need help with road bike advice

[jrp89]

hi guys
i have been riding a Schwinn 700c tourist for awhile now. I ride anywhere from 5 to 8 miles on the weekdays, and more on the weekends if i am not busy and i have deciding to step it up to something with a little more performance now that im sure i enjoy riding.
I am 6'3 and weigh in at 200 pounds exactly, with above average health. I will not be riding flatland only.
my price range is around $800
any suggestions?

 

[jagonz456]

what kind of riding are you going to do? do you want a road bike or mountain? would you like a hybrid?

 

[jhuskey]

Looks like you are on a hybrid now. If you want better performance then look at a road bike with traditional drop bars and geometry. In that price range you are looking at a metal frame probably aluminum and maybe Shimano Tiagra or 105 components.
A good used bike is always a consideration. Go to a good bike shop and get fitted. This won't cost anything and will give you a good start on the information you need in frame size, stem length etc. The fit is the most important aspect when buying a bike. You can have $10,000.00 carbon frame but if it is sized wrong it will be a $10,000.00 torture rack.

 

[jrp89]

thanks guys, im actually looking for a road only bike, i went to a local bike shop and it actually went not so good, they had no larger frame bikes for some reason but said they could order one if i put 20% down, which sounds like a horrible idea because im still paying before i get to test it out. so im going to check out the other bike store here in town.

 

[64Paramount]

thanks guys, im actually looking for a road only bike, i went to a local bike shop and it actually went not so good, they had no larger frame bikes for some reason but said they could order one if i put 20% down, which sounds like a horrible idea because im still paying before i get to test it out. so im going to check out the other bike store here in town.

Yes, shop around at some other stores. You should ride a few bikes before you commit your money to the deal.

 

[ChrisA70]

Yes, shop around at some other stores. You should ride a few bikes before you commit your money to the deal.

I agree 100%!!!!!!

 

[jagonz456]

I feel your pain. I am 6'3 and i can tell you that its very hard to walk into a bike shop that has my size in stock.What I do is i shop on the internet for bikes that i like make a note of them. I then find a shop that carries my top three brands so if i have to leave a down payment i can change my mind and try other bikes. I would visit performance.com and shop online then i would check if there is a store near you performance will have big bikes in stock. I can tell you from my experience as far as fit and bang for your buck you should look at the fuji line of bikes. They offer very good components for a very good price. Trek is good but they tend to be expensive and if your budget is $800 I would look at the fuji newest line.

 

[oldbobcat]

I feel your pain, too. I work in a corporately owned shop and it's easier for me to talk to our factory reps than our own buyer. I lost a few sales last weekend to tall guys because we had just three bikes over 59 cm.

 

[OldGoat]

Go to a good bike shop and get fitted. This won't cost anything..."

Big difference between "getting fitted" and "getting sized". I think you meant the latter. But if there's someplace where I can get fitted for free, please let me (and everyone else) know! Not that getting fitted before buying a bike is a bad idea.....

I agree that buying used should be considered, as it will get you much more bike for the money. Suggest you look on eBay for appropriately sized bikes in your area (use the selector to pick out those within 25 or 50 miles), contact the sellers, and see if you can take a test ride.