Long Tom

Respected denizens of the 41, I apologize for the chattiness today. I'm stuck in jury duty, just me & my iPhone and about 100 people in a room. Good times.

So I had some funny conflicting thoughts while riding my 50 yesterday. See, like most here, I have bike lust. Specifically I rode a Roubaix the other day that was, shall we say, woody-inducing. I want. Now.

So I'm riding away on my perfectly good Sequoia and I am attacking the hilly part of the ride and I'm thinking how nice the stiff frame would be. But I get up the hill just fine. I'm flying along on a flat and I'm thinking how nice and smooth that carbon frame would be. But my bike is comfortable and smooth. But man, those Ultegra shifters! How cool would that be?! But my Tiagra/105 combo shifts just fine. And so it went.

After the ride my good buddy came over with a 6-pack to join the one already in my man-cave fridge and we drank until 1:00 am. His dad is dying; he wanted to talk. He's my main biking buddy and at some point we talk about the above stuff. And the simple truth is- as a non-racer, at most all the Roubaix gains me is what, a little speed due to being 5 lbs lighter? A little more kick on the steep uphills due to stiffness? I dunno, hardly seems worth it. I'm in this for the workout. Maybe my bike is BETTER in that regard, in a perverted way! I don't need no stinkin' Roubaix.

But oh how I want it.

I'm so conflicted.

Square Wheels

It gave you a woody, do you need another reason?

I have one, they are really pissa.

rumrunn6

sorry to hear about your friend's Dad's illness

Long Tom

His dad is 90 years old- so no tragedy here, just a tough time for my friend.

Long Tom

Oy, I've spent a lot of dough in my life with that philosophy!

At this instant, I'd have to move chips around to buy it. A guitar (I don't play) and a riflescope (I'm not using this season) would cover it.

The scope is a no-brainer but it's a very special guitar. I get conflicted there. Give up a truly sweet guitar (a very singularly special Martin OM28V for those so inclined) to gain...... what exactly?

Square Wheels

I like to live like it's my last day, that bike called to me so I bought her.
If money is tight and it means trading in another love, you'll regret it.
Keep the Martin and save the pennies, in the meantime you already have a sweet ride.

seymour1910

How much would they give you on a trade in of the current bike? The specialized dealer near me does a really nice trade in program. See how much you can get for your bike towards the Roubaix, then try to make the rest with the scope...kep your guitar and have the bike you really want....winning.

Long Tom

The money is there, but with my oldest headed to college in the fall, it'd go over like the proverbial lead zeppelin with the wife if I spent $2700 on a new bike right now.

I have other chips I could move around but the basic conflict here is that on some level, part of me is skeptical that the new toy really changes anything. But then another part is like, dude, STFU and buy the cool new Shiny Thing!

Square Wheels

I am new to riding. I had a nice hybrid that I road for about 1,000 miles. Then I got the itch for a road bike. I convinced myself I would be faster, and guess what? Exactly the same. I had a bunch of regular routes I did and the times were always similar to the hybrid.

Do I love the Roubaix, yup, all $3,800 of her (plus hundreds in accessories). Would I do it again? Absolutely. It does ride and shift a lot smoother, but what got faster was me.

I'd think long and hard before you spend the money. What are you trying to get out of it? If you just really want it, then get it.

kcollier5

Buy one used... problem solved. You can find one on CL in almost new condition, save buckets of money, rescue a poor unused bike from collecting dust, and still have money left over to keep your Martin! All is well. (Might have to sell the scope though but sounds like you're not too worked up over that) And to find one in your size takes some patience.

Look here: www.craigfind.com to search all of CL if you so desire. Might have plenty of time in jury duty, lol.

Long Tom

Part of the urgency, such as it is, is that I can get a 2013 Comp (all Ultegra) for $2700 at the LBS due to the imminent arrival of the 2014's. If I wait until spring, same bike will be considerably more.

DaveWC

I went through the same thing after one year with my Madone 5.2. I tested a new Roubaix, Domane, Tarmac & Madone. Initially I didn't even want to test ride the bikes because I knew I'd love one of them and then it would be tough to turn back. It was literally eating me up. In the end I got a Madone 7.9 from the Project 1 site as I loved the ride & it enabled me to outfit it with the cheapest saddle & wheels, move my existing sweet saddle & wheels over and get Di2. It's coming up on a year since I got the new bike & I don't regret it a bit. I have no bike lust anymore, completely satisfied with this bike and have over 7,000 miles on it so far.

mshred

there's always another shiny thing just around the corner. getting the Roubaix now will be awesome...until you get used to it and want the next latest and greatest thing out there. i say hold off.

maybe buy something cool for your buddy.

