I guess the first thing is that I have never owned/rode a road bike before. I live in NE Italy and I see tons of riders everyday. To say the least, I'm getting a little antsy because I'm so envious of the freedom that riding seems to bring.
I have NO IDEA about road bikes other than they have different gears, 2 wheels, and a seat. I went online to wrenchscience.com and got my sizes so i think i'm good on that.
Looking for a used bike for now (Balance: $400) but something that will make me enjoy the rides. I'm not looking for so much as make and model but more along the lines of what FEATURES i need to look out for.
$400 for a road bike is limiting alot of your options. The best thing you can do is to go to a LBS and look for some of the older models that they wanna get off the floor. Towards the fall they're usually eager to get the bikes out. The name of the bike itself isn't extremely important but you still want a reliable name as well as good name brand components
You need a bike that fits you. Since frames come in many sizes you could end up with one that is too big or too small. Stems cranks, bike geometry vary.Your needs, wants, riding styles, habits and expectations will also vary. If you have an experienced friend or someone you trust who can refer you to a reputable bike shop you can obtain a lot of information that can help you get started. You can get a lot of information here but I suggest getting local help before making the initial investment.
Thanks a lot for the tips. I have a coworker who has been riding for 3 years recreationally. He said to look for the used ones in good shape.
What are the better materials/parts i should be looking for specifically? I dont wanna buy something that really sucks.
For the money you have you are not going to get a top of the line carbon frame but there are a lot of good aluminum frames. Older frames can be fine but try and get a decent component set and not one that was ridden in WWI.It is sometime hard getting parts to repair older components and the technology has gotten better over the years. Shimano and Campagnola makes some good basic stuff. I know that here I could find a decent used aluminum bike with Shimano 105, for example, for $400.00.
well i suppose im gonna go to the LBS and see whats up. I dont want to be fed any BS from the guy while I'm in there. Not too sure about whats worth the money ya know. Like whats the most common # of gears for front and back? what frame material is best? etc.
So i guess with limited money: Priority #1: A bike #2: Helmet #3........
