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buying my first road bike
People have made some good suggestions so far. One thing that you may
want to try is the next size down. It is easier to raise the seat a bit to get the leg length right than it is to adjust the reach. This is especially true if the reach is too long. You can only shorten so much by using a shorter stem. Obviously this can be over done. If you end up with the seat too high you won't be able to get the handle bar height to a reasonable match. If you are going to do some loaded touring, you might want to look at a touring bike. Trek has the 520. Cannondale has the T800. These will be factory equipped with wider tires. Many have V brakes or cantilevers. They generally have more braze-ons for racks and fenders. They are also generally geared a bit lower. These bike also have a more relaxed geometry. Whichever "style" you decide on, make sure it fits before you buy it! Good Luck! On Wed, 01 Oct 2003 10:08:34 -0700, Tanya Quinn wrote: So I've been riding around (almost always on the road) for the past 5 years on a non-suspension Giant sedona mountain bike I bought used at the time (no idea how used). A car mashed the rims while it was parked, I had the bike store fix it with whatever was cheapest. I've since put slick tires on it. The gears are kinda clonky and the brakes seem fairly non-responsive if the roads are wet or going down a steep hill. I've become pretty enthusiastic about biking in the last two years, I ride about 2000 km a year mostly for transportation but like going on long day rides (130 km was the highest so far, but I would probably enjoy going further if the bike was slightly more comfortable) and basically exploring around on weekends. I figure it is time to buy a real road bike, nice new and shiny The new bike will not likely be used for day-to-day urban riding because I don't want it to get stolen - so I'll use the old bike for that. I'd like to use a new bike for multi-day touring - I've never tried this before, and my first trip would likely be a week long minimally packed trip (stay in motels not camp). I'd like to have the option of using it for camping touring though. I would also probably use it for long day rides, either by myself or club rides. I'd like to be able to try out racing or a triathlon, but that wouldn't be the primary purpose of the bike. Any ideas for what to look for? I've never ridden a road bike before. I had a ten-speed as a teenager and the falls I took on it scared me a bit from skinny tires (I'm not the world's most balanced person!) but I imagine good road bikes are much more stable than that was. I went to the LBS recently and test rode a Cannondale R400. I'm 5'11" and female, and I tried a 56 cm bike which seemed a good height but the reach seemed a bit much even though they changed the handlebar stem to a shorter one for my test ride. I really didn't get to take it for much of a spin, the bike store is located in a busy urban downtown area, and while I'm quite comfortable riding my own bike in the area I'm not so balanced on the new one (as an aside, I also find I can only balance one handed on my bike with my left hand off but not vice versa) Plus speed is constrained by the cars moving slower than a bike would and no open lane. It totally threw me having the brakes on the front rather than on the top and I nearly took out a pedestrian in the intersection because I found it weird to brake. Are they easy to get used to? I imagine I would like better having the choices of riding positions (only one on my current bike makes for sore long rides) and also the lower position would be nice going into the wind. My budget is ideally around $1000 Cdn (750 US) but I would likely double it if I found a bike I really fell in love with, and would be good for future touring, and was a good deal. The 2003 Cannondale R400 was 999 on sale end of season, but they had a 2002 that appealed to me more aesthetic wise (it was orange ) for 849 but only had it left in 50 or 58. I thought the 58 would be too big so didn't test ride it (they didn't have the larger one set up) I also tried a more commuter-style road bike by Cannondale that just had straight handlebars, (don't remember the model) but in addition to thinking I would like drop bars if I could get used to them, the big ring on it didn't seem very big. What would be a good entry level touring bike to try out? While the touring bike would be more comfortable for longer loaded rides, is it more slower than a traditional road bike when I just want to go fast unloaded? (I'm sure I'll notice a big difference going away from the mountain bike anyway) The R400 did not have a place for front racks - I'd only need back for credit card touring but front would