FNG!

Welcome aboard, Jim!

Yes, $500 should get you a pretty good used bike. Did you have a particular brand and model in mind or are you just shopping around?

Right now I'm just shopping around. Seems like there are several big-name manufacturers who have a bike that fits the bill. Trek, Giant, Cannondale, etc. It's taking me forever to figure out the subtle differences between bikes, and why some are $300 and some are $2500. Lots to learn. I'm all ears if you have any suggestions.

I'm not a bike guru, but I think as long as you stay with major brands like the ones you mentioned, the bikes will be comparably equiped in a comparable price range.

So, a lot of it will come down to finding the bikes that fit you perfectly, are in your price range, and you really like riding.

Myself, I would try to stay with Shimano 105 or above equiped bikes, or the comparable level in other equipment brands like SRAM or Campagnola.

If you can narrow down your search a bit to some specific bikes you like, then you can post the specs of those bikes on here and get some very specific feedback.

Have fun shopping!

Welcome aboard Jim. I find bikepedia to be a good tool to use when comparing different bikes. The site list the factory components and suggested retail of most bikes when they were new. Some people selling bikes used online have inflated ideas of what the bikes are really worth. By finding out the original MSRP you can get an idea of what the bike is really worth and make an offer based on that. Also once you have narrowed down your search you can always post your picks on here. I am positive a lot of members will weigh in helping you make the right choice.

Hi, Jim, and welcome to the thread!

This is a fantastic place to get advice from guys who know their stuff. I know, because I'm new to cycling myself, and they've been invaluable to me.

I don't know enough about bikes to suggest a specific one. But if you're careful and check it out thoroughly, you can get fantastic deals on used bikes on Craigslist because so many people buy nice new ones and then never ride them. The advantage of CL over ebay is that you actually get to see and test ride the bike before any money changes hands. With the hundreds of dollars you can save, you can upgrade your saddle or pay for a tour or whatever! And it's easy to do a search for a specific brand, if you've decided you want a Trek or Fuji or whatever.

Have fun shopping! I've had my new baby since Thanksgiving, and am loving it!!!

Sierra

64Paramount said:

Myself, I would try to stay with Shimano 105 or above equiped bikes, or the comparable level in other equipment brands like SRAM or Campagnola

Well, I might as well start there. What the heck does that mean? Lol, actually I see the phrase "Shimano 105" quite frequently, but I have no idea what it refers to. Another quick question. I notice some bikes have strap-in pedals, some have clip-in pedals, and some have no pedals at all! Since I don't have the fancy shoes, i assume I need to look for a bike with strap-in pedals. OTOH, what does it cost to change from one to the other? I'm a reasonable mechanic, are there any tricks to it? Can I test-ride a clip-in style bike with my tenny-pumps on, or will that damage the components? Or will I just look like such a clown that the seller will mock me and send me on my way? Thanks again. Hopefully you guys are starting to get the idea of my level of noobness, lol.

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by Jim Moore [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

Quote: Originally Posted by 64Paramount [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

Myself, I would try to stay with Shimano 105 or above equiped bikes, or the comparable level in other equipment brands like SRAM or Campagnola

Well, I might as well start there. What the heck does that mean? Lol, actually I see the phrase "Shimano 105" quite frequently, but I have no idea what it refers to.

Another quick question. I notice some bikes have strap-in pedals, some have clip-in pedals, and some have no pedals at all! Since I don't have the fancy shoes, i assume I need to look for a bike with strap-in pedals. OTOH, what does it cost to change from one to the other? I'm a reasonable mechanic, are there any tricks to it? Can I test-ride a clip-in style bike with my tenny-pumps on, or will that damage the components? Or will I just look like such a clown that the seller will mock me and send me on my way?

Thanks again. Hopefully you guys are starting to get the idea of my level of noobness, lol.

Shimano, Campagnolo and SRAM are manufacturers of bike group sets. A group set (or gruppo as the snobs say) consists of the brakes, the shifters, the crank, the chain, the front rings, the rear cassette and the front and back derailleurs - basically everything that is mounted on the frame to make the bike go except the wheels. Each manufacturer has different levels (at different cost points) for their stuff. Shimano 105 is a group set made by Shimano and it's the 3rd best in their line - superior ones (or at least more costly ones) are Ultegra and Dura Ace. I think the main difference is that as you go up in price you get more and more metal components and less weight. The price difference between levels can be significant.

