buying a bike

bike here, putting together. Experience with competitive cyclist has been very good. They even threw in an extra stem as there was a little discussion over 10mm of stem length in the fit which was an unexpected surprise.

7.90kg before I put pedals, bottle cages and computer on

throw us a freakin bone with a pic or 12 to drool over imo

yeah jesus get the lead out

the steal bike I've got coming (v excited) is allegedly 8.00kg. ish.

I love how Kona's single speed bike is called the "Band Wagon" :)

This is what *might* be mine if I decide to pull the trigger:

http://s.wiggle.co.uk/images/focus-blk-for-exp-2010-med.jpg

Renting a Bike: What to look out for?

My cousin is getting married in Santa Rosa, CA in June, and I was thinking of renting a (road) bike and making cycling vacation out of it. I guess I just bring my pedals, helmet, and kit and that's it? What's the regular pricing I'm looking at? Anybody know of a good bay area / north bay place to rent from?

I rent a Specialized Allez Sport (w/ 105) 2x a year in Hawai'i for $200/week. I bring everything you list plus bottles and shoes.

No idea about rental situation up north but I can ask around in SF if you'd like? What are your expectations?

I ride a Giant TCR with 105 gear, so anything around that level would be fine. Extra points for a shop that has BMCs. My local shop just started to carry them, and I'm thinking of getting one, but they don't have any testers built up yet.

finally got the Merlin today! I am unpacking it right now & will hence attempt to attach pedals & bars (hopefully one doesn't need to be a rocket scientist to do this..). Can I just say that this thing is LIGHT. I'm half scared it is just going to buckle & bend when I finally get to sitting on it.

pics!!!!! :)

ah, you posted one upthread; hot damn, that's gorgeous
http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/8797/thebike02.jpg

thanks. it is v v nice, tho I can't ride it yet b/c the pedals I bought won't work w/ the cranks! Curses! Tomorrow I will buy different pedals & get it fitted & then it is going to be a beautiful summer.

btw, if anyone is interested in a pair of Shimano SPD-M540 clipless pedals, new in box w/ cleats - they're yours for $50 + s/h (or lets just say $55). I'll prob list them on Ebay before the end of the week.

I'll post a pic or two of my own once I swap out the bar tape.

What makes the pedals not work with the cranks?

these particular cranks (they are Cook Bros.) do not have a double sided-hole for the pedal stem (plz forgive the makeshift tech jargon) to be threaded through & tightened at end w/ an allen wrench, which is what these pedals require. I need something which can be tightened on one side, using only a 15mm wrench. I'm just going to trade down for the M520s, which supposedly will work.

This is my first clipless set-up & I'll prob switch up to road shoes & pedals next year, so I just need something reasonably functional & reliable for the time being.

here is a closeup of the crank, in case yr interested

http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/6886/photo42o.jpg

want to reiterate how ridic that bike is. kudos.

yeah it reminds me a bit of the psychlo-x which I totally covet

so I want to get some cheap, cheap bikes for me and my gf - but if I buy one on cl for less than $100, it's prolly gonna be something that was stolen, right?

iatee, depending on the market where u live, u should be able to find decent 70s-80s era road bikes going for $80-150. Just make sure the components have been well kept, b/c otherwise you'll likely find yourself spending at least that amount on parts & labor to get it up and running.

live in nyc and there def seem to be a lot out there when I glance at cl. just want bikes w/ working brakes, basically.

can't believe the btwin single speed is only £60 otp; can I stick drops on this easy enough?
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/vitamin-117071608/#

scratch that just noticed the mtb tires

But dude, it has 3 layers of paint!

You can buy some cheap road tyres for £15 or so if that helps. But let's be honest, it's probably a dog...

lol yeah, I hear that

anybody want to be a UK delivery address for me to get this:

http://www.canyon.com/_en/roadbikes/bike.html?b=879

haitch, are you buying bikes monthly nowadays?

yes, thank you I will gladly take delivery of that bike

can you send me some wheels too pls?

lol mark, just playin'. that is an amazing price for what is a pro-level frame, though - lotto ride that rather than the more expensive canyon model. interest definitely piqued by this blog post.

got new wheels btw

watchoo get gbx

anyone got any shutt kit? I'm too cheap for rapha
http://www.shuttvr.com/

105s to dt 1.2s

gotta new crankset on the way (used FSA with bb and new rival rings), 105 dérailleurs I've been sitting on for a few years, new SRAM cassette, new chain

gonna strip basically eveything and replace the drivetrain gonna be dope imo

the shutt stuff has been getting some really good reviews on forums and stuff Coz.

FSA is nice stuff, I often think about stealing the FSA triple from my GF's bike. Would like to go compact on the surly having spent the entire bike trip high cadence on the bottom ring. WOuld like to move the surly over to SRAM Apex over time but really don't want to do new levers if I can avoid it.

