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here's where it all comes together. from your own description, you don't know much about bike gear. so unless you're made of money, the first bike you get will not be your last. so start with something in the $1500 range. get it fitted. Surely somebody here will give a couple of suggestions. get good shoes and rife for a while. next year you'll be able to select one that more suits your style of riding and your body. Then you'll have two nice bikes. One can become your own personal "beater". Looks to me as if you think you can step onto the perfect bike. I don't think so. Your riding position will change as you get better (or worse sometimes).Originally Posted by X-Nemesis
and now that you're even considering used, what's your budget? are you just asking to learn stuff or really intending to buy right now? learning is good too. whatever you do, get riding. this is great weather.
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Aug 6th, 2012 09:52 AM #16
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Aug 6th, 2012 10:11 AM #17
My budget is $1200 max and yeah, I'm looking to start riding now. I've been considering doing the Bikesdirect route as it seems that quite a few others have used them with pleasing results on the Roadbikereview forums and some other sites I've browsed. I understand the warranty would be null but for the price and the type of parts you get it seems worth the trip over the border. Here are a few I'm looking at and some just over my budget, looking at straight out road bike or going cyclocross with road tires.
http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/..._pro_ti_xi.htm
http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/..._pro_rival.htm
http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...rtalpro_xi.htm
http://bikesdirect.com/products/windsor/knight_x.htm
I'll start browsing the kijiji local used ads.
Thanks for the advice. Reply With Quote
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Aug 6th, 2012 05:22 PM #18All of these bikes are worth more then your $1200 max, aside from the last one. Originally Posted by X-Nemesis
PM'd you. Reply With Quote
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Aug 7th, 2012 04:54 PM #19
1200 gets you nothing nowadays.
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Aug 7th, 2012 11:37 PM #20not true, before tax I got my buddy a 2012 Giant Defy Comp 3. Originally Posted by packardbell
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Aug 9th, 2012 10:13 AM #21
I knew almost nothing about road bikes at the beginning of the year... Exact same situation you are in back then. The only difference is I had committed to riding for charity from Toronto to Texas. Knowing this I decided to just go with the carbon since I knew I was going to be on long training rides and then the actual journey to Texas. One other factor was Cervelo had their share the ride program running so I got a really good discount on it. I probably wouldn't have picked it up otherwise and settled with a higher end aluminum/carbon combo to ease the wallet.
I had placed the bike on order but didn't receive it for 3 months..... Apparently a lot of people jumped on the deal and they overextended themselves.
In the meantime I started off on my brothers bike that was aluminum with carbon fork. I'm not sure if it was a combination of not being in cycling shape along with the bike being aluminum but as soon as I got on my bike two months later the difference was 100% noticeable. The ride was wayyyy more comfortable once I was beyond the 40km mark. The same routes I took earlier felt smoother and I had a lot less sore body parts from the vibration. Take it for what its worth because maybe it was the training that got me stronger and not the bike... But that was my experience.
Like others said if you are not committed to doing long rides or are going hardcore just buy something in your price range and start riding. You won't know what you need until you get a "feel". I was lucky my puchase worked out in the end. Reply With Quote
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Aug 10th, 2012 01:54 PM #22Ok, i've been riding road bike for years, and i know the brands you posted above are not as popular. I am quite a brand conscious person so I tend to stick with major brands: cannondale, trek, specialized, giant, bianchi, cervelo, etc Originally Posted by X-Nemesis
I personally will not buy the above bikes, but just personally. I was able to get a specialized secteur triple road bike for $320 last year on kijiji, it was a 2009 model the chain was sparkling new with no road dirt. Thus kijiji is not a bad place for first bike if you know your size. Biking is a commitment hobby, the more you ride the faster you get, and a lot of people buy an expensive bike for their first bike who thinks they can ride really fast, end up selling an almost new bike on kijiji now and then, because everyone is faster than them on cheaper bikes, so just a warm reminder as it can happen to anyone.
