Road Bikes

singfree

Hey- just wondering what kind of road bike do you have? What do you like or dislike about it? Anything you would rather have or is it your "perfect" ride?

I'm about to buy a road bike in the next week. Currently I have a Trek hybrid, which I will keep.

singfree

Hey- just wondering what kind of road bike do you have? What do you like or dislike about it? Anything you would rather have or is it your "perfect" ride?

I'm about to buy a road bike in the next week. Currently I have a Trek hybrid, which I will keep.

trackgirl89

I have a Felt (women specific) ZW30. I like it because it's super light (>20 lbs) w/ a carbon fiber fork and rear. Although I have recently removed them, this bike also came with the traditional handle bar breaks... in addition to the typical road bike drop down ones... which was nice while I was getting used to the clip-in pedal system and if i was just using it around town.

Anyway- I'd look for a nice, light bike... one with a "granny gear" if you are just starting to ride. Also- get a GOOD SEAT! That's key. I left on my factory seat and had many, many months of unpleasant riding until I went in for a tune up and was informed that there are much comfier seats out there.

Best of luck and HAPPY RIDING! :glasses:

singfree

Thanks trackgirl for the reply. I will be new to a road bike, but average 100 miles per week on my Trek. This is not easy, as I have a lot of hills where I live in PA. My strength and stamina are very good, just looking for more speed for the same effort. I've never used clipless pedals before. Does it take time to get used to them?

I've narrowed the choices to: Cannondale Synapse, Specialized Sequoia and Giant Defy.

trackgirl89

Whew! I'll be excited to see how many miles you get in per week when you're averaging higher speeds. You'll love it. The first time I hit 50 mph on a downhill I almost started crying haha.

The pedals/shoes are wonderful although they do take time to get used to. If you have a trainer you can set your bike in to practice clipping in and out that would probably be helpful. But almost everyone I know still has that awful moment when you stop at a stop sign and can't get a foot out in time.... ah..ahh.ahh CRASH. Hurts the pride more than anything else. :laugh: But the SPD style pedals and cleats allow you to adjust the tension to control how easy it is for you to clip in and out.. so those are good ones to look into.

P.S.
My brother rides a Cannondale Synapes and loves it. That gets my vote!

jessmomof3

I have the OCR-2 by Giant and love it!! My buddies have the OCR-3, but this one is a better model than the 3. *better parts* I went from a Trek Hybrid and can't believe the difference!!! I also went for the clipless pedals and bike shoes to clip in. It does take practice (and a couple falls) but you can get so much more power and go so much faster!!

Happy bike shopping!

Jess

jtintx

Full carbon Specialized Ruby Pro (women's specific). I have the compact double but if you ride a lot of hills you might want a triple. They don't shift as smoothly but you'll have an extra gear or two. I recommend the Look pedals. They have a bigger platform to help eliminate hot spots but you can only clip in on one side. Just practice on your driveway...clip in, clip out, clip in, clip out....repeat over and over. And don't wait until you're at the light or stop sign to clip out...do it as you approach it and just let your foot rest on the pedal. Helps eliminate embarrassing falls...although the people in cars seem to get a good laugh. :laugh: I have a friend that rides the Cannondale Synapse and she likes it. I like Specialized because of all the research and development that they put into their bikes....plus that's what the local bike shop sells and services. You'll love having a road bike!

meatball

I just purchased my bike, a motobecane fantom pro for 999 from bikes direct. Many people bad mouthed it on another forum because it didn't have a trek,specialized, cannondale, etc. frame. I assure you, it rides very nice, and for that price I got components (ultegra shifters, carbon fork, fsa crankset, avid brakes etc) that come on bikes that cost more than 2x the price I paid. It is a 58cm and weighs in at just over 20lbs with cyclocross tires and brakes on it.

I would recommend the following: carbon fork - it takes out the road buzz from your hands.
Carbon seat stays are nice, but uneccesary if you get a decent saddle. They also help smooth the ride. Get the best component level you can afford. Do some research on the web, see what is working for others with your goals. I did and I am very happy.

my bike came wheels and bars off in a box. I have worked on bikes so it was a snap to set up, but if you are unsure, a local bike shop will do it for a nominal fee.

Oh and before I catch any crap about buying from a local bike shop, I say the following, I did that for my mountain bike, a trek 8500. I get no better service than some dude off the street at the shop I purchased it from, and it was a very expensive bike. Also, I value quality for my dollar, and no one could touch the price I got on my bike.

Some say buy a frame and upgrade you components, others say buy a bike with good components and upgrade the frame later. It seemed to me that the latter would be cheaper, and in the meantime, I would be very happy hitting all my shifts and braking well.

singfree

Thanks to all for your replies, the info is much appreciated.

singfree

And the winner is....Cannondale Synapse. I found a very nice 2008 leftover (new) at my local dealer. I took it for a test ride on a hilly road, what a great ride! Fit perfectly, comfortable and fast. And it was discounted by $200! I rode it 20 miles yesterday and it was WAY faster than my Trek hybrid. Very happy with the purchase. Next up is getting clipless pedals and a decent pair of shoes.

meatball

check out bonktown.com for good deals on road gear. They had a set of clipless on there the other day almost 80% off. Did you get an aluminum synapse or carbon? Those are some sweet wheels! Congrats!

singfree

thanks for the info on bonktown, will check it out. I got the aluminum Synapse, which is fine for me. Mostly for fitness & recreation with the family, not racing.

jessmomof3

And the winner is....Cannondale Synapse. I found a very nice 2008 leftover (new) at my local dealer. I took it for a test ride on a hilly road, what a great ride! Fit perfectly, comfortable and fast. And it was discounted by $200! I rode it 20 miles yesterday and it was WAY faster than my Trek hybrid. Very happy with the purchase. Next up is getting clipless pedals and a decent pair of shoes.

Yay! Good for you! Definitely go for the clipless and good bike shoes! :bigsmile: