First Time Buyer Recommendation

I'm sure there have been tons of topics that have been posted by
beginners looking to buy a road bike, but I'm going to take my own stab
at it here.

I am in very good shape and am looking to add bicycling to my repetoire
of running and weight training. I am also looking to join various
bicycling groups around Los Angeles. I don't have too much to spend
($500 or less), but I'd like a decent road bike not only for commuting
purposes, but also for distance bicycling.

I'm not sure if this is vital information, but I am female, 5'9" tall,
and around 135lbs. I visited a bike shop and the guy told me that I'm a
"medium" (whatever that may mean) and that I have a stand over height
ranging from 50-53. He didn't get into more specifics than that.

What brands are good? Should I just buy a bike and "build up?" I'm
taking any and all suggestions and opinions.

Many thanks!

Full on RoadBike at that price range I'd probably look at a Medium Giant OCR3
or one of the lower end LeMond's or Trek 1000

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

I'm sure there have been tons of topics that have been posted by
beginners looking to buy a road bike, but I'm going to take my own stab
at it here.

I am in very good shape and am looking to add bicycling to my repetoire
of running and weight training. I am also looking to join various
bicycling groups around Los Angeles. I don't have too much to spend
($500 or less), but I'd like a decent road bike not only for commuting
purposes, but also for distance bicycling.

I'm not sure if this is vital information, but I am female, 5'9" tall,
and around 135lbs. I visited a bike shop and the guy told me that I'm a
"medium" (whatever that may mean) and that I have a stand over height
ranging from 50-53. He didn't get into more specifics than that.

What brands are good? Should I just buy a bike and "build up?" I'm
taking any and all suggestions and opinions.

Many thanks!

Please search around on other threads. This topic has been beated to
death...

The only thing unique about your situation is your budget. There's
nothing wrong with it. It merely limits your choice.

If you want new, you'll be limited to closeout bikes or NOS (New Old
Stock) bikes - which is just fine if one fits.

Or you can spend some time searching for a used bike of much better
quality. Depends on what you value.

But with a budget of only $500, any recommendations we give you here
may not be present in the marketplace.

I see someone already recommended the Trek 1000, which may be a bit over
your budget but I just tried one the other day and it was kind of nice.

My question to you is, what's your intended route? I did a (very) brief
period sort-of commuting between Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, and
Hollywood and a very used hybrid worked fine for me. I get a real kick
out of valet parking a bike. If I were going to be doing Laurel Canyon
regularly, I would definitely try to stretch that budget. For cruising
up and down Melrose, a Schwinn would probably be a lot of fun.

Good luck!

--ag

"Her Subj." <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

I'm sure there have been tons of topics that have been posted by
beginners looking to buy a road bike, but I'm going to take my own
stab at it here.

I am in very good shape and am looking to add bicycling to my
repetoire of running and weight training. I am also looking to join
various bicycling groups around Los Angeles. I don't have too much to
spend ($500 or less), but I'd like a decent road bike not only for
commuting purposes, but also for distance bicycling.

I'm not sure if this is vital information, but I am female, 5'9" tall,
and around 135lbs. I visited a bike shop and the guy told me that I'm
a "medium" (whatever that may mean) and that I have a stand over
height ranging from 50-53. He didn't get into more specifics than
that.

What brands are good? Should I just buy a bike and "build up?" I'm
taking any and all suggestions and opinions.

Many thanks!

jj said:

So to save 150 bucks you skipped having indexed shifters? This seems
ludicrous to me, but hey, it's your ride.

jj

Not all downtube shifters are friction. And, indexed shifters are not
without their own problems. Some people actually prefer friction levers.

I am in the process of purchasing a Fuji League from my LBS.
All he had in his shop was a Large 56cm frame, but I need a Medium 50cm
frame,
so I must wait about a week.
Brand new it lists for $418.00...on Fuji's website.
I'm getting it for $399.00 Brand New 2005.
Shifters on the downtube though, doesn't bother me.
Check the shop locater on bottom of page for a shop near you.

See link below...
http://www.fujibikes.com/2005/bikes.asp?id=14

John

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Her Subj." <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I'm sure there have been tons of topics that have been posted by
beginners looking to buy a road bike, but I'm going to take my own stab
at it here.