be nice if I decide to go across the country and I think the rack still needed just to clamp on on the back, as well some of the bikes seemed like they would be awkward to equip with fenders, which would seem useful for when it rains in the middle of the tour Do clip on fenders work okay? Any tips on bike models to try, questions to ask, things to test out, and what things to look for would be appreciated. I really am just happy to ride and don't notice too much things like what the components are so I wouldn't notice much difference between the models on a short test ride. -- Dick Schoeller http://schoeller.ne.client2.attbi.com/ 781.449.5476 "Er ist ein Narr, der meint, es sei nicht schad, das Kind auszuschütten mit dem Bad" - Thomas Murner 1512 |
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#12
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buying my first road bike
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Some Toronto-specific comments of little interest to the world at large. ================================================== ========= OTTOMH rambling reply. Can discuss in detail if you like. A touring bike has clearance for wide tires and braze-ons for fender s and racks and wide gearing. A key decision is the choice between STI / ERGO (shift/brake) levers or barcons (bar-end shifters, separate brake levers). I personally wouldn't buy Shimano Sora because it's eight speed so you don't have the upgrade path to Tiagra, 105, LX, etc. Sora shifters are also different from the other STI models. A matter of preference, apparently they're more comfortable for small hands. Bike shops clear out older stock, at discounts up to 30% depending on model and time of year. Europe Bound on Front East had a bike section in the basement, and years ago was clearing stock at 30% off. I bought my Mikado D'Iberville in March 1999 for 30% off, from Cyclepath on Yonge. I would not deal with them again. (Therein lies a tale, on request.) If I have to give up cycling,it's for sale - Mikado replaced the broken steel frame with their latest new aluminium frame, under warranty. Kudos to Mikado (if you like aluminium frames). I recently saw the Fuji touring bike at Sports Swap for about $1K. Seemed like a really nice bike for that price. Other possibilities under $1K include the lower end Mikado's (the new D'Iberville is around $1500), Norco, DeVinci - all Canadian made. Marinoni is IMO a much better bike, but starts at $1500. Trek 520 is THE traditional steel touring bike, starts around $1400. Urbane Cyclist has their own line of frames, but the complete bike costs as much as a Marinoni, IMO I'd buy Marinoni. From: "Tanya Quinn" Newsgroups: rec.bicycles.misc Sent: Wednesday, October 01, 2003 1:08 PM Subject: buying my first road bike The old bike sounds ideal for most of your downtown riding, shopping, etc. Less painful if it's stolen. Bikes & Skis and other dealers do a complete overhaul for $125 plus parts like chain or cassette. I have no experience with B&S, just saw their price list. . The gears are kinda clonky Could need adjusting, or a new chain (and perhaps cassette). Not sure what "clonky" means. Could just be sticky cables, or derailleur adjustment. and the brakes seem fairly non-responsive Could be sticky cables or glazed pads. Mountain Equipment Co-op sells the Kool Stop Salmon pads, which many people like. They don't chew up the rims like Shimano pads, but I've never gotten rid of the squealing (works better than a horn). mostly for transportation I'm not comfortable leaving my Mikado locked to a post while I shop. So the old clunker really IS worth fixing for your short errands and commuting and ..... is time to buy a real road bike, nice new and shiny You could google groups for discussions of touring bikes, read alex wetmore's comments, etc. that. I'd like to use a new bike for multi-day touring - I've never IMO One can always put narrower tires and a closely-spaced cassette on a touring bike, and strip the fenders and racks, but you can't go the other direction with most "road" bikes. So for versatility ....... be able to try out racing or a triathlon, A touring bike may not be competitive against racing oriented road bikes. Don't know how important winning is to you, or whether you could just enjoy competing. bit from skinny tires (I'm not the world's most balanced person!) Hmmmm .... double entendre ? :-) Touring bikes usually come with 700*28 or wider. The Mikado seems to have clearance for 700*45's, e.g. studded winter tires. I'm running 32's, but the new aluminium frame has me considering 35's. Table of tire/rim matches at www.sheldonbrown.com. I believe I can go to 700*25 on the Mikado, probably safest with 700*28. For serious racing, one might want lighter narrower wheels/tires and