Should I really avoid entry level road bikes?

[tpb]

I've got a Bianchi Volpe that I use for commuting. It is a 'cross bike / light touring bike. By the spec, the derailleurs were supposed to be Tiagra/Deore. For some reason, the front was upgraded to 105 - and I upgraded the rear to XT. I also swapped the tires for slicks since my commute is 16 miles on paved trail/road. With these changes, it was only about $1100 - which would leave you some $ for extras.

I'm not a speed-demon, so I can't judge whether it would be fast enough. It is, however, comfortable and versatile. I can use it like a road bike or a commuter. I HATE riding with a backpack so I have it outfitted with a rack so I can use a trunk or pannier (depending on what I need to carry). There are also room for fenders should I ever want to add them.

Anyway, my point is, if there is a LBS that carries Bianchi, you may want to try out the Volpe. It's a great "I'm not entirely sure what kind of bike I want so I want one that I can do anything with" bike.

Enjoy.
TB

[aicabsolut]

Have you considered trying non-WSD bikes?

I've personally found that my arms and shoulders are sore when my reach is too short (too squished in and not sitting properly), and that my lower back and neck gets stiff when the reach is too long (too bent over, too hard to look up where I'm going).

[fatbottomedgurl]

I have one thought. A piece of advice I learned from my dad. Basically he taught me to buy the best I could afford, and if I wanted something I could not afford, then I should wait and save up for it. He said (and I often learned from his mistakes), that buying the cheaper item costs more than twice as much in the long run because you end up trashing the first and buying what you really want later.

With that, I understand the desire to get your feet wet and not pop the big bucks, so you might consider watching Craigslist for something used that you can ride the h*ll out of and decide if you really want a road bike after all. You shouldn't spend more than half of retail on a used bike, so at "entry level" you could get a bike for $250 from someone else who made the mistake of buying it new.

[tulip]

I see you live in Alaska and that you won't be commuting in the winter. But what part of Alaska? I've spent some non-winter time in Juneau, and there's alot of rain. Would you be riding to work in the rain, and therefore need fenders? Many road bikes can't accommodate fenders.

Getting weight off your hands involves having really good form and a very strong core. That is, in addition to a properly-fitted bike. You should not have any saddle pain.

[Erin_AK]

Have you considered trying non-WSD bikes?

I've personally found that my arms and shoulders are sore when my reach is too short (too squished in and not sitting properly), and that my lower back and neck gets stiff when the reach is too long (too bent over, too hard to look up where I'm going).

I have considered non-WSD bikes, as apparently I don't have the typical WSD short-arm, long-leg build. (Instead, buying a road bike has helped me realize that I'm built more like a little monkey-woman. Oh well). I do have tiny hands, but from what I understand, short reach brakes aren't necessary as all brakes are easy to shim. Does that sound correct? The problem has been that all of the shops in my town seem to have stopped stocking the sub-50cm men's bikes, since the WSDs have been working fine for most women, and they have a tough time moving those little men's bikes.

So it sounds as if the arm soreness may have been due to a cramped reach or the uncomfortable saddle or possibly both, but definitely not something I should expect to experience. It's too bad--I really enjoyed the vibe at the Jamis shop and would love to buy a bike from them, but what they're offering may not be the best fit for me.

Also, thanks to everyone on the commute advice! I will be able to lock my bike in a limited access area, already have a race blade fender for my MTB, already ride with a messenger bag or backpack, and am not worried about the skinny tires. Basically I just want to get to work faster, so it sounds as if it would be reasonable to commute on a road bike.

Additionally, I really do want a bike that I can push to go fast and hard. I have taken the MTB both with and without slicks on 30 mile road rides (which I know isn't THAT long) and was truly amazed to discover that I'm not slow on that thing, even compared to some friends with road bikes. Biking is fun for me, and I'm excited to see how fast and far I can go with a good bike. I should just accept that I need to spend more money than I originally thought!

[Erin_AK]

I see you live in Alaska and that you won't be commuting in the winter. But what part of Alaska? I've spent some non-winter time in Juneau, and there's alot of rain. Would you be riding to work in the rain, and therefore need fenders? Many road bikes can't accommodate fenders.

Getting weight off your hands involves having really good form and a very strong core. That is, in addition to a properly-fitted bike. You should not have any saddle pain.

Good point. I will split my time between Anchorage and Seattle this winter and move to Anchorage full time next winter. I'm definitely not hard-core enough to want to ride on snow and always have rain gear with me when I commute in Seattle. The weather is so unpredictable, and I have been soaked by the ride home on more than one occasion.

You have totally nailed my weakness--I have never had a strong core! How should this impact my choice of fit?

[KnottedYet]

You have totally nailed my weakness--I have never had a strong core! How should this impact my choice of fit?

Might be better to let it impact your choice of exercises!

Seriously, though, a strong core is such a bonus for so many aspects of life on this planet that it might be worth your while to strengthen it. (yoga prone and side planks and prone boat are great places to start)

[aicabsolut]

Have you tried 50cm men's bikes? They can be hard to find. See if you can just find anyone around who has one you can sit on. If you can narrow things down, then you can just get a shop to order what you want. To accommodate small hands, you might need to shim the brakes and change handlebars, but those are cheap to free swaps, depending on the shop (I swapped out bars of equal value from stock and the shop didn't charge me anything for ordering the smaller ones).

Also, keep trying both size ranges (48-51). Different manufacturers will have different geometry.