Recommendations for a road bike newbie
 

I'm looking to buy a road bike. I've been checking out the bikes of
some friends, and I have a general idea of what I want, but I'd like
some more input. Here are my particulars. Presently I have a hybrid
that I've been riding for a while. I ride approximately 15 miles per
day about 5 days per week weather permitting. I'd like to go a bit
faster in order to keep up with some of my friends who have road bikes.
I'd also like to participate in some of the advanced club rides in my
area. I don't mind paying what it costs for a quality bike, but I'm 38
years old and I know I'm not going to be setting any records. I'm
basically looking for something that favors comfort over all out
performance. My #1 candidate right now is a Lemond Sarthe, but I'm
open to other suggestions. I'm 5'7" and have a long torso. From what
I've read, some of the Lemond models seem to favor people with longer
torsos, but this may not be true from what little I know about the
subject.

Rangersfan wrote:

I'm 38 years old and I know I'm not going to be setting any records

I'm 39 and I don't feel over-the-hill just yet :-) I don't ride like I
did 20 years ago but I'm still in pretty good shape.

LA is, what, 33?

RFM

Rangersfan wrote:
I'm looking to buy a road bike. I've been checking out the bikes of
some friends, and I have a general idea of what I want, but I'd like
some more input. Here are my particulars. Presently I have a hybrid
that I've been riding for a while. I ride approximately 15 miles per
day about 5 days per week weather permitting. I'd like to go a bit
faster in order to keep up with some of my friends who have road
bikes.
I'd also like to participate in some of the advanced club rides in
my
area. I don't mind paying what it costs for a quality bike, but I'm
38
years old and I know I'm not going to be setting any records. I'm
basically looking for something that favors comfort over all out
performance. My #1 candidate right now is a Lemond Sarthe, but I'm
open to other suggestions. I'm 5'7" and have a long torso. From
what
I've read, some of the Lemond models seem to favor people with longer
torsos, but this may not be true from what little I know about the
subject.

For your first bike, don't focus on bike selection, focus on shop
selection. The right shop will set you up with the right bike.

Rangersfan wrote:
I'm looking to buy a road bike. I've been checking out the bikes of
some friends, and I have a general idea of what I want, but I'd like
some more input. Here are my particulars. Presently I have a hybrid
that I've been riding for a while. I ride approximately 15 miles per
day about 5 days per week weather permitting. I'd like to go a bit
faster in order to keep up with some of my friends who have road
bikes.
I'd also like to participate in some of the advanced club rides in
my
area. I don't mind paying what it costs for a quality bike, but I'm
38
years old and I know I'm not going to be setting any records. I'm
basically looking for something that favors comfort over all out
performance. My #1 candidate right now is a Lemond Sarthe, but I'm
open to other suggestions. I'm 5'7" and have a long torso. From
what
I've read, some of the Lemond models seem to favor people with longer
torsos, but this may not be true from what little I know about the
subject.

Yeah, go to a shop. Nobody on this message board can help you anywhere
NEAR as much as a good, local bike shop.

-Bill H.

7 Mar 2005 20:43:59 -0800,
. com, "Bill H."
wrote:


Yeah, go to a shop. Nobody on this message board can help you anywhere
NEAR as much as a good, local bike shop.

This is a newsgroup, using the NNTP protocol, not a "message board",
whatever the hell that is. There is much valuable information
contained in Usenet archives where stupid remarks are neither forgiven
nor forgotten.

There are people posting to this hierarchy of groups, from all over
the world who've been riding and wrenching bikes far longer than the
average LBS employee has been riding without training wheels. It's
likely to be the best resource in the world if you can learn to ignore
the bull****ers and nobodies.

I see you're accessing this group with your point&click web browser
(HTTP) so probably know squat anyway.
--
zk

Rangersfan wrote:
I'm looking to buy a road bike. I've been checking out the bikes of
some friends, and I have a general idea of what I want, but I'd like
some more input. Here are my particulars. Presently I have a hybrid
that I've been riding for a while. I ride approximately 15 miles per
day about 5 days per week weather permitting. I'd like to go a bit
faster in order to keep up with some of my friends who have road
bikes.
I'd also like to participate in some of the advanced club rides in
my
area. I don't mind paying what it costs for a quality bike, but I'm
38
years old and I know I'm not going to be setting any records. I'm
basically looking for something that favors comfort over all out
performance. My #1 candidate right now is a Lemond Sarthe, but I'm
open to other suggestions. I'm 5'7" and have a long torso. From
what
I've read, some of the Lemond models seem to favor people with longer
torsos, but this may not be true from what little I know about the
subject.

Zoot Katz wrote:

I see you're accessing this group with your point&click web browser
(HTTP) so probably know squat anyway.

Assumptions of course make an ass of....

Of course you also stated:

"There is much valuable information contained in Usenet archives where
stupid remarks are neither forgiven nor forgotten."

Be nice, eh? The OP just asked for an answer not for instult/abuse. We all
know your area of expertise now. Thanks for telling us all about yourself.
Are you just trolling for "fun"?

I have an excellent bike shop less than a mile from my house. The only
problem is their selection of bikes is limited to just a few models. I
know their recommendation will be limited in scope to those bikes. I'd
just rather have a recommendation not limited to the particular stock
of any one bike shop.

Zoot Katz wrote:
It's likely to be the best resource in the world if you can learn to
ignore the bull****ers and nobodies.
I see you're accessing this group with your point&click web browser
(HTTP) so probably know squat anyway.
--
zk



Woo Hoooo...... That was harsh sweetie!!! Speaking as an honest
somebody who knows nothing about bikes....that was truly harsh.
Maggie

Zoot Katz wrote:
7 Mar 2005 20:43:59 -0800,

I see you're accessing this group with your point&click web browser
(HTTP) so probably know squat anyway.

There are those of us who access newsgroups from multiple machines,
some of which do not have the same operating systems. You shouldn't
assume that the method you use is the best or smartest.