (Bianchi Axis). I tried some heavier steel bikes (Bianchi Volpe, for one) too.

So, I bought the alu bike. They were about the same weight (~20-21 lbs, with pedals and knobby tires). The Lemond had a silky steel ride, nicer than old steel even. But it just wasn't as fun. Some of this might have been geometry related, but a lot of it was that aluminum is noticeably stiffer and snappier than steel, even good quality steel, and this really makes the bike feel faster, even when the weights are the same. (Of course, just as there are different grades of steel there are also different grades of aluminum, and I rode one cheapy alu bike that felt like a tank...). The heavy steel bikes are, well, heavy. However nice steel feels doesn't make up for an extra five pounds, for me.

I just bought a carbon road bike. But if I were looking to buy a less expensive road bike that I was going to spend a LOT of time on (not just an errand bike), I'm almost certain I'd choose alu over steel again. It is a more jarring ride, and lots of people hate that, but for me the stiffness makes up for it.

I totally get why people love steel, it is a very smooth ride, and I wouldn't knock them for it any more than I'd knock people who like vanilla instead of chocolate. But all in all, I think if I were just buying one bike and wanted maximum bang for my buck (and my budget didn't allow carbon or ti) I would pick aluminum over steel.

There, I've said it, let the stoning begin .

That said, I've never ridden ti, but I think ti bikes are gorgeous aesthetically, and I have a feeling I might like the ride too. Hmmm....

[KnottedYet]

Kona makes some very nice aluminum bikes in your price range. My LBS calls their alu frames "bombproof."

(I had an alu Kona Dew. Great bike! Sweet geometry. Very fast for a hybrid. Incredibly comfortable for short rides around 20-30 miles.)

[Trek420]

$0.50 tour & over generalization of bike frames:

Steel - buttery smooth ride, inexpensive, repairable! - crash it into the carport, get it fixed, beautiful, classic heavy . Don't drool on mine, it'll rust.


Aluminum- fast, light, zippy, stiff, CHEAP, stiff responsive sprinting machine . you'll feel every candy bar wrapper you go over .

Carbon - fast, light, zippy, stiff take out a 2nd mortgage expensive, has less "road feel", feels dead

Ti - buttery smooth steel-like ride, light, fast , sell your soul on e-Bay EXPENSIVE, some find it "noodly", not stiff enough for sprinters or climbing .

Now, enter the designer!!! And the builder and your LBS!

With the right combination Ti can be stiff, zippy, with the buttery steel-like ride, carbon can have great road feel and still be a racing machine (but they are still both expensive-sorry, nothing changes that), aluminum can be comfortable and still zippy yet inexpensive and steel .... now, nothing rides like steel and steel can be light.

Now, get out there and find your LBS (that's local bike shop) and try bikes, try bikes, try bikes! What are you doing reading this? We're living through you, all the thrill of hunting for the right bike but with your money

Get out there and we want to hear the ride reports.

*disclosure, I have 3 bikes and counting, all steel ranging from a free-project bike, a 25 year old commuter, to Italian full-custom dream machine. Yeah, I like steel too but they are all great bikes!

[KnottedYet]

Necessary disclaimer: all Trek420's bikes are steel. (as are all my bikes)

WE ARE BIASED!!!!!

[Trek420]

No, we are an EEO board. All bikes are good.

[KnottedYet]

(but you and I are steel-biased... admit it. we might lead this innocent new TE'er down the primrose path to custom Waterford, Mondonico, Gunnar, Rodriguez, Davidson, Luna, Sweetpea, Sycip, and, dare we whisper the name, Vanilla! oh, we are baaaaad)

http://vanillabicycles.com/

Bike porn. Click at your own risk!

[NbyNW]

OMG . . . that Vanilla website . . . I feel like I just landed in a Technicolor world after living in B&W Kansas all my life!

My first steel road bike was a 42 cm Rodriguez Stellar that had been custom built for a very nice lady who was _almost_ the same size as me. She sold it to me for $800 when she was not longer able to ride it. I had that bike long enough to feel like it was an extension of my body, and then it was stolen. I am currently waiting for its replacement to be born. Due date: Some time in the next two weeks!

Moral of story: you can find a really excellent bike within your budget if you are patient and try out lots of bikes to get a good idea of what you want. And if replacing your bike is going to cost, oh, 3X more than what you paid for it, make sure your homeowners/renters/special insurance policy covers "replacement" value, and not just what you paid for it. I have been very lucky in this regard.

