Please help me decide between some 'beginner' bikes

[Olasnah]

I bought a FELT F/70 this past August (Full Shim 105group, Carbon Fork, FSA Gossamer crank, Xero XR-4 wheelset, Selle Italia Onda saddle), and while it is a great bike and hasn't done me wrong, my biggest dilemna was over the purchase of other stuff, like my helmet, shoes, pedals, all the other gear.

All totaled, my gear cost more than my bike did, and I'm sure it's the same with everyone else. I was in a real nail-biter over which shoes to buy, and while the ones I purchased are great (Shimano R-151 Carbon), I should have gotten ones with replaceable heel tabs. I have yet to purchase a heart rate monitor, or a multitude of other stuff like extra shorts, jerseys, extra gloves, a TTbar, etc. I think this is where you'll be having to make the really careful choices. I would pick a few bikes to try out for fit only, and find one that you like based upon that. For me, as a choice between the FELT, a Bianchi, and a Trek, I chose the FELT based upon its overall look and great price. The components were pretty similar when comparing the three brands in my price range ($800 to $1100). Your first bike is always going to be your 'first', and therefore, not your ideal bike. It's function is to get you used to riding, and help you discover what you want from there. You'll either want to buy a whole new bike within a year or two, or upgrade the heck out of it with carbon or other components.

And another thing about the gear, don't go splurging all at once just based upon your LBS's recommendations. Get the basics first, then put some time in on the bike and figure out for yourself the things you need. Your experience will make you start thinking about things. I got a basic cycloputer for my bike thinking it was all I needed, now I want one with a cadence function too. I am going to get some lights too, now that I feel the desire to ride in the dark before sunrise this summer.

 

[Olasnah]

As a word of caution also, since your are only 17, and have decades of riding available to you as well as likely a very limited budget, you may want to look into a good used bike if you can find one, just to start with. If cycling fever is hitting you because of the "Lance Armstrong" factor, don't go crazy spending all your money on the bike with nothing to spare for all the gear I mentioned. You WILL need a lot of stuff to get started if you are serious about it, and if you aren't serious about it, then you don't want to be wasting your money. I only say this because you said you wanted to get into the sport quickly, and there isn't an easy way to do that. It will take you a good few months to get into decent riding shape unless you are already, so plan on taking at least that long to get used to the sport.

 

[booble]

Another thing to consider would be style of bike also. I went and tried out a Gary Fisher Montare today that had equipment on it that if it was on a road bike would have placed it in the $1800+ category. I was lucky enough to get a quote of $899 on it. Granted there are some differences between it as a hybrid and a full road bike but for that amount of difference in the pocketbook I'm willing to compromise. Especially when I went in expecting to pay around $1200 on it based upon what other regional shops are selling them for here. Just wish they'd had one that fit me in stock instead of having to have a stop order placed on the next one they get in. Luckily they have several shops so my odds are a little better than normal. With the wonderful winters we get here in Nebraska, I'm willing to wait too.

 

[rdish50]

i hope i dont offend anyone with my spelling...but heres my huge dilema,a local bike shop has a sc200 raleigh comfort bike at the nice price of 300 dollars..probably last years model..so this is a great deal ..correct..but i can also get a good diamondback cross bike(maravista model) with plunge shifters and 24 speeds for 360 dollars...i have a huge concrete jungle below me in connellsville,pa. to just cruise around in ,and also i have great trails..streaching for miles in either direction up and down the river from connellsville .i am 53 years old so i dont expect to braaaak any speed records...i tried a cross bike, the ones with the larger, less drag tires and they seem easier to pedal than the 26 inche tires on the comfort bike i tried(same as on the raleigh sc200) but will this croos bike work o.k. on the trails which are old railroad beds that are covered with what seems to be limestone gravel(the kind that packs)....i am a kind of nut in that i dont like to bike on nice sunny days on trails...i like cool ,cold or damp days for trails..i like the feel of the crooss bikes with the bigger tires and easier pedaling..of course i never tried them on wet packed limestone...i plan to do a little of both cocrete and trail riding...maybe 50-50..which type of bike??????please only answer from experience and not conjecture...thankyou very much...nutcase ron

 

[Jaguar27]

I was in the same Boat as you a couple of years ago, I'm a lot older than you though...

I've never ridden any of the Bikes listed below, but I should imagine they all do the job just as well for the price...