a closely-spaced cassette, i.e. a second set. One could swap the RD and chain, touring bikes often have an MTB derailleur to handle the BIG (34) cog. female, and I tried a 56 cm bike which seemed a good height but the I believe women tend to need a shorter top tube and/or stem. See www.sheldonbrown.com, www.rivendellbicycles.com, scan the groups for "women's bikes," etc. Trek has a line of women-specific frames, you could compare the geometry to the equivalent men's bikes. I suspect the top tubes are a bit shorter. You aren't tiny, so I don't think you'd need a Terry or other "petite" frame. There are sites where you enter inseam, arm length, etc etc to obtain proper bike dimensions. www.chainreactionbicycles.com gas articles on fit and on test riding. much of a spin, the bike store is located in a busy urban downtown Duke's ? Haven't dealt with them, other than to have Russel Duke (?) explain the difference between different models to me. Seemed helpful and knowledgeable. versa) Plus speed is constrained by the cars moving slower than a bike Sports Swap (and Cyclepath on Yonge, which I don't recommend) are near the Mount Pleasant Cemetery, which allows virtually traffic-free cycling, although there's a speed limit and obvious limits on behaviour. I'd hate to see cyclists banned because of a few inconsiderate yahoos (they've had problems with "boy racers" tearing through the cemetery at high speed, IMO boorish even by "boy racer" standards). Are they easy to get used to? Yep. Can brake from the hoods or the curves (hooks ?) for more force. I see a few road bikes now have dual levers. Not the old mechanical "safety" levers, but an actual separate brake lever spliced to the cable. IMO More to go wrong. I(only one on my current bike Bar-ends, usually angled forward. Newk bar-ends curve down like dropped bars, but the controls don't move, so you'd want to stay on the tops riding in traffic. also the lower position would be nice going into the wind. IMO Many road bikes don't allow the bars to be raised enough to be comfortable in the drops. See www.rivendellbicycles.com for articles on "raise that stem" and riding position. My budget is ideally around $1000 Cdn (750 US) but I would likely double it if I found a bike I really fell in love with, and would be Ahhhhh. Marinoni Turismo with Campagnolo Veloce. About C$1700. But don't let MY preferences influence you :-) http://www.bikespecialties.com/about.html You can read about the Marinoni there. I have mixed feelings about BS, Tom has "attitude" which I consider inappropriate. Marinoni is made to order, and can be made to measure for a bit extra. They have switched from lugged Columbus steel to TIG welded non-round steel, and some models are available in TIG welded non-round aluminium. Not sure if you can still special order the lugged frames. more aesthetic wise (it was orange ) for 849 but only had it left Custom paint and chrome on the Marinoni. I corresponded with someone awaiting one in "put on the welding mask" BRIGHT ORANGE!!! Don't know how he likes it in the flesh (or the steel). in 50 or 58. I thought the 58 would be too big You can always raise the seat (long seatposts are common), so find the right length top tube. Extremely long or short stems may change the weight distribution and handling. they're also hard to find - I'm hoping that an 8 CM will improve comfort on the Mikado (currently 9CM). 9CM is already pretty short. , the big ring on it didn't seem very big. Some hybrids use MTB crankset and front derailleur. Which gives you (ottomh) 44 tooth big ring. 22/32/44? Shimano used to have the RSX road crankset with 26/36/46, which IMO is VERY suitable for touring. They switched to the ubiquitous 30/42/52, which is less so. The Front derailleur must be matched to the chainrings for proper shifting, and the bolt circle diameter may not allow a larger ring to be installed on a MTB crankset. So it's not always possible to just swap chainrings. The gearing calculator at www.sheldonbrown.com is useful to get an idea of speeds at rpm's with different combinations. What would be a good entry level touring bike to try out? Canadian brands include Mikado, DeVinci, Norco (all aluminium frames now, I believe). Marinoni - steel. Fuji - steel. Trek 520 - steel. Cannondale - aluminium. May be others. Pick the bike shop first. Marinoni offers the choice of Campagnolo or Shimano. Which is a religious issue. Personal preference, shape and function of the levers, availability of parts for repair (versus replacement of complete unit), availability of low gears. I don't find the STI hoods all that comfortable. Haven't spent any time on ERGO for comparison. more slower than a traditional road bike IMO Tires make a big difference. So if you use bullet-proof 35's for touring, smoother 