Transitioning from hybrid to road/cyclocross

[Lady Hamilton]

I would really like not to leave $2000 CAD price point. I realize that a lot of the bikes I am considering are over that without a sale, but there are a few last year models that are. And I have seen deals, where carbon and 105 are quite possible under 2K, but on bikes with rim breaks.
For instance, if I look at 105 and aluminum, I can wheel out last year's Cannondale synapse for barely over $1200 CAD, and Synapse Sora for merely $900. The best deal around is 2016 Specialized Ruby with Tiagra for $1100. Trek Silque S5 2017 (carbon and 105) is a gorgeous and very comfy bike for $1800.
But, my goal is not to get the best deal on a bike. I want to get the best bike for me I can afford. A shop an hour away has cream salsa in stock. Not sure about size, but it looks like a very tiny frame (I will give them a call today).

[Lady Hamilton]

I saw that Liv yesterday. And the previous year's model too. They are very nice bikes and I am definitely not writing them off as an option (the celeste colour scheme almost makes in a Bianci).
And far as weight goes, we are urban dwellers with no garage. We have a very large and secure shed, but prefer to keep our bikes in the basement. So yes, lugging it in and out is a consideration. We are also buying a bike rack (my youngest is now keeping us with me or faster)), so we can start going away with bikes.
I guess I just have to prioritize a bit and figure out what is the best I can get in my price range. Decisions, decisions... but, it is part of the fun. Thank you for all your help and insights.

[north woods gal]

If the roughest you expect to encounter is smooth packed dirt, then you could do just fine with a standard road bike with 700x25 wheels IF conditions are good and remain that way.

It's when road and weather conditions are not good that going to a 700x35 wheel setup is a great advantage. For instance, going wider on the tires is going to make for a more comfy ride when you start to hit those long stretches of pavement riddled those annoying cross cracks. Pedal, pedal, ouch, pedal, pedal, ouch gets old. Going wider is also safer when you get sand, debris, glass and other junk left on the pavement. Going wider is absolutely better if that packed dirt turns a little muddy or slick after a rain or even when that pavement gets slick with rain. Trust me, it takes surprisingly little to trip up a narrow tire road bike and bring you down. Been there, done that. Then, too, every time I've ventured into a new area with no idea of what I'll encounter for roads, I feel MUCH more confident when I'm riding wider tires. That's why the wider tire bikes are called adventure bikes or touring bikes.

Again, going light is nice and always tempting, but the more miles I've ridden over the years, the more I value comfort and safety on the long rides.

I've been eyeing a Norco Reach steel 105 700x40 bike. Right at that $2000 US price point. It's not available, yet, but it has all the stuff I want on a long distance/gravel bike. Norco is a Canadian company, by the way. I run Norco on most of my fat bikes. Very well thought out designs. Love them.

[Lady Hamilton]

If the roughest you expect to encounter is smooth packed dirt, then you could do just fine with a standard road bike with 700x25 wheels IF conditions are good and remain that way.

It's when road and weather conditions are not good that going to a 700x35 wheel setup is a great advantage. For instance, going wider on the tires is going to make for a more comfy ride when you start to hit those long stretches of pavement riddled those annoying cross cracks. Pedal, pedal, ouch, pedal, pedal, ouch gets old. Going wider is also safer when you get sand, debris, glass and other junk left on the pavement. Going wider is absolutely better if that packed dirt turns a little muddy or slick after a rain or even when that pavement gets slick with rain. Trust me, it takes surprisingly little to trip up a narrow tire road bike and bring you down. Been there, done that. Then, too, every time I've ventured into a new area with no idea of what I'll encounter for roads, I feel MUCH more confident when I'm riding wider tires. That's why the wider tire bikes are called adventure bikes or touring bikes.

Again, going light is nice and always tempting, but the more miles I've ridden over the years, the more I value comfort and safety on the long rides.

I've been eyeing a Norco Reach steel 105 700x40 bike. Right at that $2000 US price point. It's not available, yet, but it has all the stuff I want on a long distance/gravel bike. Norco is a Canadian company, by the way. I run Norco on most of my fat bikes. Very well thought out designs. Love them.

My daughter has a Norco, it is her 3rd Norco bike.

I went to a well-stocked Specialized dealer today and had a chance too see everything that I wanted to see. I saw 2018 Ruby (base), 2018 Diverge in several shapes and forms, and a nice surprize in a form of 2017 Dolche EVO Tiagra (it was mentioned above by one of the ladies).
Ruby is a beautiful bike. There is no doubt about it. The future shock suspension works like magic. But at it's current price of $2500 for Tiagra and mechanic breaks it is rally outside of the budget. Along with Ruby sport (at $2800), which I prefer (although still mechanical breaks, but 105 grupset). The cheapest Ruby with hydrolic breaks is sitting at $3900, it is still 105 groupset, and completely out of question.
Diverge is OK, I have already tried it yesterday. At $2500 you get future shock,105 and mechanical disks, at $1900 it's Tiagra and mechanical disks. To get hydrolics you would have to shell out shocking $4100, but it is carbon and 105 set.
2017 Dolche surprized me a lot. First, the fit in size 48 was perfect. We actually had to raise the seat a bit, and at level with the handlebar the bike fit like a glove. It is aluminum and Tiagra, but it has hydrolic disks (cable -actuated, whatever that means)! And currently only $1500.To be honest with you, if it had 105 groupset, I would wheel it out today.
https://www.evanscycles.com/en-ca/sp...-bike-EV302417

[north woods gal]

There are pros and cons to hydraulic and mechanical disc brakes, but they both work just fine. Have and use both on various bikes. Hydraulic gets you better stopping power, but you have to learn how to finesse them. Hit them too hard and quick and you can lose control. Easier to finesse mechanical, but the thing I like most about mechanical that they are very easy to adjust and work on. I can do most of the work on my own. Much easier to work than hydraulic. When hydraulic brakes go out, time to take my bike to the shop.

