Advice on my first road bike

There are a ton of bikes in that price range. Best thing to do is visit a few of the LBS and ride the heck out of everything in that price range.

Specialized, Lemond, Giant, Cannondale, Felt, Klein that's a good place to start
roadbikereview.comreviewscrx.aspxOpen ↗

mikecycle said:

Best thing to do is visit a few of the LBS and ride the heck out of everything in that price range.

Yep, that'd be the right advise.

thegute said:

I have been riding a Bianchi Advantage for the past 4 month and am starting to out grow it. I'm am doing 45 miles rides twice a week and the weight of the bike, wind resistance, and tire width are getting to me. I'm looking for a road bike that won't kill my back and is less than $1500.

Any suggestions?

If you have a flexibility problem with your back or have some other condition, such as a degenerative disk disease, then you may be interested in asking about a couple of specific things. I have a bad lower back so that's why I picked up on that.

1) A compact geometry incorporates a sloping top tube so that the handlebars can be in a higher position than standard road bikes.

2) An adjustable stem will also allow you to sit in a more upright position. As you get more comfortable on the bike you can then lower the angle of the stem for a better aerodynamic position.

3) There are several companies that now offer bikes marketed as comfortable road bikes. These are actual road bikes and not the comfort bikes that look like upright mountain bikes or hybrids like your Advantage.

Examples are:
Trek's 1000C, 1200C & 1800C
http://www.trekbikes.com/bikes/2004/road/1800c.jsp

Giant's OCR1, OCR2 & OCR3
http://www.giant-bicycle.com/us/030.000.000/030.000.000.asp?lYear=2004&bikesection=8834&range=143&mode=rangelist

Specialized Sequoia & Sequoia Elite
http://www.specialized.com/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=9733&JServSessionIdroot=cnv5ce7vwx.j27003

All of these are in your price range. You may also want to take into consideration some of the flat handlebar road bikes as they are more comfortable yet still retain road components and gearing.

Here's the Specialized Sirrus as an example. Others are available.
http://www.specialized.com/SBCBkFamily.jsp?sid=05Sirrus&JServSessionIdroot=cnv5ce7vwx.j27003

Hope this helps.

Doctor Morbius said:

If you have a flexibility problem with your back or have some other condition, such as a degenerative disk disease, then you may be interested in asking about a couple of specific things. I have a bad lower back so that's why I picked up on that.

1) A compact geometry incorporates a sloping top tube so that the handlebars can be in a higher position than standard road bikes.

2) An adjustable stem will also allow you to sit in a more upright position. As you get more comfortable on the bike you can then lower the angle of the stem for a better aerodynamic position.

3) There are several companies that now offer bikes marketed as comfortable road bikes. These are actual road bikes and not the comfort bikes that look like upright mountain bikes or hybrids like your Advantage.

Examples are:
Trek's 1000C, 1200C & 1800C
trekbikes.com1800c.jspOpen ↗

Giant's OCR1, OCR2 & OCR3
giant-bicycle.com030.000.000.aspOpen ↗

Specialized Sequoia & Sequoia Elite
specialized.comSBCBkModel.jspOpen ↗

All of these are in your price range. You may also want to take into consideration some of the flat handlebar road bikes as they are more comfortable yet still retain road components and gearing.

Here's the Specialized Sirrus as an example. Others are available.
specialized.comSBCBkFamily.jspOpen ↗

Hope this helps.

Thanks Doc,

Your right I have some physical issues. Not so much with my back but my left leg is 1/2 inch shorter than my right (This happened in an accident which also messed up my right ankle - I can't do anything requiring impact).

Cycling has been great but I have found my limit with my current bike is a 60-70 mile ride (I'm dying to do a century).

I'll be checking out your suggestions.

thegute said:

Thanks Doc,

Your right I have some physical issues. Not so much with my back but my left leg is 1/2 inch shorter than my right (This happened in an accident which also messed up my right ankle - I can't do anything requiring impact).

Cycling has been great but I have found my limit with my current bike is a 60-70 mile ride (I'm dying to do a century).

I'll be checking out your suggestions.

It's amazing what a 1cm shorter stem, and 2cm higher bars can do for back discomfort.

I used to set my handle bar height based on looks, but now I have to look after my back 😄

Fat Hack said:

It's amazing what a 1cm shorter stem, and 2cm higher bars can do for back discomfort.

I used to set my handle bar height based on looks, but now I have to look after my back 😄

I have a Bianchi Boardwalk--a hybrid--for the last three years. This year I've kicked up my riding from 30 miles per week to 70-80 per week and just rode it successfully and comfortably on the MS 150 mile ride from Cleveland to Sandusky, Ohio and back.

The trick? I bought a high quality racing wheel set (rims, tires, etc) and swapped out my thicker, nubbier hybrid tires. This made a huge difference!!

thegute said:

Thanks Doc,

Your right I have some physical issues. Not so much with my back but my left leg is 1/2 inch shorter than my right (This happened in an accident which also messed up my right ankle - I can't do anything requiring impact).

