New Bike Recommendations Needed

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

Quoted message said:

I'm interested in getting some opinions/recommendations on a new lower-end road bike to replace my
two-year-old Trek 7300 Hybrid. Overall I've been pleased with the 7300, but I find that I really
miss the drop handlebars. My riding is mostly fitness and recreational and occurs mostly on paved
roads. However, I do have a need for a bike which can handle packed dirt roads without suffering
severe tire/wheel/frame damage. Typically I only ride 50+ miles a week over flat to moderately
hilly terrain. I'm also not inclined to spend a fortune on a new bike. Ideally I would like to
spend less than $1000 and probably no more than $1500.

You could also look at the Bianchi San Remo ($1100 street price) and the Fuji Touring ($800
street price)

...

--
Dave Kerber Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return address before replying!

REAL programmers write self-modifying code.

David Kerber <ns_dkerber@ns_ids.net> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

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

Quoted message said:

I'm interested in getting some opinions/recommendations on a new lower-end road bike to replace
my two-year-old Trek 7300 Hybrid. Overall I've been pleased with the 7300, but I find that I
really miss the drop handlebars. My riding is mostly fitness and recreational and occurs mostly
on paved roads. However, I do have a need for a bike which can handle packed dirt roads without
suffering severe tire/wheel/frame damage. Typically I only ride 50+ miles a week over flat to
moderately hilly terrain. I'm also not inclined to spend a fortune on a new bike. Ideally I
would like to spend less than $1000 and probably no more than $1500.

You could also look at the Bianchi San Remo ($1100 street price) and the Fuji Touring ($800
street price)

...or the Jamis Aurora (~US$600)

x-no-archive:yes

I am a big fan of Bianchi. Their bikes ride so smooth and they have a lot of value for the money.

Pat in TX

Pat snipes anonymously:

Quoted message said:

I am a big fan of Bianchi. Their bikes ride so smooth and they have a lot of value for the money.

How do you mean that? Is this the smoothness of the paint or the transitions of the tube joints?...
or are you implying that Bianchi frames are soft and flex more than tires that usually absorb road
shock of bicycles (if they aren't FS MTB's). I feel that old black magic coming on... "steel frames
get soft with time etc".

Jobst Brandt [email hidden] Palo Alto CA

James Howe said:

The low-end Specialized Sequoia uses Sora components but sells in the $800 range. The 1200C and
the Volpe, which are closer to the $900 range, use Shimano Tiagra. The mid-level Specialized
Sequoia uses Shimano New 105 components and sells for $1200. What are the major differences
between these components and would a casual rider such as myself really benefit from spending
hundreds of dollars more for better components?

As far as the components are concerned, when I was buying my road bike, I didn't like the Sora or
Tiagra bikes I tried, but that may have been bad assembly / adjustment. I bought all 105.

However, more tangibly, observe the design of the Sora shifters. They don't shift both
directions from normal STI levers like found in other groups; instead, they have a tab on the
inside of the hood to shift to smaller gears. This limits your hand positions while shifting
more so than other setups.

Quoted message said:

Thanks.

--
Rick Onanian

x-no-archive:yes

:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I am a big fan of Bianchi. Their bikes ride so smooth and they have a lot of value for the
money.

How do you mean that? Is this the smoothness of the paint or the transitions of the tube
joints?... or are you implying that Bianchi frames are soft and flex more than tires that usually
absorb road shock of bicycles (if they aren't FS MTB's). I feel that old black magic coming on...
"steel frames get soft with time etc".

Jobst Brandt

I just meant that when I tried out the Bianchi Eros and Bianchi Veloce, they felt smoother to ride
than the Klein, LeMond, and Cannondale bikes that I also tried out. Of course, my old bike was a
1984 Schwinn, so practically anything would have been quicker and more responsive....I think Bianchi
has good quality frames, the angles in their frames feel good when I ride them, and they were
reasonably light for the price. Are you always so acerbic?

Pat in TX

In article said:

James Howe said:

The low-end Specialized Sequoia uses Sora components but sells in the $800 range. The 1200C and
the Volpe, which are closer to the $900 range, use Shimano Tiagra. The mid-level Specialized
Sequoia uses Shimano New 105 components and sells for $1200. What are the major differences
between these components and would a casual rider such as myself really benefit from spending
hundreds of dollars more for better components?

As far as the components are concerned, when I was buying my road bike, I didn't like the Sora or
Tiagra bikes I tried, but that may have been bad assembly / adjustment. I bought all 105.

However, more tangibly, observe the design of the Sora shifters. They don't shift both
directions from normal STI levers like found in other groups; instead, they have a tab on the
inside of the hood to shift to smaller gears. This limits your hand positions while shifting
more so than other setups.

That's true. Normal people cannot upshift Sora from the drops (is the front shifter opposite to the
rear? Meaning, does the small tab upshift or downshift on the front shifter? I don't know because I
only have a rear shifter).

This may not be a big deal, though. I have a Sora shifter on my race/commute bike. It works fine,
and the hand movement to shift when on the drops is easier than reaching for a DT shifter, and not
much worse than having a bar-end shifter right there.

Sheldon Brown, Shimano fan that he is, suggests that Tiagra is an excellent value and very reliable.
The only reason he would recommend against Sora (which he also likes) is that it locks you into 8
speeds at the rear, when 9v is the more common setup these days, and you might as well get the
advantages of the extra gear, the better shifting setup, and marginally better equipment.