Long Tom

My BUDDY, and he's my best friend so I love the guy, but the frugal sum***** is the one who needs a new bike more than I do! He's rocking a steel Bridgestone RB2 with downtube shifters. Climbs like a goat on it; we are very similar stature (tall Clyde's) so it gives me hope..... sort of.... as he slowly pulls away from me on the long steep climbs we do. Hope that I might someday keep up, lol. He's been talking new bike for years but never pulls the trigger.

Me? I'm a trigger-puller from way back. It's a fault.

Mountain Mitch

No issue. If the question has gotten inside your brain then you must buy the bike. Sure the 'gains' are small and incremental but that is the nature of return on investment: the difference between no bike and a $200 bike is much greater than the difference between a $200 bike and a $400 bike. Not to mention between a $2200 bike and a $2400 bike.

rumrunn6

... and so for you because you are is friend and will be there for him. I think when a man loses his father, it's a unique milestone, and no matter how old you are, when your Dad passes, you are truly on your own. anyway, not looking forward to mine being gone, whenever that happens. as independent as I think I am, I still know here is there if I need him.

TexMac

Don't buy it. I had a felt perfectly smooth, fast bike but wanted a cannondale supersix with di2 shifters, mavic elit wheels, good looks etc. Guess what, i keep on going back to the felt bike due to it's comfort and sleek riding features...after dishing out $2,300 for cannondale. I do love the cannondale since it's superfast and stiff but..

TrojanHorse

If you have already filled out the financial aid paperwork and the college will be sucking that 2700 out of your bank then hold off.

If you have yet to show them your checking account, buy it now!

Here's how colleges look at money: What's mine is mine and what's yours is mine.

KenshiBiker

Sorry - I don't believe you. If you were just in it for the workout, you wouldn't be here. The people who just ride to get a workout don't care much about which bike they ride (as long as it fits), or where they ride; the bike is just another piece of excercise equipment - like a treadmill. They just want to burn a certain number of calories, etc. Nothing wrong with that, but it's different mindset.

Most of us in the 41 are here because bicycling has become a passion or at least a major part of our lives, for one reason or another. Nothing wrong with that. Whatever floats your boat, and all that.


Just think of how much you'll be saving on little blue pills . . .

bonz50

so I went by the LBS with a coworker today, he's lookin at a CAADX or some other CX bike for commuting duty this winter, while we were there I was drooling over the Synapse, EVO, Look 566, BMC GF & SL01 and Cervelo R3 (and a leftover RS), all in 105ish spec all in my approximate size, all on sale. I can EASILY talk myself into one of these bikes as I know for a fact one of them will fit me great and do everything I will ever need out of a machine. but I always come back to one of those "well, if I bring on home I'll have to call a divorce atty on the way" arguments with myself.

I swear, next spring I'm in the market.

s-one

That is a hard choice especially when there is nothing wrong with your current. Luckily for me I was coming from a Hybrid like Square Wheels although my Hybrid was a hand-me-down from 1995. I had not bought a bike since... until last month I finally decided that my bike routes where getting longer and faster and thus I really needed a road bike. AND like Square Wheels, I bought the same 2013 Specialized Roubaix SL4 with all Ultegra. (I think the cassette is 105 though.) There is no way that I'm as slow or slower than my 1995 Hybrid. In any case I love this bike even though I was eyeball way more expensive bikes. If it works out for you I can see no wrong with going with the Roubaix as its a freaking bad-### road bike!

Long Tom

I am so busted.

Dagamon

Here's the thing. If you buy something you love, you're going to use it more. I had an old aluminum Giant TCR that I put 50 miles a week on, and I thought that was enough. I then got wifely approval to upgrade to a Cervelo, and now I'm putting 150 miles a week on the bike. I'm not faster, but I enjoy it more, and that means I'm out there for longer and more miles.

Nachoman

Buy a new bike. It would be wrong not to.

10 Wheels

Long Tom...Hurry up and post pics of the new bike....quit thinking.