Let’s keep it under $2k.
Let’s keep it under $2k.
You don't need this, but you said $2K. No, this is not the best thing ever, but it's a pretty nice collection of parts for the money.
http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/road_bikes/carbon-roadbikes-lechampcf-sl.htm
Thinking of crosstraining wrote:
Let’s keep it under $2k.
Get yourself an aluminum bike with a carbon fork...that's what I have (I actually have a carbon seat post as well . It is a lot cheaper than a carbon bike, but will still be almost as light. I have no problem riding with others on their carbon bikes. Look at Trek or Specialized as they make good bikes. I ride the Specialized Allez. Components are almost more important as you want to be able to shift well.
What is your height? I am selling my road carbon bike that is a 58cm frame.
Runfar262 wrote:
What is your height? I am selling my road carbon bike that is a 58cm frame.
Not that tall. Or rather I am that tall, but I’m all torso and have been punished with really short legs. Thanks, though.
Roadbikes1 wrote:
Thinking of crosstraining wrote:
Let’s keep it under $2k.
Get yourself an aluminum bike with a carbon fork...that's what I have (I actually have a carbon seat post as well . It is a lot cheaper than a carbon bike, but will still be almost as light. I have no problem riding with others on their carbon bikes. Look at Trek or Specialized as they make good bikes. I ride the Specialized Allez. Components are almost more important as you want to be able to shift well.
I’ve got an old aluminum road bike with carbon fork. Aluminium is ridiculously uncomfortable. I wouldn’t be thinking of a new purchase if it were steel.
Thinking of crosstraining wrote:
Roadbikes1 wrote:
Get yourself an aluminum bike with a carbon fork...that's what I have (I actually have a carbon seat post as well . It is a lot cheaper than a carbon bike, but will still be almost as light. I have no problem riding with others on their carbon bikes. Look at Trek or Specialized as they make good bikes. I ride the Specialized Allez. Components are almost more important as you want to be able to shift well.
I’ve got an old aluminum road bike with carbon fork. Aluminium is ridiculously uncomfortable. I wouldn’t be thinking of a new purchase if it were steel.
Not sure what you mean-aluminum and steel are different? Sounds like your bike is real old....go to your local dealer and ride one-the technology behind aluminum is a lot better now. Also trying to save you some money---meaning I can ride just as well as people with $3k road bikes and I paid less than a third of what they did. Sounds like you already know what you want so not sure why you're asking the Message Board.
Just get a Cannondale CAAD 11/12. Best aluminium frame I’ve ever ridden, and pretty light to boot. Comfort mostly comes from your contact points: saddle, tires, bar tape. Carbon bars may add some comfort in the form of less road buzz. If you get really into riding, think about swapping out for a lighter set of wheels. Oh, and best buy a used bike in good condition. You’ll get a better overall bike than spending the money on a brand-new bike.
Roadbikes1 wrote:
Thinking of crosstraining wrote:
I’ve got an old aluminum road bike with carbon fork. Aluminium is ridiculously uncomfortable. I wouldn’t be thinking of a new purchase if it were steel.
Not sure what you mean-aluminum and steel are different? Sounds like your bike is real old....go to your local dealer and ride one-the technology behind aluminum is a lot better now. Also trying to save you some money---meaning I can ride just as well as people with $3k road bikes and I paid less than a third of what they did. Sounds like you already know what you want so not sure why you're asking the Message Board.
I only know what I don’t want: and that’s aluminum. Horrible, horrible aluminum. Maybe it’s fine on perfectly smooth roads. We don’t have those here.
And yes: aluminum and steel are different. Well made steel is comfortable. Well
Made aluminum is still horrible.
rhinetalrunner wrote:
Just get a Cannondale CAAD 11/12. Best aluminium frame I’ve ever ridden, and pretty light to boot. Comfort mostly comes from your contact points: saddle, tires, bar tape. Carbon bars may add some comfort in the form of less road buzz. If you get really into riding, think about swapping out for a lighter set of wheels. Oh, and best buy a used bike in good condition. You’ll get a better overall bike than spending the money on a brand-new bike.
I’d buy steel if I could. My legs are so short, that most used frames I can stand over are women’s. And the rest of the geometry is wrong.
Entry level:
Fuji SL2.5 . But that's just me.
Full carbon bikes, here is a nice reference.
https://bikesmarts.com/5-good-cheap-full-carbon-road-bikes-2000-under/
What kind of terrain will you ride on? Flat, hilly? What kind of training will you do? If it's flatter land and you just want casual riding then a Dutch style bicycle is the way to go. These are very heavy bicycles but very stable, sit you upright, are easy to pedal and gives a nice balanced, highly enjoy workout.
doctorj wrote:
Entry level:
Fuji SL2.5 . But that's just me.
Full carbon bikes, here is a nice reference.
https://bikesmarts.com/5-good-cheap-full-carbon-road-bikes-2000-under/
That Fuji SL2.5 looks tempting. Do you have one?
