Roak bike recommendations please

(Daniel) from url='http://groups.google.com/'http://groups.google.com//url said:

I'm interested in getting some recommendations on a new or used lower-end road bike. I'd bike for
fitness and mostly on paved roads. I don't want to spend more than ~ US $800. I understand that
test riding bikes is very important, but I'd like to get some suggestions on where to start first
(which brands/models etc).

You want something like this:

makeashorterlink.commakeashorterlink.comOpen ↗

Gears and brakes are just too much complication. With this bike, it's just you and the road. You'll
learn how to _really_ ride, you and the bike working smoothly as one living engine. Plus, you can
get some trick wheels (hedcycling.comh3.htmOpen ↗) and score chicks like all get out.

--
home.sport.rr.comcuthuluOpen ↗ human rights = peace I don't understand the HUMOUR of the
THREE STOOGES!!
10:18:58 PM 24 August 2003

Quoted message said:

I'm interested in getting some recommendations on a new or used lower-end road bike. I'd bike for
fitness and mostly on paved roads. I don't want to spend more than ~ US $800. I understand that
test riding bikes is very important, but I'd like to get some suggestions on where to start first
(which brands/models etc).

Daniel: There have been quite a few threads on exactly your quest lately; you don't even have to
bother doing a google search to find them, just click on the "headers" option in your news reader
and, if you download the past 1000 or so, you'll be able to spot them pretty quickly.

But to get you started, you can get a very nice road bike for around $800 these days. The 2003 TREK
1200, for example, gets you a very light domestically-produced aluminum frame & carbon fork, Tiagra
27-speed components, and very nice wheels (32 spoke built on the asym rear Bontrager rim, which
offsets the spokes so you get substantially less dish than a conventional rim). It also has classic
Italian road geometry that's been around for ages, so there won't be any funny surprises regarding
fit or handling.

But, as you know from reading this newsgroup, fit is a very big issue, especially on your first nice
road bike, so finding a very good dealer is as important as the bike itself. Try especially to find
one that understands *your* dreams about how you're going to ride, rather than a salesperson who is
all caught up in how he rides (and thinks everyone else should ride as well).

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles chainreactionbicycles.comchainreactionbicycles.comOpen ↗

x-no-archive:yes

Quoted message said:

But, as you know from reading this newsgroup, fit is a very big issue, especially on your first
nice road bike, so finding a very good dealer is

as

Quoted message said:

important as the bike itself. Try especially to find one that understands *your* dreams about how
you're going to ride, rather than a salesperson

who

Quoted message said:

is all caught up in how he rides (and thinks everyone else should ride as well).

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles

I like seeing you write that because at the first bike shop I went into, the college-age salesman
asked me how much I wanted to spend, and then before I could open my mouth, told me that if I
wasn't going to spend at least $2,000 I wasn't serious about buying a bike. Then, he said, he
personally would only ride Litespeed. All of this before I even got to tell him what I planned to
do with the bike!

Pat in TX

Quoted message said:

I like seeing you write that because at the first bike shop I went into,

the

Quoted message said:

college-age salesman asked me how much I wanted to spend, and then before

I

Quoted message said:

could open my mouth, told me that if I wasn't going to spend at least

$2,000

Quoted message said:

I wasn't serious about buying a bike. Then, he said, he personally would only ride Litespeed. All
of this before I even got to tell him what I planned to do with the bike!

Pat in TX

You don't know how much I hate hearing that. Sure, that shop probably lost a sale, but the worst
part is that we potentially lose someone to cycling overall. There are lots of ways that people can
spend their discretionary income, and, let's face it, the industry survives not because people have
to ride a bike, but because they want to. The shop down the street might not get the sale because
you've decided that cycling's not the thing for you, you'd rather spend your money on Scuba gear. If
you or anybody else gets turned off to cycling, for whatever reason, it hurts us (the LBSs, or Local
Bicycle Shops) all.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles www.ChainReaction.com

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

Quoted message said:

x-no-archive:yes

Quoted message said:

But, as you know from reading this newsgroup, fit is a very big issue, especially on your first
nice road bike, so finding a very good dealer

is

Quoted message said:

as

Quoted message said:

important as the bike itself. Try especially to find one that

understands

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

*your* dreams about how you're going to ride, rather than a salesperson

who

Quoted message said:

is all caught up in how he rides (and thinks everyone else should ride

as

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

well).

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles

I like seeing you write that because at the first bike shop I went into,

the

Quoted message said:

college-age salesman asked me how much I wanted to spend, and then before

I

Quoted message said:

could open my mouth, told me that if I wasn't going to spend at least

$2,000

Quoted message said:

I wasn't serious about buying a bike. Then, he said, he personally would only ride Litespeed. All
of this before I even got to tell him what I planned to do with the bike!

