Ok, it wouldn't technically be my first, I had a Schwinn road bike (with friction shifters, yeah baby!) when I was like 9 years old, but now I'm all grown up.
I've had my Trek 7100 hybrid for only a year and a half now, but I'm getting that "I want a road bike" bug. I'm not fast, by any means, being able to manage about 15mph on average over distances up to 50 miles or so, but hills kill me, and hybrid bikes don't climb well. It also doesn't help that I weigh 270lbs either. Anyway, I do like Trek, and that's the bulk of what my LBS carries. Considering the amount of money I have to work with, I'm looking at either the Trek 1200 or 1500.
The 1200 has the SL frame, and the 1500 has SLR, which is a bit lighter and thinner in places. Could that be a potential problem considering my weight? There's also the question of the wheels. I broke some spokes on my current bike and ended up getting the wheel replaced under warranty. Since then it's been fine, but how are the wheels on these bikes going to hold up? The owner of my LBS said I may need to consider upgrading, but I could try riding the ones they come with until they wear out and then think about upgrading. I'm getting up to speed on much of the technology in road bikes, but I'm still not up to speed on wheels and all the different kinds of rims, tires, and spokes. I certainly see the problems with reduced spoke counts, but is there a specific material/make/type I should be trying to get? Do most LBS's upgrade wheels for the difference in cost, or would I be stuck buying two sets of wheels? If I do have to just buy a new set of wheels, what should I expect to pay for that?
The 1500 has 105 components, whereas the 1200 has some Tiagra mixed in. Is it worth it to get all the 105 components? Would I even notice much of a difference? Also, what's the story with the pedals? The 1500 says it comes with "Alloy road, sealed, w/clips and straps", what exactly does that mean? The 1200 apparently comes with clipless pedals, but it doesn't say exactly what they are. I have SPD shoes and nice pedals on my current bike, and I'd like to stick with SPD. Will I need to buy some new pedals if I go with the 1500 over the 1200?
The biggest question I have is, if I go with one of these bikes will I be left wanting something even better in another year or two? They both have carbon forks and seat posts, pretty good components, and well, they're not hybrids! If I go with the 1500 will having all the 105 components help much, or should I look elsewhere for some Ultegra equipped bikes (are there even any in the $800-1,200 range)? I'll admit that I'm leaning more towards the 1500. It seems like more bike than I could ever use, but that's what I thought about my 7100 when I got it. With high ticket items, I tend to get the best thing I can and then hold on to it for as long as possible (or even if I don't get the best, I still seem to hang on to it for a very long time). My car is 12 years old now, and I keep my computer for at least 4 years before getting a new one. That being said, what would a $2,000 or $3,000 bike get me that I wouldn't get in a $1,000 bike? "Smoother shifting" just sounds like a terribly lame justification for getting upgraded components. I don't race, nor do I think I ever will, so would Ultegra or Dura-Ace really benefit me at all? Are they that much more durable than 105, or is weight really the deciding factor at that point? The only frame upgrade I can really see being of any value would be carbon seat stays, but correct me if I'm wrong.
Thanks for your help.
I've had my Trek 7100 hybrid for only a year and a half now, but I'm getting that "I want a road bike" bug. I'm not fast, by any means, being able to manage about 15mph on average over distances up to 50 miles or so, but hills kill me, and hybrid bikes don't climb well. It also doesn't help that I weigh 270lbs either. Anyway, I do like Trek, and that's the bulk of what my LBS carries. Considering the amount of money I have to work with, I'm looking at either the Trek 1200 or 1500.
The 1200 has the SL frame, and the 1500 has SLR, which is a bit lighter and thinner in places. Could that be a potential problem considering my weight? There's also the question of the wheels. I broke some spokes on my current bike and ended up getting the wheel replaced under warranty. Since then it's been fine, but how are the wheels on these bikes going to hold up? The owner of my LBS said I may need to consider upgrading, but I could try riding the ones they come with until they wear out and then think about upgrading. I'm getting up to speed on much of the technology in road bikes, but I'm still not up to speed on wheels and all the different kinds of rims, tires, and spokes. I certainly see the problems with reduced spoke counts, but is there a specific material/make/type I should be trying to get? Do most LBS's upgrade wheels for the difference in cost, or would I be stuck buying two sets of wheels? If I do have to just buy a new set of wheels, what should I expect to pay for that?
The 1500 has 105 components, whereas the 1200 has some Tiagra mixed in. Is it worth it to get all the 105 components? Would I even notice much of a difference? Also, what's the story with the pedals? The 1500 says it comes with "Alloy road, sealed, w/clips and straps", what exactly does that mean? The 1200 apparently comes with clipless pedals, but it doesn't say exactly what they are. I have SPD shoes and nice pedals on my current bike, and I'd like to stick with SPD. Will I need to buy some new pedals if I go with the 1500 over the 1200?
The biggest question I have is, if I go with one of these bikes will I be left wanting something even better in another year or two? They both have carbon forks and seat posts, pretty good components, and well, they're not hybrids! If I go with the 1500 will having all the 105 components help much, or should I look elsewhere for some Ultegra equipped bikes (are there even any in the $800-1,200 range)? I'll admit that I'm leaning more towards the 1500. It seems like more bike than I could ever use, but that's what I thought about my 7100 when I got it. With high ticket items, I tend to get the best thing I can and then hold on to it for as long as possible (or even if I don't get the best, I still seem to hang on to it for a very long time). My car is 12 years old now, and I keep my computer for at least 4 years before getting a new one. That being said, what would a $2,000 or $3,000 bike get me that I wouldn't get in a $1,000 bike? "Smoother shifting" just sounds like a terribly lame justification for getting upgraded components. I don't race, nor do I think I ever will, so would Ultegra or Dura-Ace really benefit me at all? Are they that much more durable than 105, or is weight really the deciding factor at that point? The only frame upgrade I can really see being of any value would be carbon seat stays, but correct me if I'm wrong.
Thanks for your help.
