searching for first road bike

Quoted message said:

I am a 24yo female, looking to purchase my first road
bike. Price range up to $2,000. What do you recommend?
Where to search in Brisbane or Gold

Coast?

Try "Cycleogical" in Montague St. West End in Brisbane, I
see they are advertising a new shipment of "Women's Only"
bikes made by Alchemy, i can't vouch if they are good or
bad, but could be worth checking out.

See cycleogical.com.auindex.aspOpen ↗

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

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I am a 24yo female, looking to purchase my first road
bike. Price range

up

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

to $2,000. What do you recommend? Where to search in
Brisbane or Gold

Coast?

Try "Cycleogical" in Montague St. West End in Brisbane, I
see they are advertising a new shipment of "Women's Only"
bikes made by Alchemy, i

can't

Quoted message said:

vouch if they are good or bad, but could be worth
checking out.

See cycleogical.com.auindex.aspOpen ↗

And then once you've found a bike you like, call around
and see who will give you a good price. Cycleogical = mega
expensive. They're good people but they didn't want to
drop below RRP last time I called. They might give
Triathlon Australia discount. Strathpine cycles decided to
outdo my previous best offer and offered an Avanti Giro
for $1450. RRP is $1799 I think. When my mate went to buy
one he talked them into the bike, shoes, helmet and some
other accessories, along with a service plan, for $1620.
They were very upfront, I told them exactly what I wanted
and told them to name a price and they were more than
happy to do that.

That being said, the chaps over at Triathlete's World
Cyclery at Albion are awesome. They always give me a
deal, and they didn't even laugh at me when I took my
bike back the day after a service because I'd banged the
gears out again.

For the $2000, you'll be guaranteed to get an alu frame,
carbon forks, and shimano 105 components. If you do well,
you'll get partial or full upgrade to ultegra and more
carbon - seat post and maybe seat stay. Get a friend who has
a bike to go in with you because I had a lot of trouble with
places like SuperCycles who were just preying on the fact I
didn't know much. Turns out I knew enough.

A very very important thing to check is the warranty on the
bike, and ask around if they honour it. Some bikes only
give you a short warranty but it covers everything, some
bikes give you a long one but it doesn't cover much, most
of them don't transfer to later owners. My coach returned
his busted Trek frame a while ago and they sent him a brand
new one - his had been about 10 years old! But you'll pay
an extra $100 for the same bike just because it's got Trek
written on it.

T

Quoted message said:

For the $2000, you'll be guaranteed to get an alu frame,
carbon forks, and shimano 105 components. If you do well,
you'll get partial or full upgrade

Do carbon forks on an alu frame make much of a difference?
I've got an alu frame/forks and on some rough bitumen roads
I feel like I'm using a jackhammer. If it was going to make
a big difference I was thinking about carbon forks, but if
it's not much difference I'll just keep saving for a new
bike and put up with it.

DaveB

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Daveb
> For the $2000, you'll be guaranteed to get an alu frame,

Quoted message said:

carbon forks, and shimano 105 components. If you do well,
you'll get partial or full upgrade

Do carbon forks on an alu frame make much of a difference?
I've got an alu frame/forks and on some rough bitumen roads
I feel like I'm using a jackhammer. If it was going to make
a big difference I was thinking about carbon forks, but if
it's not much difference I'll just keep saving for a new
bike and put up with it.

DaveB

I used to have an alu frame/forks, and that felt very jackhammerish, just as you mention. Admittedly it was a very stiff frame. I upgraded to a completely new bike, different wheels, tyres, frame, etc. so it's very hard to be completely objective. To be completely certain of the difference in something, one would need to keep everything the same except for the forks- whats that, and Independent Variable or something? Knew I should have paid more attention in Psychology class... 😉

In terms of ride quality, the bike *feels* a lot smoother, and absorbs more of the bumps. I would say that carbon forks do make a big difference, but I can't be completely 100% sure that that isn't different tyres or whatever.

Sorry if that was completely useless. :p

Try Blair Stockwell at lifecycle.net.au.
Great Service! Great Prices!
I've bought my last two bikes from him.