Cycling has been great but I have found my limit with my current bike is a 60-70 mile ride (I'm dying to do a century).

I'll be checking out your suggestions.

I also have a significant leg length discrepancy. To help (assuming you have clipless pedals), check with your local shops for the LeMond LeWedge. It's a shim (acutally several that you can mix and match - they are quite easy to use) that you can put between your shoe and your cleat to help make up some of the length discrepancy in your legs. I really recommend it, as with time you will begin to overuse one of your legs because you will have more leverage with it than the other. This has the potential to cause some other problems (flexiblity and muscluar imbalances) down the line. The bike is a kind and simple form of exercise, but with the millions upon millions of repetitions you will perform, the difference in length length can take its toll (it sure did on me!). If you can get it down to a 1cm difference, you should be fine.

thegute said:

Thanks Doc,

Your right I have some physical issues. Not so much with my back but my left leg is 1/2 inch shorter than my right (This happened in an accident which also messed up my right ankle - I can't do anything requiring impact). I'll be checking out your suggestions.

As someone else said, get thee to a shop and get fit with some shims. I have a leg that's 3/8" shorter than the other, after an accident. Before shims, I had all sorts of discomfort when I returned to riding: sore crotch, back pain, and so on. Shims relieved all. If you're using Look pedals, then as someone said, LeMond Wedges do the trick. They also make wedges for Speedplay. My original shims were on Look pedals, but when I moved to Speedplay, it was suggested that I get the Speedplay shims as they would likely be more stable given the shim height I needed. I will be returning to fit again since my one remaining fit problem seems to stem from either over pronating or supinating feet. LeMond Wedges will address this nicely.

I've also noticed that now, post skeletal reconfiguration, I'm more sensitive to fore/aft changes in seat position.

Don't under estimate the effect of injuries to cycle fit. Prior to my fittings, I had to move my handlebars up, seat down, which made efficient pedaling even more difficult. Now that things are muy better, the seat is higher, the handlebars are lower, and I'm muy more comfortable.

One caveat to the LeMond fitting: I don't know how accurate their pronation/supination of the foot measurement is. While I think the system nails leg length discrepencies, you might be better off getting pronation/supination measurements done by a doc/sports medicine guru/physical therapist.

michelemarrano said:

I have a Bianchi Boardwalk--a hybrid--for the last three years. This year I've kicked up my riding from 30 miles per week to 70-80 per week and just rode it successfully and comfortably on the MS 150 mile ride from Cleveland to Sandusky, Ohio and back.

The trick? I bought a high quality racing wheel set (rims, tires, etc) and swapped out my thicker, nubbier hybrid tires. This made a huge difference!!

I did the MS150 in GA with no problems. I just seem to hit a wall when I go move than 70 miles in a day.... the weight and the poor aerodynamics just get to me. I love my Advantage it just has limits.

Smartt/RST said:

I also have a significant leg length discrepancy. To help (assuming you have clipless pedals), check with your local shops for the LeMond LeWedge. It's a shim (acutally several that you can mix and match - they are quite easy to use) that you can put between your shoe and your cleat to help make up some of the length discrepancy in your legs. I really recommend it, as with time you will begin to overuse one of your legs because you will have more leverage with it than the other. This has the potential to cause some other problems (flexiblity and muscluar imbalances) down the line. The bike is a kind and simple form of exercise, but with the millions upon millions of repetitions you will perform, the difference in length length can take its toll (it sure did on me!). If you can get it down to a 1cm difference, you should be fine.

I don't have clipless pedals. What I have done for years is have my left sneaker build up to even out my legs and use toe clips....it's been working well so far but it limits my choice of footware (New Balance only). I do the same with my regular shoes as well.

thegute said:

I don't have clipless pedals. What I have done for years is have my left sneaker build up to even out my legs and use toe clips....it's been working well so far but it limits my choice of footware (New Balance only). I do the same with my regular shoes as well.

New here, I may also be in the market shortly for a comfort road bike. I currently have a Trek 970 with hybrid tires that I have been riding on paved trails/roads. I'm sure any decent road bike will be faster than what I have now. From the research i've done, probably have narrowed it down to the Specialized Sequoia Elite or the Trek 1800c, although I have yet to go out and ride them. The Specialized dealer is 1/2 mile from my house and would like to give them the business. I too have a bad back and my right leg is 3/4" shorter than the left due to bicycle/car accident when I was younger. You're right about the New Balance sneakers being easier to modify than others. Toe clips seem to work good for now but the idea of spacers sounds like it may have a future with me as I get more serious. My weekend rides have been 30 to 40 miles but would like to do some 60 to 70 mile charity runs. Let me know how you make out with your final choice.