I am in very good shape and am looking to add bicycling to my repetoire
of running and weight training. I am also looking to join various
bicycling groups around Los Angeles. I don't have too much to spend
($500 or less), but I'd like a decent road bike not only for commuting
purposes, but also for distance bicycling.

I'm not sure if this is vital information, but I am female, 5'9" tall,
and around 135lbs. I visited a bike shop and the guy told me that I'm a
"medium" (whatever that may mean) and that I have a stand over height
ranging from 50-53. He didn't get into more specifics than that.

What brands are good? Should I just buy a bike and "build up?" I'm
taking any and all suggestions and opinions.

Many thanks!

"Her Subj." <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I'm sure there have been tons of topics that have been posted by
beginners looking to buy a road bike, but I'm going to take my own stab
at it here.

I am in very good shape and am looking to add bicycling to my repetoire
of running and weight training. I am also looking to join various
bicycling groups around Los Angeles. I don't have too much to spend
($500 or less), but I'd like a decent road bike not only for commuting
purposes, but also for distance bicycling.

I'm not sure if this is vital information, but I am female, 5'9" tall,
and around 135lbs. I visited a bike shop and the guy told me that I'm a
"medium" (whatever that may mean) and that I have a stand over height
ranging from 50-53. He didn't get into more specifics than that.

I'm a female about your height, and I have a road bike for sale. It's a
Novarra Strada, currently retails for about $1100, I'll sell it to you for
$150 plus shipping. Contact me if you want more info.

--
Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky
Personal page: http://www.geocities.com/cpetersky/
See the books I've set free at:
http://bookcrossing.com/referral/Cpetersky

Thanks for your recommendations. I posted to bicycling.com and someone
there also recommended I beef up my budget another $200. The store I
went to had Giants and they seemed nice. I really want something I can
grow into as I am not looking to upgrade to carbon or anything that
elaborate.

On 13 Sep 2005 13:10:39 -0700, "Her Subj." <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

I'm sure there have been tons of topics that have been posted by
beginners looking to buy a road bike, but I'm going to take my own stab
at it here.

Yeah, check the archives. OTOH, most of this has been hashed over
three times in the last month, so we're very fluent at it by now.

Quoted message said:

I am in very good shape and am looking to add bicycling to my repetoire
of running and weight training. I am also looking to join various
bicycling groups around Los Angeles. I don't have too much to spend
($500 or less), but I'd like a decent road bike not only for commuting
purposes, but also for distance bicycling.

First, that's a bit low. Decent road bikes start around $700-800; for
$1000-1200 you get very good rides.

Second, your question doesn't have anything new. Check the archives.
You'll find most posters will try to sell you their bike -- style,
model, manufacturer. If you're going to rehash all this, again, could
you spice it up somehow? Please? Check the google archives -- it's
all there, it's all recent.

Alternately, ask something different, like, "What's your choice in
road bikes? What would be your second choice, and why is that better
than all the other potential second choices?"

Quoted message said:

I'm not sure if this is vital information, but I am female, 5'9" tall,
and around 135lbs. I visited a bike shop and the guy told me that I'm a
"medium" (whatever that may mean) and that I have a stand over height
ranging from 50-53. He didn't get into more specifics than that.

You've got the right idea, but I'd check another shop. That sort of
fitting may work for mountain bikes or hybrids, but you need a more
thorough fitting for a road bike.

Go read the "how to test ride a road bike" article at
http://www.chainreaction.com/roadbiketestrides.htm -- it's seriously
the best advice I've read for your situation. The rest of Mike's site
is pretty good, too. For specifics on sizing, see
http://sheldonbrown.com/frame-sizing.html -- Sheldon's site is to
bicycles as Webster's is to dictionaries.

Quoted message said:

What brands are good? Should I just buy a bike and "build up?" I'm
taking any and all suggestions and opinions.

Any bike you buy at an LBS (local bike shop) is as good as the shop.
Put another way, you can't buy a bad bike at a good bike shop. Look
around, pick one, and have fun.

Pat
Email address works as is.

Hi! Good to hear from a local. I live on the border between Silver Lake
and Los Feliz (about a mile from Griffith Park) and plan to bike to
Downtown and around the vicinity. This will not really be for work (I
have to come to work with manicured hair, etc.) but for after work hour
recreation and generally to take in the landscape of Los Angeles from a
bicyclist's perspective (we are so used to automobiles). I am also
planning to occasionally bike to the beach (yes, from the Eastside!)
and thereabouts.

