1st century (maybe), new roadie on a budget

[north woods gal]

NW gal, no offense here . I am the first person to admit that I care more about color than components - and that maybe that isn't the smartest way to buy a bike!
My standing inseam is 33.5 or 34 inches without shoes.

I just got back from testing a couple of more bikes this morning - would have liked to test more but the rain and wind were getting to me. I was dressed for the cool weather, but not the rain. Besides getting wet, it was a good day to test because I had the wind at my back one way and was riding straight into the rain and wind on the way back.

So, this was a third shop where both my partner and I have got bikes, parts and repairs before. Worked with a very low key and helpful sales guy we remembered working with and liking in the past, and he was quite convinced I needed a 58 as well. Sad that the Lexa is ruled out for me, but I trusted this guy who took the time to measure me and look at how I sat on the bikes more carefully, so now at least I know. I tried two men's bikes in 58:

1. A previous year's model Felt Z85 with upgraded components to 105, on sale for 1299, said he could go down to 1200. Gray and white with some red.
2. Trek 1.2, not on sale for 969. (They also had a 1.1, but I'm not that fond of red, which is the only color the current 1.1 model comes in, apparently, so I opted to try 1.2 in black with orange). Sora components.

One additional development is that I have a big birthday coming up later this year, and so my partner has given me the green light to spend a little more since we've decided this bike will be my present. . I still don't want to overbuy for my first bike, though, as Muirenn advised. I'm still thinking 1200-1300 as the upper limit, but that means the Felt is an option, as is the Giant with disc brakes if I can find one to try.

First off, I liked both of these bikes much more than the Specialized Diverge, and I think they were both a great fit. I rode the Felt first, and really liked it, though I noticed I was already feeling the need to change my position on the handlebars a lot to get comfy on my 10 minute ride. Shifting and breaking were both great, even in the rain. Then I rode the Trek, and I didn't really notice too much loss of quality with the Sora components, though I didn't get a chance to try hills. Breaking was a little less smooth in the rain, but nothing I was worried about. But I felt even more comfortable on the Trek then I did on the Felt. The sales guy said that he thought they should be very similar, but that the head tube on the Trek is angled slightly differently so that might account for some of the difference for me. My understanding is that the Felt is a pretty good deal, no? I am going to try them both again when I am not battling wind and rain and can take a longer spin.

Neither of these bikes is exactly my ideal looks wise. I won't let that stop me from a purchase, but I don't care much for black or red. I love grey, navy, almost any shade of blue or purple, and white.

Thanks for reading if you made it this far! I hope everyone is having drier weather than me and out doing some riding!

The Felt is a pretty good deal, yes. I've owned a Felt and loved it. Going with a previous year model is a great way to save money on a new bike.

Keep in mind that comfort is a relative thing and that you have a lot of options on any given bike to make it more so - changing the angle of the handlebars, the placement of the brake/shifter levers, the seat position and tilt, changing stem length and a lot more. Talk to your bike guy and see what he recommends. Might be worth going back for another test ride on those bikes. At this stage, your comfort is all important. Think of all the hours you'll need to log on your bike to complete that century.

The bike market is so darn competitive, that as long as you start with a decent frame for your use, it's all a matter of what is bolted on to the frame after that. Don't get hung up on brand labels. Finding a good bike shop that will back up whatever brand they sell is probably more important. Sounds like you found one.

With that inseam, yup, have to say, a 58 is probably what you need. Your bike shop guy is on his toes.

The big difference between Sora and 105 is durability. The only thing on a 105 bike that will outlast 105 components is the frame and, possibly, the wheels. It's the real workhorse of the Shimano line (and these days, probably Tiagra, too). Anything above that just gets you smoother, lighter and, yeah, some snob appeal.

I'm fussy about color, too, but there are times when flashy and pretty can work against you - as when you live in area with a lot of bike theft, then it's helpful to go with a color that doesn't attract an audience, if you know what I mean. Drab colors, especially matte gray won't show dirt and grime as much as a glossy bright color and are usually easier to keep clean. Okay, there's me being practical. The truth is, I've been known to pass on a bike because I hated the color. Has to be a color I can at least live with. Funny thing about color, too. It's what I remember, first, on all the bikes I had years, ago.

[Minx]

All the additional input is appreciated, thank you! Yes, NW Gal, you are right, I will need to put in a lot of time on that bike!

I got to try a two more today at another shop - no Raleigh Merit, unfortunately, because that is a nice looking bike, Muirenn, but I tried a Raleigh Revenio which was a little awkward in a 58. Then I tried the Fuji Sportive 1.3 with disc brakes for 899. I tried a 58 first but that one wasn't ideal - the 56 was a better fit for me in that model. Not a bad bike at all, but did not ride as smoothly as some I've tried, and it took me forever to slow down. It had Tiagra components, but I just didn't feel like the quality was there in comparison to some of the others I've tried.

They had Jamis there - gorgeous looking bikes, didn't even know I could find Jamis around here...beautiful. Not anything close to my size, sadly.

Around here, we have Erik's, a Trek Store, and then all the other LBSs in town are pretty much under the same ownership though they all carry different bikes. So the Fuji place sent me to one of the sister shops to try a Cannondale Synapse. I was surprised - I found it to be a little racier than I expected. On sale, 899 for Sora. I had a tough time maneuvering the handlebars - I'm thinking that I am going to find the handlebars that come with a 58 especially awkward if the the geometry is racier, maybe? It was similar to the issue I had on the Specialized Diverge. I did not seem to have that problem at all with the either Felt Z85 and Trek 1.2 in size 58, and I think they all had the same width.

At this point, my top choices are:

Trek 1.2 - Sora components, really like the fit a lot. Not my favorite color, black, but I could probably live with it. There is something about the frame of a Trek that seems to work well for me. 969. I imagine I would probably like the 1.1 just fine, too, if it weren't red. (I hope I am not offending anyone who likes red and red bikes!).
Specialized Ruby - my favorite fit, but much more than I want to spend at 1800+ unless I can find a previous year's model, and then would probably still be more than I want to spend. I am going to try to test it again tomorrow and give the Dolce another chance as well. Both bikes fit me in a 57.
Felt Z85 - 105 components, really nice quality feeling bike, not sure I love it, wish it was in a different color scheme if I am going to spring for it, black with red and white. 1200. I think they have the current model in silver and black for 1399, which is a little better.

Honestly, I think the next step is to take longer rides on these. When you were buying your first bike, how did you know it was the one?

[north woods gal]

"When you were buying your first bike, how did you know it was the one?"

Minx, that's hard to put into perspective, since experience is such a big factor in the way we evaluate bike fit and performance. That, and the fact that the bike world has changed so much since my first road bike. For instance, when I got my first road bike, all bikes were essentially road bikes or comfort bikes. Instead of calling them road bikes, we usually just called them 10 speeds. Shows how old I am.

I can be intensely analytical when I need to be, but I'm basically the "if it doesn't feel right, forget it" type at heart. At this point, my advice is to pick the one you like as a friend, because that's what it's going to be. Odds are very good, anyway, that you will move on to other bikes in the future and with that experience, you'll be in a much better position to know what is and isn't right for you. Any of those bikes you've mentioned and others have suggested will do a nice job as a first road bike. All of them are a gazillion times better than the best road bike of the day when I got my first.