Beginner with a lot of questions



nsimpson

New Member
Apr 3, 2012
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Here we go:

I'm 24 and shopping around for my first road bike, and my first actual bicycle since I was a kid. I've been mainly looking at Treks because that is what most of the dealers around me carry so maintenance wouldn't be a hassle.

As of right now I'm debating between the 1.1 and 1.2. I understand the major differences between the two is the aluminum fork vs carbon and the derailleur.

So here are my questions:

- Is the couple hundred dollar price difference between the two worth it?
- What is the differences between the 2011 1.2 and the 2012 1.2 besides the color scheme?
- The two bikes come with pedals with straps, is it necessary to upgrade to the clip in pedals, if so what are some good cheap ones? My LBS carries and recommended me "egg beaters."
- If I keep the stock pedals with the straps, is it recommended to buy a pair of bike shoes or will running shoes be fine (If buying cycling shoes, what are some good cheap ones?)

- And finally, are there any other non Trek bikes better than the 1.2 for $900 or less?


Thanks guys.
 
Treks are a good choice of bike to get your feet wet and see if you like bicycling. Both the 1.1 and 1.2 are basically identical in components and geometry from 2011 thru 2012.

The differences between the 1.1 and the 1.2 are basically that you get functional but low grade components on the 1.1 and you get functional but better grade components on the 1.2. If you don't plan on riding much more than several weekends during the warm months, don't bother with the 1.2 as you won't see any difference in the performance from one to the other.

If you are going to be riding fairly regularly, you might really consider going to the 1.2. There is a slight difference in performance and the components on the 1.2 will hold their adjustments longer than the components on the 1.1. The components on the 1.2 supposedly will wear longer than those on the 1.1 also, but you will probably have moved onto a new bike before you wore out the components on either of them as even the components on the 1.1, excluding the normal wear items (chain, cassette, chainrings, tires, brake blocks, cables, and handlebar tape), will last many tens of thousands of miles with routine manitenance.

You don't have to ride with clipless pedals but most people do. If I were you, I would start with the toe straps for a few months and take your time looking at clipless pedals to find out which ones are right for you. There are a lot of clipless pedals out there, some are cheap and some are expensive, some are good and some are crappy.

You don't need to buy cycling shoes if you are going to ride with the toe clip pedals unless you start to feel numbness in your toes while riding. Stiff sole shoes are advisable for riding becasue they distribute the your force on the pedal to more of your foot than soft soled shoes do. More imortantly, make sure that you get a helmet, and gloves are advisable. Also you will probably want to get a pair of cycling shorts for more comfortable riding.
 
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I don't think Trek is a good choice at all for a beginner to get their feet wet with! Please note, it's just a opinion. But the reason I think that is because when you buy a Trek you pay for the extensive marketing, and race team sponsorships they do thus you get less bike for the money then you would with Kona, Felt, Raleigh, KHS, and Fuji, or bikes at Bikes Direct which is a mail order house.

But if your locked into the Trek mantra mindset then the stuff the Kdelong stated is correct.
 
Trek's are fine bikes. What's going to be most important for you, however, is to test ride bikes, whatever the brand. Buy the bike that fits best, whose ride feels best, that appeals to you, and best fits your budget. At the price range around that of those Treks, it's hard to find a bad bike.
 
Originally Posted by nsimpson .
I've been mainly looking at Treks because that is what most of the dealers around me carry so maintenance wouldn't be a hassle.

And besides Treks being fine bicycles.... (and they are) if that is what the local shops carry that is a consideration too. Not that a new modern bicycle requires all that much maintenance or repair. But it is nice to find a shop you like that may offer lifetime free adjustments, or is just convenient to your home. Or where you just like the people that work there. It's nice if the LBS is within cycling distance from home. Some shops also have clinics that teach flat repair and basic bicycle maintenance (mostly washing and chain oiling).
 
Thanks for all the replies guys. I've found a few different non-Trek bike shops online within a reasonable driving distance that carry Cannondale, Fuji, Specialized, and Orbea so I'll be checking those out within the next week since I'm not completely set on getting a Trek. I love the look of the Cannondales but it seems they're a little pricier than the Treks.
 
nsimpson said:
Thanks for all the replies guys. I've found a few different non-Trek bike shops online within a reasonable driving distance that carry Cannondale, Fuji, Specialized, and Orbea so I'll be checking those out within the next week since I'm not completely set on getting a Trek. I love the look of the Cannondales but it seems they're a little pricier than the Treks.
Shop around, and ride the bikes that pique your interest. Doing as much will insure (as much as any such thing can be insured) that you end up on the best bike for you, and that down the road---1 month, 3 months, a year, and so on--you'll be happy with your purchase.
 
Originally Posted by nsimpson .

Thanks for all the replies guys. I've found a few different non-Trek bike shops online within a reasonable driving distance that carry Cannondale, Fuji, Specialized, and Orbea so I'll be checking those out within the next week since I'm not completely set on getting a Trek. I love the look of the Cannondales but it seems they're a little pricier than the Treks.

Good, make sure when you have narrowed down your choices to a few that you test ride them, but don't test ride by riding around the parking lot, that won't tell you anything, take them on about a 5 mile ride. The longer ride will narrow down your choices to maybe 2 possibly 3, then maybe price will do the rest.