28's for "fast rides," and perhaps lower the bars for the latter, I'm not sure how much difference you'd see. Touring bikes weigh a few pounds more, have different geometry. The steel Mikado frame had a LOT of flex (perhaps contributed to its downfall), the aluminium frame is ***RIGID***. I've read that a stiff frame wastes less pedalling energy. I'll notice a big difference going away from the mountain bike You have narrow high-pressure slicks, how fast are you now ? Are you spinning out ? Would getting down out of the wind help ? Riding in a peleton probably gives the greatest boost in speed and distance, being able to draft (too dangerous for me). The R400 did not have a place for front racks - That's pretty much touring-bike specific. You may be able to use clamps (analogous to the ones used to mount rear racks where there aren't braze-ons). STI cables tend to block a handlebar bag, which is one alternative to low-rider panniers. High center of gravity, OTOH a map pocket and perhaps more accessible for a camera or snacks. I've seen photos in which someone used 90-degree noodles to re-route the STI shifter cables and allow a large handlebar bag to be installed. for when it rains in the middle of the tour Do clip on fenders work okay? google groups for fenders. not a lot good said about clip-ons, the (new name slips my mind - used to be something like Esge) are better, somebody recommended adding a mudflap. the components are IMO it's worth going to at least Tiagra in Shimano STI, to get the 9 speed compatibility and the normal STI functionality. Or Veloce in Campagnolo. I wouldn't spend a LOT to go higher. The Mikado has Shimano LX (ATB) and 105 (road) mix, which seems pretty standard for a mid-range touring bike. Higher level groups may have improvements in function and durability. I know the RSX STI levers gave me terrible hand/arm pain after a ten minute ride, while the 105's don't after hours of riding. Tha's an OBVIOUS no-brainer. Above LX / 105 I think you pay a lot for better finish and perhaps lighter weight and/or fancy materials. The top end racing components may not be as durable as LX/105. hth |
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buying my first road bike
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buying my first road bike
In article , sorni@bite-
me.san.rr.com says... "Tanya Quinn" wrote in message om... "Roger Zoul" wrote in message ... The Specialized Sequoia might be to your liking, as they have two sets of break handles, above the drops and on the top... http://www.specialized.com/SBCBkFami...m3go4fr.j27004 The Sequioa have comfort features built in which you may appreciate. Ah I must point out that Specialized seems to have a twisted concept of comfort when it comes to their Body Geometry saddles. I bought one on the weekend to replace my current worn out seat (foam had come out of it) And so far painful.. I'm hoping that breaking it in more will help. It looks like these saddles are on the Sequoia, do you like the saddle on yours? FWIW, I tried an early version of the BG saddles years ago, and found the same as you: TORTURE DEVICE! Yet others I know love 'em. I like mine, though it's a recent model (1.5 yrs old). I got the larger version, but don't remember the exact model. When I got my new bike, I gave the new bike's factory saddle a couple of weeks but ended up moving my BG saddle from the old bike to the new one, much to the relief of my soft tissues... -- Dave Kerber Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return address before replying! REAL programmers write self-modifying code. |
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buying my first road bike
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buying my first road bike
Tanya Quinn wrote:
would and no open lane. It totally threw me having the brakes on the front rather than on the top and I nearly took out a pedestrian in the intersection because I found it weird to brake. Are they easy to get used to? I imagine I would like better having the choices of riding positions (only one on my current bike makes for sore long rides) and also the lower position would be nice going into the wind. I switched from department store MTBs to a real touring bike earlier this year, and it did take some getting used to. I couldn't quite put a finger on it (both the new touring and old MTB seemed to have the same geometry), but everything, from starting/stopping to handling to braking, seemed weird at first, as if I had to re-learn how to ride a bike. I assumed it was just me. My budget is ideally around $1000 Cdn (750 US) but I would likely double it if I found a bike I really fell in love with, and would be good for future touring, and was a good deal. The 2003 Cannondale R400 If