Advice on road bike ‘bars?

[Marx SS]

In the market for a road bike. $500-$1300 (depending on group set), new/2nd hand. Prefer Shim 105 or Campy Veloce/Centaur below $1k, love to get carbon stays/forks & Sti/Ergo shifting
I’m 5ft inches / 175cm tall, medium build (normal leg/arm/torso length).
Use: weekend rides 50-200kms, training, bunch rides or maybe even a go at a crit for fun.

Thing is, I’m not too informed on these road bikes. With Tri or ‘TT’ bikes advertised, with those funny ‘bars, is it just a simple matter of swapping to drops or is the whole frame geometry nothing like a roadie?
Should I not look at these Tri bikes with ‘TT’ handlebars?

 

[ritcho]

In the market for a road bike. $500-$1300 (depending on group set), new/2nd hand. Prefer Shim 105 or Campy Veloce/Centaur below $1k, love to get carbon stays/forks & Sti/Ergo shifting
I’m 5ft inches / 175cm tall, medium build (normal leg/arm/torso length).
Use: weekend rides 50-200kms, training, bunch rides or maybe even a go at a crit for fun.

Thing is, I’m not too informed on these road bikes. With Tri or ‘TT’ bikes advertised, with those funny ‘bars, is it just a simple matter of swapping to drops or is the whole frame geometry nothing like a roadie?
Should I not look at these Tri bikes with ‘TT’ handlebars?

If it's a real TT frame, it will have a steeper seat tube. Most are not - they're regular road bikes with a TT bars and maybe a seatpost that puts the saddle forward. You'll also want to stay away from funky shaped tri-frames (like a Softride for example), 'cos you can't use them in road racing. I think you can use bar end shifters, so replacing the bars shouldn't be too much of a problem, though you'll need to buy brifters if you insist on using them.

Ritch

 

[flyingdutch]

In the market for a road bike. $500-$1300 (depending on group set), new/2nd hand. Prefer Shim 105 or Campy Veloce/Centaur below $1k, love to get carbon stays/forks & Sti/Ergo shifting
I’m 5ft inches / 175cm tall, medium build (normal leg/arm/torso length).
Use: weekend rides 50-200kms, training, bunch rides or maybe even a go at a crit for fun.

Thing is, I’m not too informed on these road bikes. With Tri or ‘TT’ bikes advertised, with those funny ‘bars, is it just a simple matter of swapping to drops or is the whole frame geometry nothing like a roadie?
Should I not look at these Tri bikes with ‘TT’ handlebars?

some will be just a roadie with dumb-ass clipons/bars placed on.
usually the geometry is steeper/further forward on tri-bikes
(so you can more-easily insert seat-nose up speedos )

 

[Claes]

In the market for a road bike. $500-$1300 (depending on group set), new/2nd hand. Prefer Shim 105 or Campy Veloce/Centaur below $1k, love to get carbon stays/forks & Sti/Ergo shifting
I’m 5ft inches / 175cm tall, medium build (normal leg/arm/torso length).
Use: weekend rides 50-200kms, training, bunch rides or maybe even a go at a crit for fun.

Thing is, I’m not too informed on these road bikes. With Tri or ‘TT’ bikes advertised, with those funny ‘bars, is it just a simple matter of swapping to drops or is the whole frame geometry nothing like a roadie?
Should I not look at these Tri bikes with ‘TT’ handlebars?

I can not see why you would want to buy a tri or tt bike and try to convert it to a road bike? There are loads of bikes around, and you are not too tall so you should have a good selection.

 

[Bleve]

Marx SS wrote:
> In the market for a road bike. $500-$1300 (depending on group set),
> new/2nd hand. Prefer Shim 105 or Campy Veloce/Centaur below $1k, love
> to get carbon stays/forks & Sti/Ergo shifting
>
> I'm 5ft inches / 175cm tall, medium build (normal leg/arm/torso
> length).
> Use: weekend rides 50-200kms, training, bunch rides or maybe even a go
> at a crit for fun.

Ok, you don't want a bike set up for time trialing.