Pat in TX

Quoted message said:

I like seeing you write that because at the first bike shop I went into,

the

Quoted message said:

college-age salesman asked me how much I wanted to spend, and then before

I

Quoted message said:

could open my mouth, told me that if I wasn't going to spend at least

$2,000

Quoted message said:

I wasn't serious about buying a bike. Then, he said, he personally would only ride Litespeed. All
of this before I even got to tell him what I planned to do with the bike!

The guy was an ass. When we decided to go back to biking, I went to the LBS where I used to buy
stuff for my bike when I was in high school. The first thing the guy asked us was what we were
planning on doing with the bikes. Then showed us some models and prices explaining what we would get
by spending more. We ended up buying the Trek 7110 hybrid for my wife and the Giant Rincon MTB for
me. Total cost 1100$ CAN and we are both very happy as she bikes mostly on bike paths and me bike
paths and light cross country. We spent the extra money on other gear: helmets, jerseys, shorts,
pump, park tool etc.

Pat said:

x-no-archive:yes

Quoted message said:

But, as you know from reading this newsgroup, fit is a very big issue, especially on your first
nice road bike, so finding a very good dealer is

as

Quoted message said:

important as the bike itself. Try especially to find one that understands *your* dreams about
how you're going to ride, rather than a salesperson

who

Quoted message said:

is all caught up in how he rides (and thinks everyone else should ride as well).

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles

I like seeing you write that because at the first bike shop I went into, the college-age salesman
asked me how much I wanted to spend, and then before I could open my mouth, told me that if I
wasn't going to spend at least $2,000 I wasn't serious about buying a bike. Then, he said, he
personally would only ride Litespeed. All of this before I even got to tell him what I planned to
do with the bike!

Pat in TX

Had a similar experience while shopping for a fly rod. The salesman sneered rudely when I told him I
wanted a lower priced rod. He told me it wasn't worth buying unless I bought a rod that was at least
$**** (about 2 weeks of his salary). I found what I wanted elsewhere, natch. Bernie

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

Quoted message said:

I'm interested in getting some recommendations on a new or used lower-end road bike. I'd bike for
fitness and mostly on paved roads. I don't want to spend more than ~ US $800. I understand that
test riding bikes is very important, but I'd like to get some suggestions on where to start first
(which brands/models etc).

You can narrow it down pretty quickly.

In that price range look for Shimano 105 components and a chromoloy frame, i.e. the Fuji Roubaix Pro
is often on sale in the $800's. The Lemond Alpe D'Huez often is on sale for less than $1000.

I know that this is more than you planned on spending, but you're right at the edge in terms of
price, since $800-900 is right about where you start getting Reynolds 853 steel frames versus
aluminum frames. A big jump in quality for just a little more money.

Two bikes that come to mind are:

Fuji Roubaix Pro Lemond Alpe D'Huez

One negative about the Lemond, is that they went to a cheaper brakeset, it's not Shimano 105, it's
unspecified. Bianchi did the same with their Imola, Motobecane does the same thing with their Legacy
Elite. I hate it when they cut corners like this; a small savings that really affects the quality of
the product, and they think no one will notice because most of the other components are 105. Yet for
the customer to change it will cost $60 (mail order) and probably $80-90 in a local shop.

To their credit, Fuji does use the 105 brakeset.

Look at bikes with MSRP's from $1400-1600, as these are often on sale from $800-1000 at the end of
the model year. One place had the Fuji for $895 but they are out. I know that Performance carries a
lot of the Fuji models, not sure about this one.

Quoted message said:

One negative about the Lemond, is that they went to a cheaper brakeset, it's not Shimano 105,
it's unspecified. Bianchi did the same with their Imola, Motobecane does the same thing with
their Legacy Elite. I hate it when they cut corners like this; a small savings that really
affects the quality of the product, and they think no one will notice because most of the other
components are 105. Yet for the customer to change it will cost $60 (mail order) and probably
$80-90 in a local shop.

Believe it or not, it's not entirely about saving money. It's also an attempt to make a statement
that, if alternatives exist, they don't *have* to spec Shimano. This is very significant because
manufacturers would love to reduce the stranglehold Shimano has on them, and there are reasonable
alternatives to Shimano in at least a few places... wheels/hubs, brake calipers and cranks. The more
$$$ they can throw at alternative OEM vendors, the greater the options in the future.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles chainreactionbicycles.comchainreactionbicycles.comOpen ↗