new to road biking

i want to get into road biking and think i have found a good deal. please let me know what you think.

rscycle.com/Tommaso-Imola-w…

any thoughts about the bike or things i should be careful of

There are better bikes out there, but doubtful at a price anywhere close to that. seems like a great deal on a decent starter bike. Just make sure it fits you well. A poor fitting bike will make riding much harder and far less pleasureable.

Shimano 2200 components are pretty much the bottom of the barrel. Never used them but my mountain bike has cheap shimano components and they require constant adjustment and just feel really poor in quality. My road bike has 105 components which are middle of the road for shimano components but I like them and they feel bullet proof.

Maybe try looking for a used bike with better components?

Also, my wife and I both bought our bikes from here: jensonusa.com/

For about 600 my wife's bike came with Tiagra components and had a carbon fork/seat stays

My .02 anyways. With so many people on here from Boulder I'm sure there are a bunch that know a lot more than I do.

Seems like a good deal for the price. The only red flag I see is the aluminum frame. The ride will be stiff, which is a good thing, because the rear triangle is also aluminum, it's likely to be pretty harsh. If you're riding smooth asphalt that won't matter. If it's old chip-seal or concrete with joints, you're ass is going to hate you pretty quickly. Remember, components can be upgraded. The frame can't.

Good riding,
Mal

The components are basically the lowest end of Shimano's Road line. If you are really planning on riding I would not get it. For a serious road bike I would not ride anything lower than 105.

Depending on how much you want to invest in a bike, I would suggest scouring craigslist and finding an older, higher quality road bike that will work until you find out if you want a better bike. If you are unsure get something at the lower end, if your pretty sure you're gonna like it you can get a newer entry level/intermediatte road bike for 500-1000. And always remember that cleats, shorts, jersey, helmets, water bottles, etc will easily add an extra couple hundred bucks.

It may take some time to find a good deal, but there are plenty of reviews and information out on most bikes.

Good Luck!

I'd 3rd the used suggestion. If you can find a friend who can help, you'll get a much much better bike by shopping used.

One more thought. As a new rider, your ass is going to hurt for a week or so. Don't judge the ride until you have about 20 hours under your butt.

BTW, I second the Craigslist thought. Lots of great stuff on there. Ride new for a while and see what you like. Also, there is probably a great used sporting goods shop (Not Play it Again) in the area where local racers and reps take their old (hardly) bikes. Find it and shop there.

The one around here is always full of old road bikes that sell for $25 to $5,000 and they are all good deals.

And head's up for the pedal trap. Many new bikes don't include them. Tommaso is an exception.

Yeah, I spent about that much on a used bike last summer - reynolds steel frame, carbon fork, ultegra components (!!) and it's 1,000,000 times better than my old bike with crappier components. I third (or fourth) the craigslist idea!

In regards to the butt hurting part mal talked about. Get fitted to a saddle. Every saddle has a width and every person's sit bones are a certain width apart so you want to match them up. Also a good pair of riding shorts or bibs will make the transition easier.

Also, get measured.. or at least talk with an experienced friend who can put you in a general range for bike size

SRAM Rival and now Apex (slightly lower down) is also in the same quality range as Shimano 105. The shifting ergonomics are a bit different but being new you can choose which you like better.

i have been mountain biking for a few years and have riden a couple hundren miles on an older road bike that has MANY problems....so being out of shape isnt really an issue. im just tossing around the idea of picking up a road bike this year cuz of all the sales instead of at the beginning of next year. plus i already have alot of the gear and an extra set of pedals....so its just a bike im looking for

The bicycle you’re looking at seems ok, if you just want an ok bike. It will not have MANY problems initially but it will eventually. So it really depends how much you’ll actually ride (hammer) it.

• Light
• Cheap
• Strong
You can choose two….…….

+1 for looking for used deals

Whatever you choose have a blast cycling, and be careful.

Schwinn and Nishiki are amazing road bikes and will last you a lifetime. My dad still has his Nishiki and he is an old dog. Change of pace now...do any of you know about snowboards? Looking into getting my son one: Gnu snowboards Heard anything on them?

I would definitely look for a used bike first. You can get a way better deal if you put in the time looking. But if you do decide to go with a new bike, I would seriously consider Cannondale. They're awesome bikes, many (I don't think all) of their frames are still hand made in the states, and they have a pretty sweet frame upgrade program. As far as buying something cheap now and upgrading components later goes, this is definitely an option, but I feel like in the long run you end up spending a lot more money. I would get something mid range now, and if you decide you hate cycling, you can always sell it and recoup a decent portion of your investment.

CCMR wrote:But if you do decide to go with a new bike, I would seriously consider Canondale. They're awesome bikes, many (I don't think all) of their frames are still hand made in the states, and they have a pretty sweet frame upgrade program.

Almost all their bikes are now made oversees since they stopped making the CAAD9 last year. The CAAD10 is made overseas now.

Anyway, I'd definitely think you'll appreciate not going with any groupo lower than Shimano 105 or Rival. Nothing wrong with a higher end aluminum frame (think CAAD series); just make sure the fit's right.

