IngenuousCA

Hello,
Brand new to the forum, and wanted to pose a general question that I'm sure you get all the time. I'd like advice on a bike decision I'm considering....

I am participating u. The AIDS/Lifecycle this June, it's a 7 day, 545 mile bike ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles.

I currently ride a Schwinn Paramount Waterford, oohhh I can't recall the year, 84 I believe. Love this bike for around town, but I'm having reservations about it for 7 days and 545 miles.

I'm considering a Fuji SL-1-Comp.

Is this a wise choice? The Fuji seems like a quality bike for a reasonable amount, I can't really spend 3,000 on a bike.

I really appreciate any feedback you can provide.

Commodus

I think I would ride the Paramount. Actually, seven days on a Waterford Paramount sounds exactly like my idea of a great time.

If you want to buy another bike, I'm sure the Fuji will work just fine, as will any decent road bike in a good state of repair.

merlinextraligh

Your Paramount would be an excellent bike for a ride like that. Long rides, particularly where you're not concerned about having the absolute lightest bike (i.e. not racing) are the place where classic steel still shines.

If various componets or wheels are needing repaired/ replaced, I'd get those fixed/ replaced, and ride the Paramount.

Besides, the bike will be a nice conversation piece.

IngenuousCA

Really? You think it would be more comfortable than a newer Fuji sl1? The paramount is an older bike, steel, so it's heavier than most, though I'm not sure of how steel rides compared to carbon...

Grasschopper

I prefer carbon...but yea really. If your Paramount fits well and is in good shape I would say ride it. If you want to spend some cash on cycling you could think about having the frame cold set to 130mm and update the components to something more modern, I'm not the guy that is going to sit here and tell you down tube shifters are fine. Integrated shifting is so much better.

Then again if you want a new bike go for it. The SL-1 looks like nice bike...make sure you get a fitting and ride it a bit before heading off on a 500+ mile tour.

merlinextraligh

I had a 1989 Paramount OS for years.

I also have a modern, high end carbon fiber frame. From purely a comfort point of view I would take the Paramount over my Giant TCR Team Advanced, and definitely over most any entry level to middle range CF frame.

You can certainly get CF frames that are nice and comfortable, but it's going to be hard to get a better all day ride than a good steel frame. One of the main things that still draw a number of people to steel frames is the lively, resiliant feel, which makes for a comfortable ride.

And as for the weight, 2-3lbs or so, is not going to make a difference. I raced my Paramount, and won races with it, even after the advent of carbon frames.

jwible

Ride what you're used to. 3 months may not be enough to get really dialed in on a new frame especially if the fit is radically different from what you're on now.

ddimick

Take your existing bike on a couple nice, long rides first. We'll average 80 miles/day during ALC, so if you can get up to 60-80 and are still comfortable I wouldn't change anything.

I've been seeing a lot of different types of bicycles for this ride during the local training rides. Commuters, road, mountain, you name it there will be someone riding it.

dalava

I would update the components on the Paramount and ride that.

pgjackson

Sounds like you might be looking for a good reason to get a new bike. In that case, YES, the Fuji is a great bike. No, you probably don't NEED it to do the ride, but if you are trying to justify getting a new bike then this sounds like a perfect reason. And if you do decide to get a new bike, get it well in advance of the ride and put some serious miles on it. It might take a couple of weeks to get it dialed in. What kind of condition is your Schwinn in?

IngenuousCA

My Schwinn is actually in great shape, I picked it up off craigslist last year, and it's in near mint condition. It's an 85 Schwinn Paramount waterford. The reason I have been debating picking up a "newer" bike is comfort and ease driven, first I want this ride to be as "easy" as possible(I understand the ride will not be easy, lol), and worry that a heavier bike will require more energy on long stretches of flat, and then on any hills(there will be many).

Grasschopper

The only place you might notice the heavier bike is on steep climbs...and loading it into/onto cars. Seriously will have zero impact on flats.

