help with bike selection? - Page 2 - Cycling Mob: Road Cycling, Mountain Biking and More

06-21-2004, 04:05 PM

"Rosey" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ].edu> wrote in message
news:[Only registered and activated users can see links. ].edu...
> Pete Greenwood wrote:
>
> > So I've decided it's time to get a new bike. I plan to do some test
rides
> > this week, and would like to be armed with a bit of knowledge in
advance.
> >
> > I'd like a ride that is comfortable and fairly upright, but I don't want
> > anything too heavy or slow.

How upright do you have to be? I'm seeing you on a road bike with drop bars.
You can ride with your hands on the tops most of the time and be upright,
and only go down to the drops on descents. When you go to the bike store,
make sure they know you want to be in a more upright position for a lot of
your riding. They might make some adjustments in the bike (a spacer in the
headset?) to meet your needs.

> Bicycling Magazine had an article in their Jan-Feb. issue about a contest
in
> which 50 people were given Trek bicycles to use for 3 months. The people
were
> all levels of ability. For the most part they all really liked the bikes.
I
> can't remember the particular model, maybe someone else in this newsgroup
can
> contribute that, but I remember thinking that it was a good compromise for
an
> around town bike for a person who was into recreational cycling. And from
what I
> remember, is similar to what you are describing you want.

Nah, he's graduated from that sort of thing. He's going to keep his old
Rockhopper comp for mountain biking and maybe as his rain, around-town, or
commuter bike. But for his real rides, he's going to get a good, standard
road bike.

If I were you, Pete, I'd be looking at something like maybe a Jamis or
Giant, that don't have the cache of the fancier road bike brand names. I'd
go no lower than Shimano 105 components. Maybe something like this?
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]. This will carry you
through your next level of cycling -- you'll ride this sort of bike for your
first metric century, and your first 100 mile century, no problem.

--
Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky
Please replace earthlink for mouse-potato and .net for .com
Home of the meditative cyclist:
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
See the books I've set free at: [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

06-21-2004, 07:05 PM

On Mon, 21 Jun 2004 23:05:03 +0000, Claire Petersky wrote:
>
> If I were you, Pete, I'd be looking at something like maybe a Jamis or
> Giant, that don't have the cache of the fancier road bike brand names.
> I'd go no lower than Shimano 105 components. Maybe something like
> this? [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]. This will
> carry you through your next level of cycling -- you'll ride this sort
> of bike for your first metric century, and your first 100 mile
> century, no problem.

I second the recommendation for Jamis. I just bought a Jamis Aurora
([Only registered and activated users can see links. ]) and so far (100? 150?
miles) it's great. Not the lightest bike in the world, but it's solid
and plenty nimble. I am always surprised by how difficult it is to pick
up and carry (note however that this includes a great deal of junk in
the trunk bag, not just the bike). $730 which IMO was a good deal.

For me, spending the money to buy 105 was not necessary, but you should
consider the tradeoffs for yourself.

One suggestion I do have is to try to find a rear cassette that eschews
the very small cogs. 14 or mayyyybe 13 is the smallest I need, and I'd
rather have more choices in the middle range. Most riders that aren't
sure if they need 11 or 12-tooth cogs don't. However, this may require
an aftermarket cassette. Myself, I have my eye on one of Harris
Cyclery's 14-34 custom cassettes.

HTH

Reid

06-21-2004, 07:05 PM

On Mon, 21 Jun 2004 23:05:03 +0000, Claire Petersky wrote:
>
> If I were you, Pete, I'd be looking at something like maybe a Jamis or
> Giant, that don't have the cache of the fancier road bike brand names.
> I'd go no lower than Shimano 105 components. Maybe something like
> this? [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]. This will
> carry you through your next level of cycling -- you'll ride this sort
> of bike for your first metric century, and your first 100 mile
> century, no problem.

