Best Road Bike for Money



ttechnoholic

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Feb 4, 2015
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I live in California USA and I recently got into biking. Im looking into road bikes and need advice on my first road bike. I went to Sports Chalet and noticed Fuji Sportif 2.3 for $550 + 9% tax + $pedals + $50 bicycle care package for 2 years. Shortly after i went to my local bicycle shop. I was able to negotiate on the Giant Defy 3 for $700 flat which includes 1 year service on adjustments (derailer, wheel truing etc). Are there any other bikes that come close to these bikes i can't spend more than $700.. my original limit was $500 :/ ... i looked at bikesdirect.com motobecane mirage slx for $500 flat. Giant Defy 5 was $500 flat.. Any other bikes i should consider? I really loved how the Giant rides but i've heard that it's not the easiest bike to climb hills. Im new to this and i need help. Thank you !!
 
First off the Bikes Direct Motobecane Mirage SLX is not a good deal, that bike isn't giving you anything extra over the others.

Personally I would lean towards the Defy 3 because it has better components and fork than the Defy 5, and since Giant is making the Defy 3 anymore you get a great deal on a closeout model. The Defy 3 also got high reviews over the years they were made.
 
Froze said:
First off the Bikes Direct Motobecane Mirage SLX is not a good deal, that bike isn't giving you anything extra over the others.  Personally I would lean towards the Defy 3 because it has better components and fork than the Defy 5, and since Giant is making the Defy 3 anymore you get a great deal on a closeout model.  The Defy 3 also got high reviews over the years they were made.
Thanks for your advice. Today I test drove 2014 Trek 1.2 road bike. the guy is willing to sell it to me for same price. Apparently it has identical shimano sora components. i dont know much about bikes but the giant felt quicker and felt much more stable. Is it just me ? Or the giant defy 3 is just better engineered.
 
Originally Posted by ttechnoholic


Thanks for your advice. Today I test drove 2014 Trek 1.2 road bike. the guy is willing to sell it to me for same price. Apparently it has identical shimano sora components. i dont know much about bikes but the giant felt quicker and felt much more stable. Is it just me ? Or the giant defy 3 is just better engineered.
The Giant is better engineered, Treks will cost more to get the same stuff due to the fact you must pay for all the marketing they do. The Giant Defy 3 was always highly favored in reviews over other bikes. If you like that Giant, which if sounds like you do, I would get it before someone else realizes the deal and takes it.
 
Froze said:
The Giant is better engineered, Treks will cost more to get the same stuff due to the fact you must pay for all the marketing they do.  The Giant Defy 3 was always highly favored in reviews over other bikes.  If you like that Giant, which if sounds like you do, I would get it before someone else realizes the deal and takes it.
Thanks brother, I value your opinion/facts. I will buy it tomorrow wohooo ! :)
 
Originally Posted by ttechnoholic


Thanks brother, I value your opinion/facts. I will buy it tomorrow wohooo ! :)
Take it on a second test ride to make sure it's the right bike for you, have them fit it to you and ask to take it out for about 15 to 20 minutes, some shops will let you others may not, which I find odd because spinning around in circles in parking lot just doesn't cut it...but then again my last bike I got I never test rode it and I love it! But since you're new to this I would test ride it some more just to make sure.

But I think you'll be going home with a new bike tomorrow. LOL!
 
Froze said:
Take it on a second test ride to make sure it's the right bike for you, have them fit it to you and ask to take it out for about 15 to 20 minutes, some shops will let you others may not, which I find odd because spinning around in circles in parking lot just doesn't cut it...but then again my last bike I got I never test rode it and I love it!  But since you're new to this I would test ride it some more just to make sure. But I think you'll be going home with a new bike tomorrow.  LOL!
Haha. Very good point. thanks for everything. I will test drive it legit.
 
Originally Posted by ttechnoholic


Haha. Very good point. thanks for everything. I will test drive it legit.
Let us know how it went and if you have a new member to the household.
 
