SethAZ 

But the welds...

Bah Humbug

I know it works, but this seems so weird to me. Unless I get his MMP chart and handling skills (or heck, I'll take either, I'm not greedy!), I don't get why Sagan's bike would help me.

aplcr0331

It works the same way someone wearing a Lebron uniform is “helped” by the jersey. It’s just signaling is all.

Doesn’t matter if skills aren’t conferred, it’s a form of LARP’ing.

And it’s irrelevant if you and I think it’s corny, as there certainly are people out there buying things based on whether or not someone famous had that same thing.

Maelochs

Michael Jordan makes a lot more from Nike than he ever made from the Chicago Bulls .....

UsedToBeFaster

It's interesting all the Spesh hatred out there! Ironically I am a Cannondale guy (bought multiple CAADs) but still think Spesh made a great beginner bike better than Cannondales.

Now someone upstream mentioned BikesDirect. I love BD (and love even more RandomBikeParts.com). But for a beginner the lack of resale ability for these bikes are a real issue.

Of the 20 or so beginners who I've advised to buy bikes over the last decade or so, I think only about 2-5 still ride.

I think we forget that this forum is very atypical. Sure we are all beginners once, but many beginners leave the sport after just a few years.

WhyFi

You've got a batting average like that and you still think that you're the new bike recommendation authoritay? Maybe you'd do the next person a solid by declining to advise.

DrIsotope

So which is a better idea for the "two year quitter?" Spending $300 on a BikesDirect bike that will eventually gather dust, or $700 on a Spesh that will do the same thing, but maybe net them $300 in resale value?

Buying a bike with an eye on resale is a terrible idea, as depreciation hits ~50% as soon as the pedals get turned.

A used 2019 Allez is worth about $600 in mint condition, and can still be found on dealer floors with a $1,000 pricetag. Go back to 2015, and they don't crack $400.

Bah Humbug

I did acknowledge in my most that it worked, prior to saying it's stupid.

UsedToBeFaster

I don't think it's that bad given were talking about a 10-year period.

NumbersGuy

Yeah, the fact that you estimate perhaps 90% of the people who follow your recommendation give up cycling really speaks volumes about how well you do at giving buying advice.

Kimmo 

indyfabz

Read the post you quoted again. Carefully this time. There are two stops in there.

matt7082

I have never ridden a road bike. I’m just trying to spend $1k as smartly as I can. Thanks to this Covid outbreak, I am quarantined on a navy base from now through the summer. Since I can’t go MTBing, I am shopping for an entry level road bike to get me through the season. As I said, I have never ridden a road bike, and know very little about them. I cannot leave the base to properly shop for a bike, so I am forced to shop online and have a bike delivered to me. I’ve settled on the Allez because I currently own a Specialized MTB and have had no problems with it. Also it is known to have a comfortable geometry which is what I am looking for. I do not plan to keep the bike after this season. However, I do t know what the future holds. This quarantine thing may last for me far longer than expected, and I may be forced to do a lot more road cycling than I ever thought I’d do.

With that being said, I am open to other suggestions. However, the local shop in the area deals only Trek and Specialized, and if I have any problems with the bike, the shop has offered to pick the bike up from me for repairs, etc. The Allez sounds like a good fit for me, but if I could find something with far more value, while staying in my price range, I am all ears.

Nachoman

I agree and would love to boycott them, but my ass can't handle any type of saddle except specialized.

zacster

My son's girlfriend just bought a Specialized and from what I saw on the Zoom-tail party yesterday it looked like an Allez. She spent around $1200 including some accessories. He's been riding it too and realized how much he's missing by using my 1980 steel bike. I tried to tell him that last year and he didn't want to hear it since it was free to him and I'd always kept it in top shape. I think he rode my carbon bike once, but because I use Keo pedals it was hard for him to get a good feel for it. He's a size 12 shoe and I'm a size 8 so he couldn't wear mine, and on top of that he's about 5" taller. I'd love to get my custom built Davidson back and have him get a modern bike. Maybe an Allez for him would fit the bill.

travelerman

I agree... stop all of the "best beginner bikes under $1000" posts. Please?

UsedToBeFaster

Fair point. But I think the likes of the Allez etc. tips it in the favor of the named manufacturers since their frames are upgradable. The $300 (now closer to $450) beginner BD bikes (i.e. with Claris) also still don't have the nice features (full carbon fork, great paint job, internal cabling etc.) of the Allez and CAAD Optimo (CD's beginner bike).

The beginner BD bike I bought many moons ago was great but it was not upgradable at all. Even putting out a puny wattage I could induce FD rub when I was out of the saddle and the CF fork was a pig in many sense of the word.

UsedToBeFaster

Another option is BikesDirect.com They are best if you want to buy something under $500. They'll deliver for free in about 1-2 weeks.

I love bikes direct.com but a few cautionary notes.

a) You'll have to do about 30 minutes of set up yourself (seat, front wheel) etc. YouTube these steps or get someone to help you.
b) The components on bikes direct.com bikes are comparable to the named brands but *some* of the named brands have much much better frames (i.e. they are upgradable). The Allez is one of them.
c) Bikedirects.com bikes can be hard to sell as they don't have name recognition. I got very lucky and sold 3 at *above* what I paid to upgrade them (but that involved free parts and my labor).

Best of luck.

zacster

BD bikes always looked good in theory, but when I've seen them in person they look like junk. The branding with the old names doesn't help as everyone knows they are fake.

UsedToBeFaster

They look like junk or they are junk.

I'm not bought one of their bikes for 5+ years but the one I bought (Motobecane Mirage) was a decently put together bike. Just that the frame was a bit flex.

Aonex

I think it was mentioned in this thread earlier, Giant Contend AR 3.

https://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/contend-ar-3

Darth Lefty 

I don't like any of the bikes mentioned in this thread. What else is out there?

Maelochs

BikesDirect sells solid bikes. The frames tend to be about two-four years behind the market, but then, the entry-level bikes from most manufacturers and a two-three years behind their own cutting-edge designs. The components are exactly what they say they are---the same parts on all the other bikes on the market. Generally BD will use an alternate crank set- and brakes --but still name-brand parts (FSA and Tektro, for instance.)

BD does not sell garbage bikes. They sell other-than-name brand bikes (or recycle old brands which people don't know anymore anyway) and don't spend any money on advertising, don't do any research and development,

UsedToBeFaster

I agree with everything you said except one issue. BD frames are made in the standard factories all major manufacturers use. Some of mine have been Kinesis frames. And as you say the components are standard Shimano/SRAM etc.

But the paint job on those bikes I've found to be really bad. I would lean it against a tree and find I had scratched it. Put it against something metallic (ie. just place it) and you'd hit bare metal. So I do think BD cuts corners on painting their bikes

Dan333SP

Speaking of BD, this thread had me poking around over there.

https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...o-dt-swiss.htm

That's a damn good deal, the frame is whatever but it's actually all Ultegra plus pretty decent DT Swiss P1800 wheels for $1,600. I'd buy that in a second if I were in the market.

I would immediately replace those weird ergo drops they use, though. Hate those.