is it silly to re-buy the same bike?

[bluegirl]

I just finished paying off all my credit card debt and I'm planning to commute 26 miles round trip to work once the heat of the summer is over. (I'm in AZ.) Therefore, I think I deserve a new bike!!

In all the internet looking I've been doing, it seems that I see the Jamis Aurora mentioned over and over as a great road/commuting bike. The thing is, I HAVE a 1998 Jamis Aurora.

I love her DEEPLY, but she's old and got millions of miles on her. Plus, the 650 tires are just too small for alot of the cracks in the asphalt around here.

Would it be ridiculous to re-buy the same bike? Or would by new bike money be better spent on something more upgrade-related?

Thanks for any opinions!!

[Grog]

Hi Bluegirl and welcome to TE.

A bike can have lots and lots of miles and still be good to go. My husband's road bike is about to be retired as a winter bike and has over 60,000 km on it (roughly 40,000 miles). It needs new wheels and will be a few new parts (again), but otherwise works great.

You can probably just get new, wider tires and an in-depth tune up. You'll be good to go! In the meantime, you can start saving money for your next bike instead of using a credit card to pay for it.

Good luck!

[Eden]

The new model may very well be lighter and have nicer components - its been 10 years since you bought the old one , so no I don't think its crazy to think about getting the same bike over again -one thing though, the diameter of your tires shouldn't make much difference in regards to cracks/potholes etc.... 650's may not have as great a selection of widths as 700's but the issue is more one of having wider tires, not bigger wheels.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

The new model may very well be lighter and have nicer components - its been 10 years since you bought the old one , so no I don't think its crazy to think about getting the same bike over again -one thing though, the diameter of your tires shouldn't make much difference in regards to cracks/potholes etc.... 650's may not have as great a selection of widths as 700's but the issue is more one of having wider tires, not bigger wheels.

I totally agree with all Eden said.

[Zen]

I rode my new Aurora today and I am loving that bike. I know this is of no help. I just wanted to say it

[bluegirl]

hi all! thank you for your replies!

I think that's mainly what I was wondering: whether a 10 year difference would be a significant upgrade, or whether I should up my budget and go for a more dramatic upgrade, i.e. the Jamis Quest. More bang, for my buck, so to speak!

As for the tires, yes, that's an important clarification! HA! My thought is that with 700s, I'll have a wider range of choices in terms of getting something sturdier.

That rough asphalt is EATING ME UP!

And don't worry! I don't even OWN credit cards any more. I messed up and I worked hard to get myself free, and I have DEFINITELY learned my lesson! HA!! It's all cash, all day, every day!

Thank you so much!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

As for the tires, yes, that's an important clarification! HA! My thought is that with 700s, I'll have a wider range of choices in terms of getting something sturdier.

That rough asphalt is EATING ME UP!

Rivendell lists a few different 650 tires and tubes, you might look at those and then do some additional googling/price comparing.
http://www.rivbike.com/products/list...s?a=1&page=all

[sgtiger]

Bluegirl, it's not silly to buy the same kind of bike you already own if you love it so. Keep in mind, though, that with bigger wheels, they probably had to fiddle around with the geometry some. That could possibly affect the fit. Is there any place where you can try out the updated version?

[Cataboo]

I rode my new Aurora today and I am loving that bike. I know this is of no help. I just wanted to say it

did you get new brakes?

[bluegirl]

hee hee! I love it when people pop in and say: I have one!

I'm really hoping I'll find a shop that carries Jamiseses. I called one shop today that was listed as a dealer, but he said they could order one, but that they primarily sell Specialized. I really do want to ride as many as possible, it's just a matter of finding out who has what and where.

Do they ever let you order one with no obligation? Just to try?

I'm just excited. Yay, new bike time!

[bluegirl]

Oh, and thanks for the tires recommendation! I will definitely be checking that out!

[Ana]

I don't want to rain on your Aurora parade but why don't you treat this as an opportunity to see what else is out there! Keep the Jamis in mind and test ride a lot of bikes. What if you find another bike, for example, made of a different material and you would like to have that kind of diversity in your stable?

If, it turns out that no other bike speaks to you (or the one you fall for is in your price range), then you can always go back to your trusty choice of the Aurora.

Who knows, you could discover a great find!

Good luck!

[Biciclista]

If you like a 10 year old Jamis you're going to like a new one even better!
My husband has owned several Raleighs and has no regrets.

Go for it!

[bluegirl]

Well, I took good old Bluegirl out for a spin today, keeping in mind all the things I've read about in the forums over the last couple of days.

And I've come to the conclusion that I think the top tube is actually too long, not by much, but by enough that I now understand why I ride with the hand position that I do. My mountain bike is a women's specific, and I can feel how the handlebar position on that one is much more comfortable.

Also, the vibrations on my hands and wrists are just bad. It's bad enough when I'm tooling down the bike path at 16mph. No wonder I feel like I'm about to lose it when I'm going down hill on the rough asphalt at 30mph.

The things I do like: I LOVE how light and how fast (and blue) she is.

Good things for me to think about as I begin the process!!

My friend has a Raleigh Sojurn and LOVES it. And I was peeking at the Novara Randonnee at REI today. Of course, I live in a third floor apartment, so I have to be able to carry it up and down those stairs!

As many have mentioned before, the main issue is finding shops that actually have something built up in my size. BUT, that's why I'm starting early, so I have plenty of time to check things out instead of getting anxious and rushing.

Thanks! I LOVE these forums. They are making me happy and very bike crazy right now!

[elk]

since you like this....I have an Aurora and LOVE it! It's the root beer colored one...there is also now an Aurora Elite --a little upgrade...

and the colors are still good.

The other ones I really liked were the Bianchi Volpe and the Surly LHT...
But all the research I did confirmed that the Jamis was a SUPER value and I have yet to find someone who doesn't like their's.

here's her portrait.... i want a Salsa seat post....