Quote Originally Posted by rtrchc View Post
I am shopping for a bike and have narrowed it down to 2, and they seem to be pretty even so I"m trying to determine which one comes with better components. But I"m new to biking and don't really know how to compare a few details. Here is a list of the components that are different that I am wondering about, can anyone see value added from one component over another?

bottom bracket: semi cartridge bearing vs sealed cartridge
front derailleur: shimano 2200 31.8mm for triple vs shimano 2200 clamp-on 28.6mm
cassette/freewheel: sun race vs shimano
front and rear hub: 36H vs 32H
Stem: adjustable road with removable clamp for handlebar vs fixed position

Thanks!
Alright - I'll give it a shot for what I know.

Front derailleur, they have the same type front derailleur, the 31.8 is the size of the seat tube on the bike that it's connected to. 31.8 is bigger than 28.6, so it's got a bigger tube. No real difference in that.

front & rear hub - 36holes vs 32 holes is the number of spokes. 36 holes is 36 spokes - which means it'll be a fairly bombproof wheel - it will be 4 spokes heavier than the 32 spoke wheel. If you're a very heavy or big person, you may want the 36 spoke wheel. If not, 32 spokes is probably plenty.

Stem... If you have a fixed stem and you want to change the length or height of your handlebars, you have to buy a whole new stem to do that... the bike shop may be willing to swap that out for you to one that fits you when they sell you the bike and not charge you for a new stem. Adjustable stem, you undo a screw and change the angle to raise or lower the handlebars. Adjustable stems are heavier.

I dunno about the difference in bottom brackets, but you can check sheldon brown's website.