Best Road bike under $1000 (ideally $700)?

[Trevor Jakes]

(If this is not the proper forum for this question, please accept apology and redirect).

Hi, I’m commuting a *lot* on a mountain bike on flat city streets in Tucson, AZ. I’m going to go carless and want something better/faster.

Also, when I say under $1,000 that’s total, including shipping, tax, assembly/tune-up (I’m no mechanic), etc. Low maintenance is a priority as well. I’m willing to buy used if I can get it from a reputable source such as an e-Bay seller with a good sales history with no applicable negative feedback. And I really don’t have to spend $1,000 ($700 or less would be ideal).

I’ll be riding every day on flat pavement, but comfort is more important than. No snow (well, maybe 1 day every 7 years). Lots of rain in the summer/monsoon season. I don’t race and generally sprint only when I’m in a great mood or angry

CRITERIA:

Low maintenance
Comfortable (not like a “racer” – comfort is more important than speed, cross terrain okay for that? Recumbent?)
Good for everyday use
Any gears (don’t care: single speed or multi-gear – which is better for me?)


CONSIDERING:

Bianchi (Strata, Bergamo)
LandRider Deluxe or Elite
Trek (Portland)
Other suggestions?

Thanks!
-trev


PS: Some of the review sites like roadbikereviews.com look like they do too much e-commerce to review objectively (like a “shop now” button by each bike, plus sparse reviews and no editorial accountability – just like Amazon reviews). Cycling magazine and http://www.cyclingnews.com are for pros. Any ideas on good sites?

 

[chero]

I just upgraded my commuter bike from a $300 Giant Cypress (hybrid) to a $700 Cannondale Road Warrier 500, and I am pretty happy. It is aluminum with a carbon fork, so quite a bit lighter. Regarding comfort, it is a flat bar and quite a bit more to the road bike end than my hybrid, it would be a big change from your MTB. Never could ride bent bars for more than half an hour without discomfort, and I think the upright posture is good for a commuter, more comfort for hands and neck, and better visibility (you see them, they see you). No doubt others will bring up the "more hand positions" point with bent bars, but for me the flat bar more than compensates for this with the lesser weight you put on the bar with the upright posture. Getting low helps at speed, but many commutes keep you at rather low speed anyway, and you said you wanted comfort rather than speed. And, you are now on a MTB, so don't go for a bent bar without trying it out for a few hours on some sort of loaner bike.
My only complaints are that my old v-brakes had a lot more stopping power than side-pull calipers, and despite assurances from the LBS, the rear chain stays are to close for anything more than 28C tires (perhaps I can squeeze in 30C if they are smooth enough. I would rather go a little wider than 28C for a commuter, but I can make do.

 

[SEAcarlessTTLE]

Always happy to encourage another carless cyclist...

Let me try to add to and echo chero's good advice. Commuting is a tough niche, because only a few companies make bikes specifically for us. Many bikes are fair game, including those marketed as "cross", "hybrid", "touring", and even "cyclocross". Be wary of bikes marketed as "road bikes", 'cause they might not suit your needs well for a variety of reasons: geometry, tire clearance, rack/fender attachment points, brake design, wheel design.

With the exception of "comfort" or "relaxed" geometry road bikes (e.g., Trek's Pilot line), many road bikes are designed for racing and will not have the more upright riding position you might prefer. Make sure to try out a wide variety of bikes, and pay attention to top tube length, stem rise, stem length, and other factors that will affect how upright and comfy you'll be.

Another factor for comfort is tire width. If you want to ride fatter tires for a cushier ride with more control and exercise, make sure to ask how wide a tire a candidate road bike can take. Cyclocross and touring bikes are nice in that they can generally take fat tires and still leave room for fenders. If you're going to ride in the rain, please get full fenders! Your bike will stay cleaner, you'll stay cleaner, and everyone riding behind you will stay cleaner.

Chero mentioned braking, too... Most road bikes come with calipers, and especially in wet conditions, commuters seem to favor cantilever or even disc brakes (esp. if you haul heavy loads). (Cantilevers also leave plenty of clearance for fat tires and fenders.)

Lots of road bikes seem to come with light, fashionable wheels with fewer spokes. These aren't best for staying true and holding up under loads, so given your interest in low maint., if you do go with a road bike, consider swapping the stock wheels for tough rims and 32-36 spokes.

For the record, I ride a cyclocross/light touring bike with drop bars and appreciate the multiple hand positions (just as chero predicted!), putting a little weight on my hands and off my butt for those longer rides, the wide clearance and decent stopping power of cantilever brakes, wheels designed for strength (not speed), and sturdy but not-too-heavy frame for hauling groceries.