I second the recommendation for Jamis. I just bought a Jamis Aurora
([Only registered and activated users can see links. ]) and so far (100? 150?
miles) it's great. Not the lightest bike in the world, but it's solid
and plenty nimble. I am always surprised by how difficult it is to pick
up and carry (note however that this includes a great deal of junk in
the trunk bag, not just the bike). $730 which IMO was a good deal.

For me, spending the money to buy 105 was not necessary, but you should
consider the tradeoffs for yourself.

One suggestion I do have is to try to find a rear cassette that eschews
the very small cogs. 14 or mayyyybe 13 is the smallest I need, and I'd
rather have more choices in the middle range. Most riders that aren't
sure if they need 11 or 12-tooth cogs don't. However, this may require
an aftermarket cassette. Myself, I have my eye on one of Harris
Cyclery's 14-34 custom cassettes.

HTH

Reid

06-21-2004, 07:05 PM

On Mon, 21 Jun 2004 23:05:03 +0000, Claire Petersky wrote:
>
> If I were you, Pete, I'd be looking at something like maybe a Jamis or
> Giant, that don't have the cache of the fancier road bike brand names.
> I'd go no lower than Shimano 105 components. Maybe something like
> this? [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]. This will
> carry you through your next level of cycling -- you'll ride this sort
> of bike for your first metric century, and your first 100 mile
> century, no problem.

I second the recommendation for Jamis. I just bought a Jamis Aurora
([Only registered and activated users can see links. ]) and so far (100? 150?
miles) it's great. Not the lightest bike in the world, but it's solid
and plenty nimble. I am always surprised by how difficult it is to pick
up and carry (note however that this includes a great deal of junk in
the trunk bag, not just the bike). $730 which IMO was a good deal.

For me, spending the money to buy 105 was not necessary, but you should
consider the tradeoffs for yourself.

One suggestion I do have is to try to find a rear cassette that eschews
the very small cogs. 14 or mayyyybe 13 is the smallest I need, and I'd
rather have more choices in the middle range. Most riders that aren't
sure if they need 11 or 12-tooth cogs don't. However, this may require
an aftermarket cassette. Myself, I have my eye on one of Harris
Cyclery's 14-34 custom cassettes.

HTH

Reid

06-21-2004, 07:05 PM

On Mon, 21 Jun 2004 23:05:03 +0000, Claire Petersky wrote:
>
> If I were you, Pete, I'd be looking at something like maybe a Jamis or
> Giant, that don't have the cache of the fancier road bike brand names.
> I'd go no lower than Shimano 105 components. Maybe something like
> this? [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]. This will
> carry you through your next level of cycling -- you'll ride this sort
> of bike for your first metric century, and your first 100 mile
> century, no problem.

I second the recommendation for Jamis. I just bought a Jamis Aurora
([Only registered and activated users can see links. ]) and so far (100? 150?
miles) it's great. Not the lightest bike in the world, but it's solid
and plenty nimble. I am always surprised by how difficult it is to pick
up and carry (note however that this includes a great deal of junk in
the trunk bag, not just the bike). $730 which IMO was a good deal.

For me, spending the money to buy 105 was not necessary, but you should
consider the tradeoffs for yourself.

One suggestion I do have is to try to find a rear cassette that eschews
the very small cogs. 14 or mayyyybe 13 is the smallest I need, and I'd
rather have more choices in the middle range. Most riders that aren't
sure if they need 11 or 12-tooth cogs don't. However, this may require
an aftermarket cassette. Myself, I have my eye on one of Harris
Cyclery's 14-34 custom cassettes.

HTH

Reid

06-21-2004, 07:05 PM

On Mon, 21 Jun 2004 23:05:03 +0000, Claire Petersky wrote:
>
> If I were you, Pete, I'd be looking at something like maybe a Jamis or
> Giant, that don't have the cache of the fancier road bike brand names.
> I'd go no lower than Shimano 105 components. Maybe something like
> this? [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]. This will
> carry you through your next level of cycling -- you'll ride this sort
> of bike for your first metric century, and your first 100 mile
> century, no problem.

