Buying a new road bike
10-16-20, 09:46 AM
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Buying a new road bike
I'm in the process of looking for a new road bike. I haven't owned a road bike in over 10 years. I used to do most of my training on the road, but in the past years I have been mostly riding my MTBs and for the last couple of years I have been doing some mixed terrain riding on my CX bike. I want something fun and fast for the road, mostly for 2 to 3 hour rides with the occasional longer ride thrown in. I don't want an endurance geometry since I would like something more responsive and fast. I have a pretty good level of fitness (I'm in my early 50s), not a power rider, but a pretty decent climber.
I'm considering the following bikes: Specialized Tarmac (Ultegra), Scott Addict RC (Dura Ace), and Bianchi Oltre X3. The Scott and Bianchi are priced similarly, while the Tarmac is a few hundred dollars less. Wheelsets are pretty similar, and most likely will ended up being upgraded soon...
Any advice? I would like to hear from people who ride or have ridden any of these bikes.
Thanks in advance.
I'm considering the following bikes: Specialized Tarmac (Ultegra), Scott Addict RC (Dura Ace), and Bianchi Oltre X3. The Scott and Bianchi are priced similarly, while the Tarmac is a few hundred dollars less. Wheelsets are pretty similar, and most likely will ended up being upgraded soon...
Any advice? I would like to hear from people who ride or have ridden any of these bikes.
Thanks in advance.
10-16-20, 11:10 AM
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Parlee and Zerouno are nice rides as well. More of a boutique brand but killer rides for climbing IMO.
10-17-20, 06:33 PM
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It's hard to find a bad bike these days. Budget is you main concern. The lightest frames with the best parts are now in the 10-12,000 range, which is totally unnecessary for most riders. The lower priced bikes will nearly all have Shimano105 components, then Ulterga, Ultegra Di2, DuraAce and DuraAce Di2. SRAM Force and RED wireless etap AXS will only be on the upper 2-3 levels.
Don't rule out endurance bikes. They may not handle that much differently. The reach may be 10mm shorter and the stack 20mm taller. Those are the two dimensions that determine how the bike will fit. I see a lot of people with a racing model that has a big stack of spacers and a high rise stem. They should have bought an endurance bike.
Don't rule out endurance bikes. They may not handle that much differently. The reach may be 10mm shorter and the stack 20mm taller. Those are the two dimensions that determine how the bike will fit. I see a lot of people with a racing model that has a big stack of spacers and a high rise stem. They should have bought an endurance bike.
10-17-20, 06:40 PM
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It's hard to find a bad bike these days. Budget is you main concern. The lightest frames with the best parts are now in the 10-12,000 range, which is totally unnecessary for most riders. The lower priced bikes will nearly all have Shimano105 components, then Ulterga, Ultegra Di2, DuraAce and DuraAce Di2. SRAM Force and RED wireless etap AXS will only be on the upper 2-3 levels.
Don't rule out endurance bikes. They may not handle that much differently. The reach may be 10mm shorter and the stack 20mm taller. Those are the two dimensions that determine how the bike will fit. I see a lot of people with a racing model that has a big stack of spacers and a high rise stem. They should have bought an endurance bike.
Don't rule out endurance bikes. They may not handle that much differently. The reach may be 10mm shorter and the stack 20mm taller. Those are the two dimensions that determine how the bike will fit. I see a lot of people with a racing model that has a big stack of spacers and a high rise stem. They should have bought an endurance bike.
10-17-20, 06:44 PM
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Buy the bike that "fits" you best.
When I got into road cycling, I test road a Specialized, Trek and Cervelo. The Trek fit best and when I decided to upgrade, I test road a few and again the Trek was the best fit.
When looking for a "foul" weather bike i bought a used Scott and was not comfortable on it. I sold it and wound up with a Cannondale since it fit and has what I was looking for, ie. disc brakes, and Sram 1x.
If you can afford it, get a pre-purchase fit so you know what you're looking for. You can fin tune the fit by replacing the stock seatpost and stem. Saddle is another thing you might want to eventually replace.
I love my Trek Emonda SLR. The SL models are a lot cheaper and offer different groupsets. Mine is a 1st generation and they just came out with the 3rd generation so you should check it out. The frame is a H1.5 so it's aggressive by not back breaking.
When I got into road cycling, I test road a Specialized, Trek and Cervelo. The Trek fit best and when I decided to upgrade, I test road a few and again the Trek was the best fit.
When looking for a "foul" weather bike i bought a used Scott and was not comfortable on it. I sold it and wound up with a Cannondale since it fit and has what I was looking for, ie. disc brakes, and Sram 1x.
If you can afford it, get a pre-purchase fit so you know what you're looking for. You can fin tune the fit by replacing the stock seatpost and stem. Saddle is another thing you might want to eventually replace.
I love my Trek Emonda SLR. The SL models are a lot cheaper and offer different groupsets. Mine is a 1st generation and they just came out with the 3rd generation so you should check it out. The frame is a H1.5 so it's aggressive by not back breaking.
Last edited by GlennR; 10-17-20 at 06:48 PM.
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10-19-20, 06:39 AM
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What makes them a better climbing: less weight, stiffness, electronic motors or just your view point?
10-22-20, 12:22 PM
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I don't believe that you will be able to notice the difference between road and endurance geometry once you are riding. I'd buy the bike that felt the most comfortable on a test ride.