Shimano 105, even though 3rd "best" in the Shimano ranking is very good and will last for years. I'm not familiar with the Campagnolo and SRAM components since I have Shimano on my bikes.

The strap in parts of the pedals with straps are called "toe clips" and the pedals without straps that you clip into are called "clipless". They're called clipless because they don't have toe clips.

It's easy to change between pedals - all you have to do is screw out the old ones and screw in the new ones. You can test ride a bike with clipless pedals in normal shoes but it will feel funny and your feet might slip - you could ask the bike store folks to put some regular pedals on there for you. You can't ride it other than for very short distances like that and yes you will look like a total dork if you try. Serious cyclists have cycling shoes but you can get these later if cycling is something that catches your fancy. Cycling shoes tend to have very stiff soles - the idea being that the shoe doesn't flex so that more energy is transferred to the pedal. The shoes come with holes on the bottom so you can mount the cleat for the clipless pedals. If you do decide to go clipless, make sure you have pedals with lots of float - float allows your foot to move a little from side to side while in the cleat (i.e., a small amount of rotation with the cleat at the center). This will help prevent knee injuries.

It's difficult to walk in some of the cycling shoes when the cleat is attached since you may be walking on the cleat. Mountain bike shoes have a recessed area that the cleat fits into so you can walk around in them - but they weigh more so I guess that's the trade off.

I have toe clips on my commuting bike and clipless on my road bikes. The idea of these is to keep your feet properly positioned. Clipless takes a while to get used to and everyone falls over a few times before the unclicking motion (you have to turn your foot sideways to get out of them) becomes second nature. Most experienced riders prefer clipless although some still swear by toe clips. I prefer clipless myselff and I only used toe clips on my commuter bike since I'm in and out of them so much because of the traffic lights and turns I have to make.

And pay attention to fit - if the bike is set up wrong you can hurt your knees (or your hands or your back or your neck).

So that's it - hope it helps.

Yeah, that's great, thanks. if I understood correctly, "clipless" means you need the special shoes. Shimano is a manufacturer, and the 105 is a level of quality. The level of quality of the components goes up with the price of the bike. When I'm buying a Cannondale (or whatever), I will actually be buying a Shimano (or whatever) gruppo, right? (Gruppo, lol. Hey I'm a snob.)

Btw, I see this alot. What are "Mavic Ksyrium wheels."

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by Jim Moore [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

Yeah, that's great, thanks. if I understood correctly, "clipless" means you need the special shoes. Shimano is a manufacturer, and the 105 is a level of quality. The level of quality of the components goes up with the price of the bike.

When I'm buying a Cannondale (or whatever), I will actually be buying a Shimano (or whatever) gruppo, right? (Gruppo, lol. Hey I'm a snob.)

Yep, you got it. And when you say gruppo, say it with an Italian accent and gesture dramatically. [IMG]/img/vbsmilies/smilies/cool.gif[/IMG]

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by Jim Moore [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

Btw, I see this alot. What are "Mavic Ksyrium wheels."

Mavic is the brand and Krsyium is the model level. The Krsyium Equipe are about 105 level of quality. The Krsyium Elite are about Ultegra level of quality.

Cool. Thanks. Let me know when I start driving you guys nuts. Next question. It looks to me like the bottom rung on the quality ladder for all the manufacturers is a bike with an aluminum fork and seat post. The next rung is a bike with a carbon fork and seat post. My understanding is that the carbon is lighter and flexible, so you get a better ride. Does a novice need such things? Also, is it viable to buy a bottom line bike and slowly replace the low tech parts with high tech stuff, or is it better just move from bike to bike?

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by Jim Moore [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

Cool. Thanks. Let me know when I start driving you guys nuts.

Next question. It looks to me like the bottom rung on the quality ladder for all the manufacturers is a bike with an aluminum fork and seat post. The next rung is a bike with a carbon fork and seat post. My understanding is that the carbon is lighter and flexible, so you get a better ride. Does a novice need such things?

Also, is it viable to buy a bottom line bike and slowly replace the low tech parts with high tech stuff, or is it better just move from bike to bike?

