Originally Posted by
Panic
I hope you don't mind, but I'm going to piggyback on your thread.
I haven't ridding on the road in probably 3 or 4 years. Job change, economics, and fear. Attacked by a dog, a few people I know or know of were hit by cars, and lack of easy places to ride from my front door - and oh, the old Trek 1200 frame beats my body up like an Mike Tyson in his prime.
My son recommended I look at gravel because of a few reasons.
1) The roads in Bama are awful
2) I'm heavy - working on a new lifestyle of better eating
3) I want a steel frame.
4) I don't want to spend more than $1,000
My brain is overwhelmed with all the info and all the options.
I'm going to hit a few local bike shops this week, but I expect that they will only have Specialized or Trek.
From reading this and others - this is where I'm at:
Fuji - is that just a Performance line?
Masi - CXGR -
Motobecane - probably a road bike as opposed to the gravel.
Marin - Nicasio : Is that a contender?
Sorry this isn't more of a direct question, but as I mentioned, I'm overwhelmed at this new line of bikes.
I am a big fan of the Masi at that price and many of our customers love it (may want to eventually upgrade the brakes though). I would have to tell you however that for just a little more money than $1,000 you get a whole lot more bike and you might want to consider upping your price a few hundred to get to the next level. At the $1,000 mark you will find that to hit that price point the manufacturers have to cheap-out on something, brakes, frame material, wheels etc. and at the $1200-$1300 price point you tend to get a much better option (better brakes & wheels, Tiagra instead of Claris, etc.). The Renegade Expat is $1,199 equipped with Tiagra, very nice steel frame and excellent TRP Spyre brakes for example.
RenegadeŽ Expat