Bike #2.1 is a Dahon Speed Pro TT. It's a 4130 cro-moly folding bike with 20" wheels and 27 speeds. You're probably not looking for a folder but I'll tell you about it anyway . . . Got this one because I want to be able to fold my commuting bike and store it under my desk during the day (my office doesn't have bike storage, and I'm a bit paranoid after losing my Rodriguez). My LBS finally (that's another story) got the gears properly tuned, and I took it out for a spin around the neighborhood today. The little wheels pick up speed FAST, the range of gears is great for Seattle's hills, and the ride was solid yet delightfully zippy. I'm still getting to know this bike, but from my experience so far I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who is considering a folding road bike. DH teases me for being a dork for being so into this bike, but I don't care. I feel like I've just met my new best friend. And it wants to go fast.

[NbyNW]

Wow . . . we've been so focused on spending your money on a new bike that we haven't really addressed some of the other questions in your original post!

We're all going to have our opinions about materials & components, etc. This is a community where people have a great deal of love for their bikes! Your choice should be shaped by your goals, what you're willing to spend, and whatever else might be important to you with this purchase.

You should feel comfortable that your LBS will spend the time to do a proper fitting. Getting a good fitting will go a long way towards your enjoyment of your bike. Regardless of what it's made of.

Fit was what pretty much led me to steel. As a petite person, a lot of "small" production bikes were too big for me. Or not in stock/available for test ride. When I finally found a bike that fit me, it happened to be steel, and I loved it . . . initially because of the fit, but also because it was such a comfortable ride. Maybe I'll consider something lighter in the future if I fall in love with racing, but that's a decision for another time.

Re: clipless pedals & proper shifting. There's a ton of information available on this board, but also you should be able to talk to your fitter about any questions you have about components. There are different kinds of clipless pedals -- some feel that some types are easier to get in & out of or have a quicker learning curve. I have bad knees and a bad hip so my fitter recommended Speedplay Frogs, and they've worked really well for me.

Finally, I would definitely encourage you to find others to ride with in our area. I still consider myself something of a newbie, and riding with others is a great way to learn!

[Geonz]

There's so much difference in what people end up really liking that I would recommend getting something affordable that feels good. THen you can find out what direction your addiction will take.

I love all my bikes

[tulip]

You could have the nicest, smoothest, butteriest titanium bike out there, but if it doesn't fit, you'll have no fun riding it.

Fit is first and foremost. Materials are secondary.

[Brandi]

$0.50 tour & over generalization of bike frames:

Steel - buttery smooth ride, inexpensive, repairable! - crash it into the carport, get it fixed, beautiful, classic heavy . Don't drool on mine, it'll rust.


Aluminum- fast, light, zippy, stiff, CHEAP, stiff responsive sprinting machine . you'll feel every candy bar wrapper you go over .

Carbon - fast, light, zippy, stiff take out a 2nd mortgage expensive, has less "road feel", feels dead

Ti - buttery smooth steel-like ride, light, fast , sell your soul on e-Bay EXPENSIVE, some find it "noodly", not stiff enough for sprinters or climbing .

Now, enter the designer!!! And the builder and your LBS!

With the right combination Ti can be stiff, zippy, with the buttery steel-like ride, carbon can have great road feel and still be a racing machine (but they are still both expensive-sorry, nothing changes that), aluminum can be comfortable and still zippy yet inexpensive and steel .... now, nothing rides like steel and steel can be light.

Now, get out there and find your LBS (that's local bike shop) and try bikes, try bikes, try bikes! What are you doing reading this? We're living through you, all the thrill of hunting for the right bike but with your money

Get out there and we want to hear the ride reports.

*disclosure, I have 3 bikes and counting, all steel ranging from a free-project bike, a 25 year old commuter, to Italian full-custom dream machine. Yeah, I like steel too but they are all great bikes!

You forgot Magnesium!

[Brandi]

I have a giant xp (Aluminum) with road tires right now. Hard tail. I feel very stable on it no matter where I ride it. Oh my tires do have nobbies just on the outside of the tire so if I hit any gravel or sand i won't slide like if you had regular road tires on. It is a kinda a hybrid bike my dh built for me. I take on and off the road.