Seeing as you haven't ridden a road bike before they'll all feel odd at first, so test rides might be a bit futile...it won't be untill you've ridden a Road Bike for 1000+ miles that you'll really geet to know exactly what you want...

I started with a Felt...great bike but very harsh..then a Cannondale CAAD 4 with cheapo components...Tiagra/Sora...BUT I did 2900 miles on that bike, never changed a component, only had the Durailleurs adjusted twice...it changed gear every time...so don't let anyone tell you lower end Shimano is ****, because it's not...

In my opinion, buy a Specialized, Felt, Cannondale..ANY well known brand..and ride a LOT...save some money for Pedals, shoes, shorts.jersey etc....take the time to learn and research bikes and find out where you tend to ride most then by the time you're 19, have good legs and lungs, plus a Job ...you'll be educated enough bike-wise to know what you want and buy the bike you KNOW you want...not what you THINK you want....

Hope this helps mate!!

hi,

im just getting into cycling and have little/no experience on a road bike. im 17 years old and about 6 foot tall, so i guess i will need a bike around 58cm (too large???)

anyway, iv researched alot recently and found a few bikes within my price range, tho some need more saving up than others and i really want to start soon. i was thinking of:

Trek 1000
Giant OCR 3
Dawes Giro 300
Saracen Ventoux

what u all think?

thanks.

 

[booble]

i hope i dont offend anyone with my spelling...but heres my huge dilema,a local bike shop has a sc200 raleigh comfort bike at the nice price of 300 dollars..probably last years model..so this is a great deal ..correct..but i can also get a good diamondback cross bike(maravista model) with plunge shifters and 24 speeds for 360 dollars...i have a huge concrete jungle below me in connellsville,pa. to just cruise around in ,and also i have great trails..streaching for miles in either direction up and down the river from connellsville .i am 53 years old so i dont expect to braaaak any speed records...i tried a cross bike, the ones with the larger, less drag tires and they seem easier to pedal than the 26 inche tires on the comfort bike i tried(same as on the raleigh sc200) but will this croos bike work o.k. on the trails which are old railroad beds that are covered with what seems to be limestone gravel(the kind that packs)....i am a kind of nut in that i dont like to bike on nice sunny days on trails...i like cool ,cold or damp days for trails..i like the feel of the crooss bikes with the bigger tires and easier pedaling..of course i never tried them on wet packed limestone...i plan to do a little of both cocrete and trail riding...maybe 50-50..which type of bike??????please only answer from experience and not conjecture...thankyou very much...nutcase ron

The bike I'm in the process now of replacing is a comfort style bike similar to the Raleigh you are looking at except mine is a Trek. Had to go that route due to some back issues for a while. Just yesterday i tried out a Gary Fisher Montare with the 29 inchers and deore xt all around. I was able to ride it down a similar style of trail. I can definately say the difference between types of bike are like night and day. It was much easier traveling over loose stuff with the Montare than my Trek which has the 26 inch tires. The higher level equipment made a world of difference too. Of course the price quote on it was a little over twice what you are looking at. Fortunately for me though, at 899, it is 200 under list for the 05's which is a much too good of a deal to pass up. Just have to figure out a way to keep from pacing myself to death waiting for my size to come in since they'd just sold their last one I needed.
Depending on the quality of your trail, you might want to consider knobby tires or just go for a MTB. A hardtail should fit the bill. That's what I used to ride along with an old Panasonic racer I had. The mountain bike could eat up loose stone trails like nothing.

 

[RC BigStar]

Greg_uk, have you checked out www.ribblecycles.co.uk , they have a fancy thing called bikebuilder where you can build your own bike. Really good fun, even if you don't know what you're doing and at the end of it you don't have to buy what you've created you can just start again.
Not sure if its suitable for a beginner but no harm in having a go!!

 

[Alpha]

hi,

im just getting into cycling and have little/no experience on a road bike. im 17 years old and about 6 foot tall, so i guess i will need a bike around 58cm (too large???)

anyway, iv researched alot recently and found a few bikes within my price range, tho some need more saving up than others and i really want to start soon. i was thinking of:

Trek 1000
Giant OCR 3
Dawes Giro 300
Saracen Ventoux

what u all think?

thanks.

Greg,

Have u ridden these bikes? If you have, buy the bike u liked the most. It's ur money. Spend it on the bike you want.
Also, I have a 13.14 and 17 year old. They all type the short form lingo.