buying a bike

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)?

Of your selection the 2009 Cannodale six 5 seems like a pretty good deal at that price. I liked the ride on that, very direct. Didn't not like the scott much by comparison, although TBF it was a CR1.

Raleigh Competition (fugly paintjob)
Jamis Ventura (road a xenith when I was on the hunt and it was pretty nice)
Gary Fisher Rail Super (Road the ion also when testing things out and liked it)

Didn't like the Felt so much, big rise on the stem on the one I tried which is a 30 second fix.

I won't rep for them as I have never ridden one but if you have a Performance Bike nearby it may be worth trying one of their Scattante CFR own brand bikes alongside the Focus Culebro. Cannondale CAAD 9 6 would be a good one to throw in as well.

If you can find one to ride the Orbea Aqua TTG looks nice, looks like you are trading down on gruppo a little.

Thanks for the suggestions!

JensonUSA isn't an internet thing for me, as their retail store is less than 10 minutes away from my office. I should call them about the Culebro. It's only listed in a 50cm, and I'm about a 51-52 based on what I've tried so far. They seem to be the only local place that carries Jamis bikes as well. I think I saw one Rocky Mountain when I was there, but it could have been a lesser model. Would like to try a full-carbon bike though!

The bikes I liked at Performance were just out of my price range, but they frequently have sales and send coupons. Two weeks ago, I could have gotten that Fuji out the door for about $1000!

I will check for shops that carry Raleigh and Orbea.

I plan to test a 2010 Specialized Allez Elite tomorrow.

i rent one of these when I'm in Hawaii 2x a year. They either come equipped with 105, Tiagra or Sora depending on the rental. It's a great bike. Handles hills well and can maintain speed on the flats. Things to look for when you're testing them are the subtle differences in the frame geometry. Try to (if possible) find a stretch that you can test each bike on and make mental (or written/voice) notes of what frame feels more relaxed, more aggressive to try and tune your comfort zone. Another thing to remember is that as you get into better fitness, what may have at first been uncomfortable may ultimately become what you desire most about the bike... if that makes any sense.

^good advice, I had a great time in a few bike stores with a little loop with a couple of short climbs (and then ended up buying a completely different bike on the internet with a geometry that (somewhat) matched)

Warning - if you try a carbon bike you'll find it very, very difficult to settle for an aluminium one afterwards :)

Which is probably why I ended up going for the Cannondale Six 5, which is half-carbon. Picked it up (along with shoes and pedals) last night, and got ~22 mi. in before the sun went down.

I did like the Specialized, but the carbon seat- and chainstays on the Six 5 seemed to make a difference. I'm far too noob to articulate how exactly, but I'm guessing that the CF stays helped to dampen, but not deaden, the unevenness of the road. Of course that could be part of the placebo effect of knowing what the frame was made of. It could have just been the frame geometry?

The shop itself played a big part in feeling confident about my purchase. The salesman took me on a few rides around the block and put the bike onto a trainer to monitor my knee position, arm reach, and kept making adjustments to the saddle and seatpost to dial everything in. He even adjusted the cleat position on the shoe. Free tune-ups and everything! I've heard of other people getting stuff like pedals thrown into the deal, but I didn't care to ask or haggle, since mom-and-pop stores like that tend to be low-margin, low-volume specialist dealers anyway.

BTW I went with Look Keo Classics as opposed to the Keo Easy or the Speedplay Zeros. I was pretty close to going w/ Speedplay, esp. 'cause they make the Platformer, but replacement cleat prices steered me to the Looks.

Nice! Good job on getting the mileage base in as well! One question though: WDYBLL?

That's brilliant, naus. I hear such great things about the Cannondales in that price range. I'm sure you'll love it.

WDYBLL

should i get bad karma?

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/bik/1874766826.html

Felt FC 2009 Road Bike 58cm - $500 (SOMA / south beach)

To bikers everywhere,

Bitter divorce. Ex-husband hasn't picked up his bike in a week. First 1 with cash takes it. He screwed me, I'd like to screw him.

