Hello from Florida!
#1
Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2024
Location: Florida
Posts: 8
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Hello from Florida!
Hello everyone!
Trying to get back into road cycling after almost 20 years of not touching a road bike. I took a break and got into mountain biking.
Looking to pick up a gravel bike in the near future, for now I am using a VERY old, like early 90s old, Specialized Epic.
Trying to get back into road cycling after almost 20 years of not touching a road bike. I took a break and got into mountain biking.
Looking to pick up a gravel bike in the near future, for now I am using a VERY old, like early 90s old, Specialized Epic.
Likes For 10 Wheels:
#5
Happy With My Bikes
Join Date: Sep 2020
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 2,189
Bikes: Hi-Ten bike boomers, a Trek Domane and some projects
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 884 Post(s)
Liked 2,312 Times
in
1,119 Posts
Welcome to BF
__________________
"It is the unknown around the corner that turns my wheels." -- Heinz Stücke
"It is the unknown around the corner that turns my wheels." -- Heinz Stücke
#6
Commuter
Join Date: Jun 2022
Location: SE Wisconsin, USA
Posts: 563
Bikes: Main Bikes: 2023 Trek Domane AL3, 2022 Aventon Level.2 eBike, 1972 Schwinn Varsity, 2024 Priority Apollo 11
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 258 Post(s)
Liked 340 Times
in
206 Posts
Welcome, from SE Wisconsin!
Road bikes have come a long way in the last 20 years. The aluminum ones are hydroformed now, instead of made from tube stock and most of them have carbon forks for a bit easier ride on the wrists.
A bike you might look into is a Trek Domane. It is classified as an Endurance Road Bike. They have an Emonda (lightweight) and Madone (aero and lightweight) more for racing, but for comfort, Domane is the way. (at least in Trek's line-up)
Being an endurance road bike, it comes on 32 mm tires, which is wide by old standards, but which doesn't seem to slow it down. With 32 mm tires, it'll take fenders. If you know you don't want to run fenders, you can mount 35 mm tires with tiny knobs on the edges and try your hand at gravel riding on that same bike.
I just got my first gravel bike Friday, (Priority Apollo 11) and I'm amazed how much slower it is than my Domane. Part of it is the internal geared hub, so it's 5% less efficient than a well-maintained derailleur setup. Part is the 40 mm knobby tires. But it has a more comfortable ride even than the Domane. My advice is to realistically decide where you're going to ride more. If it's more road, then get an endurance road bike and if it's more gravel, get a gravel bike.
Disc brakes have also pretty much taken over in the past 20 years. They're a lot better in the wet and mud than rim brakes, and they don't limit tire sizes so much either.
Enjoy your stay!
Road bikes have come a long way in the last 20 years. The aluminum ones are hydroformed now, instead of made from tube stock and most of them have carbon forks for a bit easier ride on the wrists.
A bike you might look into is a Trek Domane. It is classified as an Endurance Road Bike. They have an Emonda (lightweight) and Madone (aero and lightweight) more for racing, but for comfort, Domane is the way. (at least in Trek's line-up)
Being an endurance road bike, it comes on 32 mm tires, which is wide by old standards, but which doesn't seem to slow it down. With 32 mm tires, it'll take fenders. If you know you don't want to run fenders, you can mount 35 mm tires with tiny knobs on the edges and try your hand at gravel riding on that same bike.
I just got my first gravel bike Friday, (Priority Apollo 11) and I'm amazed how much slower it is than my Domane. Part of it is the internal geared hub, so it's 5% less efficient than a well-maintained derailleur setup. Part is the 40 mm knobby tires. But it has a more comfortable ride even than the Domane. My advice is to realistically decide where you're going to ride more. If it's more road, then get an endurance road bike and if it's more gravel, get a gravel bike.
Disc brakes have also pretty much taken over in the past 20 years. They're a lot better in the wet and mud than rim brakes, and they don't limit tire sizes so much either.
Enjoy your stay!