Help me purchase my first Road Bike!

[Rich22]

Hey all, im hoping to start road bicycling this spring/summer. I wanted to get opinions from people before i go to the local bike shop (in my case its MT WASHINGTON BIKE SHOP in baltimore, maryland.)

So i wanted your advice on what bikes to look at and to ask about. My price range is around 700$.

I obviously dont want a fancy/expensive bike as my first road bike :)

Thanks everyone.
-Rich

[lohsnest]

Hey all, im hoping to start road bicycling this spring/summer. I wanted to get opinions from people before i go to the local bike shop (in my case itsMT WASHINGTON BIKE SHOP in baltimore, maryland.)

So i wanted your advice on what bikes to look at and to ask about. My price range is around 700$.

I obviously dont want a fancy/expensive bike as my first road bike :)

Thanks everyone.
-Rich

Check the threads on this forum......you will find an abundance of feedback...

[Rich22]

Check the threads on this forum......you will find an abundance of feedback...
I see bikes like the Trek 1000, Giant OCR3 etc, but i also see bikes that are about 400$. Is it worth it or no?

[lohsnest]

I see bikes like the Trek 1000, Giant OCR3 etc, but i also see bikes that are about 400$. Is it worth it or no?Best advice...try the bikes at your LBS. There's nothing worse than buyer's remorse, or a bike that fits poorly (sizing is one of the first things I look at).

Think about this... If you're buying a bike just for the exercise, you can probably get any piece of junk from your local sporting goods store or online at many of the e-stores. If it's going to be more than just a bike for exercise, I would carefully consider what you're looking for in a bike first, the componentry, and then the price. Too often, price is always the first consideration, which is the wrong way to look at investing in a bike. It's always easier to set a target budget for your bike and save up for something that you'll be happy with, and not regret your purchase later on down the line (like I found out, from my own experience).

Cheers,

RL

[artmichalek]

If you're in or near Baltimore, you probably have a few different shops to choose from. Go to all of them. Get to see the bikes in person and talk to the salesmen about what makes one bike better than another. If the first thing he says isn't something to the effect of, "What kind of riding do you want to do?", walk out. Most importantly, take some test rides.

[dfvcad]

Look at the Orbea bikes very good bikes and should be able to find something in the 700 to 800 range.

[jmurray89]

Try Blue Competition Cycles....New company but nice bikes.
www.rideblue.com (http://www.rideblue.com)

[Rich22]

Also out of these group of bikes can anyone see pros or cons?


The trek 1000

bianchi brava

lemond etape

giant ocr3

They are all basically the same price with the giant being the cheapest at 600$.

[GMJ04]

Also out of these group of bikes can anyone see pros or cons?


The trek 1000

bianchi brava

lemond etape

giant ocr3

They are all basically the same price with the giant being the cheapest at 600$.
Anyone have any experience with FUJI ?

[Rich22]

Anyone have any experience with FUJI ?
Never heard of them, but hey im a noob :)

[GMJ04]

they have been around since 1899. I looked at their Full carbon C7 frame, its a very nice bike and thousands less than Trek. Granted that particular bike is overkill for a first road bike but they do have other mid range models to look at. Price is lower because as per your statement above, they dont spend alot on advertising.

[solostyle]

I wonder if it's okay to post in the same thread. If moderators think this post should be moved, that's fine with me..

I think my situation is similar to Rich22's. I'm looking to get a roadbike this summer and my price range is $400-$700 (pretty wide, huh?).

I want a fixed-gear roadie. Steel frame is probably all I can afford. Not too heavy (20-25 lbs max).

My question is ... should I buy a complete bike first and then convert it to a FG (change the gears out, new rear wheel)--- OR should I get a good frame, and add all the parts to it (fork, wheelset, handlebars, seat/seatpost, front brakes, whatever else)?

I'm leaning toward the second option--after visiting the LBS to check various fits and try out complete bikes, first.

I am pretty sure I want a fixed-gear, no I'm not insane.. I just really want to try it out, I think I will enjoy it much more than a even a singlespeed or any other multigear bike. I'd really like the opinion of someone who rides FG's who has had experience converting....

Again, advance apologies if I shouldn't have posted in this thread...