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Liv Avail 1, 3 or something else?

Old 10-13-19, 08:47 AM
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fifemme
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Liv Avail 1, 3 or something else?

Hi y'all! New on the forum, nice to meet you all!

Okay, so here's the deal. I'm a middle-aged mom and a beginner short-distance triathlete. Hence the bike. I started off with a Vilano Tuono (gringe), not the best option now that I think of it. So I need an upgrade, and after a visit to the LBS, hubby and I are discussing Liv Avail 1 and Liv Avail 3.

Can you please help me explain to him - him being a casual weekend rider but not a serious biker - why it would be worth it to spend $300 more and get the Avail 1?

Or, do we have better options? I'm tiny, so a 48 frame needs to be available.

Realistically, I'll have this one bike for training and racing, and cannot spend more than $1000. With the kids' ongoing ortho treatments that is a stretch already.

Thanks y'all!!
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Old 10-13-19, 12:17 PM
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wipekitty
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Originally Posted by fifemme

Can you please help me explain to him - him being a casual weekend rider but not a serious biker - why it would be worth it to spend $300 more and get the Avail 1?

Or, do we have better options? I'm tiny, so a 48 frame needs to be available.
The big differences - from what I can tell:
  • Avail 1 has a 'composite' (carbon fiber) fork; Avail 3 has aluminum. Carbon is said to provide better shock absorption than aluminum, thus improving comfort. (Most aluminum bikes come with a carbon fiber fork.)
  • Avail 1 has a slightly upgraded groupset over Avail 3. Avail 3 has Claris, which is kind of entry-level Shimano. Avail 1 has Sora, which is the next step up. I personally have not used either, but there's a chance that Sora will provide easier and more reliable shifting.
  • More on Claris vs. Sora: Claris has an 8 speed cassette on the rear wheel, and Sora has a 9 speed cassette. The range is the same (easy to hard gears), but 9 speeds allows for additional intermediate gears, which can be helpful on flat and rolling terrain.
  • Avail 1 has a different (better?) wheelset. Between the wheelset, fork, and groupset, it is probably a bit lighter.
Assuming you want to buy new and from a shop, it would not hurt to check out and test ride some of the other brands that might be available at nearby shops. Trek and Specialized are also ubiquitous; Specialized no longer does women's frames, but makes all frames available in tiny and large sizes. I think for the under $1K range, the Avail 1 is a good deal.

Used is also an option for getting something really nice for under $1,000, but the tradeoff is that you'll need to know something about bikes to evaluate the purchase, and unlike shop purchases, used does not come with annual tuneups and warranty support. It can still be worth looking into, particularly since smaller-sized bikes are harder to resell and can often be found for cheaper than the standard 52-58cm sizes. Bike and tri clubs can be good places to poke around for used bikes that have been maintained.
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Old 10-13-19, 03:12 PM
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Another worth looking at (around the same price point as the Avail 1) is the Fuji Finest 2.1 : Fuji Bikes | Finest 2.1 Very similar specs, probably come down to which you feel most comfortable riding. Noticed mention of disc brakes on the Fuji, but they do appear to be rim brakes. My wife has a LeMond Reno (2006) women's specific design that works very well for her. Chances of finding a used women's specific LeMond are slim since they haven't been made for a while. But if you would come across one, they are well made bikes.
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Old 10-13-19, 08:10 PM
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Check out the 'trek superstore' and click on 'deals'.
They have at least 5 road bikes in your size that are discounted and in your price range.

edit: I forgot to mention that I only searched Cannondales. I didn't even look at the treks.
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