KC_Crunch

I've learned lots of interesting and helpful things in my few weeks on this forum. I've got about half a dozen trips to the local bike stores under my belt and have ridden multiple models in the Roam, Escape, Sirrus and FX line. Thanks to all of the above I've learned firsthand that I definitely prefer the rigid fork to suspension, what disc vs rim brakes feel like, how I like the feel of 32cc tires to much skinnier ones and so on.

Since this is my first bike in over 15 years and will the only bike I ride for the foreseeable future, what I'm debating now is how "nice" of a bike to get. I've seen the following mentalities expressed over various threads:

"Get the nicest frame you can afford, because you can always upgrade components later."

"Get a more entry level one just to make sure you're going to stick with biking -- trade in/up later for something nicer."

"Since a hybrid does everything average and not one thing exceptionally well, it doesn't matter. You can end up adding a road bike or mountain bike to your arsenal."

"Definitely pay for nicer components the first time around--- you'll regret if you don't, and it's cheaper to get it on the bike now rather than as after market."

"Get hydro disc brakes for sure - can't live without them."

"You don't need hydro disc brakes - you'll save weight and cost and as a road rider you'll never really need them."


Anyway, this is NOT a thread asking which bike I should get (e.g. I don't need the "just go ride them all and get what feels right" response)...I'm just simply curious what philosophy/approach to buying a bike you'd subscribe to.

ColdCase

I find a bike that I enjoy to ride, or I won't ride it. Usually that means lighter, smooth shifting components, great brake feel, minimum adjustments (no maintenance besides chain lube)... i.e. not the typical entry level. If none of the bikes you test road sing to you, buy the least expensive (perhaps used) and have some fun.

giantcfr1

I am a person who likes both quality frame and components within my budget. This was / is the case with the three of my bikes. I don't have a lot of money, so with my Hybrid, I replaced the cheaper components with quality as they wore or broke. I have ended up with a hybrid I love and am proud to ride.

RickGr4

I believe you need to narrow it down to two or three bikes on paper, then go out and attempt to ride the remaining candidates. That is what I did. Yes, many people in the forum say "go out and ride them" but I think that is easier said than done. In the Twin Cities market, I was able to test ride two the final bikes I was interested in, but not in the frame size I knew that I needed. I am a big guy and I knew I needed an XL but none of my local dealers had XL's available to demo ride. I had to test ride bikes with the large size frame.

I found it was fairly easy to narrow things down on paper. I knew I wanted a flat bar hybrid that had more of a focus on road riding. I knew that I wanted 2 x 10 gears at least Tiagra level. I knew I wanted a composite fork and hydro disc brakes. I knew I wanted skinny tires with a road riding focus. Then I factored in which brands were readily available near me. By this point I had narrowed my search to Giant and Specialized. I settled on Giant because I thought the frame had a cooler design and represented newer thinking.

avidone1

Whatever matters most to you.
Comfort is always a factor because you won't want to ride if it hurts.
Style matters alot to some people. They need to feel that their bike looks sharp. they want to ride with pride
Components matter most to some. They want the knowledge that they are riding the best equipped bike they can afford
There are other factors as well. Some want a bike they built themselves, some want a bargain, some want vintage etc. etc. etc.
If you can buy into cycling as a spiritual pass time, then this is an opportunity to look into your soul, acknowledge what really matters to you,
accept it, and make your purchase based on who you truly are.

Wanderer

Since I actually read your comments, my advice is this.

Get the most bike you can reasonably afford! (for me this would include disc brakes, as they are the future) Get THE bike you like the best! Add stuff you need, as you need it! Enjoy your new ride, keep it clean, and ride it often. Have fun!

Supermau

Bought my first bike in 15 years in the spring of 2014. I wound up with a Trek FX 7.3. Though I really did enjoy that bike it became apparent that I made my decision too quickly after a couple months on the road.

I found myself longing for drop bars, disc brakes, and a double over the triple I bought. I sold the Trek after 7 months for a reasonable $400 and went shopping again.

