Help!! need advice on buying a bike

[redrhodie]

Welcome! I was in Spain this June. There were very few women on road bikes. Good for you!

Orbeas are great bikes. Which groupset does it come with? I found it listed on-line with both Tiagra and Ultegra. Ultegra is higher end. I'd say go for it if it fits, and is the one with Ultegra components. I also noticed they had an option with 650c wheels, which some smaller people prefer.

[MommyBird]

I would definitely get measured.
I recently shopped for a road bike and the salesman visually sized me up for a men's frame due to my long torso. When we did the fitting my measurements ended up in the feminine frame range. I went feminine and I love it.

When I bought my mountain bike 18 years ago I went with a man's bike because back then all female bikes had deep slanted top tubes and were heavier. I chose my Rock Hopper because the top tube was shorter than the others I had short-listed. I ditched the RH for a hand-me-down Trek from one of my growing sons a couple of years ago. The dramatic changes in bike geometry from '91 to '04 made a huge difference. The worn out RH hangs from the garage ceiling these days. :-( But I love the front suspension on the Trek:-)

But a mountain bike is a different animal than a road bike. The more horizontal position is an adjustment for a new road cyclist (or returning riders like me) and a proper fit is critical. Get a properly fitted frame, it will enhance your riding experience in a multitude for ways.

Best wishes on your new sport!

[drdwin]

I have the Orbea Onix Dama TDF and I absolutely love everything about it - including the stock saddle - the Terry Butterfly suits me perfect. It is my first road bike - I was actually looking at bike with the 105 components but the bike I purchased was in stock at the LBS with the Ultegra and the price was fantastic (I got the 2009). However everyone's built differently and has different needs so I would definitely try it out (as well as a few others). BTW - the Orbea was not one of the bikes I was looking at (I was testing the Cannondale and Specialized WSD bikes) - however the guys at the LBS encouraged me to try the Orbea and the rest is history.