wad06

Okay, the title says it all. As a little background, I've been a runner all of my life. Well, after several knee injuries (including two acl replacements from my college days), I just can't run anymore without too much advil and lots of swelling. After my latest knee injury, the doctor said it's biking, swimming, or pained running. Well, swimming is out, and the pain has become a little too much. So, biking it is. I embarked on a tour of the LBS around here.

A little about me: I'm 30 years old; I'm about 5'7", 140 lbs, with 29" inseam; I consider myself fairly athletic and am in good to very good cardio-vascular condition;

I basically walk in to LBS, explain my dilemna and then ask for advice. Right after I leave, I pick up what I now call my "Bike Notebook" and write down what I was told. Well, I've now got notes from four LBS and two experienced biker friends (both of which ride competitively for a sponsor). As it turns out, everybody says something different. The only consistent advice is that I should definitely get fitted for a bike and ride a couple before buying.

Here is my biggest question. Everyone asks me what my budget it. Well, I don't really have a budget. I want to spend what it takes to get a "good" bike. By good, I mean that I am willing to spend enough money to get a bike that doesn't lack anything I will actually notice or miss. Another way to put it is that I want to find the sweet spot where extras begin to cost a lot more (such as spending an extra $200 for upgraded brakes who's only difference is that they weigh two less ounces). That must sound ridiculous, because when I say this at the LBS, I get hugely differing answers, ranging from $1200 up to $3000. Any advice from you guys here?

I'm not buying a bike to ride competitively. I'm buying one because I can't stand being out of shape and need to exercise. I plan on using a trainer a lot of the time (it's easier to do that in the morning then to go out for a ride). I'm not sure what else to say. I will say that I have received the following recomendations from the people I've talked to: Orbea Onix, Bianchi 1885 Veloce, Trek Pilot 2.1, Giant OCR1. None of them are price prohibitive, but the range is huge.

Sorry this is so long, but I'm very confused and looking to clear this all up soon.

Thanks in advance for your input.

Wad

Mudu93

Trainers are great for the winter, but once you experiance good outside riding, time on the trainer will not do. Other than that the best advise I can give is to set a budget and look at the best offerings within that budget and test ride everything. Your search will then sort it self out based on the things you like and become important to you. My.02.

foresthill

$1200 is plenty to get you a decent bike to start with. The reason you're having such difficulty getting a consistent answer is that after 6 months or a year, you *will* notice the diff between a $1200 and $3000 bike. That's not to say your $1200 bike will be a piece of crap by any means. Also, folks who work in an LBS have been riding long enough that they will definitely notice, so from their perspective, $3k is where you want to start.

I'd say pick one of these paths:

1) buy the $1200 - $1500 bike and don't worry about the fact that there's always something better available for more money. It's a fact of life in cycling. A year or so from now, if you're a techy geek like me, you may not be able to stand the temptation and end up buying a more expensive bike. Lots of folks do this. Personally, I don't see anything wrong with spending lots of money on a healthy activity if you can afford it.

2) buy the $3k bike. You'll be a bit of a newbie relative to your bike and might get some looks from experienced riders who can't afford so nice of a bike; but if you're athletic, you'll grow into it quickly enough and it won't matter. Oh yeah, and even tho you spent $3k on this bike, there'll be ample opportunity to shell out more money for better wheels, upgraded shifters, a nicer handlebar, etc.

It can be a pricey sport if you can afford the dough and succumb to temptation easily. But hey, it's better than spending thousands on a huge TV or something.

kudude

Giant's are known for their good value/cost ratio. That aside, $3k is above what you should be spending, and I think that most of the forum can agree with that.

Take a look at the specialized tarmac and roubaix as well, if you can. Look for 105 component level (ultegra is good, but I don't think you'll notice the difference), or if the bike is SRAM, Rival components will be great.

Most frames on bikes over $1000 will be good, and you just have to decide if you want a carbon frame. If not, take a look at the Cannondale Six13 or CAAD bikes (although I think the new CAADs may be equipped with lower level components).


I think you will be happiest if you buy a bike in the $1500-$2000 price range from an LBS that has good service and gives you a decent fit. Don't forget to buy shoes and pedals -- you'll want them.

Did you ride any of the bikes at the shops? Did you like anything about them or dislike anything about them? Give us a little more info. Thanks

ultraman6970

hmm.. im going to confuse you even more hehehe... get something nobody else have. So when they see you riding that 5K bikes they wish you the worse thing ever

Forget Shimano and go with Campagnolo (since u have money)
Forget the usual brands and go with something like a ridley, scott, pinarello, colnago, BMC or something that level in carbon.