10-22-20, 12:45 PM
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I'm considering the following bikes: Specialized Tarmac (Ultegra), Scott Addict RC (Dura Ace), and Bianchi Oltre X3. The Scott and Bianchi are priced similarly, while the Tarmac is a few hundred dollars less. Wheelsets are pretty similar, and most likely will ended up being upgraded soon...
Any advice? I would like to hear from people who ride or have ridden any of these bikes.
Any advice? I would like to hear from people who ride or have ridden any of these bikes.
Any advice?
I wound up putting shorter cranks on my Tarmac before taking it out of the shop. I'm now planning on putting narrower handlebars on it if I'd ever quit spending so much time here at BF <grin>.
Last edited by Iride01; 10-22-20 at 01:00 PM.
10-22-20, 01:09 PM
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Specialized Aethos Expert with Ultegra Di2 is $5200. Only $200 more than the similarly equipped Tarmac SL7 Expert with Ultegra Di2.
Just throwin' it out there... I haven't rode either but the two bikes have identical geometry. The Tarmac (920g frameset) is more aero, and the Aethos (699g) is lighter.
Just throwin' it out there... I haven't rode either but the two bikes have identical geometry. The Tarmac (920g frameset) is more aero, and the Aethos (699g) is lighter.
10-23-20, 03:21 PM
#10
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Specialized Aethos Expert with Ultegra Di2 is $5200. Only $200 more than the similarly equipped Tarmac SL7 Expert with Ultegra Di2.
Just throwin' it out there... I haven't rode either but the two bikes have identical geometry. The Tarmac (920g frameset) is more aero, and the Aethos (699g) is lighter.
Just throwin' it out there... I haven't rode either but the two bikes have identical geometry. The Tarmac (920g frameset) is more aero, and the Aethos (699g) is lighter.
10-23-20, 04:25 PM
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10-24-20, 07:43 AM
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I think the trend among manufacturers has been to create greater differentiation between "race" bikes and "endurance" bikes .... adding weight (including rudimentary suspension in some cases) to the endurance models while keeping the race bikes light and quick.
Doesn't have to be that way. I have a Workswell 093 "endurance-geometry" frame built up with 105 which is only a a few ounces heavier than my Workswell Cervelo-R clone with Ultegra. The 093 is definitely more comfortable but part of that is choice---higher stack but also more spacers. I could have built it with the same seat-bar drop as the other had I chosen.
The seat is a little further back (slightly slacker seat tube) and the head-tube angle is what, half a degree slacker?
Yes, the 093 is a little bit less twitchy, but nothing like "sluggish." The wheels on the 093 are actually 60 grams lighter, so despite being shod with 28s instead of 23s, the wheels weigh about the same---and spin up easily. The 093 feels a little more relaxed ---as I built it---but I could have built it with Ultegra, no spacers, and had a very similar bike to the 066 (Cervelo clone.)
Not saying you should buy or even consider an endurance bike. if you lik the razor-shar (sneeze and change lanes) handling of a race bike, and are comfortable in a long, low riding position .... stay with a race frame,. And you can of course add spacers and an upward-angled stem to the race bike to sit more upright.
I just want to point out hat "endurance" geometry does Not mean a bike which is heavy and sluggish.
I also own a Fuiji Sportif---Al-frame endurance bike---which I bought at a super price vial the internet. I was really disappointed when I got it---the thing felt like it was riding through wet cement. I swapped the stock wheels (2 kg) for some 1400-g CF rims and the bike completely transformed--the thing seems to leap forward when I pedal.
I like having the options--after a hard day on the racier 066, I can do a second day on the 093 while a second day on the 066 might be too painful for my lower back. Some days I feel racier, and ride the 066. In terms of time and speed and other metrics, performance is the same.
But ... whatever. If you want a racier frame, wonderful. Ride what you like in whatever fashion suits you.
Doesn't have to be that way. I have a Workswell 093 "endurance-geometry" frame built up with 105 which is only a a few ounces heavier than my Workswell Cervelo-R clone with Ultegra. The 093 is definitely more comfortable but part of that is choice---higher stack but also more spacers. I could have built it with the same seat-bar drop as the other had I chosen.
The seat is a little further back (slightly slacker seat tube) and the head-tube angle is what, half a degree slacker?
Yes, the 093 is a little bit less twitchy, but nothing like "sluggish." The wheels on the 093 are actually 60 grams lighter, so despite being shod with 28s instead of 23s, the wheels weigh about the same---and spin up easily. The 093 feels a little more relaxed ---as I built it---but I could have built it with Ultegra, no spacers, and had a very similar bike to the 066 (Cervelo clone.)
Not saying you should buy or even consider an endurance bike. if you lik the razor-shar (sneeze and change lanes) handling of a race bike, and are comfortable in a long, low riding position .... stay with a race frame,. And you can of course add spacers and an upward-angled stem to the race bike to sit more upright.
I just want to point out hat "endurance" geometry does Not mean a bike which is heavy and sluggish.
I also own a Fuiji Sportif---Al-frame endurance bike---which I bought at a super price vial the internet. I was really disappointed when I got it---the thing felt like it was riding through wet cement. I swapped the stock wheels (2 kg) for some 1400-g CF rims and the bike completely transformed--the thing seems to leap forward when I pedal.
I like having the options--after a hard day on the racier 066, I can do a second day on the 093 while a second day on the 066 might be too painful for my lower back. Some days I feel racier, and ride the 066. In terms of time and speed and other metrics, performance is the same.
But ... whatever. If you want a racier frame, wonderful. Ride what you like in whatever fashion suits you.
