Vancouver newbie needs help



BenL

New Member
Aug 22, 2003
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The last bike I got was from Sears and that was like 14 years ago. I have not ridden a bike for at least eight or nine years and I am looking into buying my first road bike mainly for fitness reason. There are so many brands out there that I just don't know where to start. :confused:

I know visiting a local bike shop would help, but since I just moved to Vancouver, so I need some help identifying reputable shops in the area because I really don't have much knowledge regarding bikes.

I am about 5' 5" tall and weight around 155 lbs. My budget is about $3000. From my brief search in this archive, it seems Cannondale bikes are a bit too stiff for the road, Is there any brands that I should stay away due to my size and weight? What brands would you guys recommend me to look into? I really appreciate for all your responses.
 
Originally posted by BenL
The last bike I got was from Sears and that was like 14 years ago. I have not ridden a bike for at least eight or nine years and I am looking into buying my first road bike mainly for fitness reason. There are so many brands out there that I just don't know where to start. :confused:

I know visiting a local bike shop would help, but since I just moved to Vancouver, so I need some help identifying reputable shops in the area because I really don't have much knowledge regarding bikes.

I am about 5' 5" tall and weight around 155 lbs. My budget is about $3000. From my brief search in this archive, it seems Cannondale bikes are a bit too stiff for the road, Is there any brands that I should stay away due to my size and weight? What brands would you guys recommend me to look into? I really appreciate for all your responses.

I would think a $3000 bike from any brand would be a good quality bike. At that price you definitely need to ride them and just see what you like. I personally love my Cannondale but then again I'm pretty new to cycling myself and don't know any better.

Matt
 
I agree. Get what feels good.
I would consider getting something on a lower end and then upgrading to a better bike when you know what *you* like. Individuals differ and as your riding habits change and develop, your wants & needs will, too.
 
I agree with Geonz,

You can get a lot of good bikes for under $1500.00 US then after riding for a year or so you will know more about what "YOU" want.

One recommendation for pedals though, when first starting out with clipless pedals I would recommend getting pedals and shoes designed for off road use at first. The off road shoes are much easier to walk on if you stop for a snack while riding and are also easier to learn how to clip in and out of.

good luck and have "FUN"
 
I would make sure you test out the bikes on a variety of roads in good and BAD states of repair. Make sure to include some hills.
I would also test out both double and triple chainrings up front and probably recommend the latter. If you have not biked alot the double may not seem to bad on a short test ride but on 30-40 mile ride with lots of hills, your legs may appreciate the extra lower gears.
 
I agree with everyone else that $3,000 is a pretty sweet budget, even in Canadian dollars. You're pretty light for an aluminum frame with those beefy tubes. It's going to be way too stiff for you. For that budget, look into some titanium bikes like Litespeed or Merlin. You should put as much money into the frame as possible, because if you buy a good frame, it will last you for many years to come and you can always upgrade components as they wear out. I'm not so sure I agree with the idea of buying a more affordable bike now and buying something new in a year or two when you figure out what you want. That sounds a little wasteful to me.

Find a bikeshop where they're nice to you. You're going to need to go back for things like tune-ups and repairs and sizing tweaks over the years. Avoid stores where the staff is a bunch of 18-year-old guys who only care about sprinting and mountain biking. Try to find a wise old-timer who can show you reliable stuff and knows a lot about proper sizing and positioning. Tell them if you're planning to go for nice long rides or hour-long rides after work. They can give you great advice based on the riding you plan to do.

Seriously, if they're not nice to you (for the money you're ready to spend), just take your business elsewhere. If they try to rush you into making a decision, that's a bad sign.
 
Check out the road test of the Cannondale R5000 at http://www.roadbikerider.com. It dispels the myth of Cannondale stiffness, and also the myth that Cannondales are twitch on descents.

For $3000, I would check out the Trek 5200, a high-end Cannondale, R2000 or better, a Lemond Arrivee, and Litespeeds.

Had I $3000, I would be Lemond and Litespeed shopping.
 

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