I would say that no-one needs that stuff - we're all just victims of marketing schemes. I suppose there's a minimum you'd have to spend to get something of quality, but after that they don't really differ all that much.

It's not cost effective to replace parts on your bike with more expensive parts. Try to decide what you want now and get it - if you don't get what you want you'll end up regretting it and wishing you had done something else.

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by Jim Moore [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

Cool. Thanks. Let me know when I start driving you guys nuts.

Next question. It looks to me like the bottom rung on the quality ladder for all the manufacturers is a bike with an aluminum fork and seat post. The next rung is a bike with a carbon fork and seat post. My understanding is that the carbon is lighter and flexible, so you get a better ride. Does a novice need such things?

Also, is it viable to buy a bottom line bike and slowly replace the low tech parts with high tech stuff, or is it better just move from bike to bike?

Hi Jim,

Your questions are all good ones, so don't worry about driving us nuts - you aren't! We weren't born knowing this stuff either, we all had to learn somewhere.

Carbon is lighter, but not necessarily flexible. Flexible is NOT GOOD when in comes to power transfer. You want all the power you put out to go into moving the bike forward, not into flexing the frame. So, you want a frame that is stiff and responsive. However, what your probably meant is that carbon absorbs road vibrations and so gives a smoother ride that aluminum (and this is usually good for efficiency too).

bottom line bike and upgrade the components? You will probably get lots of different opinions about this (proving that it really is a personal choice). I, for one, would not recommend getting a cheap frame and upgrading to fancy components. However, if you get a nice frame with cheap components, you could upgrade components later. Or if you do end up with a cheap frame tricked out will full dura ace (not sure why it would be sold that way), you could upgrade the frame later and swap over your components.

For what it's worth, I agree with everyone above who recommended that you get shimano 105 or better. I ran campy veloce (pretty much the campy equivalent to shimano 105) for a while and that was decent stuff in that it held up for a long time, and shifted quickly and reliably (when adjusted properly). However, it was a little finicky and needed frequent adjustments. Now I run dura ace and that stuff is rock solid, not a single derailleur adjustment since July! And I am super anal about that sort of thing, so that means a lot coming from me :-)

I made the mistake of walking into a bike shop today and almost got talked into a a bottom-of-the-line Specialized Secteur for $600, marked down from $800. OK bike for a novice?

So happy I found this thread. A ton of my newbie questions have now been answered. Thanks

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by Jim Moore [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

I made the mistake of walking into a bike shop today and almost got talked into a a bottom-of-the-line Specialized Secteur for $600, marked down from $800. OK bike for a novice?

It is an OK bike, depending on what you want to do with it, and how serious you get with your cycling. If you are like a lot of us, and cycling becomes more than just something different to do on the weekends, you will probably find yourself wanting to upgrade pretty soon. From what I can tell, this bike is either shimano 2300 equipped, with an 8spd cassette. I also saw it sora/tiagra equipped (with sora shifters) and a 9spd cassette. Obviously, the 9spd is better (and 10spd is even better than that), but based on the price, I think you are looking at the 2300 group set. This is really bottom of the line.

If you can't spend more than $600, I would look on-line (craiglist, ebay, etc) to see what you can find . . . I recently sold a stunning, race-ready, year old bianchi on craigslist for under $1000 (ugh, kinda want that machine back!) so there are deals to be had if you look hard enough.

Yeah, it's the 2300 groupset. I realize that's going against the recommendation of several folks. The main thing that intrigued me about the deal is that the shop will spend quite a bit of time working to get you fitted properly. That's a big deal for me. I have bad knees and I want to make sure everything works like it is supposed to. I am now leaning toward buying this bike and letting them do all the fitting. I'll ride it for a year and see if I'm really digging the sport. If so I'll start looking for a used bike with higher-end parts. I'll have a year of serious bike experience so I'll be a little nmore knowledgeable about the whole process. Brings me to another question. What are the two best bicycle magazines?

About the fitting - I suggest you do a little reading first to learn what's important so you know if your bike shop guys know what they're doing.

When I bought my first road bike there was no internet and I didn't know anything about biking or bike fitting. The shop I bought from had a fit kit and they set me up - all wrong as it turned out. I injured my knee and it still bothers me sometimes even now all these years later.