buying a road bike

[canice]

i know there are a bunch of bikesters on this board, maybe you could dispense some advice for a noob...

- looking to spend $800-1100 cdn

- primarily urban commuting but also weekend roads in the boondocks

- 52-53cm

been looking into bianchi mostly, but that's just because most of the riders i know endorse it.

one shop offered me $875 all inclusive (plus better tires and saddle/post) for a 2006 specialized allez.

there's also some decent stuff on ebay right now, a 2006 trek 2000 and a 2002 bianchi brava.

also,

- euro vs. american brands?

- shimano vs. campy?

thanks.

[jstockton858]

get something used. mostly likely youll ride for a few months and pack it away for years.

[holeinthewall]

I purchased a 1982 deadstock Peugeot off of eBay for $225 shipped and it rides like a dream. The reason I purchased Peugeot was to remind me of a stay I had in France, but it ended up being a high quality bike. I wouldn't say you have to spend $800 to meet your needs. Here's a pic:

[Kodak]

You look pretty damn cool on that bike.

[snugglepony]

c-

you'll be able to get a nice used ride for that much money.

in general:

- go steel frame. aluminum frames are lighter, sure, but they're a harsher ride and they're more prone to cracking. harder to fix when they do blow, too.

- fit is much more important than brand, especially for the uses you're talking about. you don't need a super aggressive frame geometry becaue you're not racing, and steering on a true racing machine is a little skittish - find something with a laxer geometry (or at least a little bit of fork rake) for a more stable, comfortable ride.

- in general, stay away from new bikes. if you were spending two to three times as much as you are, i'd say go new, but not with your budget.

- if you end up finding a nice older french bike, be aware that certain replacement parts might be hard to find (the bottom bracket threading used by most french mfgs up until about 1990 has been abandoned, pretty much).

- the nicest bikes in your price range made by the brands you mention are going to be of the vintage 1980 - early 90s, not the newest ones. they've all ramped up their production by leaps and bounds, and quality has definitely suffered.

- campy's price point is not necessarily justified unless you're a collector or a velo-aesthete. buy nothing below the 105 grouppo from shimano (and nothing below veloce if you go campy).

- try to find a consignment shop or another spot that really knows used bikes - bigger flashier stores tend to have dolts doing the selling...

good luck!

i know there are a bunch of bikesters on this board, maybe you could dispense some advice for a noob...

- looking to spend $800-1100 cdn

- primarily urban commuting but also weekend roads in the boondocks

- 52-53cm

been looking into bianchi mostly, but that's just because most of the riders i know endorse it.

one shop offered me $875 all inclusive (plus better tires and saddle/post) for a 2006 specialized allez.

there's also some decent stuff on ebay right now, a 2006 trek 2000 and a 2002 bianchi brava.

also,

- euro vs. american brands?

- shimano vs. campy?

thanks.

[kidicarus]

I'm a freshman road bike rider, but a zealous convert. I just use my bike for daily commuting, so I didn't need a Litespeed or anything. Around here (Seattle) there are hoards of hipster idiots on customized fixed gears and one speeds, but they just look like clowns. I bought a pristine white aluminum Cannondale c. late-80s early 90s for $200, and it's more than enough bike for me. I tricked it out the littlest bit (new Bianchi mint green bar tape, which contrasts nicely with the bright red external cables; a honey-colored Brooks B17 saddle, and I removed the front reflector and the wonky plastic bottle cages) and I get tons of compliments on it wherever I go. I also like the proportions of the fat downtube and the DT shifters.

I'd strongly recommend an older bike and a few, well-placed custom accessories (especially if you're a novice). The designs tend to be much simpler and more clean, for starters. If you're on this forum, you obviously care about aesthetics. New bikes just look too, you know, "XTreme" for my tastes. I'll try to post pics of my bike when I have time.

[prufrock]

i rock a black cannodale from the late 80s - 90s. i got it for 80 bucks! muahaha! i tricked it out with new seat/seat post, bar tape, brakes, and new shifters. good shit.

i never understood why people be riding fixed gears or track bikes man. especially in san francisco. i guess they want to get buff asss legs. lol. man what ever. its their bikes.

but yeah, go for a used bike, unless you want to race. used bikes are sick.