(Can I shot SRAM with Shimano levers can be the ILTRMB "Can I play Bass through a guitar amp?")

i think you can indeed mix and match shimano and sram as much as you like!

the shutt stuff has been getting some really good reviews on forums and stuff Coz.

thanks chris, have ordered some kit so will report back. pro-tip: if you join their club they give you a code (club10 lol) for 10% off :)

Want to buy a bike for charity?

http://www.bikeweek.org.uk/page.php?id=74

http://blogs.liverpoolecho.co.uk/acyclistslife/sir%20alan%20sugar%20cycling.jpg

man i just can't get with those pinarellos

well the black-on-black versions are pretty nice

why are textforms & logos so lol HUEG & PROMINENT all over most high-end road equipment these days? nagl imo

bike stolen :'(

gonna do ride to work scheme to get next bike

bike has to be from http://www.evanscycles.com

can spend up to a £1000, would like to spend £7-800, but will stretch to £1000 if it's going to make a big difference in quality.

last bike was a giant fcr-1, loved it it was my first road bike and last summer we did 250+ miles a week and a few london to cambridge rides.

i'm still a total noob when it comes to bike stuff though

having looked at my options i really like the look/idea of some of the SS bikes on there, i live in london now and this will be used for communting 10-15 miles a day. like the idea of the trek district with the belt thing

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/trek/district-2010-single-speed-hybrid-bike-ec016811

hoping some of you will convince that getting a SS is a lame idea, because some of them *look* really nice and it is very tempting but i might want to join a club or venture out of london where there are actual hills and things.

so the caad 9 is meant to be a really good frame but kinda shitty bits on it, i could upgrade the bits tho if i want to get serious right? and surely these bits aren't that crappy, right?

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/cannondale/caad-9-tiagra-compact-2010-road-bike-ec020238

the look of the specialized bikes offends me for some reason, so i don't want one of them, the bent bit at the top (top tube?) looks ugly

have heard good things about the trek pilot:

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/trek/pilot-21-2010-road-bike-ec020781

anyone have any thoughts on either of these? or any of the other bikes evans stock?

i also like the idea of the belt-drive trek, perfect commuter really.

caad9 is excellent frame, tiagra bits are only one step down from 105! u should p33p that, imo.

on the SS tip this is kinda corny but so am i:

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/bianchi/pista-via-condotti-2010-single-speed-road-bike-ec021236?query=bianchi%20pista

If you're only able to get one bike, then the Cannondale. However, if you're regularly having to leave your bike where it could get nicked, I'd be tempted to go for something a lot cheaper, either an entry level (£500) roadie or an even cheaper fixie liek the Fuji Track.

yeah that would be my main consideration especially for a commuter - nickworthyness. I think the boardman bikes on the c2w scheme at halfords are about £500 rrp (so less on c2w) and decently specced last time I looked. I think they look nice too but obv ymmv

I'd get this if I were to go fixed
http://www.evanscycles.com/product_image/image/09d/101/92e/45773/product_page/genesis-flyer-520-2010-road-bike-frame-set.jpg

Boardman bikes are excellent value but are exclusive to Halfords. The Genesis FGSS is super pretty, agreed, though in your price range there are loads of excellent ungeared bikes. I say one very similar to mine (Bob Jackson with Phil Wood & Nitto stuff) for £950 in a shop it Putney, it was gorgeous. May be worth checking with Evans what they can get and what they can't. Personally I wouldn't get a Trek because I am a snob (NB I do actually have a Trek, but intend to sell it - I'm sure I'll post a thread soon hawking it :)).

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/charge/mixer-2010-hybrid-bike-ec020530?query=charge%20mixer

quite like the look of this

think i'm gonna go with the caad, hopefully i'll be able to test one round here first, obv i'll get it insured.

so excited about being back on the road again, london cycling seems kind of nuts, i'm used to cambridge which is pretty much the nicest city to cycle around in the uk imo

the commute is stoke newington -> waterloo, hopefully i'll be able to get in on some silly commuter racing

last bike was stolen during the snow we had over here, had to abandon it cuz it was too slippery, d-locked it up in a church in cambridge, hopped on a bus to work, came back in the afternoon w/car to pick it up and it was gone :(

Looking to buy a road bike in the $1000-$1200 range. So far I've test-ridden a 2010 Fuji Roubaix 1.0, a 2009 Scott Speedster S20, and a 2009 Cannondale Six 5.

I liked the Fuji and the Cannondale so far. The Scott, apart from the ugly paint scheme, threw a chain when shifting to the small ring, and would skid when braking hard. I don't know if that was a setup issue, because the Cannondale had the same 105 shifters and front derailleur, but diff. brakes and rims. The Fuji had SRAM Rival shifters and derailleurs, which I liked the feel of. I also think I prefer standard to compact gearing.

I plan to test a 2010 Specialized Allez Elite tomorrow. I had wanted to try the Felt F85 and F75, but one local shop stopped carrying them, and the salesman at the other dealer was kind of eh on them. Also wanted to try a Trek 2.1, but nobody had one in my size.

Any advice? I'm a noob when it comes to new bike shopping, but want to make an informed decision. Should I give it a few months and wait for the 2011 models?

Or give it a few months and wait for the 2010 models to be discounted?

Ultimately, there are few obvious yays or nays in that price range, so it'll more than likely come down to what you like the look of and what feels best when you test ride it. Or the bargain/last year's model approach.

If you'd consider internet bargains (no test ride obv) then how about, say, this carbon lovely? Or a real bargain (aluminium, but check the groupset - also I am a big Focus fan, owning the next model up)?