Best Road Bike under $1500
- Thread starter 50mph
- Start date
Unfortunately, I'm having my crystal ball buffed this week and my tarot cards are at the dry cleaners.
In other words, there is no magical best bike for $1500. Some have better components, some have better frames and some have better wheels.
Besides, what would be best suited for competitive club rides and an occasional century aren't necessarily the same type of bike/geometry.
Start hitting some bike shops and see which bikes you like in the $1500 range. The Allez Elite ($1200 in the States) is nice bike but there are other contenders in that price range as well.
In other words, there is no magical best bike for $1500. Some have better components, some have better frames and some have better wheels.
Besides, what would be best suited for competitive club rides and an occasional century aren't necessarily the same type of bike/geometry.
Start hitting some bike shops and see which bikes you like in the $1500 range. The Allez Elite ($1200 in the States) is nice bike but there are other contenders in that price range as well.
The best $1500 road bike is a 2003 $3000 bike. Get a good used bike with a frame that fits you and go from there.
Example: about 18-24 months ago I bought a new Trek 5200 for $2200. I love the bike and I probably won't buy another one for ten years. However, I checked out how much I could buy that bike for (used) today, and I found them going for between $1100 and $1600.
When I think about how little wear and tear I've put on my bike in the last two years, I realize that next time I will probably look for a top-notch used bike rather than a good new bike next time.
Example: about 18-24 months ago I bought a new Trek 5200 for $2200. I love the bike and I probably won't buy another one for ten years. However, I checked out how much I could buy that bike for (used) today, and I found them going for between $1100 and $1600.
When I think about how little wear and tear I've put on my bike in the last two years, I realize that next time I will probably look for a top-notch used bike rather than a good new bike next time.
Last months Bicycling Magazine listed the best <$1500 as the Jamis Quest, second place was the Felt F60. I would add in the Specialized Roubaix, but its right around $1500 where the other two are more in the $1300 range.
I have the Jamis Quest 2004, which has Ultegra. The 2005 has 105. I love the ride of a steel frame. Its still quite light .
I have the Jamis Quest 2004, which has Ultegra. The 2005 has 105. I love the ride of a steel frame. Its still quite light .
a buddy of mine has an Allez (not Sport or Comp), and it is great, though it is only months old and he has started upgrading the components (86'd Alex rims for Mavic... front and rear derailleurs next) out of need; stock was Sora and Tiagra.
I just bought an 05 Cannondale R700 ($1200) and I LOVE it; great frame (CAAD 7) and decent components, stock; (105 shifters/front D/R, Ultegra outback)
Used bikes are great if you are a new recruit to cycling and don't want to pay full price for a good bike because you are still not certain you will persue it. If you are a sesoned biker (well... than I am probably more of a novice than you) than a used $3K bike is already well used by the previous owner, so why not just buy new within your means?
I just bought an 05 Cannondale R700 ($1200) and I LOVE it; great frame (CAAD 7) and decent components, stock; (105 shifters/front D/R, Ultegra outback)
Used bikes are great if you are a new recruit to cycling and don't want to pay full price for a good bike because you are still not certain you will persue it. If you are a sesoned biker (well... than I am probably more of a novice than you) than a used $3K bike is already well used by the previous owner, so why not just buy new within your means?
My personal preferences are probably going to be different from yours as I tend to like a more upright non-racing riding position. Some of the bikes already suggested look like good candidates. If I were shopping around for a new bike today I'd look at something like the Specialized Elite and the Giant OCR1 AL and possibly a Specialized Sequoia Elite (very upright - I own one). The OCR1 is the least expensive of the 3 with an MSRP of $1000 http://www.giant-bicycle.com/us/030.000.000/030.000.000.asp?model=1102550mph said:
If I were going composite and ready to spend more $$ I'd look at the OCR3 Composite (MSRP $1650). If my price point were higher the OCR2 Composite and and Roubaix Elite.
The Felts and Jamis bikes that were listed as "best buys" were not available at any bike shops near me so I was never able to test ride them.
Keep in mind when buying a new rig that there will be other necessities that will be needed so if your budget is $1500 you may want to get $1000 - $1300 worth of bike and save the rest for accessories - helmet, gloves, cycling shorts, yadda yadda - or even a second set of wheels. Always a good investment.
If I had $1500 and were getting a new one I'd look very hard at the OCR1 for $1000 and a second set of wheels. However, I'm all stocked up on bikes at the moment though so I'm not in the market.
