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Do You Road Bike?

Took out the 52cm Fuji today, one bought off CL in the summer after selling a 54com Trek.

Havent ridden in awhile and I did not feel comfortable. Anyone local free for a quick bike fit? I plan on doing a late June sprint tri and want to start riding 4+ days a week. A physical therapist friend mentioned my hamstrings and gnarly tight, not sure if that has anything to do with it.
 
Doh, just looked. Do NOT buy that bike. 2300 STI shifters, etc.

That's as low as it gets. Next is Sora, also junk. try to get a bike with Tiagra or 105.

Bikes direct has bikes with Tiagra / 105 for 800.
 
Mortifer said:
What do y'all think about a Specialized Secteur Triple for a road cycling newb.
I mtb a several times a week and want to hit the road now too.
Budget is $800-$1000, I'd prefer to not spend more, even though the more you spend the better you get.

Thanks for the help!

http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bikes/road/secteur/secteurtriple
Click to expand...

It will be fine for whatever you want to do with it. I ride the same on a $2500 or a decent used $300 bike (I usually swap on good wheels and tires though).

On the cheaper bikes, the biggest problem is usually the wheels. A lot of times they are pretty crummy and will go out of true easily and can cause issues if you ride a lot.

This is my opinion and a lot of people won't agree but I think people tend to ride really under-geared bikes, especially new riders, so getting a triple would be good to make sure you have enough gear range to tackle some tough climbs. I put on gearing people think is wacky (compact crank with 11-32 rear cassette) because I like to spin up hills mostly seated and like having gears in reserve for the brutally steep stuff.

If you keep an eye on craigslist though and look for something late model, you can get a good deal on something slightly used or I always see some really good deals at this place but have never been there:

http://www.goridebicycles.com/goride/?page_id=212

They have the synapse w/ 105 components listed for $999 or even the crabon fiber one for $300 more
 
jroymcd said:
Doh, just looked. Do NOT buy that bike. 2300 STI shifters, etc.

That's as low as it gets. Next is Sora, also junk. try to get a bike with Tiagra or 105.

Bikes direct has bikes with Tiagra / 105 for 800.
Click to expand...

I looked it up on google and I thought it had tiagra stuff but 2300 I wouldn't bother with or anything less than tiagra or sram apex. An old 9 ass 90's 9 speed tiagra bike is way better than a new 2300 one.
 
aram said:
I looked it up on google and I thought it had tiagra stuff but 2300 I wouldn't bother with or anything less than tiagra or sram apex. An old 9 ass 90's 9 speed tiagra bike is way better than a new 2300 one.
Click to expand...

He linked to the model he was looking at. I did not pay attention at first. That is the base model with the 2300 groupo.
 
jroymcd said:
He linked to the model he was looking at. I did not pay attention at first. That is the base model with the 2300 groupo.
Click to expand...

Yeah I'll agree with you that 2300/sora isn't worth bothering with. Tiagra stuff works great (I have an old school steel bianchi w/ 9speed tiagra bike that works flawlessly) but anything less and they don't even have the proper downshift lever.
 
Dubbington said:
Took out the 52cm Fuji today, one bought off CL in the summer after selling a 54com Trek.

Havent ridden in awhile and I did not feel comfortable. Anyone local free for a quick bike fit? I plan on doing a late June sprint tri and want to start riding 4+ days a week. A physical therapist friend mentioned my hamstrings and gnarly tight, not sure if that has anything to do with it.
Click to expand...

So what was uncomfortable?
 
Mortifer said:
What do y'all think about a Specialized Secteur Triple for a road cycling newb.
I mtb a several times a week and want to hit the road now too.
Budget is $800-$1000, I'd prefer to not spend more, even though the more you spend the better you get.

Thanks for the help!

http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bikes/road/secteur/secteurtriple
Click to expand...

Check out performance bikes.

http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1120682_-1_400315__400315

This one looks like a nice deal. Comes with 105. On the high end of your range (after discount) before tax:
http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1126960_-1_400315__400315
 
Thank you guys for the help, I'm glad I posted in here, keep it coming. :)
I know nothing about the components, so buying used is even more dangerous for me than buying new.
I'm 6'4" so I need a 61, harder to find used.

Thoughts on disc vs rim brakes? are the crappy BB5 or BB7's any good? I've had them on my MTB and replaced them with hydraulic.

thoughts on this (has Tiagra)- http://mikesbikes.com/product/13specialized-secteur-elite-compact-175162-1.htm

or

http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1117097_-1_400309__400309
 
Mortifer said:
Thank you guys for the help, I'm glad I posted in here, keep it coming. :)
I know nothing about the components, so buying used is even more dangerous for me than buying new.
I'm 6'4" so I need a 61, harder to find used.

Thoughts on disc vs rim brakes? are the crappy BB5 or BB7's any good? I've had them on my MTB and replaced them with hydraulic.

thoughts on this (has Tiagra)- http://mikesbikes.com/product/13specialized-secteur-elite-compact-175162-1.htm

or

http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1117097_-1_400309__400309
Click to expand...