Etxy said:

Daveb said:

Quoted message said:

For the $2000, you'll be guaranteed to get an alu
frame, carbon forks, and shimano 105 components. If
you do well, you'll get partial or full upgrade

Do carbon forks on an alu frame make much of a
difference? I've got an alu frame/forks and on some
rough bitumen roads I feel like I'm using a
jackhammer. If it was going to make a big difference I
was thinking about carbon forks, but if it's not much
difference I'll just keep saving for a new bike and
put up with it. DaveB

I used to have an alu frame/forks, and that felt very
jackhammerish, just as you mention. Admittedly it was a
very stiff frame. I upgraded to a completely new bike,
different wheels, tyres, frame, etc. so it's very hard to
be completely objective. To be completely certain of the
difference in something, one would need to keep everything
the same except for the forks- whats that, and Independent
Variable or something? Knew I should have paid more
attention in Psychology class... 😉

In terms of ride quality, the bike *feels* a lot smoother,
and absorbs more of the bumps. I would say that carbon
forks do make a big difference, but I can't be completely
100% sure that that isn't different tyres or whatever.

Sorry if that was completely useless. :p

No I kind of suspected there would be more to it than just
changing the forks. Given the cost of all the parts I'd
need to replace inc forks I think I'm better off waiting
for a new bike.

DaveB

Originally posted by Daveb:

Quoted message said:

Do carbon forks on an alu frame make much of a difference?

Only by virtue of making your wallet lighter.

Much more difference would be felt by going to wider tyres, and not pumping them up quite as hard.

Not that I'm against carbon forks (or other carbon bits), just that I accept that the differences are almost entirely cosmetic.

Regards,

Suzy

Etxy said:

Daveb said:

Quoted message said:

For the $2000, you'll be guaranteed to get an alu
frame, carbon forks, and shimano 105 components. If
you do well, you'll get partial or full upgrade

Do carbon forks on an alu frame make much of a
difference? I've got an alu frame/forks and on some
rough bitumen roads I feel like I'm using a
jackhammer. If it was going to make a big difference I
was thinking about carbon forks, but if it's not much
difference I'll just keep saving for a new bike and
put up with it. DaveB

I used to have an alu frame/forks, and that felt very
jackhammerish, just as you mention. Admittedly it was a
very stiff frame. I upgraded to a completely new bike,
different wheels, tyres, frame, etc. so it's very hard to
be completely objective. To be completely certain of the
difference in something, one would need to keep everything
the same except for the forks- whats that, and Independent
Variable or something? Knew I should have paid more
attention in Psychology class... 😉

In terms of ride quality, the bike *feels* a lot smoother,
and absorbs more of the bumps. I would say that carbon
forks do make a big difference, but I can't be completely
100% sure that that isn't different tyres or whatever.

Sorry if that was completely useless. :p

Yeah I was out on my bike one Sunday feeling very very sore
after the 5 hrs on the bike the day before. The guy next to
me, who races track, grins and says "you look sore, you
should get a bike like mine" and I think to myself, sure if
I could afford another bike... but instead I ask "what's
yours do?"

He's proud to inform me that it's steel. He's still got the
carbon forks, but his bike is more shock absorbing. Never
thought of that. I guess if I could afford more bikes I
might have...

T

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by suzyj
Originally posted by Daveb:

Quoted message said:

Do carbon forks on an alu frame make much of a difference?

Only by virtue of making your wallet lighter.

Much more difference would be felt by going to wider tyres, and not pumping them up quite as hard.

Not that I'm against carbon forks (or other carbon bits), just that I accept that the differences are almost entirely cosmetic.

Regards,

Suzy

I'd have to disagree with that one. well, kinda

I recently upgraded my 853steel roady (which had 531 forks) to carbon forks (Alu steerer) and the difference was HUGE!

comfort and bump absorption was noticeable, however (i suspect from being lighter?) they were 'skittier' when you sit up

I can only presume that the change from Alu to Carbon would be even greater due to Alu's stiffness (but not weight vs 531)

Having said all that, bang for buck, running 25s or 28s would be far cheaper and running your tyres at 10-20psi lower even cheaper!

In article <[email hidden]>,

flyingdutch said:

I recently upgraded my 853steel roady (which had 531
forks) to carbon forks (Alu steerer) and the difference
was HUGE!

Did you change anything else at the same time? Wheels?
Tyres?

--
Shane Stanley

flyingdutch said:

suzyj said:

Originally posted by Daveb:

Quoted message said:

Do carbon forks on an alu frame make much of a
difference?