The point is that I acted too fast. I was all giddy about getting an affordable and relatively nice new bike and I jumped without really considering all the options. I should have tried out more bikes and saved a little longer. In the end I see it as renting the Trek - $300 for seven months ain't so bad.

i guess my philosophy is to get the best bike you can afford, even if that means going slightly over budget. Get the bike that feels good and ticks most if not all the features your after. I think folks nitpick too much over components. I wanted 105 and wound up with Tiagra 10 speed - it's absolutely fine though I'll admit not as slick as 105 and up. I wound up with BB5 mechanical discs and they're awesome compared to the V brakes I was used to. I found a ride that I'll still enjoy next year.

Good luck to you!

DorkDisk

I start with intended usage. This tells me wheel diameter and tire width.

After that, its frame > fork > wheels > components

Components are chosen to provide my intended gearing ratios according to usage. I try not to dip below deore but have no qualms about using lower tier components until they wear out.

I also try to keep the builds consistent, high end frames get high end parts, mid level frames do not get xtr

FrenchFit 

Buy used; chances are you are going to grow tired of your bike or perform all sort of upgrades anyway, why pay the "new" premium?

practical

You have a lot of good advice here. I would second the recommendation that you figure out what kind of riding you anticipate doing. I ride mostly on pavement but prefer a flat bar rather than a drop bar. My bike, therefore, is closer to be a flat bar road bike. If I rode a lot on gravel dirt roads, I would get a different bike.

KC_Crunch

All - thanks for the great responses. I love feedback like this. I have definitely ruled out suspension bikes, so what I need to do next is a showdown to determine if I love flat-bars the best or something like Diverge or Anyroad. From there, I can figure out where on the price ladder I want to land.

RickGr4 - How do you like the Fastroad? It looks really sharp.

Supermau - Your "journey" is something I could totally see myself going through (and am trying my best to avoid). Funny enough the bike that I liked the best in all my test rides so far is a 2015 FX 7.4 Disc -- but what I haven't compared it against are things like the Anyroad. Would love to hear more about your bike.

FrenchFit -- I've check the listings plenty of times but there has never been anything of interest.

Practical -- How do you like the Escape 1? I rode the Escape 2 and didn't love it as much as Sirrus or FX...but I hear so many great things about Giant I really want to try it again (this time the 1) and not dismiss it.

RickGr4

Just to add a little more to this thread, I already own a hybrid that is suited to off road riding so I focused on hard pavement riding for my new Giant bike. Also, I HIGHLY recommend that you be realistic about adhering to a budget unless you truly don't have restrictions. I am not a rich guy by any means but I started out with a $1,000 budget yet I ended up spending $1,500. In the end I decided I wanted a composite frame and I also decided to pay extra to get it.

In regards to used bikes, I think it is a good idea. HOWEVER it depends upon your needs in regards to frame size. I need an XL frame and I found the selection of used bikes I was interested in along with the frame size I needed to be non-existent. I changed my focus to new bikes and I am glad I did. My LBS (Bike-King in Inver Grove Heights, MN) has been awesome.

Digital Gee

For me, when I'm test riding bikes, the one that keeps calling my name long after the ride is the one. I have no idea if this is philosophy or something else, but I have to feel a connection between the bike and me if I'm going to choose it to spend hundreds of hours with me. Someone said it "sings," so maybe that is it. It has to elevate itself against all the others, and, by the way, this has happened on every new bike I've bought. And I've never regretted the choice.

fietsbob

Descartes, as far as Philosophers go..

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ren%C3%A9_Descartes

I Drink There fore I Am

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_WRFJwGsbY

sail

I had old school road bikes for years but age and a neck injury make them very uncomfortable or I'd get another. Thought I wanted a steel hybrid but after riding several bikes looks like aluminum w/ carbon fork. The bike I enjoyed most over a dozen others (it sang, I sang) was a FX 7.4. But the tires are wider than I'd like for road, however more comfortable in town. I might prefer a double rather than triple but granny gear is nice sometimes. 7.5 solves both issues but has wheels that I perceive as weaker and costs more. I don't see disk brakes as a big deal, but their kinda cool. Or screw it, I could get the carbon now that I'm thinking modern, I don't buy a bike very often. I gotta decide, traveling for another couple weeks and buying something the day I get back. Probably the 7.4.

