deciding on a new bike

I have been looking at a specialized sirrus comp with
straight bar and a specialized sequoia elite. I like the
position of the shifting levers on the straight bar in
comparison to the drop down bar on the seqouia but the
sequoia also has 3 hand positions. I will mostly do
road/touring/fitness with the ocassional long distance trip.
I have also looked at the kona Dr. Dew. I am now totally
confused. Please help if you have any knowledge of these
bikes. Would really appreciate
it. Thanks! D. Alinelli

 

On 10 Mar 2004 21:38:48 -0800, [email protected] (Donna Alinelli)
wrote:

>I have been looking at a specialized sirrus comp with
>straight bar and a specialized sequoia elite. I like the
>position of the shifting levers on the straight bar in
>comparison to the drop down bar on the seqouia but the
>sequoia also has 3 hand positions. I will mostly do
>road/touring/fitness with the ocassional long distance
>trip. I have also looked at the kona Dr. Dew. I am now
>totally confused. Please help if you have any knowledge of
>these bikes. Would really appreciate
>it. Thanks! D. Alinelli

For road riding of any length, get drop bars. Flat bars
are more appealing if you don't have much experience, but
they aren't meant for extended road riding- meaning 10
miles or more.

Stand up and let your hands drop. Now lift up your hands,
bending at the elbows. Without thinking about it, your palms
will be facing inward. This is the hand position that the
shifters on the Sequoia will use. Now turn your palms down
and feel what happens in your elbows and forearms and
shoulders. This is the position of flat bars.

Specialized and Kona make nice bikes. At those price points,
you will get a nice bicycle no matter which one you get.
Right now a more important question for you is the basic
style, not specific models.

Try to do a long test ride on a bike with drop bars and see
what it feels like after you get more comfortable with them.
You can always get a shorter stem and pull the shifters back
towards you if the reach is uncomfortable, but I doubt that
the hand position itself will be uncomfortable.

 

"Donna Alinelli" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I have been looking at a specialized sirrus comp with
> straight bar and a specialized sequoia elite. I like the
> position of the shifting levers on the straight bar in
> comparison to the drop down bar on the seqouia but the
> sequoia also has 3 hand positions. I will mostly do
> road/touring/fitness with the ocassional long distance
> trip. I have also looked at the kona Dr. Dew. I am now
> totally confused.

Tough decision. The conventional wisdom is that drop bars
are much better for long rides, but plenty of people do long
rides on straight bars (I know some who have ridden cross-
US), and many drop bar riders -- although they theoretically
have 3 hand positions -- only use 1 (the hoods). For my
money, drop bars are much more important for racing, where
you need the drops for sprinting, and aren't at all
necessary for your uses.

The thing that makes bar choice tough is that it's not easy
to convert (actually, it is easy, just not cheap) from one
to the other if you change your mind later.
Shifters/"Brifters" (brake-shift combo) aren't switchable.
That said, there are things like bar-ends, including some
that look like drops, and I've even seen "clip-on" aerobars
attached to flat handlebars. There are other bar styles that
are compatible with flat bars, like "priest" bars (ends
sweep back), so some degree of easy change is possible down
the road if you go with a straight bar now.

 

In article
<[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...
> I have been looking at a specialized sirrus comp with
> straight bar and a specialized sequoia elite. I like the
> position of the shifting levers on the straight bar in
> comparison to the drop down bar on the seqouia but the
> sequoia also has 3 hand positions. I will mostly do
> road/touring/fitness with the ocassional long distance
> trip. I have also looked at the kona Dr. Dew. I am now
> totally confused. Please help if you have any knowledge of
> these bikes. Would really appreciate
> it. Thanks! D. Alinelli

For a long-distance ride, you'll really appreciate the
multiple hand positions, and the ability to get in a more
aerodynamic position. For your other uses, either bike would
be fine. You'll probably find that th STI (integrated with
the brake levers) shifters on the Sequoiah are quite nice;
most people do.

--
Remove the ns_ from if replying by e-mail (but keep posts in
the newsgroups if possible).

