Hi Friends,
New to the site! After years of riding an old Raleigh that was comfortable and upright, but heavy and slow, I splurged on a Surly LHT (26" wheels) and just finished my first 30-day trip! Needless to say, I've fallen in love with cycling, but still consider myself a relative newbie to the intimidating bike-buying world. Here's the stitch: as much as I love my Surly LHT, I'd like to add a second bike to my quiver, one that will allow me to ride lighter, faster, unloaded, and possibly in an upright position. I live in an area with a lot of paved bicycle trails and I would love to hit them with nothing more than my camelback. I think what I am looking for is an entry-level road bike (Giant Defy 2?) or a fitness sports bike (Jamis Sport Coda?). The Giant Defy 2, which is at the absolute limit of what I'm willing to spend on a second bike (it's just over 1K I think), seems to be a lot of bike for the money and something different enough from my Surly to potentially make it worth the investment. The Jamis Sport Coda, though, has a much more appealing price point and has upright handlebars (the only thing I really miss about my old Raleigh). But is the Jamis Sport too similar to the Surly LHT to make it worth the investment? Are there other good entry-level road bikes out there (perhaps with flat-bar handlebars) that are $700-$1,000?
Of course, it goes without saying, that I need to hie myself over to my LBS and just try some of these buggers out (the best bike is the one that feels best, right?). I will certainly be doing that, but it would be great to hear from all y'all too. Any advice regarding the above or other models would be most appreciated.
Bestest.
New to the site! After years of riding an old Raleigh that was comfortable and upright, but heavy and slow, I splurged on a Surly LHT (26" wheels) and just finished my first 30-day trip! Needless to say, I've fallen in love with cycling, but still consider myself a relative newbie to the intimidating bike-buying world. Here's the stitch: as much as I love my Surly LHT, I'd like to add a second bike to my quiver, one that will allow me to ride lighter, faster, unloaded, and possibly in an upright position. I live in an area with a lot of paved bicycle trails and I would love to hit them with nothing more than my camelback. I think what I am looking for is an entry-level road bike (Giant Defy 2?) or a fitness sports bike (Jamis Sport Coda?). The Giant Defy 2, which is at the absolute limit of what I'm willing to spend on a second bike (it's just over 1K I think), seems to be a lot of bike for the money and something different enough from my Surly to potentially make it worth the investment. The Jamis Sport Coda, though, has a much more appealing price point and has upright handlebars (the only thing I really miss about my old Raleigh). But is the Jamis Sport too similar to the Surly LHT to make it worth the investment? Are there other good entry-level road bikes out there (perhaps with flat-bar handlebars) that are $700-$1,000?
Of course, it goes without saying, that I need to hie myself over to my LBS and just try some of these buggers out (the best bike is the one that feels best, right?). I will certainly be doing that, but it would be great to hear from all y'all too. Any advice regarding the above or other models would be most appreciated.
Bestest.