The dirty little secret of Sora? In my experience, the button is really nice for shifting from the
hoods, which is where most riders spend most of their time on a modern bike setup.

--
Ryan Cousineau, [email hidden] sfu.ca~rcousineOpen ↗ President, Fabrizio Mazzoleni Fan Club

James Howe <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

road bike to replace my two-year-old Trek 7300 Hybrid. Overall I've been pleased with the 7300,
but I find that I really miss the drop handlebars.

You could add Newk extensions (curve down like dropped bars, don't relocate the controls - OK if
you spend most of the time "on the tops"😉. Or switch the stem, bars, and controls, keeping in
mind that most V-brakes need an adapter to work with STI levers (different cable pull). Some
manufacturers sell a "touring bike" which is just their hybrid with dropped bars, STI levers,
narrower tires, and different crankset (30-42-52 instead of 22-32-42).

These are cheaper options. ymmv

Quoted message said:

tire I could put on them. They seem to come with 700x28C tires by default.

Most "road" bikes lack clearance for wider tires, fenders, racks, panniers, etc. You might look
for "touring" bikes. Or CycloCross bikes, but these seem to have higher bottom brackets, and cost
more than a tourer.

Quoted message said:

Could I put 700x38c tires on any of these bikes?

www.sheldonbrown.com has a table of tire widths for rim widths. The other limiting factor is
clearance - wide tires may rub the frame or brake arches. You can always deflate the tire to
squeeze it past the brake pads, then re-inflate it. Many touring bikes use cantilever or v-brakes
(see sheldonbrown's glossary)

,

Quoted message said:

which are closer to the $900 range, use Shimano Tiagra. The mid-level

See www.chainreactionbicycles.com article on test riding a bike. You really can't judge a group
(specifically shifters) without riding it. I got severe hand / arm pain from RSX STI levers, but
have no such grief from 105's. Tiagra looks like a nice 9-speed group, Sora limits your upgrade
options (8 speed) and has "mouse-ears" rather than a second lever inside the main brake-shift
lever. Some people prefer barcons, as used on the Trek 520. ymmv.

Quoted message said:

Specialized Sequoia uses Shimano New 105 components and sells for $1200.

My 105's have two cnetral positions for the FD, to allow some trimming when on the middle
chainring. RSX didn't have that, don't know whether Taigra does. You could read the SHimano
blurbs for other differences, which may contribute to durability, or function.

You may find Campagnolo ERGO at that price level as well
(e.g. the Marinoni Turismo with Campy Veloce costs C$1760, which is less than your U$1500 limit).

Some touring bikes mix road and ATB compnents, e.g. 105 ST levers, LX hubs and wide-range
cassette, LX derailleur to cope with the ATB cassette, etc.

hth

In article said:

I'm interested in getting some opinions/recommendations on a new lower-end road bike to replace my
two-year-old Trek 7300 Hybrid. Overall I've been pleased with the 7300, but I find that I really
miss the drop handlebars.

Why don't you just put drop bars on the 7300? A new bar, stem, and brifters wil cost a lot less than
a new bike.

Nothing wrong with buying a new bike but from your description it sounds like you want the hybrid,
just with drop bars.

Eric

James Howe <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

I'm interested in getting some opinions/recommendations on a new lower-end road bike to replace my
two-year-old Trek 7300 Hybrid. Overall I've been pleased with the 7300, but I find that I really
miss the drop handlebars. My riding is mostly fitness and recreational and occurs mostly on paved
roads. However, I do have a need for a bike which can handle packed dirt roads without suffering
severe tire/wheel/frame damage. Typically I only ride 50+ miles a week over flat to moderately
hilly terrain. I'm also not inclined to spend a fortune on a new bike. Ideally I would like to
spend less than $1000 and probably no more than $1500.

Fuji Touring, MSRP is $840 Bianchi Volpe MSRP is $850

These would appear to fit your requirements pretty well. Look for a Cro-Moly framed bicycle, not an
aluminum framed bicycle.

As to the widest tire, no problem with 38mm on the Fuji, see the chart at:
"sheldonbrown.comtire sizing.htmlOpen ↗"

The Fuji comes with Ritchey Tom Slick, 700 x 30C and Alex X-2100 rims. The rims have an inside
diameter of
18.8mm, so you could technically go up to 44mm wide tires, and in fact you can find bikes with 38mm
tires and these rims.

The Volpe has Mavic T-224 rims. Mavic doesn't have the width on their web site, but they do list
tire pressure for 28mm-37mm tires, so probably 38mm would be okay.

x-no-archive:yes

.

Quoted message said:

James Howe

These would appear to fit your requirements pretty well. Look for a Cro-Moly framed bicycle, not
an aluminum framed bicycle.

duck! run for cover!

Pat in TX

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

Quoted message said:

x-no-archive:yes

.

Quoted message said:

James Howe

These would appear to fit your requirements pretty well. Look for a Cro-Moly framed bicycle, not
an aluminum framed bicycle.

The original poster stated that he wanted a bike that was not strictly for on-road riding and that
could stand up to some abuse. I don't think anyone would argue that aluminum is better than steel in
terms of meeting these requirements.