 

In article
<[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...
> I have been looking at a specialized sirrus comp with
> straight bar and a specialized sequoia elite. I like the
> position of the shifting levers on the straight bar in
> comparison to the drop down bar on the seqouia but the
> sequoia also has 3 hand positions. I will mostly do
> road/touring/fitness with the ocassional long distance
> trip. I have also looked at the kona Dr. Dew. I am now
> totally confused. Please help if you have any knowledge of
> these bikes. Would really appreciate
> it. Thanks! D. Alinelli

For a long-distance ride, you'll really appreciate the
multiple hand positions, and the ability to get in a more
aerodynamic position. For your other uses, either bike would
be fine. You'll probably find that th STI (integrated with
the brake levers) shifters on the Sequoiah are quite nice;
most people do.

--
Remove the ns_ from if replying by e-mail (but keep posts in
the newsgroups if possible).

 

On Thu, 11 Mar 2004 12:31:25 GMT, "Peter Cole"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>"Donna Alinelli" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>> I have been looking at a specialized sirrus comp with
>> straight bar and a specialized sequoia elite. I like the
>> position of the shifting levers on the straight bar in
>> comparison to the drop down bar on the seqouia but the
>> sequoia also has 3 hand positions. I will mostly do
>> road/touring/fitness with the ocassional long distance
>> trip. I have also looked at the kona Dr. Dew. I am now
>> totally confused.
>
>Tough decision. The conventional wisdom is that drop bars
>are much better for long rides, but plenty of people do
>long rides on straight bars (I know some who have ridden
>cross-US), and many drop bar riders -- although they
>theoretically have 3 hand positions -- only use 1 (the
>hoods). For my money, drop bars are much more important for
>racing, where you need the drops for sprinting, and aren't
>at all necessary for your uses.
>

I'm not quit on the hoods--just behind them--80 percent of
the time. if I'm slogging up a hill and want a break, I
come up to the tops. I go to the drops when going downhill,
going into a consistend headwind, or when I want to pretend
to go fast.

The variety of hand positions is nice to have. Going back to
flat bars for non-dirt use (when I don't have to pull up on
the bars to clear rocks or roots or whatever) feels strange.

>The thing that makes bar choice tough is that it's not easy
>to convert (actually, it is easy, just not cheap) from one
>to the other if you change your mind later.
>Shifters/"Brifters" (brake-shift combo) aren't switchable.
>That said, there are things like bar-ends, including some
>that look like drops,

The ones shaped like drops always struck me as a bit weird,
since they created really friggin' WIDE drop bars. Maybe
it's just me, but even though I have very wide shoulders, I
don't like riding with my arms that far apart...

>and I've even seen "clip-on" aerobars attached to flat
>handlebars.

Clip-on aerobars may offer the OP what she needs in terms of
further hand/arm positions, but they complicate steering and
decrease reaction time, since the hands and arms are so far
away from the brake levers. on drop bars, I can reach my
brakes almost anywhere, except from the tops (and if I'm
moving slow enough to go to the tops, then braking is the
least of my problems). I understand also that aerobars are
not the best thing to use in pacelines.

>There are other bar styles that are compatible with flat
>bars, like "priest" bars (ends sweep back), so some degree
>of easy change is possible down the road if you go with a
>straight bar now.

The North Road handlebar pattern has only one position--
hands on the grips at the end. The rest of the bar isn't
really grippable, and on the whole it places you in what the
British call a sit-up-and-beg position. Eminently in order
when you're riding an old Raleigh roadster (or a Batavus or
Gazelle or Flying Pigeon....) but probably not what the OP
is looking for.

I would recommend a long ride or two with drop bars. There
is a reason why dropped handlebars have stayed with us since
the beginning of the bicycle.

-Luigi

 

On Thu, 11 Mar 2004 12:31:25 GMT, "Peter Cole"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>"Donna Alinelli" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>> I have been looking at a specialized sirrus comp with
>> straight bar and a specialized sequoia elite. I like the
>> position of the shifting levers on the straight bar in
>> comparison to the drop down bar on the seqouia but the
>> sequoia also has 3 hand positions. I will mostly do
>> road/touring/fitness with the ocassional long distance
>> trip. I have also looked at the kona Dr. Dew. I am now
>> totally confused.
>
>Tough decision. The conventional wisdom is that drop bars
>are much better for long rides, but plenty of people do
>long rides on straight bars (I know some who have ridden
>cross-US), and many drop bar riders -- although they
>theoretically have 3 hand positions -- only use 1 (the
>hoods). For my money, drop bars are much more important for
>racing, where you need the drops for sprinting, and aren't
>at all necessary for your uses.
>

I'm not quit on the hoods--just behind them--80 percent of
the time. if I'm slogging up a hill and want a break, I
come up to the tops. I go to the drops when going downhill,
going into a consistend headwind, or when I want to pretend
to go fast.