Froze said:
Let us know how it went and if you have a new member to the household.
So i went to buy the bike.. test drove it again.. went through all the gears... silky smooth... and then i got turned off by the rear wheel noise. (It's not noise but i hear the bearings not being as smooth as the front wheel.. i didn't notice the wheel slowing down due to the "suspicious noise" but it just pushed me away from buying it.. i asked him about it he told me that these entry level bikes dont come with sealed bearings. And the noise is okay. he also said that it's not recomended to take the bearings out to check them because once taken out they can't be put back in the same way because apparebtly the bearings change their shape overtime(The little balls). after that i further inspected the wheel (after a test drive) and noticed that the rear wheel was not perfectly true anymore. It was off by like 3-4 millimeters which made me reconsider road bikes all together. I didnt even push it hard.. just flat old paved road ( no potholes) ... im so bumed out. I now regret not getting Trek EX7 mountain bike brand new 8 months ago for$1700 flat . (Although I felt as if it was slow) very light for a montain bike though.. anyways. I need to decide weather i should go with a road bike.. or a mountain bike that is more depedable.
 
Originally Posted by ttechnoholic


So i went to buy the bike.. test drove it again.. went through all the gears... silky smooth... and then i got turned off by the rear wheel noise. (It's not noise but i hear the bearings not being as smooth as the front wheel.. i didn't notice the wheel slowing down due to the "suspicious noise" but it just pushed me away from buying it.. i asked him about it he told me that these entry level bikes dont come with sealed bearings. And the noise is okay. he also said that it's not recomended to take the bearings out to check them because once taken out they can't be put back in the same way because apparebtly the bearings change their shape overtime(The little balls). after that i further inspected the wheel (after a test drive) and noticed that the rear wheel was not perfectly true anymore. It was off by like 3-4 millimeters which made me reconsider road bikes all together. I didnt even push it hard.. just flat old paved road ( no potholes) ... im so bumed out. I now regret not getting Trek EX7 mountain bike brand new 8 months ago for$1700 flat . (Although I felt as if it was slow) very light for a montain bike though.. anyways. I need to decide weather i should go with a road bike.. or a mountain bike that is more depedable.
Not sure what sound you heard but that sales guy was an idiot! For a sales person to call the bike entry level, a polite way of saying cheap and you should spend more money, was tacky. He should have offered to have the wheel fixed for free if you buy it. Personally I think he lied, the bearing don't change shape, those are hardened steel balls or rollers depending on what is being used and can more than handle the weight of a bike and rider and even more so considering it wasn't ridden much other than some light test rides! Maybe if the bike had 50,000 miles on it that "might" be true, but I've never seen it happen. I would speak to the manager about having the wheel fixed or replace the wheelset for the price the bike is being offered. That is a new bike, the warranty is still valid and it includes the wheels, so they simply need to warranty out the wheels.
 
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Froze said:
Not sure what sound you heard but that sales guy was an idiot!  For a sales person to call the bike entry level, a polite way of saying cheap and you should spend more money, was tacky.  He should have offered to have the wheel fixed for free if you buy it.  Personally I think he lied, the bearing don't change shape, those are hardened steel balls or rollers depending on what is being used and can more than handle the weight of a bike and rider and even more so considering it wasn't ridden much other than some light test rides!  Maybe if the bike had 50,000 miles on it that "might" be true, but I've never seen it happen.   I would speak to the manager about having the wheel fixed or replace the wheelset for the price the bike is being offered.  That is a new bike, the warranty is still valid and it includes the wheels, so they simply need to warranty out the wheels.
true that!!! However i recently discovered a new bike thanks to my friend (he has one) it made me completely forget about giant defy 3... it's the SPECIALIZED ALLEZ SPORT (sora components). i went to the bike shop that sells specialized and he said $800 flat out the door. i kept trying to negotiate to $700 but he was just as stubborn as me on a 2014 bike -_- So i walked out. It's a beautiful bike in red with black wheels. Drives and handles much better than all the road bikes i drove so far. Any other bikes similar to that one in geometr, price and components? :) im looking forward to finding another bike shop that carries 2014 Specialized Allez Sport in my area zip code 91501
 