67ir6 wrote:
What kind of terrain will you ride on? Flat, hilly? What kind of training will you do? If it's flatter land and you just want casual riding then a Dutch style bicycle is the way to go. These are very heavy bicycles but very stable, sit you upright, are easy to pedal and gives a nice balanced, highly enjoy workout.
Road riding rolling to hilly. I’ve got a garage full of beach cruisers and commuters. I’m looking for something that I can ride with a gang of cyclists and not look too cheap. I realize that’s a fool’s game unless I’m prepared to throw down 10 grand...
Thinking of crosstraining wrote:That Fuji SL2.5 looks tempting. Do you have one?
I have the Fugi Transonic 2.3 that I got when Performance Bikes was going out of business. It's a great bike for the money.
There's also a thread here very similar to this one that is not that old.
rhinetalrunner wrote:
Just get a Cannondale CAAD 11/12. Best aluminium frame I’ve ever ridden, and pretty light to boot. Comfort mostly comes from your contact points: saddle, tires, bar tape. Carbon bars may add some comfort in the form of less road buzz. If you get really into riding, think about swapping out for a lighter set of wheels. Oh, and best buy a used bike in good condition. You’ll get a better overall bike than spending the money on a brand-new bike.
This. Very solid bike, very affordable, excellent frame. It's a race bike to, so it puts you in a good position if you want to be more aggressive, competitive riding and/or dabble in racing.
Thinking of crosstraining wrote:
Roadbikes1 wrote:
Not sure what you mean-aluminum and steel are different? Sounds like your bike is real old....go to your local dealer and ride one-the technology behind aluminum is a lot better now. Also trying to save you some money---meaning I can ride just as well as people with $3k road bikes and I paid less than a third of what they did. Sounds like you already know what you want so not sure why you're asking the Message Board.
I only know what I don’t want: and that’s aluminum. Horrible, horrible aluminum. Maybe it’s fine on perfectly smooth roads. We don’t have those here.
And yes: aluminum and steel are different. Well made steel is comfortable. Well
Made aluminum is still horrible.
I have no idea what you're talking about. You must have had a truly horrible experience with whatever alloy you have. Whatever it is is not representative of good alloy bikes, such as CAAD 10/11/12.
I have one. The roads here are NOT good. Pothole ridden, poorly maintained, bumpy, and LOTS of chipseal everywhere making for constant bumping. If you survey others, they will also agree.
I've had zero problems with the CAAD 10 I own. It's not a horrible ride. Is it a little bumpier than the occassional high end carbon bike I've tested? Of course. But not by some crazy factor, and I've never once ridden and been like "I'm so uncomfortable". It's power transfer and flex are excellent, it's got good position, and is highly responsive.
As far as looking out of place with good cyclists, no you don't need to shell out 10k. Any decent 1.5-3k bike with racing geometry looks good as far as components go. The one thing that does make your bike look "cheap" is wheelset. If you want to look racy then you definitely need to put 1-2 grand into some deeper section carbon wheels. Zip 303 on a CAAD or any other entry(ish) level bike looks sleek and racy, especially if you have the stem slammed and the tube cut.
Thinking of crosstraining wrote:
Runfar262 wrote:
What is your height? I am selling my road carbon bike that is a 58cm frame.
Not that tall. Or rather I am that tall, but I’m all torso and have been punished with really short legs. Thanks, though.
Contrary to popular belief, long torsos and short legs mean an upsize, not a downsize. Seatposts are adjustable, so "reaching the pedals" is not an issue. What you can't change is the top tube, and having a longer torso and longer arms means a longer top tube is appropriate.
Thinking of crosstraining wrote:
I only know what I don’t want: and that’s aluminum. Horrible, horrible aluminum. Maybe it’s fine on perfectly smooth roads. We don’t have those here.
And yes: aluminum and steel are different. Well made steel is comfortable. Well
Made aluminum is still horrible.
The famous Sheldon had an article about this once. It's nonsense. You can make carbon bikes that are very harsh and alloy bikes that are supple. Neither material is intrinsically harsh or easy to ride. Designers use both materials very differently, and things like tube shape, tube wall thickness, tube size and tapering of tube wall thickness are what determine ride characteristics.
killermike wrote:
Thinking of crosstraining wrote:
I only know what I don’t want: and that’s aluminum. Horrible, horrible aluminum. Maybe it’s fine on perfectly smooth roads. We don’t have those here.
And yes: aluminum and steel are different. Well made steel is comfortable. Well
Made aluminum is still horrible.
The famous Sheldon had an article about this once. It's nonsense. You can make carbon bikes that are very harsh and alloy bikes that are supple. Neither material is intrinsically harsh or easy to ride. Designers use both materials very differently, and things like tube shape, tube wall thickness, tube size and tapering of tube wall thickness are what determine ride characteristics.
Tbh, this OP feels almost like a troll. He seems cocky AF like he already knows everything, and is highly dismissive of almost all suggestions, and clearly wrong about most of them: e.g. dismissing frame sizes cluelessly, being clueless about alloy and bike comfort, etc.
I don't think he really gives a sh1t about what anyone is telling him.