-later days.

[mlproject]

i'll back everyone up and say go used. imo there is no reason to buy a new bike unless you're sponsored and are getting free BMC time machines. i'll also second getting steel. second hand aluminum is always a bit dodgy because if it has been wrecked, it probably has impending problems. a friend just stripped a cannondale track frame to find a massive top tube dent filled in with bondo.

if you go crappy, you'll be buying new stuff pretty quick. buying well known stuff like campy or shimano will also make it easier to find replacement parts. if you're only doing some commuting and weekend rides, you're not going to get much more out of buying dura-ace or campy record stuff, so 105 or veloce level will do just fine.

if you're going to do a lot of city riding, get a sturdy wheelset or you're going to be building a new set the first pothole you hit. if you can find something with mavic cxp33's or open pros, or velocity aeroheads or deep v's you'll be good to go.

that said, i usually commute to work on my KHS areo track (fixed gear) and have a mid 90s serrotta that i do long rides on. both have predominantly japanese components and the only thing i tend to break are bottom brackets and chains.

check out bikeforums.net and their road section. a lot of the dudes also post road bike finds in the fixed gear section under a ebay/craigslist sticky. lots of info on there.

[marnkick]

i second the notion of buying used for a first time bike. bianchi is quality. i have been riding for awhile and would say euro is better, but it all comes to personal preference and comfort etc. definately check ebay. also check craigslist, sometimes you can find excellent deals.

good luck!

[gunpwdr]

Some suggestions, in order...

1. (echoing what snuggle said) absolutely go no lower than shimano 105 or campy veloce. Your components easily make the biggest difference. Less maintenance and smoother shifts are so key. I repeat, your components make the biggest difference.

2. Steel/alu/carbon/ti... I don't think you'll notice the difference. You'll get your most bang for the buck with an aluminum frame for sure.

3. Don't worry so much about who makes the frame. Size is key, yes... but just try to decide if you prefer compact or classic geometry.

4. $800-1100 will get you entry-level stuff from the big names, but you might find something cheaper from the likes of Fuji, Jamis, etc. If you're really worried about name, just get a big Supreme sticker and everyone on SF will give you their approval.

5. Used is fine... if you know that the bike wasn't completely fucked with.

Hope this helps...

[familyman]

Another advantage of an older used steel bike is that it will be more likely to be able to fit some larger tires. People will tell you lots of different things but there is a significant differance between 23's, 25's and 28's when it comes to a tire for everyday riding. Changing tires doesn't take long but it sucks when you need to be somewhere and you have to take 10 minutes to swap out a tube. Fenders are also your best friend if you ever get stuck out in the rain, you can't imagine how much nicer it is to ride a bike on grimy city streats with fenders. Used is good. Learning how to work on the bike yourself is even better and it's mentally easier to break out the wrenches when it's a nice $200 bike than when it's a brand new $1000 bike.

Is this only going to be a fair weather bike? I notice you're in Toronto and there may be better options than a pure road bike for when things get sloppy. Maybe.

[mixedup]

hi canice,

seeing as you live in toronto, keep in mind when spending money on a bike that theft is HUGE here (probably no different than most big cities). an expensive bike is a bigger target for thieves.

probably another reason to buy used/spend less...

just my 2 cents!

[poopie boy]

go for it like holeinthewall... vintage, vintage, vintage!!

[StrictlyRoca]

Canice

French is the way: http://www.commencal.com/bike/2006/road/index_en.htm

[mlproject]

http://www.competitivecyclist.com/za/CCY?PAGE=FIT_CALCULATOR&gender=M&units=cm

here's a really good fit guide that will help you determine your size range. top tube length generally will need to be spot on to be comfortable, but you can have more leeway in the seat tube and compensate for it in your seat height.

i'm going to say don't go french because finding french threaded components is a pain in the ass. my friend searched for a couple months to find some sugino french threaded cups for his gitane.

