New bike

imoleno said:

Im planning to buy a road bike. Im thinking of getting either Felt of Avanti. Which do you think is better? The components would either be FSA or Bontrager. Can you give me your experienced and expert opinions please.

That's a pretty open ended question.

What is the primary reason you are buying a bike?
Race?
Weight Loss?
Commute?

What's your budget?

How long have you been riding?

ive been riding mtb for 2-3 years now but i want to try road bikes socially. my budget is 2,000-2,500. What do you think?

imoleno said:

ive been riding mtb for 2-3 years now but i want to try road bikes socially. my budget is 2,000-2,500. What do you think?

With that kind of cash do this: Go to every bike shop within your geographic area and check them out. Talk to the salespeople and the manager. Look at the kind of bikes they sell. Check out their repair area and how many people work there. Evaluate the quality of service, the honesty of the people, the willingness to show you the bikes they have, the kinds of questions they ask you. Sleep on it. Think about which shop you are likely to get the best advice and service from. Then, ask at that shop about fitting you. If all they want to do is check you for standover height then leave that shop. Find the one you like that will talk about proper fit and the kind of bike you would be best suited for.

No one manufacturer has the "best," bike for you. A lot of manufacturers make very good bikes. Which one is best for you is determined by the kind of riding you do, your core fitness level, how competetive you are and how often you will ride.

I currently ride a 2003 Giant OCR2. A modest bike. Not at the shop I bought it, but at my preferred bike shop I had that bike properly fit to me with a short, uprising stem. Where I bought the bike only checked me for standover. My upper torso is short and I had to stretch to far to reach the bars when I am centered over the bottom bracket at the right height for my legs. I've put nearly 3K miles on that bike in a little over a year.

In a few weeks I'll be getting my custom bicycle. It's geometry is set to fit my body perfectly. I ride recreationally and I like to put long hours on the bike. The bike is made to ride stable and I'll be in a natural position, not stretched too long. I'll have a cushy saddle, one good for hours of sitting time. This is just me, the kind of bike that suits me. I'm strictly on the road so I don't care to have wide tires for dirt. Now if I wanted versatility so I could ride dirt, then maybe I'd get a different bike. I'm saying all this to get you thinking. It's not the brand, it's the kind of bike, and how it fits.

Thats a pretty good advice!!!😉 Infact the best advice!

Ditto the above. Check out all the local shops and see what they offer in bikes that fit your requirements......frame size and budget.

This is usually a good time to purchase a bike as the shops are anxious to move 2004 models to make room for the 2005 bikes. It is my experience that you can save some coin by opting for last year`s model....IF....it fits you. No sale is worth it if the bike is not your size.

In my case I bought a 2001 bike with 105/ultegra with a better overall spec for only $200(ish) more than a 2002 model much farther down the line(tiagra and generic housebrand stuff). In hinesight it was the smartest $200 I have ever spent.

Like a buddy told me it is far cheaper to upgrade when you purchase a bike as opposed to later on in a piecemeal fashion.

That said the trickle down effect now has entry level road bikes equiped with carbon fiber forks and some decent accessories.Sora is Shimano`s entry level component group but is only 8 speed. Tiagra/105/pre 2005 ultegra/pre 2003 Dura Ace are all 9 speed. As a result future upgrades from Sora are more complicated and expensive.

As for advice check out this website and the reviews on any bike you may shortlist........

www.roadbikereview.com

Good luck and good hunting! Let us know what you opt for.

BTW - I have heard the Felt bikes are decent rides and a good bang for the buck. Check out the Giants as well. Same deal.

Oh yeah...i forgot. If you live in the southern climes and can actually test ride bikes in March then do so. You can have very similar bikes but one may just feel better to you when you are in the saddle. It might be subtle differences in the geometry or something as simple as a saddle that fits your rear end better or the angle of the stem.

If not then have the shop put prospective bikes on a trainer and have them adjust your fit and then spin for awhile.

i bought a new bike last year and i did what alot of those guys sugested however i took it one step further one you may or may not be comfortable with. I went to alll the lbs and road their bikes and after visiting many times one shop put me on a bike that was about a $1000 out of my price range (but i loved it and still do). Knowing i could not purchase it there i looked on ebay and i got lucky. I bought a bike i love (my dream bike until i can get one made for me) for half the price of the lbs. then i took it in to get it set up for me. saved me lots of money.