Bikes bikes and more bikes

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2007-09-24 9:25 PM

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Elite
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Alturas, California
Subject: Bikes bikes and more bikes
So I been sick for a bout a week.. and researching bikes. My brain now hurts. I am that it is so hard to find good reviews of road bikes etc, and that the pricing varies so much from shop to shop, location to location. Just venting here. It seems like this is a good time to buy a bike, because of sales, but then it is a pretty chunk of change $1500 +. I guess I'll just keep doing what I can. That montain bike I have sucks on the road, though at this point in time I am just building endurance so I coudl be riding a unicycle and it wouldnt matter much. Anyway if anyone has a decent comparision of bikes Specizlized, Kona, Felt, Giant, etc etc. whatever I would be happy to look at the lincs. Thanks.



2007-09-25 7:58 AM
in reply to: #977621

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Elite
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Subject: RE: Bikes bikes and more bikes

Baowolf - 2007-09-24 9:25 PM So I been sick for a bout a week.. and researching bikes. My brain now hurts. I am that it is so hard to find good reviews of road bikes etc, and that the pricing varies so much from shop to shop, location to location. Just venting here. It seems like this is a good time to buy a bike, because of sales, but then it is a pretty chunk of change $1500 +. I guess I'll just keep doing what I can. That montain bike I have sucks on the road, though at this point in time I am just building endurance so I coudl be riding a unicycle and it wouldnt matter much. Anyway if anyone has a decent comparision of bikes Specizlized, Kona, Felt, Giant, etc etc. whatever I would be happy to look at the lincs. Thanks.

Bikes, like running shoes or any other sports equipment, are a very individual thing.  That's probably why you can't find a lot of "review" sites.  The magazines that do review bikes always have vague opinions on various bikes, probably because not every bike feels good to every person.  As far as quality is concerned, most major bicycle manufacturers build similar quality bikes.  Not much difference between brands besides minor differences in frame geometry, which takes you back to "what bike is best" being an individual thing that you'll only be able to figure out by trying out different bikes and picking the one you like best.

I doubt anyone will be able to identify major difference between the bikes you mentioned....Specialized, Kona, Felt, Giant.....etc.  Best bet is to shop all the brands you have access to, ride them all, and pick the one that fits you best.

Best of luck!

2007-09-25 9:06 AM
in reply to: #977621

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Resident Curmudgeon
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The Road Back
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Subject: RE: Bikes bikes and more bikes

The main problem with what you are asking is that all of those manufacturers sell a wide range of bikes, with prices ranging from <$500 to >$2000, with coresponding levels of quality. Even bikes within a given price range will have different appeals to different buyers. Best thing to do is shop your butt off, do a ton of research, and ride a fw dozen bikes to decide which one is the best fit and feel for you.

That said, I do hear that the RED ones are faster....

2007-09-25 9:20 AM
in reply to: #977621

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Expert
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Kansas City, MO
Subject: RE: Bikes bikes and more bikes
sounds like you have done enough research...... now go test ride!! lots of them, see whats comfortable and i can't stress enough (b/c i just did a F.I.S.T. fit) to get properly fitted...... i used to have back pain, neck pain, knee pain and numbness down low..... now i have none of that, it makes riding soooooo much more enjoyable.
2007-09-25 12:52 PM
in reply to: #977930

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Elite
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Roswell, GA
Subject: RE: Bikes bikes and more bikes
the bear - 2007-09-25 10:06 AM

The main problem with what you are asking is that all of those manufacturers sell a wide range of bikes, with prices ranging from <$500 to >$2000, with coresponding levels of quality. Even bikes within a given price range will have different appeals to different buyers. Best thing to do is shop your butt off, do a ton of research, and ride a fw dozen bikes to decide which one is the best fit and feel for you.

That said, I do hear that the RED ones are faster....



Bear is right on.

Except for the obvious joke about red bikes! Black bikes are stealthy and sneak up on the competition, but since you have been doing your research I'm sure you knew that...



Edited by brown_dog_us 2007-09-25 12:54 PM
2007-09-25 1:01 PM
in reply to: #977621

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Elite
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Alturas, California
Subject: RE: Bikes bikes and more bikes
Ok so we are down to testriding bikes. Do most shops just let you testride a bike for like an hour or do you have to rent them somewhere or what? Sorry for the lack of knowledge of these leet things, but there is not a single bike shop within 100 miles of my house so I have to plan these things out ahead of time. Did I say I live in the stix? Closest McDonalds is like 100 miles. Closest stoplight with all 3 colors 90 miles.....