you're lucky, you could snatch a good entry touring bike on sale at that price. That's how I got the last Destination 2002 left in the store. Entry level touring bikes typically sell for $1200, with the next "bracket" around $1600. was 999 on sale end of season, but they had a 2002 that appealed to me more aesthetic wise (it was orange ) for 849 but only had it left Isn't the R400 more of a road bike with a granny than a touring bike? What would be a good entry level touring bike to try out? While the Often mentioned on r.b.m are the Trek 520, the Bianchi Volpe, the Fuji Touring, and the REI/Novara Randonnee. However, your LBS will probably have other models to offer you, so it's best to evaluate what is available to you instead of selecting a model right away. As someone else said on this thread, choose the LBS (or two or three), then choose the bike. touring bike would be more comfortable for longer loaded rides, is it more slower than a traditional road bike when I just want to go fast unloaded? (I'm sure I'll notice a big difference going away from the I couldn't say about road bikes, as I never rode one. (I'm a big fat slug, so I don't care about riding fast; I prefer to ride farther.) Of course, as you pointed out, you'll see the difference with your old bike. Don't expect your average speed to dramatically increase, however. The differences are a bit more subtle; hills are a bit easier, long rides are slightly less exhausting, headwinds are more manageable (though they're still frustrating g). IOW, you'll find riding to be even more enjoyable. mountain bike anyway) The R400 did not have a place for front racks - I'd only need back for credit card touring but front would be nice if I decide to go across the country and I think the rack still needed just to clamp on on the back, as well some of the bikes seemed like Don't think about touring with a rear rack that hangs from the seatpost; those things are not meant to carry a lot of weight. they would be awkward to equip with fenders, which would seem useful for when it rains in the middle of the tour Do clip on fenders work okay? To each his own; I prefer sturdy fenders that stay on my bike all the time. Besides, I haven't seen any clip-ons that work as well as "true" fenders. Any tips on bike models to try, questions to ask, things to test out, and what things to look for would be appreciated. I really am just Here's a few things I would look for: GEARS: A granny gear is a must on a touring bike; even if you live in Manitoba and always do credit-card touring, it's nice to know that you *can* carry 50lbs of baggage uphill. Having at least one big rear cog is also a plus; my lowest gear is 30-front and 34-rear, and I find it useful from time to time. 9-speed is also a plus. BRAKES: Make sure that there's enough clearance to install fenders; cantis are the best in that regard. I believe there are also fenders that will fit V-brakes, though I'd personally ask the LBS to switch the brakes (and the levers) for cantis instead. TIRES: Touring is typically done on 28/32/35 tires, although there are no rules about this; maybe you'd prefer 23s for credit-card touring, or maybe you often use bike paths and dirt roads and would rather use 38s. The important thing is to make sure that the rims, brakes and frame can all accomodate whatever tire size you might want to ride in the future. WHEELS: 32 spokes should be enough, but 36 is always a plus. Anything less than 32 should be avoided. FRAME: You want at least one pair of eyelets in front and at the rear; two pairs is preferable. (This is my main gripe with the Destination -- it only has one pair each.) Rack braze-ons on the fork and seatstays are a definite plus. There should also be water cage braze-ons on the seat tube and the down tube. (Some touring bikes have a third pair under the down tube, where you can hang a spare bottle upside down.) On a more personal note, I'd rather avoid having cables routed under the top tube (like on the R400), as this robs you of a very convenient location to store a frame pump. And I wish manufacturers started putting braze-ons for pumps, dynamos and spare spokes. (I know the Fuji Touring includes the latter; why aren't competitors imitating it?) -- Frederic Briere * = IS NO MO http://www.abacomsucks.com = |
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buying my first road bike
"Frederic Briere" wrote in message