But the more posts you make the more it sounds as though you want a new bike....get the Fuji but get it early so that you can log miles on it and get the fit dialed in well before the ride.

stevel610 

Paramount.

ColinL

Good point.

I would also second and third the advice of getting in some long rides asap. 60-80 miles is doable by many here, but consecutively for a week is not something that you do without intentional build-up.

pgjackson

OP, what's your longest ride so far? What clothing do you wear?

g0tr00t

When I first bought my bike, within the first 300 miles, I needed quite a few adjustments. So...if you get the Fuji, put some miles on it to get the adjustments squeaked out.

Juan Foote

Question is, how long do you have to prepare for this ride?

Since it has been a while between new bike purchases, you may have forgotten about the shake down period, as well as the comfort issues that come with tuning a new bike to your fit. If you are under a month, ride the Paramount.

mmmdonuts

Who are you riding with? Depending on who your riding partners are the Schwinn could add many style points.

Who is the support crew? Some support people out there have never seen single-pivot brakes or friction down-tube shifters.

vinfix

What are your reservations about the Paramount for longer distance? If there's something that doesn't work quite right, absolutely, get it fixed. Better, learn to work on the bike yourself if you haven't already. Older bikes are easier to work on, I think. Get the fit just right- saddle position, stem height & length, bars. Slightly bigger tires (like 700x25) will give more cushion. Sturdy wheels will help, too. The one thing I can think of that you might upgrade or need a new bike for is lower gearing for big hills.

ZippyThePinhead

I have an older bike (1983 SR Semi Pro) and a newer bike (2010 Motobecane Le Champion Titanium). My SR has 27" wheels. Tubes are not a problem, but tires could be. A couple of friends rode unsupported from Vancouver, BC to the Mexican border last year (staying in hotels) and though both are seasoned riders who have done many long rides, they had many broken spokes, flats, and so forth. I can't recall for sure, but I think they replaced at least one tire due to a cut. So if you had those kind of problems with your Paramount, are you confident you can find tires and/or spokes along the route? If not, then maybe you have someone driving a SAG vehicle who can carry some for you? My friends were riding newer bikes (700c wheels), so tires were no problem, but one of them needs hard-to-find spokes (Easton wheels), so he carried a bunch of spokes with him on the ride.

Too, the gearing on my SR is slightly less favorable to me than the gearing on my Moto. My lowest gear on my SR is about 40 gear-inches, IIRC, whereas my lowest gear on my Moto is around 30 gear-inches. Does it make a difference? Not on short local rides, but if I was riding more than 50 miles I would definitely prefer the Moto. Especially if I was riding consecutive days for considerable distance. Your ride will average around 80 miles per day.

Dunno if that helps, but that's my $0.02

X-LinkedRider

Umm.. Is this tour supported or do you have to carry your own junk? The SL1 has no room for racks or anything, but is a fantastic bike and it's a great reason to buy a new bike.

ddimick

It's a fully supported ride: https://aidslifecycle.org/

DGlenday

I did an almost identical ride last year (530 miles / 7 days). Did it on a $1,300 Cannondale, also as a very new cyclist, and had NO problems. I appreciated the lightness (compared with older steel bikes), and greatly appreciated the smooth, precise reliability of a modern groupset.

Many will tell you (some already have) that the weight is only important when going up hills. I beg to differ. Propelling extra weight along a flat road won't take an excessive amount of extra effort, but it will require some extra effort ... and of course, there are the hills... Personally, I'd rather drag 17 lbs across 550 miles that the 25+ pounds your current bike probably weighs.



That said - the most important thing is your conditioning. Based on my recent experience, I would urge you to make sure you have at least 1,000 miles under your belt before starting the ride. I'd also suggest that if you push yourself reasonably hard, across those 1,000 miles, you'll find it pretty easy to enjoy the ride.

You should include at least one century in your buildup. Centuries will help you build up the neck muscles, harden your butt, provide an opportunity to perfect your hydration and food intake, and give you an indication of how you'll fare in longer distances.

X-LinkedRider

Very sound advice.