> Thing is, I'm not too informed on these road bikes. With Tri or 'TT'
> bikes advertised, with those funny 'bars, is it just a simple matter of
> swapping to drops or is the whole frame geometry nothing like a roadie?

Geometry's different, they rotate you forward which puts you in a more
aerodynamic position, but it's not comfortable on longer rides, and
is also (depending on the rotation) illegal for road racing. If you
want to do a crit (road race) you need conventional drop bars and
a standard road frame. If you want to ride safely in bunches, you
*certainly* don't want aerobars!

If you want to do a few ITTs you can always get some clipon aerobars
which
will make a difference, but I'd suggest a conventional road bike. For
around $1300 you *might* get a 105 equiped bike, but I'd concentrate
on getting a better frame than a better groupset. The frame will last
(or
won't, if it's junk) longer than the groupset stuff, which you'll
replace as bits wear out.

 

[Marx SS]

It's more that I've seen some of these bike advertised & was wondering if I should also look at them.

Thinking about the 'bars, I forgot about the shifters being different, so there's one thing right there that would put these bikes off my short list.

I must admit there are a few out there closer to what I'm looking for so I should rock up & check them out.

Is turning up to check out a 2nd-handy with my SPD pedals in hand OK, or should I just rough it in Asics on Looks?

 

[flyingdutch]

It's more that I've seen some of these bike advertised & was wondering if I should also look at them.

Thinking about the 'bars, I forgot about the shifters being different, so there's one thing right there that would put these bikes off my short list.

I must admit there are a few out there closer to what I'm looking for so I should rock up & check them out.

Is turning up to check out a 2nd-handy with my SPD pedals in hand OK, or should I just rough it in Asics on Looks?

go with what you're used to (at least to begin with). that way you can comapre/know what youre feelin

 

[Claes]

It's more that I've seen some of these bike advertised & was wondering if I should also look at them.

Thinking about the 'bars, I forgot about the shifters being different, so there's one thing right there that would put these bikes off my short list.

I must admit there are a few out there closer to what I'm looking for so I should rock up & check them out.

Is turning up to check out a 2nd-handy with my SPD pedals in hand OK, or should I just rough it in Asics on Looks?

Now, do not buy anything without listening to your friends at cyclingforum australian division. If you share this this way, it will be almost like we all buy a bike of our own, and spend no money. You, you get good advice.

 

[Marx SS]

I’ll be sure to post all my adventures in my quest.
Don’t like to walk into a LBS unless there’s something unloved from ’03 that they’ll do me a favour on, so it’ll be interesting to see all those ‘Immaculate’ , ‘never used’ & ‘fastidiously maintained’ treasures hiding out in people’s garages & backrooms…..

(will I get by without shaving my legs riding a roadie?)

 

[NoZX6R]

Marx SS wrote:
> In the market for a road bike. $500-$1300 (depending on group set),
> new/2nd hand. Prefer Shim 105 or Campy Veloce/Centaur below $1k, love
> to get carbon stays/forks & Sti/Ergo shifting
> I’m 5ft inches / 175cm tall, medium build (normal leg/arm/torso
> length).
> Use: weekend rides 50-200kms, training, bunch rides or maybe even a go
> at a crit for fun.
>
> Thing is, I’m not too informed on these road bikes. With Tri or ‘TT’
> bikes advertised, with those funny ‘bars, is it just a simple matter of
> swapping to drops or is the whole frame geometry nothing like a roadie?
>
> Should I not look at these Tri bikes with ‘TT’ handlebars?
>
>

Lots of so-called road/tri bikes are just road frames with aero bars
bolted on. Aero bars do not make a tri/tt bike. Check out ebay for
hardly used so-called tri bikes where the aero bars are at the same
height as the seat. With a setup like that no wonder they're for sale.
(although recently, there seems to have been a minor explosion of
full-on 'real' tt bikes too)

A real tri/tt bike is really only any good for that purpose - amongst
other things, in order to have a good aero position you need to have a
short head tube and low bars, which is going to be uncomfortable over
longer distances.