I would love to say "money is not a problem" whn chosing my stuff... lucky YOU!

ElJamoquio

Started out the same way you did... repeated knee problems knocked me out of running.

$1200-$1500 is a good starting point for just the bike. The Cannondale CAAD9's in 105 would be at the top of my list; they might be a hair on the aggressive side for fitness rides... but if you ever want to race, you're ready to go.

You're going to need more money for apparel, etc...

ElJamoquio

P.S.: I don't understand the aversion of people to putting 'location' information on your profile - but if you tell us where you live, someone will be able to recommend a LBS.

neurocycler

Sigh...

rapidskies

Hello and goodluck on your bike hunt! I was in a similar situation as you with some lagging sports injuries that relegated me to only biking or swimming for exercise. I started off just using my old mountain bike and started commuting into work and doing weekend rides. At this point I was doing 22mile daily commute w/ 50+ miles on the weekend so I decided to I wanted a road bike so to go further and faster. I tried a few road bikes but ended up with the Trek pilot 2.1 which has a more relaxed geometry than the typical road bike. I threw a brooks saddle on it and like it quite a bit.

Only issue with it was the bontrager select rims have a known issue with cracking around the spokes. My rims developed these cracks at about 3k miles. Treks have great warranties, so my LBS warrantied them for me (the wheels have a 5 year warranty). I plan on keeping an eye on the rims and warranty them again if needed. After 5 years I'm going to throw a different set of rims on if I run into it again. Otherwise this is a great ride for commuting, tours, etc. If you want a more "nimble" racing type bike you might want to try something else but this bike is comfortable and you can go forever on it. Gluck again!

Porter20

My situation was completely similar to yours. I wanted to get into cycling because I couldn't run anymore, had no idea how much to spend & how much I would use it. Ideally, I was looking at a $1500 bike to do my rides, etc. But after talking to friends, I decided to go with the $3000 option. Although I didn't plan on group rides; once you do a few you realize how much fun they are. Cycling has the opportunity to be a much more social sport than running. Also depends on your community and how much cycling goes on there. In my area, we have 3 bike shops that do 2 rides a week & 2 club groups that does 3 additional group rides. Most times the group sizes are 40 to 200 riders.

In my specific case, I am happy I spend the money on the front end, because it saved me spending the money now.

rufvelo

Any $1K bike with Tiagra or equivalent is all you need. If you are a gadget guy or get real serious about biking, you will end up upgrading to a $3K bike in a few years regardless. You will also have a better idea of what you want, need, can afford at that point.

Treker

Just remember to include all the extras in your budget like bike jersey(s), shorts, rain gear, cool gear, gloves, helmet, glasses, shoes, pedals, bike computer, basic tools, spare tires/tubes, trainer, etc. All that could easily top $1,000 if you select premium items from each category. So in effect, the take home price of a $2,000 bike is really 3k + and so on.

With respect to what bike to buy, the axiom for any tool, which is essentially what a bike is, is to purchase the best one you can afford.

HTH

patentcad

Oh you'll get lots of help here.

BarracksSi

The funny thing is, at the race I saw yesterday (first time I've seen one, too), I also saw a little bit of everything on all the bikes there. Many teams' and riders' budgets were high enough that they were riding carbon and top-of-the-line components, but throughout the field, I saw Shimano, Campy, and SRAM, and an even more diverse array of wheels, frames, handlebar shapes, etc.

So, what I took away from checking out the gear is: It all works. There isn't much to get worried about.

My opinion about "I am willing to spend enough money to get a bike that doesn't lack anything I will actually notice or miss." --

The only way that that's going to happen is if you choose all the parts yourself. Everything from the shifters to the tires, and everything in between.

A) Now, you can start with a $3K bike, and eventually swap parts out here & there to tweak it the way you want. But you'll be saying goodbye to the parts that made the bike cost $3K in the first place, too.

B) Or you can start with a $1200-1500 bike, or even one in the sub-$1K range. Ride it 'till stuff starts breaking, then replace those parts with good stuff that you've researched and know how it'll benefit your riding. And/or keep riding until you find yourself wishing that this part could do this a little differently, or you'd like to change the gearing, etc., and use that as an excuse to upgrade a part.