Yeah actually since you're 6'4" it might be one of those deals where you get one online or something since it may be hard to find what you need at the bike shop.

Performance has this one in 61cm available and it's a tiagra bike and only $850.

http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1117097_-1___000000

Also this guys got a nice used 105 bike in 61cm for $650 and you could probably talk him down a couple bucks I'm sure. It's about half of what a new one is:

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/bik/3723261042.html


Road bike guys don't usually bother with disc brakes since rim brakes work fine for the road and are lighter. Plus all the road wheels are rim brake models. I've never been riding my bike and thought I didn't have enough braking power.
 
Mortifer said:
Thank you guys for the help, I'm glad I posted in here, keep it coming. :)
I know nothing about the components, so buying used is even more dangerous for me than buying new.
I'm 6'4" so I need a 61, harder to find used.

Thoughts on disc vs rim brakes? are the crappy BB5 or BB7's any good? I've had them on my MTB and replaced them with hydraulic.

thoughts on this (has Tiagra)- http://mikesbikes.com/product/13specialized-secteur-elite-compact-175162-1.htm

or

http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1117097_-1_400309__400309
Click to expand...

Oops missed that one of the ones I posted wasn't available in 61.
Not a big fan of carbon steer. Just higher possibility of cracking it.
 
aram said:
Also this guys got a nice used 105 bike in 61cm for $650 and you could probably talk him down a couple bucks I'm sure. It's about half of what a new one is:

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/bik/3723261042.html
Click to expand...

This looks like a good idea for me, decent first road bike, great price, no sales tax.
Any reason it's a bad idea?

More newb road questions-
1. Will I get laughed at if my helmet has a visor (mtb)?
2. Bottles and cages or Camelbak? (I've never seen a roadie with a camel)
3. What do you guys carry? tube/pump/tools/food/bars/etc
4. where? jersey pocket or under seat bag?
:ride
 
I'm a mountain biker. Only ride road cause I want to do a tri.

I use my mountain gear, but no camel back. Have Bottles and seat bag.

Who cares what other people think. Your riding
 
+1 what jroymcd said!

Besides... All you gotta do is ride faster than those who laughed at you, and their egos will be badly damaged.
 
Roadies will always find something to laugh at you for, even if you do all the dork disk/valve cap/plastic yarmulke/spandex/etc things they find necessary to be trendy. :laughing So just do what makes you comfortable.

I have a small tail pack with a multitool, levers, and a spare tube, and a light clipped to the back. Frame-mount pump. I wear a small Nathan hydration pack that also carries food, cell phone, and wallet.

My commuter 'cross bike has discs, and the feel is definitely better than rim brakes in the hills, particularly in the wet and/or when loaded. But my road bikes have rim brakes, because that's what they come with. The Ultegras I got from TAKS are definitely the best rim brakes I've had.
 
Last edited:
Mortifer said:
This looks like a good idea for me, decent first road bike, great price, no sales tax.
Any reason it's a bad idea?

More newb road questions-
1. Will I get laughed at if my helmet has a visor (mtb)?
2. Bottles and cages or Camelbak? (I've never seen a roadie with a camel)
3. What do you guys carry? tube/pump/tools/food/bars/etc
4. where? jersey pocket or under seat bag?
:ride
Click to expand...

1. No one will care. The visor is one more thing sticking into the wind though. When I'm just riding around town I have a helmet with a visor I use but if I'm going on a long ride I have a lighter one w/o visor.
2. I use bottles and cages because I don't want a back pack on my back but if you like a camelbak go for it. Camelback makes awesome bottles (podium ones about $10) that are way better to use than regular ones.
3/4. I have a little seat bag (very little) that has multitool and a tube,patch kit and some levers and a few spare co2 cartridges that I only use if I need it. I care food in my jersey pockets along with a CO2 tool/cell phone/etc.. but I am probably going to switch to a frame pump again.

If you go check out that bike, check to see if the wheels are true/round and that the bearings in them are good and that the shifters work properly and if there are any cracks in the frame and you should be good to go. That's a good deal on that bike. A bike like that you can ride for years and not have any issues.
 
aram said:
1. No one will care. The visor is one more thing sticking into the wind though. When I'm just riding around town I have a helmet with a visor I use but if I'm going on a long ride I have a lighter one w/o visor.
2. I use bottles and cages because I don't want a back pack on my back but if you like a camelbak go for it. Camelback makes awesome bottles (podium ones about $10) that are way better to use than regular ones.
3/4. I have a little seat bag (very little) that has multitool and a tube,patch kit and some levers and a few spare co2 cartridges that I only use if I need it. I care food in my jersey pockets along with a CO2 tool/cell phone/etc.. but I am probably going to switch to a frame pump again.

If you go check out that bike, check to see if the wheels are true/round and that the bearings in them are good and that the shifters work properly and if there are any cracks in the frame and you should be good to go. That's a good deal on that bike. A bike like that you can ride for years and not have any issues.
Click to expand...

awesome, thank you all for the help and advice.:)
 
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