my fiancee and I are going to purchase road bicycles this summer.
any good websites to research? should I just purchase from the shop and forget about the <500 savings on each bike?
I went to the book store and purchased thisand spoke to the local shop for some info… both seem to be giving me some good information…
Any suggestions on moving forward with this endeavor?
edit… looking to spend no more than 2500 a bike
if you have that kind of budget, just go and buy them.
Are you an advanced biker? If not you should just get something that doesn’t cost that much, and get it fitted for you.
The biggest thing I noted when I started is how ridiculously important the bike being fitted to you needs to be. If a Novice you won’t notice the difference between a really high end bike and a bike thats average.
You sure don’t look like a biker. :blah:
Trek makes a really good bike.
Go look up some Trek pro bikes and go ebay and win.
what frame material are you going with? what kind of riding are you planning to do? what is your size/build?
what groupsets are you looking for? what features? what is the target weight of the bike?
go down to campus wheelworks on elmwood between auburn and breckenridge. very knowledgeable folks, and they only carry high end (but not as high end as handlebars. handlebars has a lot of baller shit, but you wont be able to meet your budget). shickluna sucks, they’re really rude and I do not advise going there.
great point… that’s what the bike shop said too.
I’ve had mid-range mountain bikes… im looking to go on day trips and get some intense cardio… a light bike with nice components seems to be the right way to go…
Personally, I think you should look at your level of commitment to it. It would be a shame to spend 2500 bucks for two then kind of let it die out. Something that seems to be pretty common for everyone.
In the mean time pick up a decent bike fitted to you. Then see how long you go for. For a road bike. I did not notice a large difference in weight, going from an older bike to a newer one… I only could tell when i picked it up.
I did notice having the integrated shifters… was very nice I would highly suggest them
yah, the shifters can make or break a persons interest in roadbikes imo. (although i’m not one to talk. i haven’t ridden my reparto corse since I got my fixed gear together lol).
you may be on the right track with that budget though. you can get 2 very nice bikes for 2500. if you can afford it, do it.
Where do you intend to ride and what kind of riding do you plan on doing?
Things to consider: smooth roads vs. mixed urban (occasional curbs, etc) vs. occasional non-paved surfaces. need to carry gear or not. steepness of hills encountered. how comfortable you want to be.
These factors, along with others, will help to get you headed in the correct direction towards choosing a frame style, material, strength vs weight of wheels and components, etc.
If you’re just getting into it, any bike over $2k is overkill IMO, especially if you’re buying two. As for building a bike, I’d stay away from that as well, as there are too many variables and moving parts of the equation unless you’re very familiar with what you’re doing. Not to mention that it can get quite expensive very quickly. Something around $1200 retail for a complete bike would be a decent place to start looking at if you’re just getting into road riding and have a good sized budget. Most companies tier their bikes with a few levels of componentry available on each type of frame they sell. If a bike you’re looking at is within a few others in price point, try to grab the best frame you can, as you can always upgrade components later on if you want.
Sizing is very important. I don’t have the links to any of the websites with the more advanced sizing calculations handy, but any high-end bike shop should be able to fit you properly to a bike. Never take a deal on an incorrectly sized bike because they dont have your size in stock.
One thing regarding your fiancee, has she ridden a real road bike before, not just around a store? Their aggressive geometry, when riding in the correct position (in the drops) is hardly what most consider comfortable, especially on longer rides. It will strain your neck and back until you are conditioned for it, and even then its not the most relaxing ride. If you think this could be an issue there are some pretty cool urban bikes out there that are essentially fast road bikes except with flat bars. Nearly as fast, and much more comfortable. Not saying it applies to you, but during the years at the bike shop I saw many couple’s planned biking extravaganzas go down the shitter because the hot looking race-oriented bikes were too uncomfortable for the wife or the both of them. Just things to consider.
I really could go on forever but I need to get to bed.
I could go on together after working in a high end shop for around 6 years through high school and summers during college, but thankfully Redrum seems to have made the major points already.
I’ll just repeat it again…fit is the most important thing. Make SURE the person fitting you really knows what they’re doing since it means the difference from riding in a relaxed/comfortable position, and hating getting on the bike.
Be aware that different bike manufacturers tend to cater to different body types, so don’t get set on a brand before getting fit. Find out which brands fit you first and go from there. If it turns out you don’t fit any of the off the shelf options, and this does occasionaly happen, there’s always companies like Independent Fabrications (assuming they’re still around) that build custom frames at a reasonable price.
I remember going through frame dimensions on at least 20 brands before finding one that made a frame that fit me just right without correcting more than is prudent with seat position and stem length.
Ugh I really need to ride this year…
-Mike
lol @ looking to “get into road biking” and buying a pair of 2500 dollar bikes. Such a douchebag move.
My mom has a 600 dollar cannondale (my cost) that i sold her when i worked at precision bikes. You do not need a 2500 dollar bike unless you are looking to get into competing.
whoops i was thinking 2500 for the pair (hence my post). yah 2500 each is overkill. combined, you’re good.
don’t need a titanium frame for a newbie
He would spend more, I’m only look for something 600-800. Something comfortable, that will last years and not a huffy.
Very good advice here. I’d suggest looking into Kona and Jamis bikes, both offer a lot for your money.