To tell you the truth, a carbon bike may weight as low as 13lbs, an beginner aluminium weights average 20lbs, the point is if you are pedalling the same power output, you are only gaining 0.5-1kph average. A lot of people use a light bike to show off and to race because the faster you ride (40kph+) the speed gain is more pronounced about 1-2kph. But as a beginner you will never reach those speed and you will want to work on base miles, and ride a lot otherwise you will just feel ***** people faster than you on a cheaper bike.
If you have decided to buy a new bike, go ahead but IMO it's more value for money to buy a used one, then upgrade to something you want (because once you start riding you will know which bike you love and want to own it).Last edited by IMWHFMPC; Aug 10th, 2012 at 01:57 PM.
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Ride until the end of your life. Reply With Quote
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Aug 10th, 2012 04:12 PM #23
its a good first bike if u got deep pockets.
went all out and bought a full suspension XC bike $4000 for my first bike (waste of money). sold it off and bought a 29er hardtail instead Reply With Quote
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Aug 10th, 2012 05:15 PM #24
If it's your first bike, and you're going to do the BikesDirect route, consider http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/.../liberty_3.htm It's substantially cheaper than the other models you're looking at but is still aluminum frame / carbon fork combination which offers a good compromise. The 30-speed Tiagra groupset (with FSA, not Shimano cranks) is quite acceptable, and has similar shifting characteristics to the 105 and higher. The $400 left from your budget can buy you some nice bike shorts, shoes, and better pedals if you want them. And, of course, a helmet. You'll also need to keep back about $50 because after the first few hundred km you'll want the drivetrain adjusted; if you buy from an LBS they'd usually do that service for free.
If you prefer a compact double over a triple, the same frame is spec'd with a 105 double and some minor component upgrades for another $200 as the "Gravity Comp 20". Ultegra for a $200 bump and it's the "Gravity Pro 20" (or 30 for the triple).
The interesting thing about these bikes is that the geometry (but not the tube shapes) is very close to that of a Giant Defy (compare the measurements for both sets of bikes) and so riding a Giant Defy at an LBS should give you a good feel for your fit on these frames. Reply With Quote
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Aug 10th, 2012 07:36 PM #25
Thanks fish for the excellent response. I will check out that link.
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Aug 10th, 2012 07:53 PM #26
Consider going to Mountain Equipment Co Op and buy one of their bikes, we've bought 5 bikes this summer different models after searching what seemed like every shop in Toronto.
You can't beat their warranty and service you can also upgrade or downgrade tires, seat post, pedals, handlebars, seats and other components etc.
If you want a touring bike the 1971 model is excellent or a hard core road bike then the Cole
They also have the best bike repair service
http://www.mec.ca/AST/ShopMEC/Cyclin...cycle-mens.jsp
http://www.mec.ca/AST/ShopMEC/Cyclin...cle-unisex.jsp Reply With Quote
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Aug 12th, 2012 07:44 PM #27
one of my bikes
]
carbon forks
carbon handle bars
carbon seat post
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Aug 12th, 2012 10:33 PM #28 Reply With Quote
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Aug 13th, 2012 01:55 PM #29I loved my first marinoni when marinoni the man himself was brazing the frame tubes in the basement. Now these are all prefabs with students assembling them. Originally Posted by twotterdhc6
Oh, nice Marinoni frame. Love that bar tape too!
You should flip the stem and slam it though
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Sep 18th, 2012 03:11 PM #30
If you are just getting into cycling focus on just getting a cheap used bike. Check kijiji for entry level bikes and if you want higher quality bikes check pinkbike.com for MTB or canadiancyclist.com for road bikes.
There is also an online store based out of Milton Ontario that I have bought bikes from and they have some great deals on new bikes. For example this road bike (http://familybikestore.com/cadillac-...60cm-bike.html) or if you want a good mountain bike (http://www.familybikestore.com/cadil...mens-bike.html).
I would personally avoid buying a used carbon because it can have cracks, chips, etc... that can weaken the structural integrity of the frame or parts. Stick to aluminum for your first bike - it is more durable and you don't have to baby it as much. When and if you get into biking a lot, then you can look for a better bike with the exact specifications you want... maybe even build your own by buying individual components. Just my 2 cents. Reply With Quote
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