The variety of hand positions is nice to have. Going back to
flat bars for non-dirt use (when I don't have to pull up on
the bars to clear rocks or roots or whatever) feels strange.

>The thing that makes bar choice tough is that it's not easy
>to convert (actually, it is easy, just not cheap) from one
>to the other if you change your mind later.
>Shifters/"Brifters" (brake-shift combo) aren't switchable.
>That said, there are things like bar-ends, including some
>that look like drops,

The ones shaped like drops always struck me as a bit weird,
since they created really friggin' WIDE drop bars. Maybe
it's just me, but even though I have very wide shoulders, I
don't like riding with my arms that far apart...

>and I've even seen "clip-on" aerobars attached to flat
>handlebars.

Clip-on aerobars may offer the OP what she needs in terms of
further hand/arm positions, but they complicate steering and
decrease reaction time, since the hands and arms are so far
away from the brake levers. on drop bars, I can reach my
brakes almost anywhere, except from the tops (and if I'm
moving slow enough to go to the tops, then braking is the
least of my problems). I understand also that aerobars are
not the best thing to use in pacelines.

>There are other bar styles that are compatible with flat
>bars, like "priest" bars (ends sweep back), so some degree
>of easy change is possible down the road if you go with a
>straight bar now.

The North Road handlebar pattern has only one position--
hands on the grips at the end. The rest of the bar isn't
really grippable, and on the whole it places you in what the
British call a sit-up-and-beg position. Eminently in order
when you're riding an old Raleigh roadster (or a Batavus or
Gazelle or Flying Pigeon....) but probably not what the OP
is looking for.

I would recommend a long ride or two with drop bars. There
is a reason why dropped handlebars have stayed with us since
the beginning of the bicycle.

-Luigi

 

Donna,

As a 48-year-old, none-too-fit newbie, I went shopping for a
bike around two months ago. The dilemma you describe was
foremost in my mind as well. I test rode the Sirrus Comp and
the Sequoia Elite and quickly ruled out the former. My
experience was/is that the drop handlebars do indeed provide
greater versatility. Even on short rides I use all three
main positions (upright, hoods, drops). I then took it one
step further and test rode a full road bike, the LeMond
Tourmalet and, wow, was sold by the speed and handling. So
what I did was bought the LeMond, but had the shop swap in
the suspension seatpost and saddle from the Sequoia. Love
that LeMond and love that suspension seatpost. You could
cush the ride on a road bike even further by substituting
wider tires. I stuck with the stock 700x25; the Sequoia has
700x28. The one thing you don't get with the road bike is
that second set of brake levers as on the Sequoia. Also, I
don't believe that the LeMond has all the doodads you need
for full touring (i.e., a way to attach panniers, etc.),
while the two Sirrus bikes may have those.

I have no regrets about going all the way and getting a road
bike. And my riding habits sound similar to yours. I ride
about 15 miles for fitness during my lunch break, and intend
to work my way up to much longer rides on the weekend.

Having said all that, I'll also say that the two bikes you
have in your sights are fine rides, too.

Good luck.

Peter

"Donna Alinelli" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I have been looking at a specialized sirrus comp with
> straight bar and a specialized sequoia elite. I like the
> position of the shifting levers on the straight bar in
> comparison to the drop down bar on the seqouia but the
> sequoia also has 3 hand positions. I will mostly do
> road/touring/fitness with the ocassional long distance
> trip. I have also looked at the kona Dr. Dew. I am now
> totally confused. Please help if you have any knowledge of
> these bikes. Would really appreciate
> it. Thanks! D. Alinelli

 

I have a Specialized Sirrus Sport (and will soon be the proud owner of a Specialized Allez Comp) and I found that the lack of hand positions becomes a problem on long rides (that's why I'm buying the Allez Comp).

However I fitted aero-bars on the Sirrus and at least that gave my palms a rest on the straights (proper gloves also help)

I'll use the Sirrus for shorter (15-25km), fun rides and the Allez for the serious stuff.