... Here's a few things I would look for: GEARS: A granny gear is a must on a touring bike; even if you live in Manitoba and always do credit-card touring, it's nice to know that you *can* carry 50lbs of baggage uphill. Having at least one big rear cog is also a plus; my lowest gear is 30-front and 34-rear, and I find it useful from time to time. 9-speed is also a plus. BRAKES: Make sure that there's enough clearance to install fenders; cantis are the best in that regard. I believe there are also fenders that will fit V-brakes, though I'd personally ask the LBS to switch the brakes (and the levers) for cantis instead. TIRES: Touring is typically done on 28/32/35 tires, although there are no rules about this; maybe you'd prefer 23s for credit-card touring, or maybe you often use bike paths and dirt roads and would rather use 38s. The important thing is to make sure that the rims, brakes and frame can all accomodate whatever tire size you might want to ride in the future. WHEELS: 32 spokes should be enough, but 36 is always a plus. Anything less than 32 should be avoided. FRAME: You want at least one pair of eyelets in front and at the rear; two pairs is preferable. (This is my main gripe with the Destination -- it only has one pair each.) Rack braze-ons on the fork and seatstays are a definite plus. There should also be water cage braze-ons on the seat tube and the down tube. (Some touring bikes have a third pair under the down tube, where you can hang a spare bottle upside down.) On a more personal note, I'd rather avoid having cables routed under the top tube (like on the R400), as this robs you of a very convenient location to store a frame pump. And I wish manufacturers started putting braze-ons for pumps, dynamos and spare spokes. (I know the Fuji Touring includes the latter; why aren't competitors imitating it?) Sorry for leaving so much of your post in place, but I thought it was a pretty good list. I think that the Giant OCR touring bike (www.giant-bicycles.com) meets most of those criteria. Here's the list of goodies: Compact Road Design Touring specific geometry and features three water bottle mounts fender and rack mounts internal cable routing Avid Disc Brakes It would definitely be worth a ride. -Buck |
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buying my first road bike
Hey Tanya -- Please keep us up-to-date on your first-road-bike purchase....
Tanya Quinn wrote: :: So I've been riding around (almost always on the road) for the past 5 :: years on a non-suspension Giant sedona mountain bike I bought used at :: the time (no idea how used). A car mashed the rims while it was :: parked, I had the bike store fix it with whatever was cheapest. I've :: since put slick tires on it. The gears are kinda clonky and the :: brakes seem fairly non-responsive if the roads are wet or going down :: a steep hill. I've become pretty enthusiastic about biking in the :: last two years, I ride about 2000 km a year mostly for :: transportation but like going on long day rides (130 km was the :: highest so far, but I would probably enjoy going further if the bike :: was slightly more comfortable) and basically exploring around on :: weekends. I figure it is time to buy a real road bike, nice new and :: shiny :: :: The new bike will not likely be used for day-to-day urban riding :: because I don't want it to get stolen - so I'll use the old bike for :: that. I'd like to use a new bike for multi-day touring - I've never :: tried this before, and my first trip would likely be a week long :: minimally packed trip (stay in motels not camp). I'd like to have the :: option of using it for camping touring though. I would also probably :: use it for long day rides, either by myself or club rides. I'd like :: to be able to try out racing or a triathlon, but that wouldn't be the :: primary purpose of the bike. :: :: Any ideas for what to look for? I've never ridden a road bike before. :: I had a ten-speed as a teenager and the falls I took on it scared me :: a bit from skinny tires (I'm not the world's most balanced person!) :: but I imagine good road bikes are much more stable than that was. I :: went to the LBS recently and test rode a Cannondale R400. I'm 5'11" :: and female, and I tried a 56 cm bike which seemed a good height but :: the reach seemed a bit much even though they changed the handlebar :: stem to a shorter one for my test ride. I really didn't get to take :: it for much of a spin, the bike store is located in a busy urban :: downtown area, and while I'm quite comfortable riding my own bike in :: the area I'm not so balanced on the new one (as an aside, I also :: find I can only balance one handed on my bike with my left hand off :: but not vice versa) Plus speed is constrained by the cars moving :: slower than a bike would and no open lane. It totally threw me :: having the brakes on the front rather than on the top and I nearly :: took out a pedestrian in the intersection because I found it weird :: to brake. Are they easy to get used to? I imagine I would like :: better having the choices of riding positions (only one on my :: current bike makes for sore long