Honestly, as much as I rave about 105, the current Tiagra is actually decent, probably on a par with older vintage 105. My Warbird originally came with Tiagra and I rode it for a year and had no complaints. I upgraded to 105 mostly a confidence thing. Can't say the 105 much smoother or quicker. You will be tempted to do the same if you go Tiagra, but if and when you decide to upgrade, I'd recommend bypassing 105 and going straight to Ultegra. I promise you, you will notice a huge difference in smoothness and speed with Ultegra. It will spoil you.

[Lady Hamilton]

Unfortunately, anything with Ultegra would have to be used. Although, at the bike show I saw gorgeous Wilier road bike with Ultegra in my size 50% off for $2000.

[Crankin]

All of the bikes you mention are awesome, but I think you are right, in that you can probably get a road bike with 25 cm tires and be fine on packed dirt. I have the Silque (albeit, a carbon one) and I have no problem on smoother packed dirt. I am about half an inch taller than you and a couple of pounds heavier, and the Silque is the best fitting bike I've owned. I am on a 47 cm Silque, and I switched out the Trek bars for the Specialized short and shallow ones I've used for years. Specialized's sizing is different and I am pretty sure I would need a 44 cm Ruby. My friend, who is about 5' 2" has the 48 cm Ruby and it seems big to me.
I gave up trying to find a gravel or cyclocross bike. There's a few new ones for women that are in smaller sizes, but the geometry still comes out wrong for me. And, for a 3d bike, I am not going to spend 4K.

[deckrdshaw]

Endurance road bikes are what I would recommend for long distance work and they'll also do a decent job on gravel as long as they'll take wider tires, up around 35mm wide or more (though most won't). Endurance road bikes have a geometry designed with comfort in mind for all day riding. They'll take much of the sting out of riding pavement, plus, you'll have a lot more choices in gearing.
Drop bar gravel bikes are a great choice as a do it all road bike. They're essentially endurance bikes setup for wider tires. Tire width is important for gravel riding. Don't let those wider tires fool you into thinking they're slow. My Salsa Warbird gravel bike with its 700x35 tires was every bit as fast as my Trek carbon Domane endurance road bike with its 700x25 tires on the pavement, not to mention that the Warbird also gave me the option of riding gravel and took a lot of the bite out of rough pavement. Riding gravel with a 700x25 bike is a big no-no. Not recommended.
As to brakes, go disc all the way. The old external rim brakes work for fair weather use, but in wet weather or situations where you need some real braking power, you need discs. Absolute must for gravel work. Besides, disc brakes are now standard on nearly all bikes, these days. If you go with eternal rim brakes, your bike model choices will be severely limited.

[deckrdshaw]

[QUOTE=deckrdshaw;867689]Endurance road bikes are what I would recommend for long distance work and they'll also do a decent job on gravel as long as they'll take wider tires, up around 35mm wide or more (though most won't). Endurance road bikes have a geometry designed with comfort in mind for all day riding. They'll take much of the sting out of riding pavement, plus, you'll have a lot more choices in gearing.
Drop bar gravel bikes are a great choice as a do it all road bike. They're essentially endurance bikes setup for wider tires. Tire width is important for gravel riding. Don't let those wider tires fool you into thinking they're slow. My Salsa Warbird gravel bike with its 700x35 tires was every bit as fast as my Trek carbon Domane endurance road bike with its 700x25 tires on the pavement, not to mention that the Warbird also gave me the option of riding gravel and took a lot of the bite out of rough pavement. Riding gravel with a 700x25 bike is a big no-no. Not recommended.
As to brakes, go disc all the way. The old external rim brakes work for fair weather use, but in wet weather or situations where you need some real braking power, you need discs. Absolute must for gravel work. Besides, disc brakes are now standard on nearly all bikes, these days. If you go with eternal rim brakes, your bike model choices will be severely limited.


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[deckrdshaw]

Endurance road bikes are what I would recommend for long distance work and they'll also do a decent job on gravel as long as they'll take wider tires, up around 35mm wide or more (though most won't). Endurance road bikes have a geometry designed with comfort in mind for all day riding. They'll take much of the sting out of riding pavement, plus, you'll have a lot more choices in gearing.
Drop bar gravel bikes are a great choice as a do it all road bike. They're essentially endurance bikes setup for wider tires. Tire width is important for gravel riding. Don't let those wider tires fool you into thinking they're slow. My Salsa Warbird gravel bike with its 700x35 tires was every bit as fast as my Trek carbon Domane endurance road bike with its 700x25 tires on the pavement, not to mention that the Warbird also gave me the option of riding gravel and took a lot of the bite out of rough pavement. Riding gravel with a 700x25 bike is a big no-no. Not recommended.
As to brakes, go disc all the way. The old external rim brakes work for fair weather use, but in wet weather or situations where you need some real braking power, you need discs. Absolute must for gravel work. Besides, disc brakes are now standard on nearly all bikes, these days. If you go with eternal rim brakes, your bike model choices will be severely limited.

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