Trentkln27

Don't judge me but I'm under 20 and bought my first road bike a year ago. It was a cheap department store bike but I'm in the market for something nicer and less prone to breaking. I'll be using it for all weather riding and commuting when I move to Virginia so I need good brakes for coming down the mountain and good gears for going up the mountain. I'm looking at a 2016 Fuji sportif 1.3 disc. Any other suggestions or advice for a long distance bike with good hill climbing and brakes?

spectastic

that bike should be just fine.

disc brakes for the rain and descents

compact chainrings and a big cassette for climbs.

nothing you need to worry about.

Campag4life

A pretty nice bike OP with two caveats.
Just to let you know, that disk brake bikes are more 'fiddly' than caliper brake bikes to keep lever travel in a decent zone without pad rub or 'squeal'. Just FWIW if you haven't owned a disk brake bike before. These can be worked around but BB7 brakes takes some know how to set up well. I have owned them and I like them off road but not on...only because I find them more necessary off road.

Second point is that bike has BB86 bottom bracket. Its press fit. Silly that Fuji didn't go with than English threaded BB because they spec excellent Shimano crank for that bike...but what they did because they tie that wider BB shell into wider chainstays. A press fit BB, like disk brakes are more of a PITA compared to English threaded. You spoke of reliability and if you can't spin a wrench, these factors matter.

That bike has a nice friendly geometry which the average rider will appreciate...hence is Sportif namesake.

Good luck...nice bike...but will require a bit more maintenance than a caliper brake bike with English threaded BB.

Trentkln27

I have a MTB with mechanical disc brakes and they're easy to adjust. As far as the bottom bracket a lbs should be able to swap that out for a threaded one right??

thin_concrete

That bike will be fine. Just remember that ongoing maintenance will be a factor in the longevity of the bike's useful life.

Campag4life

on a relative scale both Avid BB5 and BB7 mechanical disk brakes are MUCH more fiddly to adjust than caliper brakes.

And NO, BB86 cannot be swapped out for a threaded BB.

Trentkln27

That kinda sucks they can't swap the bb

Homebrew01

BB86 and similar frames have no threads, so you can't swap out part of the frame for a different frame part.

Press fit frames can have a press fit adapter to allow a threaded BB axle to be used, but that doesn't change the fact that the frame itself has a press-fit BB shell.


In all my riding & racing (in rain), I never felt that regular caliper brakes weren't good enough.
I have no interest in disc brakes, but understand there's a small subset of situations where they might be better than caliper brakes, especially in dirty conditions.

Trentkln27

[QUOTE=Homebrew01;18696881]

Press fit frames can have a press fit adapter to allow a threaded BB axle to be used
How well do the adapters work?

Inpd

[QUOTE=Trentkln27;18696885]They can and several companies sell them but they run from$50 to well over $100

However, all Press Fit BB tend to get lumped together as requiring maintenance. The Saving grace of the BB86 is there exists a plastic ultegra BB86 which is easy to install and produces no squeaks according to many many people.

Try the bike with the existing BB it may be fine, if not then get the $20 ultegra BB.

Trentkln27

Alright that sounds like a good plan

Trentkln27

Just another question but as parts wear out and need replacing would you encourage paying more to replace them with ultegra and dura ace or would you recommend staying with shimano's 105? I guess what I'm trying to say is the frame worth upgrading over time and hanging on to?

slimyfrog

For what it's worth, I have a fuji gran fondo with a BB86. It never creaked or squeaked, but after a lot of winter rides it started to sound like a pepper grinder from road grit getting in there. It was only $20 to have the mechanic take it apart, clean and re-grease.
So while I agree that threaded BB would have been less hassle and I would also personally prefer one, the press fit inconveniences have been really minor so far for me.

GreenAnvil

+1 on the Ultegra BB86. Very simple to install/replace. So far no maintenance issues.

Bah Humbug

Pretty much any bike with a given set of components should be equally reliable. There's much less difference from one bike to the next than with, say, cars.

Trentkln27

I'm not talking about the bb at this point. But when say the shifters wear out should I stay with the 105 or pay extra to have ultegra and dura ace

lungdoc

I'll go against the grain of this forum... and say that if commuting is a main use of the bike I would consider a bike that can handle both fenders and a pannier rack so you can carry the load on the bike instead of on your back in a backpack. Also allows you to carry extra clothing and a lock. Most 'road bikes' these days are fairly impractical for these things. Some of the flat handlebar road bikes or hybrids are better for this purpose and depending on traffic conditions are also better for an upright position allowing you to see what is going on around you. I have a Trek Fx rigged for commuting and it's a much better tool for that job than my road bike. Lights, bell/horn and mirrors also useful on a commuter bike.

In terms of groupsets I wouldn't buy Ultegra or Dura Ace unless my finances were very solid or I was racing. The mid-level offerings are really very good and the higher stuff is a luxury not a necessity.

rms13

How much do you plan on riding? I know people that ride 5000+ miles per year and the only parts they need to replace are tires maybe chain, cassette and cables. You'll probably want to upgrade to a new bike long before you have to worry about replacing shifters, cranks, brakes or deraileurs. And 105 is going to be as durable as Ultegra or even Tiagra/Sora for that matter. Usually the parts that wear faster are on the higher end groups like Dura Ace

Trentkln27

I do ride quite a bit but not 5000 a year. So if the 105 does last that long great but the plan is to not have to buy another bike unless I absolutely must

OnyxTiger

I've got a Sportif. Excellent commuter. The wider tire clearance is fantastic. Mine came equipped with Tiagra (2014 1.3) but that set hasn't been much of an issue. Would certainly think that 105 could handle the job. So far have about 1,200 miles commuting on her. Pic from today:

ShadowGray

I've had my tiagra for 8 years with on/off riding and nothing has worn out yet.

EDIT: Can't read.

Trentkln27

The Fuji I originally posted has 105 on it already

yashinon

Some Domane's have fender and rack mounts. However, I would consider a Crossrip type of bike.

mercator

I've got 105 from 1999 on a bike that is still working fine.

goenrdoug

The 105 version of that bike will serve you very well. Shifters will take a lot of time and abuse before they break/wear out -- regardless of level. You could have Sora on there and use it for 15,000 miles without having to worry about it wearing out. 105 will be a good compromise of weight/price/performance/looks.

If you want to treat yourself and gain a tiny bit in the weight/prestige area, splurge on the Ultegra, but it won't be appreciably more reliable/long-lasting.