To go Custom or not...do today's mass-produced OTS bikes allow good enough geometry?

[TigerMom]

Nice, large bike budget that you have.

I'm a newbie, but my sister has officially given me the title of "bike nerd".

So, my personal opinion is that if you are a very flexible, athletic person that does not have any funky anatomy and if you have tried riding all the brands of bikes that you are interested in and they all fit, then you probably do NOT need to go custom. Get that Ultegra Di2 that you are drooling over along with the better wheelset instead of the Custom bike with lower grade components. Also, since the 2013 are in, a lot of LBS are selling their 2011-2012 bikes at a discount

Big warning....I am a newbie. But I still want to see a bike photo to celebrate with you when you decide.
____________________________________

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

[SFLiz]

Nice, large bike budget that you have.

I'm a newbie, but my sister has officially given me the title of "bike nerd".

So, my personal opinion is that if you are a very flexible, athletic person that does not have any funky anatomy and if you have tried riding all the brands of bikes that you are interested in and they all fit, then you probably do NOT need to go custom. Get that Ultegra Di2 that you are drooling over along with the better wheelset instead of the Custom bike with lower grade components. Also, since the 2013 are in, a lot of LBS are selling their 2011-2012 bikes at a discount

Big warning....I am a newbie. But I still want to see a bike photo to celebrate with you when you decide.
____________________________________

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

Thanks TigerMom - for sure, I'll post a photo .... that is, if I am ever able to decide....it feels overwhelming. The more info I gather, the more I wish I never started down this rabbit hole.

Hey, my mom lives in RHts area (Walnut)!!

[tulip]

And remember that there's not only one right answer. There are plenty of bikes out there that will be just fine, not just one. Just go ride some. Fight the analysis paralysis.

[SFLiz]

And remember that there's not only one right answer. There are plenty of bikes out there that will be just fine, not just one. Just go ride some. Fight the analysis paralysis.

Haa haa, nailed it. Do you know me? I am totally a "paralysis by analysis" type of gal, unfortunately. I'm embarrassed to admit that I have a four page excel spreadsheet on bike component research alone, although I haven't updated it last month. Need to do a brain download again. It's bad.

[tulip]

It's a dangerous trap. Just go ride. That will give you more benefit than your ever expanding spreadsheet. Remember, perfection is a way of not doing things behind the mask of doing things right. That's simply foolish. Ask me how I know. Just get a bike (yes, a decent and comfortable bike--a Seven if that's what you want) and go ride.

-tulip (who is constantly fighting her own perfectionist tendencies)

[GLC1968]

Haa haa, nailed it. Do you know me? I am totally a "paralysis by analysis" type of gal, unfortunately. I'm embarrassed to admit that I have a four page excel spreadsheet on bike component research alone, although I haven't updated it last month. Need to do a brain download again. It's bad.

Ha! I had that same spreadsheet and I'm sure it's still tucked away on a computer somewhere in my possession!

You are right in that it is very hard to know what is right until you've kind of ridden 'wrong'. In fact, as much as I wish I didn't have to have gone through my first two bikes, I'm glad I rode both of them for the experience. I was kind of like you in that I'd been riding a mountain bike and I was already fit, so really all the road bikes I tried felt so good that it was hard to tell. My first bike felt a tiny bit too big from the get-go, but it was still such a great improvement over the mountain bike that I didn't really think about it too much. I still rode it for my first year and about 3000 miles before moving on. Then I had a bike that was fit to me and ordered special and it was a huge improvement over the first bike. But I found that I couldn't stop shopping around. Honestly, I thought that was normal and just part of the territory of road biking...you are always lusting over the next thing! Turns out, I was wrong.

But you are 100% right in that it's extremely hard to just 'know' without the experience to base it on. So my advice is to just do the best you can now and accept that as you grow as a cyclist, your needs may change and that's ok. Bikes can be resold, so don't feel like this HAS to be the last bike you ever buy (as much as you may want it to be!). In fact, that may be a really good reason to not go with custom right out of the gate. It might be easier to re-sell a not custom bike if you do change your mind (and why not save a few pennies?).

Whatever you decide, best of luck with it! And welcome to the fold!

[Crankin]

I wanted to add more to my thoughts, now that I am not typing on my I Phone.

It is true that I had to have 2+ bikes that were wrong before I knew what was right. Because of what I learned here, I was able to do a lot of after the fact changing of components on my current carbon bike to make it fit well. My first 2 road bikes were bought when my DH was in a more "hard core" almost racer phase and we both have learned from my experience. My custom bike was built and purchased with a specific purpose in mind. I made some decisions that the shop owner didn't like, but the builder did it all. I still want to change my bars, but after an initial getting used to period, I am riding each of my bikes about an equal amount of time.
I am not one to freak over the prices you quoted. My non custom carbon bike cost 5K, 6 years ago, and my custom ti bike cost, well, more than that. Close to the range you were quoted but not quite as high. But, I never would have spent that amount of money after only riding for 1-2 years. My first road bike cost $1500 and the second cost about 3K. I've been riding for 12 years, I do a lot of hill riding, I'm short (5' 1"), and I would never spend the money for electronic shifters. Unless you have an issue with your hands that makes it physically difficult to push the lever, it's a crazy added expense. "Clunky" shifting sometimes is a result of user inexperience, although it can be crappy components. But really, shifting is an art and eventually, it becomes intuitive.
Personally, I would go for the stock bike, in your position, and really think about the extra added expense of the electronic shifters and the expensive wheels. My personal opinion is that unless you are racing, you don't need either right now. Ride for a couple more years and think about what you really need in a custom bike before you buy it.

