Road bicycle advice wanted

ktak1

I'm looking to invest in a new road bicycle. I've been researching Trek, Specialized, Cannondale, Fuji & Bianchi. Right now, I'm pretty much at information overload and I have no idea what to get.

I would like to spend less than $1500 and get something with a carbon frame, ultegra components (min. shimano 105's) and have a pretty decent race bike. I don't want it for commuting, but strictly weekend rides.

Any good suggestions? Plus, I'm in SF, in the city, so if anyone can recommend an actual shop, that would be great!

MarzEz

for long distances, that's what you want, but if you're just cruising a couple of blocks to the shops, or a friends place, you might want a mountain bike. They have way better brakes, and are better for riding in dense traffic. You could always put a racing bike together yourself. That's what I did. Top speed:60 kilometres an hour. (37.3 mph). And i'm considered slow in my club Very Happy

jwellsy

I would love to test drive disc brakes in San Fran.
With the hills there the smoothness of disc brakes would probably be handy.

I'm not a road bike guy.
I do like skinny tires, quality gearing and toe clips.
I fit more into the Clydesdale class
so I don't trust the carbon frames for me.
And, at 50 years old I like having the suspension of a hybrid.

If I were going to buy a road bike
I would go to at least 3 bike shops (no walmarts)
and test ride everything in my my price range range and 1 or 2 steps above.

Then, once I could really visualize what I want
I would start searching ebay for some great deals.
But, a used carbon frame from ebay could be problematic.

Here's my ebay find that suits me perfectly.
I'll never beat the racers.
But, I can at least hang in there and keep up with them.
I ride about 10miles a day and 2500miles a years.
And with my panniers this makes a great weekend camping adventurer.

arkebuzer

Gagnar The Unruly

Arkebuzer,

Hybrid bikes are bikes with a mountain bike-like riding position but narrower tires. They may have a front suspension although not usually (I don't think). I'm not personally aware of any rear-suspension hybrids but I'm sure some are made, although I doubt anyone will ever make a bike with a rear suspension and no front suspension (seatpost suspensions excepted).

Big shock absorbers are no-no's for someone looking for a race-style bike. The suspension absorbs energy from the pedal stroke, making for a lower top speed. This is particularly the case for a rear suspension (some designs being better than others). A carbon frame with shocks would be sort of weird (the shocks would neutralize the benefits of a super-stiff carbon chassis). In general, rear suspensions are needed for mountain biking only, and even then most mountain bikers get by just fine with, or even prefer, a hardtail.

jwellsy

Here's an article I just came across about some new carbon frame models.
http://www.bicycling.com/article/1,6610,s1-1-2-15660-1,00.html?cm_mmc=Bicycling%20NL-_-2007_05_17-_-Gear-_-carbon%20bikes

The bike in my pic has front suspension, seat post suspension, a jell seat and jell soft grips. It's not so much for my back. It really helps my hands from going numb from the vibrations.

ktak1

I finally got it! I recently took delivery of a brand new Trek 2200! It's my shiny new red bicycle! It's got full Ultegra components except for the 105 front derailleur. Wow, pretty sweet...

The only problem is this: while trying to adjust the front derailleur, i ended up taking it all apart. Putting it back together was not that big a deal, but now it shifts worse than before! I've done everything for adjust the height and angle of the derailleur along with adjusting the tension of the inner wire and messing with the H/L screws.

Does anyone have some words of wisdom to help get this thing to shift properly?

ktak1

Here's a picture of my new bike!

arkebuzer

jwellsy

The difference between a real bike shop bike and a dept store bike is that the components used in the bike shop bikes are much higher quality components.

A real bike from a bike shop has so much less resistance to rolling that they seem to want to continue rolling at the same speed long after you quit pedaling. Most dept store bikes and mountain bikes with the wide knobby tires will start slowing down almost immediately after you stop pedaling.

Gagnar The Unruly

I think a lot of that has to do with th equality of the bearings that are used in the hubs. You can test it by spinning a wheel in the store. If it keeps spinning, and spinning, and spinning... it'll be a good bike.

jwellsy

KTAK, thats a cool looking bike.
You'll have some good fun on that thing.
I would avoid as many potholes as possible with those wheels.

You should pick up up a book like
Zinn and the Art of Road Bike Maintenance"
http://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Road-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1931382697/ref=pd_sim_b_2/102-8494650-7049757
Zinn makes some very good bike books.
That will explain everything about adjusting derailers and tons of other stuff.

Congratulations on the new ride.

scotty

Now just get some lycra and you're set!

notbroken

Kev01234

Hey, Im in pretty much the same situation you were in. Could you let me know how everything is going with the bike. Im looking for a road bike for weekend races. If you have any suggestions, just let me know.

Thanks,
Kevin