2007-09-25 1:05 PM
in reply to: #977621

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Expert
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Kansas City, MO
Subject: RE: Bikes bikes and more bikes
the ones around me usually let you do a test ride only right then and there and probably want you back in 30 minutes or so but i would think you would have a decent idea if you like the bike or not, or at least be able to compare that bike to the next 15 you test ride....
2007-09-25 1:41 PM
in reply to: #978493

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Champion
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Checkin' out the podium girls
Subject: RE: Bikes bikes and more bikes
Baowolf - 2007-09-25 2:01 PM

Ok so we are down to testriding bikes. Do most shops just let you testride a bike for like an hour or do you have to rent them somewhere or what? Sorry for the lack of knowledge of these leet things, but there is not a single bike shop within 100 miles of my house so I have to plan these things out ahead of time. Did I say I live in the stix? Closest McDonalds is like 100 miles. Closest stoplight with all 3 colors 90 miles.....


OK, at least begin armed with the correct knowledge. Start with sizing. Do some of the on-line fitting kits (They're pretty accurate, but again, refine this with a professional fit once you do narrow your choices). www.wrenchscience.com and www.coloradocyclist.com have on-line fit guides. Both come really close to my pro fit measurements. From this data, look at the bikes you're interested in and look at their geometry charts. You can compare what lengths you need (top-tube, seat tube, stand over height) and what their bikes measure to. If any of your bike choices are way off from these measurements, toss that one into the "I'll look at it only if necessary" pile and focus on your first choices. Maybe you'll need to test ride only 2-3 bikes.

Also, www.competitivecyclist.com has a loaner program where they'll ship a complete bike for you to try for a fee. Not cheap, but it's a way to look at high end or tri bikes and have them show up at your door. They also have a fit guide.
2007-09-25 9:33 PM
in reply to: #977621

Veteran
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Subject: RE: Bikes bikes and more bikes
I believe that you can go to roadbikereview.com for basic reviews. Anyways, white is the fastest.
2007-09-26 10:14 AM
in reply to: #977621


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Subject: RE: Bikes bikes and more bikes
2X taking a look at the competitive cyclist site. I was interested in a Cervelo Team Soloist, but none of the LBS carried them. Used their demo program to get a good (weeklong) test ride on the Soloist. I loved the bke so I purchased a frameset from them. Part of the cost of the demo goes toward the purchase. I then worked out an arrangement with the LBS to have them buy all the components and build it for me. It has worked out well. I got the bike I wanted with exactly the components I wanted and still get the personal service of a LBS.

The Cervelo team solosit works great as both a road bike and a TRI bike so it is like getting two bikes for the price of one. It eliminates the issue whether to get a road bike or a TRI bike.
2007-09-26 10:28 AM
in reply to: #978469

Master
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Subject: RE: Bikes bikes and more bikes
brown_dog_us - 2007-09-25 12:52 PM

the bear - 2007-09-25 10:06 AM

The main problem with what you are asking is that all of those manufacturers sell a wide range of bikes, with prices ranging from <$500 to >$2000, with coresponding levels of quality. Even bikes within a given price range will have different appeals to different buyers. Best thing to do is shop your butt off, do a ton of research, and ride a fw dozen bikes to decide which one is the best fit and feel for you.

That said, I do hear that the RED ones are faster....



Bear is right on.

Except for the obvious joke about red bikes! Black bikes are stealthy and sneak up on the competition, but since you have been doing your research I'm sure you knew that...



This is why my '08 Specialized is in the team Quickstep colors, red and black. Speed & Stealth!



2007-10-02 6:02 PM
in reply to: #979686

Member
8

The Woodlands, TX
Subject: RE: Bikes bikes and more bikes

browncd The Cervelo team solosit works great as both a road bike and a TRI bike so it is like getting two bikes for the price of one. It eliminates the issue whether to get a road bike or a TRI bike.

 

Did you set your bike up with the aero bars? I'm also interested in the Cervelo. Do you know anything about their seat post supposedly flipping around to make it feel more like a tri bike? If so how did you do it?

2007-10-02 10:32 PM
in reply to: #977621


1072
10002525
Subject: RE: Bikes bikes and more bikes
Yes, I have aerobars (Profile Design Aerolite) that I attach to the handlebars when I use it for TRIs or TT. The seat clamp can be mounted in the seatpost in two positions. In the foward position the seat angle is 76 deg. which works well with the rest of the geometry of the bike to make a very effective TRI bike. With the seat post clamp mounted in rear positon the seat angle is 73 deg which works well a a road bike. When I got fitted on the bike for both positona I found that I di not have to adjust anything to be comfortable in the aero position when changing from the road configuration.

I purchased a second seat post clamp ($19) to mount a TRI saddle in the foward position for the TRI setup. I have a regular road saddle mounted on the one that comes with the bike road riding.

The post clamp can be switched out in seconds with jsut a 5mm allen wrench.
2007-10-07 9:35 AM
in reply to: #977621

Member
8

The Woodlands, TX
Subject: RE: Bikes bikes and more bikes
Thanks for the reply browncd. I am going down to the LBS today for their annual manufacturer bike test ride. I plan on riding as many Cervelo's as I can and I'm definitely impressed with the ability of the bike to do both tri and road setups. Thanks for the help and the great idea of the extra seat post setup.
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