What are the specs on this bike? Why are you selling it for so cheap?
Can anyone vouch for this particular bike?

"Her Subj." <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

What are the specs on this bike? Why are you selling it for so cheap?
Can anyone vouch for this particular bike?

I'm selling it cheap because I bought a new Co-Motion Nor'Wester this
spring, and it's just a garage ornament right now. I've probably put about
15 K on it, so it's not exactly in showroom condition. Every bit of the
drivetrain has been replaced (sometimes multiple times) with either 105 or
Ultegra components. It has a replacement carbon fork (original model was
aluminum, now carbon is standard), a replaced Ritchie headset, completely
rebuilt wheels (front and back). So although it has a fair bit of miles on
it, the components are not all worn out pieces of [censored]. Still, frankly, the
paint job looks like crud after all these years, and the handle bars need to
have their tape re-wrapped. I hit a dog (well, the dog ran into me) and
popped off the cover to the gear shifter some years ago
(http://groups.google.com/group/rec.bicycles.misc/browse_frm/thread/3c33a844c77e7a9b/ec1f29d562b13b3c?q=petersky+ice+dog&rnum=1&hl=en#ec1f29d562b13b3c),
and they don't make those any more, so it doesn't look that pretty, but it
doesn't inhibit functionality. In other words, this bike is in reasonable
shape, it isn't necessarily cosmetically beautiful, it would get you around
LA (many moons ago I was a bike commuter in Pasadena) just fine, and when
you were ready to upgrade in a few years, you'd feel like you got your
money's worth out of it.

I have done lots of centuries, club rides, and daily commuting on this bike.
You can put a rack and panniers on it -- I did a light tour of the San Juans
with this bike a few years back. Hop on my personal page and you can see
photos of it on the STP pages.

I doubt any one can vouch for the bike, but Dane Jackson of this NG could
look at it and you'd have a third opinion.

--
Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky
Personal page: http://www.geocities.com/cpetersky/
See the books I've set free at:
http://bookcrossing.com/referral/Cpetersky

Her Subj. said:

I'm sure there have been tons of topics that have been posted by
beginners looking to buy a road bike, but I'm going to take my own stab
at it here.

I am in very good shape and am looking to add bicycling to my repetoire
of running and weight training. I am also looking to join various
bicycling groups around Los Angeles. I don't have too much to spend
($500 or less), but I'd like a decent road bike not only for commuting
purposes, but also for distance bicycling.

Up your budget to $650 and get a Bianchi Brava. You may be able to find
it for as low as $560 or so, depending on the shop.

See http://bicycleshortlist.com

I used to recommend the Fuji League, but Fuji wrecked it for 2005. The
2004 models were in high demand right after Fuji wrecked the 2005 model,
so forget about finding one anymore.

Her Subj. said:

I'm sure there have been tons of topics that have been posted by
beginners looking to buy a road bike, but I'm going to take my own stab
at it here.

I am in very good shape and am looking to add bicycling to my repetoire
of running and weight training. I am also looking to join various
bicycling groups around Los Angeles. I don't have too much to spend
($500 or less), but I'd like a decent road bike not only for commuting
purposes, but also for distance bicycling.

Up your budget to $650 and get a Bianchi Brava. You may be able to find
it for as low as $560 or so, depending on the shop.

See http://bicycleshortlist.com

I used to recommend the Fuji League, but Fuji wrecked it for 2005. The
2004 models were in high demand right after Fuji wrecked the 2005 model,
so forget about finding one anymore.

On Wed, 14 Sep 2005 01:22:30 GMT, "John Quell" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

I am in the process of purchasing a Fuji League from my LBS.
All he had in his shop was a Large 56cm frame, but I need a Medium 50cm
frame,
so I must wait about a week.
Brand new it lists for $418.00...on Fuji's website.
I'm getting it for $399.00 Brand New 2005.
Shifters on the downtube though, doesn't bother me.
Check the shop locater on bottom of page for a shop near you.

See link below...
http://www.fujibikes.com/2005/bikes.asp?id=14

John

So to save 150 bucks you skipped having indexed shifters? This seems
ludicrous to me, but hey, it's your ride.

jj

Quoted message said:

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Her Subj." <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I'm sure there have been tons of topics that have been posted by
beginners looking to buy a road bike, but I'm going to take my own stab
at it here.

