Purchasing a Road Bike

[Big Rabbit]

I've only been biking seriously for about a year. I bought a Canondale hybrid which I love but I want something faster--like a road bike. Does anyone know anything about the Giant road bikes? I like the handlebars on the Giant Via but wonder what's wrong with it since it's cost is so low.

I'd prefer not paying more than $1,000 since I'm not very experienced yet but do want a good bike. Woe is me--all these decisions.

[TrekTheKaty]

I'm sure more people will jump in, but I feel most of the price has to do with components--the gears and shifting. I'm getting ready to upgrade from my first road bike. It was fine for two years, but I'm getting stronger and more aggressive on the hills, so I need smoother shifting.

I'd say the most important part of your first road bike is finding a bike your comfortable on and getting a proper fit at the bike shop.

Good luck

[Roadtrip]

I wasnt all that keen on buying an expensive road bike my first go-round either, but fell into a good deal on an older, but new stock Specialed Ruby. It was my first road bike and I was hesitant to buy to buy a full carbon bike as it was "more" then I needed, but now I am so glad I did, I love my bike. Its lightness helps me up the hills (not to mention a better ride) and it shifts so smooth and forgives my newbie stupid shifting maneuvers when I mess up.

Good luck!
Shannon

[nscrbug]

I just went to the Giant site to take a look at the "Via", since I wasn't familiar with it. While it is categorized under the "On Road" section of their site, I would not consider this bike to be a "road bike"...it is more of a cruiser or casual riding type of bike. A true road bike would be the Avail and TCR model lines...or perhaps even the Dash, which is actually a flat-bar road bike. So that would be the reason behind the lower price of the Via. The Avail 3 is Giant's lowest priced road bike at $790..which comes in below your $1,000 limit...so you could take a look at that one, but the component group on that bike is of much lower quality (hence the price). You might want to consider checking out some used bikes (provided that they fit you properly) that have a higher grade of component group (I'd look for at least Shimano 105 or SRAM Rival) on Craigslist or the "for sale" section of this and other cycling forums.

[Sky King]

Like any big purchase I suggest you make a list of what you want to do on this new bike. ie. what type of surface do you see yourself riding on, how many miles do you plan to ride, how many days a week, What do you want to be able to carry as you ride.

Do some research BEFORE you go shopping, unfortunately not all sales people have bike fit knowledge. Handlebars can be changed, good components are a must, nothing worse than poor shifting or crappy brakes. A bike to big or to small is not going to put a smile on your face. Try out several bikes and I agree, perhaps you see one a bit above your price point so don't be afraid to search "lightly used"

Here is a really great series on bike fit to help you in choosing the right bike.

Enjoy,

[Sky King]

oh, Also think about trying a Marin - used to sell them and always had positive feedback from the riders

[indysteel]

I'd also suggest the Jamis Satellite. I think Jamis bikes are nicely speced for the money. If you want more of a touring bike, look at the Aurora.

[Kathi]

I suggest you have a bike fit before you decide on your bike. My nephew's wife has been looking at bikes. She had an old Specialized Rockhopper that she bought out of college because she liked the color. It didn't fit so she wouldn't ride it. She was looking at the Specialized Dolce. A women's specific frame made sense to her and me.

My bike fitter did a full fitting for her. It turns out that buying the Dolce would have been a major mistake and she would not get the fit she wanted. The reason, she needed a slacker seat tube angle than the angle on the Dolce. In other words, if the geometry was right, a unisex frame could have worked for her. I don't know if she would have been able to determine this on her own or a bike shop employee would have seen it.

Fortunately, my LBS sells Orbea's and the women's Dama is going to be a perfect fit.

Having the bike fit avoided future fitting issues and a costly mistake.

Another point most people don't consider. If you decide you want to sell your bike higher end components will make the bike easier to sell.

[indysteel]

Kathi's advice is good, but in my experience, it's not all that typical. A lot of shops don't really have a fitter, and those that do don't always offer a pre-purchase fitting.

[Big Rabbit]

Thanks, ladies. I see I have a lot more work to do before purchasing a road bike. I really appreciate your input.

[Big Rabbit]

Well, have I been busy investigating road bikes only to have my husband tell me: "You can't ride a road bike on gravel or wooden bridges so stick with your hybrid."

My investigation has come up with three pretty good road bikes according to reviews I've read: Giant Defy 2, Trek 1.5, Cannondale CAAD8 S 8. What do you experts think?

[zoom-zoom]

Well, have I been busy investigating road bikes only to have my husband tell me: "You can't ride a road bike on gravel or wooden bridges so stick with your hybrid."

I rode my road bike on a wooden bridge, yesterday. Yeah, gravel is kind of a no-go, though.

Perhaps a cyclocross bike would be a good fit for you. They use beefed-up road bike geometry, but have clearance for nobby tires. You also have the option of using standard slick tires. Or even studded tires for Winter riding. My next bike will be a cyclocross bike--because I want to do some CX races, but also we have a TON of gravel/sand roads that I can't enjoy on my road bike. And I'd like to be able to ride outdoors some in the Winter.

[TrekTheKaty]

"You can't ride a road bike on gravel or wooden bridges so stick with your hybrid."

This is a common misconception, probably started by the marketing of hybrids. I used to have a Trek hybrid and I loved it, but couldn't keep up with DH when we started to ride on the road.

I ride my road bike on the Katy Rail Trail in MO at least once a week. If you check out the forum on bikekatytrail.org and you'll see others who do also.

And wooden bridges? All the time.

Granted you have to be more careful, but

you can ride a road bike on the gravel and still have fun.

You can ride a hybrid on the street, but it's not as much fun

(PS. My DH is a very knowledgeable and capable road rider, but in the end, I have to occasionally remind him that it's MY ride and MY bike. I'm currently shopping for a Specialized Ruby--the bike my husband wanted me to buy 2 years ago. I ended up with a Trek 2.1. He just rolls his eyes and shrugs.)

[ny biker]

You mentioned in another thread that you're in the DC area. Where are you riding?

I ride a road bike on wooden bridges all the time. I generally avoid gravel since it's bumpy and dusty, but I can ride over short stretches of it with no trouble.

Also, if you give us a rough idea where you live, we can recommend some good bike shops. I personally love the Bike Lane in Burke and Reston, VA. IIRC, many people have good things to say about Proteus Bikes in College Park.

[aadkins74]

Well, have I been busy investigating road bikes only to have my husband tell me: "You can't ride a road bike on gravel or wooden bridges so stick with your hybrid."

Funny . I ride 14 miles of Ohio Erie Towpath Trail everyday to work on my Madone 6.2 WSD. During my daily commute I encounter concrete, asphalt, dirt (with occasional gravelly washout), AND wooden bridges and tackle all of them with no problem.

The only thing I don't risk my wheels on is riding on the larger gravel (golf ball size) that is along the .10 mile train tracks I walk coming into where I work. I also take care to pay attention when the bridges are wet as they get slick - usually rolling on vs pedalling on.

DH makes sure I check my tire pressure each day before leaving to verify they are inflated properly. Other than that I rinse the dust off my bike every few weeks and make sure the chain is lubed properly.

If you're on bike/hike type recreational trails, you should be fine!