Originally Posted by ttechnoholic


true that!!! However i recently discovered a new bike thanks to my friend (he has one) it made me completely forget about giant defy 3... it's the SPECIALIZED ALLEZ SPORT (sora components). i went to the bike shop that sells specialized and he said $800 flat out the door. i kept trying to negotiate to $700 but he was just as stubborn as me on a 2014 bike -_- So i walked out. It's a beautiful bike in red with black wheels. Drives and handles much better than all the road bikes i drove so far. Any other bikes similar to that one in geometr, price and components? :) im looking forward to finding another bike shop that carries 2014 Specialized Allez Sport in my area zip code 91501
I would obviously test ride it before buying it to see how it compares to the Giant. I got on the internet and most people seem to like the Giant better not sure why because the component specs look the same but a place called BikeRadar liked the Specialized better and the Giant was second.

There is another option that maybe your local sporting store like Dicks or Sports Authority might have and that's the Diamondback Century 2, this bike, if still available, is on closeout and should be around $900 but comes with Shimano 105 which is 2 steps up from Sora and very reliable, which for the bit more money would be worth it. Sometimes retail stores will negotiate too, you can ask them for the sale price instead of the retail list price.

Another option, if you can find one on closeout, is a 2014 Jamis Icon Race, retail is $1300 but I know my LBS had one for just $800 trying to clear their 2014 inventory. This bike comes with Tiagra which is 1 step up from Sora and is very reliable.

Where you live in Burbank you have hundreds of bike shops scattered around the LA basin, you should be able to find one that is good. Try Glendale, there a shop called Bicycle Land that cares the diamondback and the giant if you still want one of those. Also Budget Pro Bicycles at 2750 Colorado blvd near the Ventura fwy and Eagle Rock Plaza has Giant as well as other options like KHS and Raleigh. Lots and lots of bicycle shops throughout the area you live in.
 
Froze said:
I would obviously test ride it before buying it to see how it compares to the Giant.  I got on the internet and most people seem to like the Giant better not sure why because the component specs look the same but a place called BikeRadar liked the Specialized better and the Giant was second. There is another option that maybe your local sporting store like Dicks or Sports Authority might have and that's the Diamondback Century 2, this bike, if still available, is on closeout and should be around $900 but comes with Shimano 105 which is 2 steps up from Sora and very reliable, which for the bit more money would be worth it.  Sometimes retail stores will negotiate too, you can ask them for the sale price instead of the retail list price. Another option, if you can find one on closeout, is a 2014 Jamis Icon Race, retail is $1300 but I know my LBS had one for just $800 trying to clear their 2014 inventory.  This bike comes with Tiagra which is 1 step up from Sora and is very reliable. Where you live in Burbank you have hundreds of bike shops scattered around the LA basin, you should be able to find one that is good.  Try Glendale, there a shop called Bicycle Land that cares the diamondback and the giant if you still want one of those.  Also Budget Pro Bicycles at 2750 Colorado blvd near the Ventura fwy and Eagle Rock Plaza has Giant as well as other options like KHS and Raleigh.  Lots and lots of bicycle shops throughout the area you live in.
Thanks man. I'll do the research and get back to you. :big-smile:
 
I live in California USA and I recently got into biking. Im looking into road bikes and need advice on my first road bike. I went to Sports Chalet and noticed Fuji Sportif 2.3 for $550 + 9% tax + $pedals + $50 bicycle care package for 2 years. Shortly after i went to my local bicycle shop. I was able to negotiate on the Giant Defy 3 for $700 flat which includes 1 year service on adjustments (derailer, wheel truing etc). Are there any other bikes that come close to these bikes i can't spend more than $700.. my original limit was $500 :/ ... i looked at bikesdirect.com motobecane mirage slx for $500 flat. Giant Defy 5 was $500 flat.. Any other bikes i should consider? I really loved how the Giant rides but i've heard that it's not the easiest bike to climb hills. Im new to this and i need help. Thank you !!

Hi! If you are limited with $500, I'd suggest checking some reviews. Just google them
 
G'day! Baker3 here. You're right, checking reviews is always a good move when you're on a budget. But let me tell ya, mate, sometimes those reviews can be dodgy too! Gotta take 'em with a grain of salt, ya know? Anyhoo, happy googling and good luck with your search!
 

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