As others have said go used. You'll get a much better value. If you decide to go used (or mail order new for that matter) get someone to do a bike fit. Make sure you get a copy of the various measurements (top tube, standover height, etc.). The same frame size will vary in other dimensions across vendors. You can make some small tweaks with stem rise, etc but it's best to get your frame as close as possible to your best fit. Also get the best components within your budget; upgrades are pricey. There are tons of bike review sites so do your homework before you buy.

Warning: bike frame material are akin to religion. I put many many miles on my aluminum frame road and (rigid fork) cross bikes without problems with handling, vibration, etc. Note that I'm on the smaller end of the rider spectrum weight-wise. I recently built up a road bike using a used titanium frame I purchased on craigslist, but still enjoy riding the older bikes. If you're unsure of what frame material is right for you visit your local bike shop and do some test rides on bumpy roads.

It took a move to England but after years of toying around with buying a bike I finally got one. I didn't have much of a budget and needed hybrid because I ride in the city, but I spent about 45 seconds looking at new bikes before I decided to go used.

I got a $600 bike for about $200. I wasn't picky about anything... I just wanted to get a descent bike that I wouldn't feel bad scrapping after a year or so once I decide what I really want (or maybe I'll decide that riding sucks or maybe I'll get run over and quit).

I'm really glad that I didn't go out and spend a lot of money. I love my bike but I'm also learning about what I might like in the future. I might upgrade or might just ride this thing until it gets stolen but either way I won't feel bad about it because I only spent $200.

Keep in mind you're gonna spend money on inner-tubes, helmet, clothes, and all the other essentials. It adds up quite fast, so it needs to be part of your initial budget.

Good luck, it can be quite daunting at first. Lots of good recommendations on here.

As for the bike, I wouldn't waste the time, or money on it. If you were looking for a commuter bike, something that is serving more fuctions than going fast, then I'd say go for it. But if you are looking for a bike to go fast on then I'd keep looking. You really do pay for what you get. You'd be better off paying a little more on a 3-5 year old bike that has a much better build, than getting a bike with the cheepest parts on it. As said before, shimano 105 would be a good starter for components and a good wheelset is also crucial.

A couple of tips. Get the right size, stand over height is pretty important for guys. Buy a bike your skills can 'grow into'. If you get serious about biking, it will be cheeper to have a nicer bike right off the bat instead of trying to sell your old bike to get a newer one. Think one bike is cheeper than two. Wheels are extreemly important, but as mentioned earlier, the frame takes the cake. Wheels, bars, forks, componets, saddles etc. can be changed. The frame cannot. I would look for a nice lugged steel frame, or one with a carbon rear triangle or an all carbon frame. All aluminum frames are ok, but sometimes offer a really stiff ride. Steel will last forever and can be bent back if you go down really hard, aluminum and carbon cannot and willnot last forever. Try finding a shop that will let you do some test rides to find your size, then try riding as many types and brands of bikes you can find. You may want to look at a cycle cross bike if you're looking for duribility.

Good luck!

everything has pretty much been said, but I just wanted to throw out another "don't get it" for the original bike.

as a former semi-pro racer, here's the input i would offer:

- Any $XXX frame(insert your price point) is as good as any other frame at that price point. No manufacturers are doing something so amazing that they're better than others. Don't believe the hype.

- The fit of the frame is the most important thing about a bike. If the geometry doesn't fit you, it doesn't matter how good a deal it is. And, while you can do things to adjust geometry (stem length & angle, etc.), there's only so much that can be done.

- Wheels are the most important part of a bike as far as weight and performance goes. You've got to make the wheels move so, if you're looking for ways to reduce weight, do it with the wheels first.

- The rear derailleur is the most important part of the bike as far as mechanical performance goes. It doesn't really matter whether you've got Dura Ace shifters or 105 shifters except for the weight. But, the rear derailleur will make a difference.

- Find a saddle that's comfortable. Having the lightest saddle on the planet won't make a bit of difference if you can't sit on it for extended periods of time.

- Lastly, don't buy a carbon frame unless you're planning to race or have extra money laying around. You can put a carbon seat post in to help dampen road vibration.

Although the OP probably already bought a bike considering the age of this thread, I'll add a bit more because this is more interesting than the work on my desk:

Frame fit is paramount. A stem is not for adjusting geometry, it is for adjusting position on the bike. A stem will not make an ill fitting frame work, in fact, the focus of the frame fit should be at the seat. If the seat tube angle is too slack for your femur length, you will never achieve an appropriate position. Which raises the point, pick your seat before you get fitted to a frame, as the design and dimensions of the seat will affect the seat position (for/aft and height).

One other point, stand over height is a concern for mountain bikes, I have never seen anyone have a problem with standover height on a properly sized road frame.

Crag Dweller brings up a good point about seat posts, a carbon lay back post (assuming it will work with the frame geometry - see above) will provide loads of comfort, even on an aluminum frame. Relatedly, the diamter of the seat tube will have a significant effect on the ride, as a narrower seat post will flex more.

Wheels have the most affect on the ride, however, that is beyond the entry level/recreational bike buyer, i.e. he's not going to spend $800 on a nice wheel set for $1000 bike. If he was going to buy wheels, unless racing is in your future, stay away from wheel systems and get some hand built wheels, which can be tuned any way you want them.

Back to work...

you should get a better one than that