Hello all and thanks in advance for any help and input. I am looking to buy my first road bike pretty soon and need some advice. I already have a hybrid that I ride on a bike path but I want a road bike that I can join a group and put some real miles on! I am in college and have a limited budget and the bike that I buy will be stock for awhile without any upgrades to wheels and the like. I would like to join a group and possibly race in the near future and maybe even do a long bike tour (2 months, avg. 75 miles a day, june-august.) I want a bike that can still do me some good as i progress in the sport. I am currently considering several bikes:
Specialized Allez 2012: $1,450, Apex components, This seems like a nice entry level road bike with alu frame and carbon fork.
Fuji Roubaix 3.0 2011: $615.00, Tiagra components, All fuji bikes are on discount at the LBS so I considered going this route to save money for my other pursuits (golf, drinking) but it seems as though this bike wouldnt grow well with me and the cheaper components are an issue (how much difference would these components make?)
Cervélo S1 2010: $1,210, Ultegra, I have heard great things about these bikes and they look very aero, Ultegra is a plus for this but a con for this bike is that the only dealer for them in my state is about 2hrs away so I would have to order this from a website and have it serviced somewhere else but drive the 2 hrs for a test drive before ordering, and if that LBS has it for a good price, buy it from them
BMC SR02 2011(?): $1,500, Shimano 105, saw this bike online and there is a dealer in a neighboring city that I can purchase and test ride it through if they can get it in stock
What are your opinions on these? Ride quality of the bikes and components? Which bike would be best for me?
I suppose it is a thought to buy the Fuji and sell the components for better ones, or maybe even buy a better Roubaix for slightly higher cost since they are on discount.
Thanks so much for any input
Specialized Allez 2012: $1,450, Apex components, This seems like a nice entry level road bike with alu frame and carbon fork.
Fuji Roubaix 3.0 2011: $615.00, Tiagra components, All fuji bikes are on discount at the LBS so I considered going this route to save money for my other pursuits (golf, drinking) but it seems as though this bike wouldnt grow well with me and the cheaper components are an issue (how much difference would these components make?)
Cervélo S1 2010: $1,210, Ultegra, I have heard great things about these bikes and they look very aero, Ultegra is a plus for this but a con for this bike is that the only dealer for them in my state is about 2hrs away so I would have to order this from a website and have it serviced somewhere else but drive the 2 hrs for a test drive before ordering, and if that LBS has it for a good price, buy it from them
BMC SR02 2011(?): $1,500, Shimano 105, saw this bike online and there is a dealer in a neighboring city that I can purchase and test ride it through if they can get it in stock
What are your opinions on these? Ride quality of the bikes and components? Which bike would be best for me?
I suppose it is a thought to buy the Fuji and sell the components for better ones, or maybe even buy a better Roubaix for slightly higher cost since they are on discount.
Thanks so much for any input