Pick up only. Cash only.

long stem

think I may need to buy a new bike : (

or at least a new frame

the braze-on for my front mech is torn and so the carbon that bonds it is torn - not sure it can be re-bonded, or removed without weakening the frame - and it's a second hand frame, and way out of warranty, anyway : /

OK so it might be alright

dang there goes my canyon

Dude, there are so many excellent-value frames out there. You owe it to yourself - and, yes, to us too - to find one.

So what should I get to replace the surly? Probably not for a while, I have a loaner till then.

You really liked the Surly, didn't you? Like for like not practical?

Other than the dropout thing that both gbx and I suffered from it's just fine. Soma double cross is functionally the same thing with a proper dropout. Just seeing if there is anything out there I should be looking at and really just hoping something comes good on CL/eBay.

Do you have a budget (sorry if that's a sore point)? Do you know Cotic?

I have less of a budget the longer I can ride the loaner. Need to work that out, constraint is it's a pain the the arse to buy groceries and stuff without a bike, so may end up getting something sooner rather than later, which means cheaper.

Gunnar crosshairs would be good, but not sure it gives much over surly/soma.

Hoping a good steel cyclocross frame turns up on eBay, build it out with SRAM Apex, could swap wheels with the BMC and hold off on buying new wheels till next spring.

Don't know cotic, but the seem to be more of an mountain outfit.

The Roadrat gets a lot of love:

http://www.cotic.co.uk/product/roadrat

is apex really a lot less expensive than rival? last time I looked the saving was only around £70

It's not, but I think it is less of a lower down product, more satisfying a different market. The claim is that you can get close to a triple range with a compact double.

It would be wrong to put a panier rack on this, no?

http://www.wrenchscience.com/DBImages/800H/bmc_crossmachine_blkwht_2010.jpg

and by that I mean the older aluminum frame. I do love my BMC.

fact: i saw a bmc road bike with kickstand yesterday.

I have just bought a Brompton. Sadly, only on behalf of a friend. But it's pretty and I want it (though sitting on it I find the suspension disconcerting).

Hey Americans, the Jenson USA end of summer sale is on - they have A+ bargains.

Garmin-Slipstream Felts 4 sale (including hunter, taylor phinney & steven cozza's)
http://www.shopslipstreamsports.com/bikes-and-equipment.html

someone posted one of these on the bike lust thread recently iirc?

A dude at the local velodrome (san diego) races on one of those Union Jack Felt track bikes with B.Wiggins nameplates on it. Dude wears a full England national kit and is ungodly fast.

He'd have to be with that gear. It's definitely not Brad, is it? Try criticising The Jam in his earshot and see if he explodes.

Hey, Crackle Box, did you buy a bike?

mark sell us ur dog eh

(just been gawping at ur flickr, cutest dog ever imho)

http://img534.imageshack.us/img534/6506/photorp.jpg

terrible pic but yeah went for the caad 9, love it, fast as fuck. haven't used my oyster card since i got it :)

http://img534.imageshack.us/img534/6506/photorp.jpg

Cute!

Thanks for dog compliments, David. I could loan her to you between 6 and 7 am when she'll spend an hour trying to eat your face.

http://cgi.ebay.com/2007-BMC-Cross-Machine-CX01-Cyclocross-Frame-56cm-/170535563402?pt=Road_Bikes&hash=item27b4b6308a#ht_1851wt_1086

or

http://cgi.ebay.com/Salsa-Las-Cruces-Cyclocross-Bike-58cm-Dura-Ace-Ksyrium-/190439369666?pt=Road_Bikes&hash=item2c57122bc2#ht_500wt_1101

plus OMM rack? Fred tastic

wht's the diff betw. a road bike and a cross-bike?

disc brakes and knobbly tires?

geometry for easier (dis)mounts and wheel clearance

wider clearances for knobbly tyres in the main, often less drop from chainstay to bottom bracket for higher clearances.

xpost

My saddle broke this morning - a rail sheared through. I've borrowed a girl's saddle (Spesh Jett 143) to get home on, and have a spare Regal at home which I don't much like. This is for my fixed - any recommendations for a non-hipster, reasonably priced city saddle?

you looking to sell the regal, mark?

(also have you considered a rolls?)

http://www.equusite.com/articles/basics/images/basicsEnglishSaddle.jpg