I second the recommendation for Jamis. I just bought a Jamis Aurora
([Only registered and activated users can see links. ]) and so far (100? 150?
miles) it's great. Not the lightest bike in the world, but it's solid
and plenty nimble. I am always surprised by how difficult it is to pick
up and carry (note however that this includes a great deal of junk in
the trunk bag, not just the bike). $730 which IMO was a good deal.

For me, spending the money to buy 105 was not necessary, but you should
consider the tradeoffs for yourself.

One suggestion I do have is to try to find a rear cassette that eschews
the very small cogs. 14 or mayyyybe 13 is the smallest I need, and I'd
rather have more choices in the middle range. Most riders that aren't
sure if they need 11 or 12-tooth cogs don't. However, this may require
an aftermarket cassette. Myself, I have my eye on one of Harris
Cyclery's 14-34 custom cassettes.

HTH

Reid

06-21-2004, 10:06 PM

"Claire Petersky" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:
> How upright do you have to be? I'm seeing you on a road bike with drop
bars.
> You can ride with your hands on the tops most of the time and be upright,
> and only go down to the drops on descents. When you go to the bike store,
> make sure they know you want to be in a more upright position for a lot of
> your riding. They might make some adjustments in the bike (a spacer in the
> headset?) to meet your needs.
>

Hi Claire. I'm not sure how upright I need to be. I guess I'll know better
after I've ridden a few different styles.

I know that I feel way too hunched over on my Rockhopper, which has a
particularly aggressive MTB stance [high saddle; long zero-rise stem]. I
don't like having to lean on my hands that much, and wish I was able to turn
my head a bit easier to see the city traffic around me.

I guess I always assumed that drop-bar road bikes were even more of a
'hunched' ride... for the athletic cyclist who wants the aerodynamics to go
really fast; and who doesn't need to worry about their gut getting in the
way. Plus, those skinny saddles look downright painful. Am I wrong?

I don't really have the true need for speed. I'm just looking for something
that's a bit more efficient on pavement than my heavy, fat-tire mountain
bike. I certainly won't rule out the drop-bar road bike until I try it; but
I must admit to being a bit skeptical on the comfort factor. Your thoughts
on this would be appreciated.

<s>
> If I were you, Pete, I'd be looking at something like maybe a Jamis or
> Giant...
<s>

Thanks for the tip. I took a look at their websites. I'm particularly
intrigued by the Jamis Coda, which seems to be basically a road bike with
flat handlebars. I'm wondering if this type of setup would give me the more
upright posture I'm looking for, while also offering less rolling resistance
than the MTB. Opinions?

Thanks again for your input.

Pete

06-21-2004, 10:06 PM

"Claire Petersky" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:
> How upright do you have to be? I'm seeing you on a road bike with drop
bars.
> You can ride with your hands on the tops most of the time and be upright,
> and only go down to the drops on descents. When you go to the bike store,
> make sure they know you want to be in a more upright position for a lot of
> your riding. They might make some adjustments in the bike (a spacer in the
> headset?) to meet your needs.
>

Hi Claire. I'm not sure how upright I need to be. I guess I'll know better
after I've ridden a few different styles.

I know that I feel way too hunched over on my Rockhopper, which has a
particularly aggressive MTB stance [high saddle; long zero-rise stem]. I
don't like having to lean on my hands that much, and wish I was able to turn
my head a bit easier to see the city traffic around me.

I guess I always assumed that drop-bar road bikes were even more of a
'hunched' ride... for the athletic cyclist who wants the aerodynamics to go
really fast; and who doesn't need to worry about their gut getting in the
way. Plus, those skinny saddles look downright painful. Am I wrong?

I don't really have the true need for speed. I'm just looking for something
that's a bit more efficient on pavement than my heavy, fat-tire mountain
bike. I certainly won't rule out the drop-bar road bike until I try it; but
I must admit to being a bit skeptical on the comfort factor. Your thoughts
on this would be appreciated.