I am in very good shape and am looking to add bicycling to my repetoire
of running and weight training. I am also looking to join various
bicycling groups around Los Angeles. I don't have too much to spend
($500 or less), but I'd like a decent road bike not only for commuting
purposes, but also for distance bicycling.

I'm not sure if this is vital information, but I am female, 5'9" tall,
and around 135lbs. I visited a bike shop and the guy told me that I'm a
"medium" (whatever that may mean) and that I have a stand over height
ranging from 50-53. He didn't get into more specifics than that.

What brands are good? Should I just buy a bike and "build up?" I'm
taking any and all suggestions and opinions.

Many thanks!

John Quell said:

I am in the process of purchasing a Fuji League from my LBS.
All he had in his shop was a Large 56cm frame, but I need a Medium 50cm
frame,
so I must wait about a week.
Brand new it lists for $418.00...on Fuji's website.
I'm getting it for $399.00 Brand New 2005.

The 2004 League was an excellent choice for an entry level road bike.
But Fuji wrecked the 2005 model, it bears no resemblence to previous
year's Leagues. Everything the experts say to avoid in a road bike, and
that weren't present on the 2004, are now on the 2005. What a damn shame.

On Tue, 13 Sep 2005 20:01:49 -0500, Bill Henry <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

jj said:

So to save 150 bucks you skipped having indexed shifters? This seems
ludicrous to me, but hey, it's your ride.

Not all downtube shifters are friction. And, indexed shifters are not
without their own problems. Some people actually prefer friction levers.

So in the middle of a fast stretch you have to remove your hand from the
handlbars and reaching down, fumble around for the downtube shifter, and if
it's a friction shifter, monkey around with the position, listening to the
chain clank to be sure it's in the right position.

Indexed shifters are, imo, superior to downtube shifters for that reason
alone - the hands stay on the handlebars. It's frustrating enough searching
for the handle or the position, and tightening up the handle that on the
whole, I usually end up shifting a lot less than I do now. Indexed shifters
make the process nearly invisible. Friction shifters are a PiB, imo. ;-)

I can understand a pro having a downtube shifter for the front chainring to
save weight, but otherwise it's a step backwards.

jj

SMS said:

John Quell said:

I am in the process of purchasing a Fuji League from my LBS.
All he had in his shop was a Large 56cm frame, but I need a Medium 50cm
frame,
so I must wait about a week.
Brand new it lists for $418.00...on Fuji's website.
I'm getting it for $399.00 Brand New 2005.

The 2004 League was an excellent choice for an entry level road bike.
But Fuji wrecked the 2005 model, it bears no resemblence to previous
year's Leagues. Everything the experts say to avoid in a road bike, and
that weren't present on the 2004, are now on the 2005. What a damn shame.

Can you elaborate or provide a link as to how they wrecked it? Just
curious.

jj

Quoted message said:

I am in very good shape and am looking to add bicycling to my repetoire
of running and weight training. I am also looking to join various
bicycling groups around Los Angeles. I don't have too much to spend
($500 or less), but I'd like a decent road bike not only for commuting
purposes, but also for distance bicycling.

I'm not sure if this is vital information, but I am female, 5'9" tall,
and around 135lbs. I visited a bike shop and the guy told me that I'm a
"medium" (whatever that may mean) and that I have a stand over height
ranging from 50-53. He didn't get into more specifics than that.

Fit is *extremely* important with road bikes; it will make the difference
between a bike you really want to ride, and one that sits in the garage,
little-used, because it's just not all that much fun or comfortable. Sounds
to me like you've been to a Giant dealer, since their idea of "fit" is
small/medium/large. I'm not a fan of that, but some say it works out fine if
the shop knows what they're doing.

Which brings us to perhaps the most-important point- that the shop itself
will probably make a bigger difference in terms of the value and quality of
what you buy, than what brand it is. For starters, you should check out this
article on our website-

www.ChainReaction.com/roadbiketestrides.htm

It's one of the few that's brand & material neutral. It tells you how the
bikes you test ride should be set up, and what to look for on the test ride.
You should also figure out if the shop understands *your* dreams, or is more
interested in talking about how *they* ride. Ideally, they should be able to
relate to you ideas of how & where you want to ride, and help you expand
upon those opportunities.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com