C) Or OR, you can get an entry-mid level bike, ride the bejeezus out of it, decide what you want in a "nice bike", then buy a second bike—maybe a custom shop build—that's exactly what you want.

Option A: You start with a kickass bike, and finish with an even more kickass bike.
Option B: You start with a decent bike, and finish with an even more kickass bike that may be indistinguishable from the end result of Option A.
Option C: You start with a decent bike, and finish with an even more kickass bike AND a second bike to use as a backup, for rainy days, for friends, for commuting, etc.

wad06

Wow, that's a lot a of responses in a very short time - what a great community. Thank you all for taking the time to let me know what you think.

I guess I should be a little more specific about some things. First, I have not ridden any bikes. I guess I have seemed fairly non-committal thus far in the shops because I am in an information gathering stage. Once the salesmen/women sense this, they all say the same thing, "Well, come back when you're ready to buy and we'll fit you and put you on a bike."

Second, money is not unlimited. It's just that I've always kind of lived by the motto that if you're going to buy something, especially something over $1,000, you should buy quality conscious, rather than being price driven. The way I see it is: I have to exercise; because of college soccer injuries, I can no longer run; biking seems way more fun and convenient than swimming; so, I have to buy a bike. I just want to make sure I buy a bike that is a quality bike so that the ride is comfortable/fun enough for me not to hang up the bike in the garage and start swimming.

So, I guess the question should be, given that I will not race competitively, and don't care if the bike I buy takes me an extra minute to go 30 miles, how much should I be looking to spend? Does the difference between the shimano 105's and ultegra's come down to weight, quality, or smoothness (if that's a word). If it's weight alone, I don't care. If it is ride and comfort, than I do. I hope that makes sense.

And to address a couple of very insightful people, I understand the upgrade bug. I've been playing golf all of my life, and no matter how great/new/expensive my clubs are, I'm always wanting to upgrade (even if it isn't an upgrade I'll notice - sometimes just switching maker). I'm sure I'll do that with this bike.

Again, thanks a lot for the input. I really do appreciate it very much.

Wad

Brian Ratliff

$2-3 grand to get a bike that you won't miss anything on if you have the money. Less and you will get lesser spec'ed components that you will eventually want to replace. Shimano's Ultegra line of components is the best for the money that I've ridden. Dura Ace is functionally the same as Ultegra but lighter weight. I race on Ultegra and it performs well.

Stay away from Campy if you are in the US. It's just more expensive than Shimano and it's hard to find components. Shimano is ubiquitous. The functional performance between the two is equivilent, i.e. there is nothing that one group does better than the other. They are a different look and feel for sure, but stick with Shimano in the US and you will have an easier time servicing the bike.

About LBS's... Ask one of your cycling friends where their favorite shop is. Then, since you are a blank slate (and know it) about cycling stuff, just stick with that one shop and choose something from within their inventory. Look for older model stuff that they are trying to get ride of for a discount. Ask the one shop about their recommendations and just stick with that. There are a myriad of opinions when it comes to bicycles. When there are lots of opinions, it means that people are splitting ever finer and finer hairs about things. When means that, in the greater scheme of the world, the differences in opinions are almost irrelevent.

Buy something that you can race. You are a competitive person, it sounds like, and even if you are not intending to race in the future and are only looking to fitness, get a racing road bike. That way you'll be able to train like a racer and achieve the fitness of a racer, and the door will be open to race in the future on your current equipment. My machine is a Trek Madone 5.2. It is a modest bike, but it is solid and you won't go wrong with it. But stick with the stock from the shop that you decide to work with. In other words, choose the shop that you will buy from, not the bike you will buy. That'll cut your options down to a manageable size and you will quickly find that almost any bike of equivilent quality from any manufacturer will satisfy your needs. It's your first bike. No need to split hairs here. Leave that for your second or third bike .

Trainers: you will want one if you are serious about around the year training/fitness, and the one you should get is the "Kinetic Road Machine by Kurt". You can find it on-line (and if you look, you will find places which will ship it for free) or at REI stores, and it is worth every penny of the ~$300 you will spend. It is stable and is built for long hours on the trainer pushing out the watts, and it is built to last you forever. In this case, I've found that the quality of equivilently priced trainers varies over a wide range. So, for this, ignore what your shop sells, and buy the Kinetic trainer. I've tried the Blackburn fluid, the Blackburn Ultratrak/1up trainer (same manufacturer), and I've tested the Cycleops offering. The Kinetic is the best of the bunch and what I am currently using and what I've used all this last winter and spring.

datlas 

Yeah, who needs advice from the LBS when we have BF!