<s>
> If I were you, Pete, I'd be looking at something like maybe a Jamis or
> Giant...
<s>

Thanks for the tip. I took a look at their websites. I'm particularly
intrigued by the Jamis Coda, which seems to be basically a road bike with
flat handlebars. I'm wondering if this type of setup would give me the more
upright posture I'm looking for, while also offering less rolling resistance
than the MTB. Opinions?

Thanks again for your input.

Pete

06-21-2004, 10:06 PM

"Claire Petersky" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:
> How upright do you have to be? I'm seeing you on a road bike with drop
bars.
> You can ride with your hands on the tops most of the time and be upright,
> and only go down to the drops on descents. When you go to the bike store,
> make sure they know you want to be in a more upright position for a lot of
> your riding. They might make some adjustments in the bike (a spacer in the
> headset?) to meet your needs.
>

Hi Claire. I'm not sure how upright I need to be. I guess I'll know better
after I've ridden a few different styles.

I know that I feel way too hunched over on my Rockhopper, which has a
particularly aggressive MTB stance [high saddle; long zero-rise stem]. I
don't like having to lean on my hands that much, and wish I was able to turn
my head a bit easier to see the city traffic around me.

I guess I always assumed that drop-bar road bikes were even more of a
'hunched' ride... for the athletic cyclist who wants the aerodynamics to go
really fast; and who doesn't need to worry about their gut getting in the
way. Plus, those skinny saddles look downright painful. Am I wrong?

I don't really have the true need for speed. I'm just looking for something
that's a bit more efficient on pavement than my heavy, fat-tire mountain
bike. I certainly won't rule out the drop-bar road bike until I try it; but
I must admit to being a bit skeptical on the comfort factor. Your thoughts
on this would be appreciated.

<s>
> If I were you, Pete, I'd be looking at something like maybe a Jamis or
> Giant...
<s>

Thanks for the tip. I took a look at their websites. I'm particularly
intrigued by the Jamis Coda, which seems to be basically a road bike with
flat handlebars. I'm wondering if this type of setup would give me the more
upright posture I'm looking for, while also offering less rolling resistance
than the MTB. Opinions?

Thanks again for your input.

Pete

06-21-2004, 10:06 PM

"Claire Petersky" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:
> How upright do you have to be? I'm seeing you on a road bike with drop
bars.
> You can ride with your hands on the tops most of the time and be upright,
> and only go down to the drops on descents. When you go to the bike store,
> make sure they know you want to be in a more upright position for a lot of
> your riding. They might make some adjustments in the bike (a spacer in the
> headset?) to meet your needs.
>

Hi Claire. I'm not sure how upright I need to be. I guess I'll know better
after I've ridden a few different styles.

I know that I feel way too hunched over on my Rockhopper, which has a
particularly aggressive MTB stance [high saddle; long zero-rise stem]. I
don't like having to lean on my hands that much, and wish I was able to turn
my head a bit easier to see the city traffic around me.

I guess I always assumed that drop-bar road bikes were even more of a
'hunched' ride... for the athletic cyclist who wants the aerodynamics to go
really fast; and who doesn't need to worry about their gut getting in the
way. Plus, those skinny saddles look downright painful. Am I wrong?

I don't really have the true need for speed. I'm just looking for something
that's a bit more efficient on pavement than my heavy, fat-tire mountain
bike. I certainly won't rule out the drop-bar road bike until I try it; but
I must admit to being a bit skeptical on the comfort factor. Your thoughts
on this would be appreciated.

<s>
> If I were you, Pete, I'd be looking at something like maybe a Jamis or
> Giant...
<s>

Thanks for the tip. I took a look at their websites. I'm particularly
intrigued by the Jamis Coda, which seems to be basically a road bike with
flat handlebars. I'm wondering if this type of setup would give me the more
upright posture I'm looking for, while also offering less rolling resistance
than the MTB. Opinions?

Thanks again for your input.

Pete