Anyone Ride a Terry? (Bike Search Cont.)

[robyn_jl]

Hi Guys,

I'm still searching for that elusive road bike and suddenly have a possible opportunity to buy an older Terry Symmetry for a few hundred dollars. It isn't where I am so I can't test ride it and would have to just take a chance. It is a mid 90s-era bike with Shimano Deore and the shifters are on the dropped handlebars (which I'm not sure I would like.) I've seen pictures and it's in good visual shape -- and the bike shop that is selling it (through the Terry website) says it has just been tuned up.


I always see Terrys recommended for short chicks but . . . I've never actually met anyone who rode one. Does anyone out there ride one and love it? Does the weird size front wheel pose any problems?

Also, does anyone have an opinion on whether an older bike is a good value or if it makes more sense to go with new equipment? (For example my 80s Bianchi had the old style shifters and weighed a TON. I wouldn't want to ride it today!)

Many thanks again,
Robyn

[CorsairMac]

I can't answer the question about a Terry but I can about an older bike. I just bought a 97 Peugeot road bike and it weighs all of 20 lbs. It's also a steel frame. The shifters are on the stem and it won't take anything modern or american (picky lil bike) but it's also one of the sweetest road bikes I've ever ridden. So don't discount an older bike! I was able to test ride it before I bought it - and I paid all of $65 for it! I'll probably be riding the Peugeot until I'm 97!!


OMG.....there's either a young bald eagle or a golden eagle flying cirlces right outside my office window!.......AIn't Life Awesome!!!

[robyn_jl]

Wow Corsairmac,

What a cool post! For a minute there, I felt like I was seeing an eagle out my window, too (not too likely in Los Angeles, but a girl can dream.)

[emily_in_nc]

Hi Robyn~

Yes! I have a Terry Isis (17.5" size with the 24" front wheel). This was my first road bike after many years away from cycling; it's a 2001 steel model. It's a great bike, a bit heavier than what I ride now (a carbon Aegis Swift), but it was a great bike to get back into cycling with for me.

The smaller front wheel is not a problem. Truly, you never notice that you're riding a bike with a small front wheel. It's a bit inconvenient, since you always have to carry two different size tubes, and the tubes can be a bit hard to find (though you can order a stock from Terry, and my LBS carried them as well), but aside from that, it's truly no biggie. The nice thing about it is that it enables we shorties to ride a bike with a very short top tube with no toe overlap and good geometry. I changed bikes not because of the smaller front wheel but because I wanted to go carbon (lighter) and change component lines to a compact double (better shifting).

I enjoyed riding my Terry very much and still ride it on my trainer. The only thing I wish it had was a longer stem, since the short stem put me a bit behind the front hub and thus affected my ability to climb out of the saddle (a bit squirrely). Knowing what I know now about bike handling, I'd swap the stock 65 mm stem out for an 80-90 mm stem and be just fine.

A Terry Symmetry is a bit heavier yet than an Isis, but for a few hundred $, I expect it would serve you well as a "starter bike". However, if you can spend a bit more, you can get a lighter aluminum bike with carbon fork and probably ride faster. I know I saw a bit of a speed increase when I moved to a lighter bike.

Let us know what you do!

Emily

[sarahkonamojo]

I have a 1997 Symmetry... brake lever shifters mostly 105 components. I really like my bike. Maybe it is a little heavy and funky looking, but it fits! I paid full retail. So for a couple hundred, not bad. You might want to upgrade the shifters? My previous bike had downtube shifters which were difficult for me. Brake shifters are great!

Make sure the bike fits. I have 28" inseam and have the smallest bike. I also have a short reach. It is a purple bike... Important detail.

sarah

[Selkie]

I have a Terry Classic and love it. It fits me perfectly, which has made me a lot more confident in the saddle because I feel more in control of the bike. Although I'm not short (5'5" tall), I have short legs and a petite frame. The smaller front wheel hasn't been a problem at all--you won't notice the difference. One of the best things about Terry is their fantastic customer service. The LBS where I bought my classic couldn't provide me w/an owner's manual, so I dashed off an email to Terry and got a response right away. A couple days later, they priority mailed me the manual (which, by the way, is the easiest-to-understand owner's manual I've ever read).

I love my Classic so much that I went in search of another Terry. I wanted to "graduate" to drop handlebars :-) haha. Anyway, I have another Terry on the way -- a limited edition racing/road bike I bought used.

I highly recommend you test ride a Terry :-)

[massbikebabe]

I have a 1986 Precision that is in perfect shape. I was at one point going to sell it, but then sentiment took over and I kept the bike. I am now slowly converting it to an Ultegra group. I gotta tell ya, I still love this bike despite the small wheel in the front and weight of it. Everytime I make a change and take a spin it's like spending an hour with an old friend...sounds weird huh?
Matter of fact when she is all fixed up I am going to send a picture to the folks at Terry because the frame is in such great condition.

karen

[Ljblades01]

Hi Guys,

I'm still searching for that elusive road bike and suddenly have a possible opportunity to buy an older Terry Symmetry for a few hundred dollars. It isn't where I am so I can't test ride it and would have to just take a chance. It is a mid 90s-era bike with Shimano Deore and the shifters are on the dropped handlebars (which I'm not sure I would like.) I've seen pictures and it's in good visual shape -- and the bike shop that is selling it (through the Terry website) says it has just been tuned up.


I always see Terrys recommended for short chicks but . . . I've never actually met anyone who rode one. Does anyone out there ride one and love it? Does the weird size front wheel pose any problems?

Also, does anyone have an opinion on whether an older bike is a good value or if it makes more sense to go with new equipment? (For example my 80s Bianchi had the old style shifters and weighed a TON. I wouldn't want to ride it today!)

Many thanks again,
Robyn

Hey there Robyn, I had an older Symmetry and I loved it, I actually used it for Tri training and century rides. I am 5'4" and it was still to this day the most comfortable bike I have owned. It was a very light bike as well, sorry can't remember the exact weight but I know it was light.
Terry bikes are amazing bikes regardless of the age,as long as the bike has not been through a bad crash, and or has a bent frame you will, for a few hundred dollars get a great bike from a reputable company that makes bikes to fit what we are...women!