As for gearing, well, I expect single-speed will be lower maintenance, and since your ride is mostly flat, that might be fun (as well as good exercise), but consider getting a geared bike that you could convert to a SS, unless you've ridden SS before. My Bianchi Volpe has horizontal rear dropouts, which makes going fixie or SS easier, in part. More about this bike in this thread:

http://cyclingforums.com/t301413-.html

In addition to that thread, check out the commuting and road safety forum, since those folks are more likely to know what fits your needs:

http://cyclingforums.com/f39-commuting-and-road-safety.html

Hope that helps... And good luck. I think you've picked a very reasonable budget to get a reliable commuter, so you're on the right track.

Consider finding a LBS that could show you some "underground" commuter favorite bike fabs like Soma (e.g., their Double Cross) and Surly (e.g., the Long Haul Trucker). Oh, and I was considering a Jamis bike (Coda or Aurora) before I got my Volpe, too.

Let us know what you end up with!

 

[SEAcarlessTTLE]

So that we get an idea of your baseline "ride smoothness", how wide are the tires you run now?

Even with long reach caliper brakes, the Strada might not be able to handle bigger tires with fenders. The Bergamo looks pretty safe with respect to tire width, given 38mm tires are stock with fenders.

The new Portland looks pretty sweet but also pricey! The 105-level components are definitely a step up from the Bianchis you listed, and those disc brakes should serve you well in wet weather.

As for those LandRider things, well, I have to say this autoshifting business turns me off in a big way. It seems like unnecessary expense for mechanical complexity (maintenance trouble), because I really like having control over shifting. Those LandRiders are like the opposite of going single-speed...more weight, more expense, more complexity.

 

[Steve22]

Just be sure to test ride the bikes you're considering. The fit is far more important that things like the component level. If it feels good, then you'll be a happy commuter. BTW I'm a commuter and I'm coming up on 9,000 km (Trek 5000).

 

[Doctor Morbius]

Best Road bike under $1000

That would be the 2005 Specialized Roubaix Elite that my buddy offered me for $1000. It has just over 1,000 miles on it. Unfortunately, I'm not in a position to buy it right now or I would have jumped on the opportunity.

Want a great bike for less? Go used or look for year end clearance sales at the local bike shops or on ebay. You really need to know your equipment or be very lucky though to capitalize on these kinds of deals. Fortunately, I've been lucky most of the time. I've only been burned once on ebay.

 

[Daily Commute]

Look at a Surly Cross Check Complete. I think they are around $925 without pedals MSRP. It would make more sense to go through an LBS to get one. They can help you get the right size and assemble it for the list price.

It's a cyclocross bike, so the geometry is a little different than a pure road bike. But it works great. The only thing I'd upgrade is the Tiagra rear derailleur. But upgrading to a 105 drive train and brakes would put you over your $1K limit.

A cyclocross bike probably makes more sense than a road bike for a commuter because most cross bikes will fit both fenders and wider tires. (And fenders are one key to happy commuting.) I can run studded 35's under fenders with room to spare. You can also add on a rack as your budget permits.

 

[Ryan Cooper]

I am a commuter in Chicago and I bought a Specialized Langster for about $650 two years ago I have the rear cog attatched to the hub, well then I did some up grading but it really flies! Fixed gears are awesome for commuting it really kicked my ass in the beginning though. Hey no brakes and one gear how low maintnece can you get right?

 

[dbackmtg]

I saw you mentioned Landrider. Someone I know bought one. He has had nothing but trouble with it.

 

[Trevor Jakes]

Thanks all. -trev

 

[RidingPowerlift]

Thanks all. -trev

If you're still looking....

I bought the 2006 Giant CRX1 a few months ago mainly for commuting. It's a brilliant bike that's comfortable and fast. I did a lot of looking first and I think it's the best value around.

cheers
Tony

 

[rarriola]

Thanks all. -trev

Go to Fair Wheel Bikes at 6th St and Park area. They are the best shop in town and can set you up.

www.fairwheelbikes.com

 

[philso]

I am a commuter in Chicago and I bought a Specialized Langster for about $650 two years ago I have the rear cog attatched to the hub, well then I did some up grading but it really flies! Fixed gears are awesome for commuting it really kicked my ass in the beginning though. Hey no brakes and one gear how low maintnece can you get right?

no brake commuting? I 'spose you must just use your cojones to stop. lol

 

[JTE83]

A Giant OCR 1 to 3 aluminum bike is good. Has a good set of components, and you can put a rack and pannier on it a carry a lot of stuff from shopping (that's what I did). Has a comfort geometry and is the most comfortable bike out of my 4 road bikes. The wheels hold up well under my weight and a full load in the panniers.