RickGr4

RickGr4 - How do you like the Fastroad? It looks really sharp.

Long story. I bought a 2015 Fastroad SLR 1 (aluminum frame) last May. I really liked it and it road great but it had a couple bugs that my LBS could not easily fix. I asked my LBS to exchange the bike for me and allow me to upgrade and he agreed. Yesterday I brought home my new 2016 Fastroad CoMax 2 (composite frame). I have not been able to ride it yet but at first glance I think it is ULTRA cool.

On paper, the only differences between 2015 Fastroad SLR 1 and 2016 Fastroad CoMax 2 are the frame material and tire size. But the CoMax 2 also has improvements in how the cables are routed. I have not weighed either bike (I weigh 260lbs so it really doesn't matter) but I would guess the CoMax 2 is four to five pounds lighter.

I am not tryin to brag but I think the Fastroad CoMax 2 is an ultra cool bike and I can't wait to put some miles on it.

350htrr

1,2,3, would be my priorities buying a new bike.

MRT2

Set a realistic budget, and stick to it. Buy a bike one or two levels better than what you think you will need. No big deal if you find yourself riding a bike slightly lighter than you really need or with one gear more on the cassette than you really need, but these things will matter as you develop as a cyclist.

Do consider drop bars. At the very least, test ride some drop bar bikes. The multiple hand positions really make a difference on longer rides. (and if you think about it, there is a reason why you don't see pros riding flat bars. If you make a mistake, understand that switching from flat bars to drop bars is a fairly expensive proposition.

Don't worry about things that are easily changed out, like pedals, wheels and tires.

yashinon

[QUOTE=

Do consider drop bars. At the very least, test ride some drop bar bikes. The multiple hand positions really make a difference on longer rides. (and if you think about it, there is a reason why you don't see pros riding flat bars. If you make a mistake, understand that switching from flat bars to drop bars is a fairly expensive proposition.[/QUOTE]

MRT2- adding to acquisition syndrome! 8-))

2702

I can't stand drop bars for more than 1 hr myself. I ride motorcycles for hours on the weekend and its one position, I don't get numb hands
Ok, OP just ask yourself where you intend to ride most of the time, in the park just getting some sun? Or the sidewalk away from the crazies who want to run while texting? There is nothing wrong with riding on empty sidewalks.

mcmoose

I'm going to echo what ColdCase said.

If you're getting back to cycling after 15 years, you want a bike that's fun to ride. Like CC, I believe a bike needs to shift, brake, and handle well in order to be fun to ride. If you test ride a line of bikes (like the FX's), you likely find a point in the line (probably around 7.3 or 7.4) where you ride it and think, "This is great!" When you go higher in the line, you'll start to think, "I'm not sure this is worth the extra money -- I can't feel much difference."

As I told others, I think a hybrid is a great "gateway" bike. I don't know how long you think your "foreseeable future" is... for me, it was less than six months (then I bought a road bike). But I still have my hybrid; it's my beloved quarter horse that complements by road bike thoroughbred. So I really did (and do) want a *nice* quarter horse. And, price-wise, it's generally more effective to buy the quality of quarter horse you'll want long term rather than planning to upgrade the components later.

Good hunting!

one4smoke

one4smoke

Good philosophy!

Wanderer

Right now, the Specialized Comp Disc or Comp Carbon Disc, trips all my switches, even if a bit pricey! Butttt, you even get Carbon Fibre fork on the Elite Disc, for under a grand. Specialized just fits me better, even though I think Giant makes gorgeous bikes!

ganchan

I would say buy the most fun-to-ride bike you can afford. "fun to ride" will mean different things to different people -- but generally, buy a bike that will make you want to ride it on your normal routes or anticipated terrain.

I wanted something that felt comfortable, was optimized for paved roads as an all-round city bike, and had a simple "classic" style to it. So I bent my budget a little and got a Jamis Coda Sport. As the components eventually wear out, I may upgrade here and there. Or not.