Where to buy cheapest XL compact frame bike decked out with Tiagra flight deck?

I'm not interested in marketing. Need a functional bike. Like a user
friendly flight deck and some hill climbing gears, but not a pussy
(granny) wheel. My dream bike would be fully Tiagra so when I fly by
those Dura-Ace guys I can laugh that much harder.

Randolf

Who said anything about marketing? A "functional" bike is more than just a
bunch of aluminum tubes welded together into a BSO (bike shaped object). If
you ride several different bikes, and actually detect differences between
them... differences that might make one preferable to another... how is that
marketing? Here's my original post. No mention of bike brands that I can
see, so it's difficult to understand where marketing comes in.

Randolf: There are many companies that specialize in putting nice
components
on el-cheapo framesets and wheels. But that doesn't get you the best bike
for the money, it just gets you something with a really cheap frameset and
wheels, possibly with a ride not to your liking. The frame and wheels are
the only things (apart from choosing correctly-sized stem, bars, & seat
position... along with proper assembly) that determine how a bike actually
*rides*. Fit & feel. And that varies greatly from manufacturer to
manufacturer.

You should check out this article on our website-
www.ChainReaction.com/roadbiketestrides.htm, for an idea of what to look
for
when test-riding a bike. It's one of the few pieces on our website that's
brand & material neutral, so it's helpful no matter what bike you're
looking
at. It will also help you to figure out if the dealer is setting things up
as they should.

--Mike Jacoubowsky
Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com
Redwood City & Los Altos, CA USA

wrote in message
ups.com...
I'm not interested in marketing. Need a functional bike. Like a user
friendly flight deck and some hill climbing gears, but not a pussy
(granny) wheel. My dream bike would be fully Tiagra so when I fly by
those Dura-Ace guys I can laugh that much harder.

Randolf

wrote:
I wasn't trying to sound smug.

I know, just yanking your chain. I'm not that fast anyway, but I can
wheelsuck like nobody's business

Just have this neighbor who spent a
small fortune on a titanium & carbon bike. Now he thinks he can start
training for the Tour de France. He rides like once a month. I ride
minimum five days a week if I can help it and ride a very old
bike...88' Trek 400 with a 55.3 top tube. I'm 6'1" with an inseam of
32" while wearing shoes. My helmet is about dead center over the front
axle.

Been ready to cut loose on a bike that actually fits. Rode neighbor's
old LeMond which is a 58.5 TT, 120 bar-stem with the seat all the way
back on an 1" offset stem and seat height at 41.5 inches. Couldn't
believe the time I could make with a larger bike. Was like riding a
Cadillac. Never got tired and could just GO! Wasn't for the thing
creaking and poor tuning I'd have bought it for $700.

Yeah, saddle all the way back can mess with your power, depending on
the person. It sounds like you're certainly ready for a new bike
though.

-Mike

On 10 May 2006 12:35:49 -0700, "Mike Reed"
wrote:


If needed, you can just go get a 140mm or 150mm stem later on.

Where are 150 stems available?

JT

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If needed, you can just go get a 140mm or 150mm stem later on.

Where are 150 stems available?

JT

I was wondering *why* 150mm stems are available! I can't imagine any bike
built to handle properly with that long a stem, at least not since the early
days of mountain bikes. In general, I find anything from 7 to 12cm quite
functional. If you have to go past either of those, I have to question
whether the frame is appropriate. At the long end, it goes beyond weird
weight distribution... a big guy, on a 150mm stem... that's going to produce
a lot of flex when climbing or sprinting. At the short end, I dunno... I've
played around with a number of bikes recently, too-large frames (for me)
that I put a super-short stem on to get the reach right... and was quite
surprised at the lack of handling issues. It's amazing how adaptable we
really are on a bike.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

wrote:
Team,

Need your hunting skills. Where to buy cheapest XL compact frame bike
decked out with Tiagra flight deck?

Order of priority...

1.) At minimum Tiagra flight deck.
2.) XL Compact Frame Size
3.) 8-speed

Thanks,

Randolf

I think you need a bike shoop that will do a fit on you and suggest
something that will work for you, fit wise, and be in the price range
you want.

Don't know where you are but a shop like Mike's is what you need.
Buying on line or MO, assuming fit info, is going to be a problem, I
think.

There are many good bikes with Tiagra or Mirage components that will
fit you, but frame and fit is the most important, components mean
little by comparison.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tegory=22 694

My 1991 Bridgestone RB-1 has a Ritchey Road Logic 150mm quill stem on
it, that came with it.

My 1995 Stumpjumper has 150mm threadless stem on it. It might be 160mm.
It's frigging long. It came with the bike.

-Mike



John Forrest Tomlinson wrote:
On 10 May 2006 12:35:49 -0700, "Mike Reed"
wrote:


If needed, you can just go get a 140mm or 150mm stem later on.

Where are 150 stems available?

JT

****************************
Remove "remove" to reply
Visit http://www.jt10000.com
****************************

Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:
If needed, you can just go get a 140mm or 150mm stem later on.

Where are 150 stems available?

JT

I was wondering *why* 150mm stems are available! I can't imagine any bike
built to handle properly with that long a stem, at least not since the early
days of mountain bikes.

I'm 6'4" with long arms and torso. My 62cm Bridgestone RB-1 was the
bike I used to race on, and I had no problems outcornering people in
crits with that rig. 150mm stem, stock. I was a sprinter and had to
corner hard to make up time on late attacks in the final laps. That
bike cornered like a scared cat on carpet. It was a relaxed road
geometry, so it wasn't twitchy, but I could lay it down pretty low in a
hurry.

In general, I find anything from 7 to 12cm quite
functional. If you have to go past either of those, I have to question
whether the frame is appropriate. At the long end, it goes beyond weird
weight distribution... a big guy, on a 150mm stem... that's going to produce
a lot of flex when climbing or sprinting.

I think that a long-ass stem is natural on a big-ass frame. It should
all scale up. Longer stem, wider bars, longer wheelbase, more fork
rake, etc.

It does neutralize the handling somewhat with the center of gravity
moving closer to the front wheel.

At the short end, I dunno... I've
played around with a number of bikes recently, too-large frames (for me)
that I put a super-short stem on to get the reach right... and was quite
surprised at the lack of handling issues. It's amazing how adaptable we
really are on a bike.

Very true. When I first started out, I was so picky about anything
being different. I mellowed out a lot after the first year, and now I
can ride just about anything. I borrowed an MTB from my host on
vacation, and he's 5'7". I just got the saddle as high as it would go,
and hammered away. No big deal.

-Mike

Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:
If needed, you can just go get a 140mm or 150mm stem later on.
Where are 150 stems available?

At the long end, it goes beyond weird
weight distribution... a big guy, on a 150mm stem... that's going to produce
a lot of flex when climbing or sprinting.

flex is the least of your worries. Think about loosing rearwheel
traction if you stand on the pedals on a wet road!

--
---
Marten Gerritsen

INFOapestaartjeM-GINEERINGpuntNL
www.m-gineering.nl