rides) and also the lower position :: would be nice going into the wind. :: :: My budget is ideally around $1000 Cdn (750 US) but I would likely :: double it if I found a bike I really fell in love with, and would be :: good for future touring, and was a good deal. The 2003 Cannondale :: R400 was 999 on sale end of season, but they had a 2002 that :: appealed to me more aesthetic wise (it was orange ) for 849 but :: only had it left in 50 or 58. I thought the 58 would be too big so :: didn't test ride it (they didn't have the larger one set up) :: :: I also tried a more commuter-style road bike by Cannondale that just :: had straight handlebars, (don't remember the model) but in addition :: to thinking I would like drop bars if I could get used to them, the :: big ring on it didn't seem very big. :: :: What would be a good entry level touring bike to try out? While the :: touring bike would be more comfortable for longer loaded rides, is it :: more slower than a traditional road bike when I just want to go fast :: unloaded? (I'm sure I'll notice a big difference going away from the :: mountain bike anyway) The R400 did not have a place for front racks - :: I'd only need back for credit card touring but front would be nice if :: I decide to go across the country and I think the rack still :: needed just to clamp on on the back, as well some of the bikes :: seemed like they would be awkward to equip with fenders, which would :: seem useful for when it rains in the middle of the tour Do clip :: on fenders work okay? :: :: Any tips on bike models to try, questions to ask, things to test out, :: and what things to look for would be appreciated. I really am just :: happy to ride and don't notice too much things like what the :: components are so I wouldn't notice much difference between the :: models on a short test ride. |
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buying my first road bike
"Roger Zoul" wrote in message ...
Hey Tanya -- Please keep us up-to-date on your first-road-bike purchase.... Thanks everyone for all the tips and suggestions! Now I'm overwhelmed by too many choices I haven't had a chance to go back bike shopping again yet, hopefully on the weekend. Thanks Mark too for the Toronto-specific suggestions - thanks for posting it when the email bounced. I am getting emailed copies of the Microsoft patch virus like crazy nuts - I wish the ISP would junk them all on their side so I don't have to pop so often. |
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buying my first road bike
Well here's an update on my quest to find a road/touring bike:
I happened upon a bike store while I was out of town and killing some time. I found a bike which I really like and someone in this thread posted that they like as well - the Devinci Caribou. http://www.devinci.com/eng/modele200...lo/caribou.htm Its a 2002 model on sale for 1379 Canadian (dunno what the exchange is like I figure that's approx 1000 US) There is a triple chain ring and a really wide range of gears from 11 to 34. The shifters are Shimano 105 STI. The guy at this shop seemed more knowledgable than the previous LBS guy. Only disadvantage - its out of town, I don't have a car, and didn't want to buy on the spot so I could think about it first But being in a smaller town there were actual quieter streets to ride around on so I could try it out without fear of not being able to brake fast enough with getting used to the road bike. I found it easier to brake this time, finding that riding on the hoods was much easier for this purpose than trying to ride straight on The frame is hand made aluminum, the L size seemed a good fit after they swapped in a shorter stem, and there are SPD pedals which I would like to get used to. And best of all its a real touring bike so it has all the attachments for fenders and racks unlike the previous bike I test rode. Does this sound like a reasonable deal? The components seem good? (specs on the link) Should I worry much that the bike store is inconvenient located for service (1 year is included) or will I not have much to worry about the first year? Thanks for all your suggestions so far, they've been very helpful! Tanya |
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Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Considering a Road bike for commuting... good idea? | Mike Beauchamp | General | 116 | August 18th 03 11:44 PM |
One for the Economists: inflation, road bike pricing, etc | S. Anderson | General | 18 | August 14th 03 04:53 PM |
Looking for a cheap road bike | Mike Jacoubowsky | General | 8 | August 7th 03 12:12 AM |
Advice on buying used road bike | Michael S. Moorhead | General | 4 | August 6th 03 04:06 AM |
ATB pedal on Road Bike | Dave Stallard | General | 4 | July 12th 03 01:23 AM |