Only by virtue of making your wallet lighter. Much
more difference would be felt by going to wider tyres,
and not pumping them up quite as hard. Not that I'm
against carbon forks (or other carbon bits), just that
I accept that the differences are almost entirely
cosmetic. Regards, Suzy

I'd have to disagree with that one. well, kinda

I recently upgraded my 853steel roady (which had 531
forks) to carbon forks (Alu steerer) and the difference
was HUGE!

comfort and bump absorption was noticeable, however (i
suspect from being lighter?) they were 'skittier' when
you sit up

I can only presume that the change from Alu to Carbon
would be even greater due to Alu's stiffness (but not
weight vs 531)

Having said all that, bang for buck, running 25s or 28s
would be far cheaper and running your tyres at 10-20psi
lower even cheaper!

--

Yeah it would really depend on your goals, I guess, e.g. I
want to race IMWA and IMOZ so I bought carbon straight up. I
have a novice bike compared to most people going in these
events! But I don't think that pushing tyres 10psi lower
would make me happy over 180 km. No, I would not be a happy
marathoner.

That being said I often rode my commuter a little low so I
didn't need to buy a comfier saddle.

T
--

______________________________________

Tamyka Bell, PhD Student School of Human Movement Studies
The University Of Queensland
w: +61-7-33656105
x: +61-4-00782972
y: [email hidden]
______________________________________

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Shane Stanley
In article <[email hidden]>,

flyingdutch said:

I recently upgraded my 853steel roady (which had 531
forks) to carbon forks (Alu steerer) and the difference
was HUGE!

Did you change anything else at the same time? Wheels?
Tyres?

--
Shane Stanley

Chorus04 grouppo (from 8spd veloce)
Proton Wheels

I put the original Atlanta front wheel back on to make sure my memory of the 531 fork hadnt been clouded, with the same tyres
(Michelin Kevlars red-stripe. dont make em anymore)
The difference was not huge but my 'favourite'(!?!?!?) bit of bumpy road for comaprison was definetely better on the carbon forks.
The protons are way lighter and not a liability in cross-winds like the Atlanta's (altho they are great at 40kph+)
Soon after i went up to folding Michelin Carbons (yello stripe. see Suzy's fixy in bullhorn thread) which are better again. accelerate very nicely and so far good puncture-wise too

flyingdutch said:

Having said all that, bang for buck, running 25s or 28s
would be far cheaper and running your tyres at 10-20psi
lower even cheaper!

I'd be happy to go to 23's but anything bigger than 20 on my
rear wheel rubs against the frame, which I found after
buying a set of 23's. So now I have 20 on the rear and 23 on
the front (and a spare 23). I guess I could go up further on
the front because that's really where all the pain is. Means
I'll never get to use that spare 23 but still a lot cheaper
than new forks.

DaveB

Quoted message said:

Originally posted by Daveb
I'd be happy to go to 23's but anything bigger than 20 on my
rear wheel rubs against the frame, which I found after
buying a set of 23's.

That's some tight frame geo you've got there!
What sort of frame is it?

hippy

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Daveb
flyingdutch wrote:

I'd be happy to go to 23's but anything bigger than 20 on my
rear wheel rubs against the frame, which I found after
buying a set of 23's. So now I have 20 on the rear and 23 on
the front (and a spare 23). I guess I could go up further on
the front because that's really where all the pain is. Means
I'll never get to use that spare 23 but still a lot cheaper
than new forks.

DaveB

Whoa! what's the frame?
a TTing bike?

In article <[email hidden]>,

flyingdutch said:

I put the original Atlanta front wheel back on to make
sure my memory of the 531 fork hadnt been clouded, with
the same tyres (Michelin Kevlars red-stripe. dont make em
anymore) The difference was not huge but my
'favourite'(!?!?!?) bit of bumpy road for comaprison was
definetely better on the carbon forks.

"better" I can cop; it was "HUGE" I had trouble with ;-)

--
Shane Stanley

flyingdutch said:

Daveb said:

flyingdutch wrote: I'd be happy to go to 23's but
anything bigger than 20 on my rear wheel rubs against
the frame, which I found after buying a set of 23's.
So now I have 20 on the rear and 23 on the front (and
a spare 23). I guess I could go up further on the
front because that's really where all the pain is.
Means I'll never get to use that spare 23 but still a
lot cheaper than new forks. DaveB

Whoa! what's the frame? a TTing bike?

It's an Apollo Giro alu frame donated by a friend when he
saw me doing triathlons on my 10 year old KMart MTB. I then
bought a $90 secondhand bike and got the LBS to swap all the
components. The frame has 14 SIS on it (has this got
something to do with the size). The 23 on the rear wheel was
fine until I got a new pump and started pumping them up to
110. That was when I found they rubbed against the frame.

@#$%^%$ secondhand [censored]. I want a new bike!!!!

DaveB