[canice]

to update, i ended up buying a single speed/fix road bike with a flip flop hub from urbane cyclist in toronto. i didn't set out looking for a fix/single but when i compared the time spent in the city vs. country, it didn't make sense to buy a geared bike, which is a bigger target for thieves, and to have gears i'll never use anyway. there is always a time and place for when i'm ready to do long tours.

and i highly recommend this store, helpful and never condescending. dude who helped me out all three times i was in there was tristen.

here's info on the frame/fork... http://ucycle.com/bikes/item.php?name=urbsingle&cat=urbanite, other details and an actual pic forthcoming.

[Irwin Fletcher]

bareknuckle

[chris_n]

damn, too late... but

http://www.altabikes.no/

[cultpop 0217]

wow lots of good stuff.

im also looking to invest in a bike and this is valuable shit.

thanks everyone!

[Pancho]

I live in a ski resort town and most all the bike rental shops are selling their demo

bikes right now. I also ran a bike shop for 17 yrs and we would sell ours yearly.

try and call some shops in the ski towns,the summer season is short and most of

the road bikes sit in the rack and are'nt ridden half as much as mtn bikes.

Fit is by far the most important.

Aluminum is fine if you have a carbon fork. It dampens the ride a lot.

I agree with staying at least 105 shimano or veloce Campy.

do not go with a bike that is too old! cassettes and rings wear out and being a noob

it is harder for you to tell if it needs replacement and can get quite expensive if that's

the case. Shifting is affected by stretched chains,worn gears etc.

hope this helps and happy riding.

[Ryan]

I just picked up a a ~ 2 month old Langster for $350. rides like a dream, tempted to try it out as a fixie

[chris_n]

was this by any chance from craigslist? i saw a langster recently going for 350. that's a steal! retail is 700 (i'm assuming the standard model)

[Bing Bing]

Can anyone tell me if this bike is a good deal at $325. It's a customade single speed. I don't really know much about bike components. Thanks.

http://denver.craigslist.org/bik/199340396.html

[Gem_art]

That's a tidy bike for good money. The frame is quite old (see the canti break hanger) though Tange prestige is a good tubeset Sizing may prove a problem, 19'' Marins are big old bikes; I'm 5 11'' and would want to ride a size down... (17.5'')

[Ryan]

was this by any chance from craigslist? i saw a langster recently going for 350. that's a steal! retail is 700 (i'm assuming the standard model)

yep. got it off craigslist. i had to jump on it. guy i bought it from was real chill, just got tired of it real fast and got another bike..

now i need to get a light and a presta valve pump =|

[MilSpex]

my toy bike got new sticks:

[dystaind]

can we start a bike thread? i'm curious to see whta people are riding. i'm not completely sure what mine is yet (i haven't looked around for my serial #) but it's circa 1970 schwinn world varsity. god i love the thing-- it's heavy and steel but it absorbs all of those potholes and tanks everything the pittsburgh hills throw at me. seriously considering a fixie-- although it might be suicide in such a hilly/bike unfriendly city like pittsburgh-- but i'm craving the skid stops in wet/snowy weather + being able to stop and not have to get off my bike but balance on the pedals.

[panikEpenguin]

^ i thought i was the only one sportin' a schwinn: everyone's talkin' about other makes. mine is like a 10 year old world sport and i hate going up geneva towards city college here in san francisco.

[CaptMomo]

hey,

anyone riding a on one pompino or inbred29"?

test-rode a inbred-29 the other day, and the ride was brilliant. just wanna hear more opinions about it before i plonk down my stash.

[dystaind]

oh nice, another bay area dude. yeah, during the summer i returned home to CA and was craving a road bike to get around-- but San Jose is pretty barren and you can't really get around some of the areas like you can in a city like San Fran or even pittsburgh. while i was in CA i found a cheap 1990 Miyata which i'm missing quite the bit. some dude in Los Gatos was selling around 100 bikes and i was lucky enough to nab the miyata before anyone else could grab it. my friend also has rocks the 1970-80 world sport schwinn, his is steel grey and even has the original foam handlebar grips.