I second the vote to spend about a thou' for your first bike. It may be all you ever need. If you really dig it you can get another one in 1-2 years and use the first one as a commuter or beater.

I also advise avoiding the trainer and riding outside whenever possible....I do use one occasionally but think they should be banned as a torture device. Seriously, the joy from riding on the road is much greater than that from using a trainer.

Last point: Make sure the bike is a good fit. You will do better with a $1K bike that fits you perfectly than a $5K bike that doesn't....dont fall for the line "well this one isn't quite your size but is on sale."

shabbasuraj

That is your problem right there..

I have no idea what you consider lacking...


This is a sport where this feeling you describe as 'lacking' is perpetuated in every aspect/phase of the purchasing process..


From cranks and stiffness to weight differences of various parts...


We own your wallet.

Treker

Just remember to include all the extras in your budget like bike jersey(s), shorts, rain gear, cool gear, gloves, helmet, glasses, shoes, pedals, bike computer, basic tools, spare tires/tubes, trainer, etc. All that could easily top $1,000 if you select premium items from each category. So in effect, the take home price of a $2,000 bike is really 3k + and so on.

With respect to what bike to buy, the axiom for any tool, which is essentially what a bike is, is to purchase the best one you can afford. I max'ed out my budget of $800 in '04 on a Trek 1000. A beautiful machine that I've put 13,000 great kilometres into. I liked cycling so much I moved up to an '05 Devinci.

All road bikes are incredible machines. Some are just more incredible than others.

HTH

NoGaBiker

Oh, you're a goner! Seriously, if you upgrade golph clubs for no other reason than you read in a magazine that this new brand is more whatever than the ones you have, even though you've never noticed a lack in that area with your current clubs, well... then you'll be just like most of us. And that means lots of upgrades. I just replaced 2006 Dura-Ace with 2008 Record. Why? Well, it wasn't the 2.5 ounces less the bike now weighs. It was because I've always ridden Campy (25 years now!) and bought the Shimano-equipped bike because the price was incredible and it was a great frame, but I always wanted it with Campy instead. I thought I could get over it and be happy on DA. And I could have if it had mattered to our budget. But as it is, I finally just decided enough is enough.

So if you are that way, you're in a fix because no matter what you buy, it probably won't satisfy you in a year. Even if you spend a bundle now, you'll learn that whatever it was you bought isn't exactly what you want now that you know what you're talking about!

Good luck. If I were in your position I'd spend $3500 minimum. You are going to be doing this for a long time, given your obvious training discipline and your correct assessment that we humans evolved from the water long ago. A $3500 bike will keep you happy for a pretty good while. And it will force you to ride a lot since you have so much money in it!

MichaelW

Modern mid-range componentry is excellent. The high end stuff is lighter and has better bearings but not so you would notice. Shimano 105 is more than good enough for hard riding in all conditions. I have been using my Campagnolo Mirage bits on and off road, touring, commuting all last winter and they hold up well considering they hover at the bottom of the Campy lineup.

Think about the style of the bike: you say it is not for racing, will you commute? Do you need some all weather capability (think fender threaded eyelets). Are you riding rougher roads or in the dark (think wider tyres, perhaps 28mm).
Some bikes have a performance/race fit, others are more suited to a long distance rides with a higher more comfortable position. Trek make their Madone bikes in both variants, this is not a quality issue but one of fit.
If your knees are problematic, do you need lower gear ratios. These allow you top pedal with less force yet maintain pedalling cadence. Pushing big gears up steep hills will do your knees no favours. There are 2 ways to get lower gears: a compact double chainset or a triple ring chainset. The former is lighter and slicker in use, the latter has a wider range of gears.

I wouldnt get too hung up with brand, the bike shop is just as important in preparing your bike to be reliable and well fitting.

biker128pedal

Quick get up and go back to the LBS. Ride 3 bikes for at least 20 minutes each. Go to next LBS and repeat. Do this for a month. Don't buy anything but bike shorts and an inexpensive helmet.

caloso

I think you could get a very nice 105 or Centaur equipped bike at your price range. Keep test riding until you find the one that fits.

johnybutts

Go with a $1000 option... If you haven't ridden much at all, you'll likely fall over and I'd prefer you replacing tiagra component than dura-ace

BarracksSi

All in the big ring, and sprinting the whole damn time.