As far as buying a used bike or one online via ebay or something, those are great options but you really need to know what you want before taking the plunge. If you are kind of new to this or are not quite sure about the fit I recommend the Local Bike Shop as that is where the rubber hits the road and a knowledgeable staff can help you out considerably.
Personally, I would buy a used bike or one through ebay but I also have a pretty good idea of what I'm looking for. I bought this Tiagra equipped '03 Allez Sport for $370 and have only put a few modest upgrades on it. I also had a chance to test ride it as I bought it through someone I knew. I also bought this '04 Raleigh Supercourse via ebay for $655 shipped. It has full 105 and Ritchey components except for the wheels. Unfortunately, it had some gouges in the frame from improper packaging but those are the risks you take when buying online. Fortunately, the scratches/gouges are cosmetic and don't effect the structural integrity of the frame. Everything else is mint.
Whatever you end up getting, keep in mind that a couple hundred bucks saved won't mean beans if the bike doesn't fit you properly and you don't enjoy riding it. It'll end up as a garage ornament.
As usual, the good Doc is right. He states this on every thread where someone asks that fateful question: Which bike is best? The only thing I'd add to the conversation, other than rehashing the advice to find what fits your body, your level of fitness, and your riding style best, is to buy the best quality frame and best wheelset you can, in that order, if you plan on keeping the bike for a good long while. After you've got that dialed in, then start looking at component choices that will fall in your budget. You can always upgrade at a later date, of course. I'm not a brand-*****, so most of the "what's best" replies will unfortunately be from people who own that particular product or brand. Our suggestion, it seems, is ride everything, and buy from a shop you feel comfortable with. Nothing's worse than buying from a shop you wouldn't do business with in the future...Doctor Morbius said:
Yup. Good point. The new models will be coming out soon and if the '05 models were overstocked the shop may offer them at a reduced price.rarriola said:
That's a good point, one shop i went to was practically cleaned out ready for the 06 models, if i could find a bike i want left over that would be hot. I test rode the Felt f60, the Trek 1500 & 2100, and the allez elite again. I was blown away by the quality of the Felt, it was extremely dominant of the bunch. First time I ever checked out Felt and I couldnt be more impressed.rarriola said:
50mph said:
Felt is an excellent maker from the quality of bikes I've seen and the fact that my favorite bike shop stocks them for the same reason.
I also believe best bang for the buck will vary by region you live in. And what cannot ever be over-stressed the fit is the most important characteristic a bicycle must have. If it doesn't fit you it's not a good bargain.
All good points ... I bought a Cannondale R600 last year- I was only looking to spend around $1,000.00 ... after about a month, I was in my LBS fitting up the details on the R600 when I took a Cervelo Soloist for a test ride ... I bought it the next day - and it was worth the extra $$$ I wasn't planning to spend ... it was just an absolutely perfect fit ...
Bottom line: try every stinkin' bike out there - a $1,500.00 bike on the shelf is more expensive than a $2,500.00 bike that keeps you out on the road ...
Bottom line: try every stinkin' bike out there - a $1,500.00 bike on the shelf is more expensive than a $2,500.00 bike that keeps you out on the road ...
Although it's hard for someone to recommend the best bike at this price, there are certainly rip-offs at this range. However, if it feels/fits the best, that's #1. FWIW, I've found that Trek bikes in the same price range as Giant (and others) usually have lower range drivetrain components. Hard to comment on the other parts, but keep this in mind (you're paying for Lance!).
Especially when given such sparse information as we ususally are in the Equipment Forum. The OP in this thread wanted a bike for club rides and occasional centuries. ****, that could be just about anything.noonievut said:
Cannondales sometimes have lesser components than other brands at a given price range, but their frames more than make up for the difference. No "Lance Tax" either.
Cannondales sometimes have lesser components than other brands at a given price range, but their frames more than make up for the difference. No "Lance Tax" either. [/QUOTE]
I purchased an OCR 1, but the other bike I had my eye on at the time was the R700 (the copper one ). It was sweet, but the shop carrying it scared me, and few others in my area had my size in stock. I ended up liking the fit of the OCR 1 better anyway, and it didn't hurt that it came with better (drivetrain) components for $200 less than the R700.
Maybe my next bike will be a Cannondale...
[/QUOTE]I purchased an OCR 1, but the other bike I had my eye on at the time was the R700 (the copper one
). It was sweet, but the shop carrying it scared me, and few others in my area had my size in stock. I ended up liking the fit of the OCR 1 better anyway, and it didn't hurt that it came with better (drivetrain) components for $200 less than the R700.Maybe my next bike will be a Cannondale...
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