[emily_in_nc]

Personally, I would go for the stock bike, in your position, and really think about the extra added expense of the electronic shifters and the expensive wheels. My personal opinion is that unless you are racing, you don't need either right now. Ride for a couple more years and think about what you really need in a custom bike before you buy it.

I totally agree. Also, before laying down that kind of coin, I'd want to be really sure that cycling was going to "stick" as an activity/sport of choice. There are a lot of really nice bikes hanging in people's garages because they were more into the idea of cycling than the cycling itself. In you situation, I'd go with a stock bike in the less than $2K price range from a good LBS that can help with fitting, and see how much you really love cycling. If, after a year or so, you want to upgrade, then you could keep the first bike as a trainer/bad weather bike and go custom or higher-end stock. By then you'll know what works for you, what doesn't, any oddball fit issues you might have, and the like.

And I also agree with others here that you don't need the electronic shifters. I've ridden in many hilly areas, and the shifting just takes a bit of practice; it is not rocket science at all. Sure, you may want it, but you don't need it.

Just get a good-enough bike and go ride. Lots!

[SFLiz]

I've read each and every response several times. I'm floored over the excellent advice you have all offered me and I've really taken it all to heart.

I understand the reasoning behind many of the opinions that I'm not at the stage to be riding an expensive bike because I don't know what I don't know yet. I do know that, in the past three years I've been riding a MTB, FlatBar and folding bike, I love going on rides averaging in the 40-50 mile range on a weekend day. I really have taken to cycling and don't foresee losing interest. I tend to keep with a hobby sport. I've been a semi-serious runner since I was 15yo until about 5 years ago when I decided I had to break from the activity due to my knees. I took up golfing ten years ago as a break from the monotony of grad school and it stuck. I still enjoy getting out and playing. In fact, my adoption of that sport parallels my current situation. When I first started learning golf, I had to get a set of clubs. I've always been someone who only buys something after somewhat intense consideration of options and then staying with what I have. (Cars especially.) At the time I picked up golf, I thought about buying a cheap starter type set like AMF to get me going. Without boring you with the details, I decided to buy some nice Callaway VFTs of which at the time I was unworthy at my level (complete beginner). I'll spare you from my decision-making justifications. Point is, I still play with these clubs; have never considered upgrading. Still love the feel of my clubs because neither time nor technology has changed the fact that they are quality clubs. Yeah, I've changed my swing slightly as I've developed as a golfer, but the clubs are forgiving enough that I'm happy with them 10 years later.

Another example is piano. I learned to play starting at around age 11 or so. To this day, I play the same piano my mom could afford when I was a kid (it's not a great piano) but it's still pretty good and good enough that I wouldn't upgrade --- hey, I'm never becoming a concert pianist and I'm fine with that realization. It's all about enjoying your hobbies.

However, from everyone's advice on this forum, my understanding is that with cycling, it might not be the case that quality equals good choice because we change a lot more as cyclists than as golfers let's say. Unless there is someone on this forum who is also a long-time golfer (if so, perhaps she can speak to an analogous evolution in terms of athlete and equipment), I don't think I can apply my general philosophy - that of trying to buy the best my budget allows at the start and then growing into the quality of the equipment as the caliber of my skills improve - to cycling. This is very good to know. Cycling does seem quite unique in this respect. For most other hobbies in my life to which I can apply my experience, I've had positive reinforcement in obtaining the highest quality I could get at the start so that I could grow into it. Not so, maybe, for cycling as we evolve as cyclists.

This is a valuable understanding to arrive at through everyone's comments and advice. Thanks again to everyone who took their precious time out of their days to read, consider and offer thoughtful advice to this newbie. Perhaps someday I'll see one of you out there on the road (mostly likely the back of your head) -

Thanks again.

[TigerMom]

I forgot to mention that I have a friend who bikes at least 200miles per week and has been biking for over 10 years. He LOVES his electronic shifters.

However, he did have to have his girlfriend pick him up by car when he forgot to charge up his electronic shifter battery because the bike was stuck in only one gear when the battery ran out. Something to think about in regards to electronic shifters.
____________________________________

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

[SFLiz]

However, he did have to have his girlfriend pick him up by car when he forgot to charge up his electronic shifter battery because the bike was stuck in only one gear when the battery ran out. Something to think about in regards to electronic shifters.

Hilarious, TigerMom - I know because when we rented our Madones, my husband's battery ran out (damn bike shop didn't check before renting to us), and he was spinning like a rat on a wheel. I was laughing hee hee but only because it wasn't me... we had to call to get help.