Here's an interesting article about tri/tt geometry and setup.
http://www.bikesportmichigan.com/bikes/difference.shtml

--
Nick

 

[Euan]

>>>>> "Marx" == Marx SS <[email protected]> writes:

Marx> (will I get by without shaving my legs riding a roadie?)

I don't shave mine, but then I'm a commuter and not a roadie. I just
happen to ride a road bike encumbered with commuting stuph.

Didn't understand the shaved legs thing till I watched Hell on Wheels.
Now I know the reason I see no reason to shave my legs.
--
Cheers | ~~ __@
Euan | ~~ _-\<,
Melbourne, Australia | ~ (*)/ (*)

 

[dave]

Marx SS wrote:
> In the market for a road bike. $500-$1300 (depending on group set),
> new/2nd hand. Prefer Shim 105 or Campy Veloce/Centaur below $1k, love
> to get carbon stays/forks & Sti/Ergo shifting
> I’m 5ft inches / 175cm tall, medium build (normal leg/arm/torso
> length).
> Use: weekend rides 50-200kms, training, bunch rides or maybe even a go
> at a crit for fun.
>
> Thing is, I’m not too informed on these road bikes. With Tri or ‘TT’
> bikes advertised, with those funny ‘bars, is it just a simple matter of
> swapping to drops or is the whole frame geometry nothing like a roadie?
>
> Should I not look at these Tri bikes with ‘TT’ handlebars?
>
>
Would not ride tt bars on the road.. me. And dont you ride em in a
bunch beside me unless you REALLY know what you are doing

Kathy got an 0CR O Carbon stays Ultegra. 2005 Lots of nice bits.
From Freedom Machine for 1600 bucks with good pedals. She looked
around heaps and it was the best buy. You can do what you like, I
really dont think you will beat that by enough to matter.

 

[DaveB]

flyingdutch wrote:
> some will be just a roadie with dumb-ass clipons/bars placed on.

OY!! Watch yerself. Come on GPLama back me up here (we've all seen your
bike in TT mode)

DaveB

 

[ritcho]

[snip]

Would not ride tt bars on the road.. me. And dont you ride em in a
bunch beside me unless you REALLY know what you are doing

[snip]

Beside me? I'd be more worried if they were _behind_ me...

Ritch

 

[dave]

ritcho wrote:
> dave Wrote:
>
>>
>>[snip]
>>
>>Would not ride tt bars on the road.. me. And dont you ride em in a
>>bunch beside me unless you REALLY know what you are doing
>>
>>[snip]
>>
>>
>
>
> Beside me? I'd be more worried if they were _behind_ me...
>
> Ritch
>
>
might not see em then

 

[Bleve]

Marx SS wrote:
> I'll be sure to post all my adventures in my quest.
> Don't like to walk into a LBS unless there's something unloved from '03
> that they'll do me a favour on, so it'll be interesting to see all those
> 'Immaculate' , 'never used' & 'fastidiously maintained' treasures hiding
> out in people's garages & backrooms.....

cycle science in Mitcham has some older 105 roadies that
might be the right size for you.


>
> (will I get by without shaving my legs riding a roadie?)

Only in the beginning

 

[Bleve]

Euan wrote:
> >>>>> "Marx" == Marx SS <[email protected]> writes:
>
> Marx> (will I get by without shaving my legs riding a roadie?)
>
> I don't shave mine, but then I'm a commuter and not a roadie. I just
> happen to ride a road bike encumbered with commuting stuph.
>
> Didn't understand the shaved legs thing till I watched Hell on Wheels.
> Now I know the reason I see no reason to shave my legs.

Aldag wasn't telling the whole truth. Shaved legs look
really good (if they're good legs, that is ...).

If you've got it, flaunt it ...

 

[Claes]

I just remembered there is a brand that produces a columbus Zonal frame with 105 straight through for just over your budget, check
Learsport
Has carbon fork too. Good price, a friend of mine has one, actually I recommened that to her, she loves it. Another friend has the model above, no probs there either.