New Flat Bar Road Bike

TJ,

TJ said:

My budget is anywhere up to $1500. What flat bar roadbike do you all
suggest. I have to ride approximately 7 kilometres, twice a day.

first of all, figure out what you need the bike for.
what kind of rides you're most likely to be doing,
not just you basic commuting =)

then, go find a local bike shop (LBS).

see what they have available.
then go see other local bike shops.
ask them all for some advice.

ask to take the bike for a test ride.

you'll want some support from these guys,
so buy a bike from a shop that you feel you can trust.

you posting address appears to be in melbourne,
theres plenty of folks around on this list from
melbourne so it shouldn't be too hard to find a
decent bike shop =)

and another thing, why only a flat bar road bike?
don't just rule out a road bike with drop bars...
i would never have gone to one, if i hadn't spent
some time on a borrowed one 😉
test ride one, see how you go =)

cheers,

k

TJ said:

Hello,

My budget is anywhere up to $1500. What flat bar roadbike do you all
suggest. I have to ride approximately 7 kilometres, twice a day.

Thanks.

you got plenty of choice from most brands... actually pretty every brand has one

I got a 06 CRX1 and very happy with it

they all have diff spec levels and geometry, u just need to work out which one is best for u

[PHP][/PHP]

TJ said:

Hello,

I have to ride approximately 7 kilometres, twice a day.

Thanks.

[PHP][/PHP]

7km each way? Buy a pair of ASICS Gel Kayanos, take up running, and put the balance $1,300 on the mortgage 😄 😄

Thanks Kim.

I will most likely be just using it for commuting and getting around on the
weekends. Sounds like the best thing to do is to test a few out. I have been
looking at the Giant CRX 2, Avanti Comp. Its difficult to get a balanced
view because each bike shop obviously wants to push the brands they sell.

TJ

TJ said:

My budget is anywhere up to $1500. What flat bar roadbike do you all
suggest. I have to ride approximately 7 kilometres, twice a day.

7km isn't much, but a nice bike will make it easier to go further afield.
The Kona Dew range (you're at the high end of it with that budget) are
reasonably heavy, but built very strong. I've got one which I'm happy to
use for load hauling, but at the very least I'd want nicer tyres if I were
using it much at the moment. It's really a mountain bike with 700c wheels.

Avanti do a flat bar that looks OK, and a few others are doing similar
things. Norco's VFR range seem to be quite nice, and is a road bike frame
with a flat bar.

If you're set on flat bars, consider an MTB and slicks for that length.
That'll let you ride off road as well if you want to. The other option is
to look at cyclocross bikes, which have tougher than roadie components and
drop bars.

--
Dave Hughes | [email hidden]
"One of the main causes of the fall of the Roman Empire was that,
lacking zero, they had no way to indicate successful termination of
their C programs." -- Robert Firth

TJ,

TJ said:

I will most likely be just using it for commuting and getting around on the
weekends. Sounds like the best thing to do is to test a few out. I have been
looking at the Giant CRX 2, Avanti Comp. Its difficult to get a balanced
view because each bike shop obviously wants to push the brands they sell.

quite so. i still think a couple of different perspectives helps.

find somewhere that has a buncha different brands.
they'd be more likely to give you a balanced comparison.
my local only does Trek and the local at my work only does Giant.

i found that the Giant guys poo poo all the other brands,
but the Trek guys didn't. so its a mixed bag... suck it and see.

i looked around a lot on the 'net to find something i liked the
look of, as a package. found three bikes about the same spec.
now saving =) after looking around i know which bike shop i'm
going to and they just happen to see one of those three 😉

also once you've shopped around, ask back here on a.b for the
word on the street for specific bikes =)

its harder to answer "which flatbar bike" in comparison to, say,
is the CRX2 a good bike, is $[censored] a good price for it, etc =)

cheers,

Kim
~ still shopping =D

For 7kms twice a day I wouldn't think you'd need to spend 1/2 that much. If
you are commuting as it sounds then better to get quality necessities that
you might need. Lights , mudguards, rack, lock, pump etc. maybe even
panniers. Could be $300 in accessories if you're not careful, be a lot more
useful to you than 2 extra cogs at the back.
An expensive bike is just that much more attractive to thieves.

Wilfred
"TJ" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hello,

My budget is anywhere up to $1500. What flat bar roadbike do you all
suggest. I have to ride approximately 7 kilometres, twice a day.

Thanks.

TJ said:

Hello,

My budget is anywhere up to $1500. What flat bar roadbike do you all
suggest. I have to ride approximately 7 kilometres, twice a day.

I'd recommend a Scott Sub10, except they're sold out...................

TJ,

TJ said:

I will most likely be just using it for commuting and getting around on the
weekends. Sounds like the best thing to do is to test a few out. I have been
looking at the Giant CRX 2, Avanti Comp. Its difficult to get a balanced
view because each bike shop obviously wants to push the brands they sell.

quite so. i still think a couple of different perspectives helps.

find somewhere that has a buncha different brands.
they'd be more likely to give you a balanced comparison.
my local only does Trek and the local at my work only does Giant.

i found that the Giant guys poo poo all the other brands,
but the Trek guys didn't. so its a mixed bag... suck it and see.

i looked around a lot on the 'net to find something i liked the
look of, as a package. found three bikes about the same spec.
now saving =) after looking around i know which bike shop i'm
going to and they just happen to see one of those three 😉

also once you've shopped around, ask back here on a.b for the
word on the street for specific bikes =)

its harder to answer "which flatbar bike" in comparison to, say,
is the CRX2 a good bike, is $[censored] a good price for it, etc =)

cheers,

Kim
~ still shopping =D

Okay. Thanks for the info. Looks like using that budget for only 7K each way
may be overkill. I will look to spend a bit less than that. Maybe even look
at a MTB with road tyres.

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

TJ said:

Hello,

My budget is anywhere up to $1500. What flat bar roadbike do you all
suggest. I have to ride approximately 7 kilometres, twice a day.

I'd recommend a Scott Sub10, except they're sold out...................

Okay, I have a few to go and have a look at now.

Giant CRX 2
Jamis Coda Sport
Avanti Blade 8
Vivente Novara Elite.

Cheers,

"TJ" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Okay. Thanks for the info. Looks like using that budget for only 7K each

way

Quoted message said:

may be overkill. I will look to spend a bit less than that. Maybe even

look

Quoted message said:

at a MTB with road tyres.

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

TJ said:

Hello,

My budget is anywhere up to $1500. What flat bar roadbike do you all
suggest. I have to ride approximately 7 kilometres, twice a day.

I'd recommend a Scott Sub10, except they're sold out...................

TJ said:

Okay, I have a few to go and have a look at now.

Giant CRX 2
Jamis Coda Sport
Avanti Blade 8
Vivente Novara Elite.

if you're looking at the Avanti Blade 8, also look at the Trek su300 =)

cheers,

Kim

and consider the possibility of other items in your budget

lights
ie do you want to go down the clipless pedals/shoes road?
lights
Will you be carrying stuff? (rack/panniers/backpack?)
lights
guards
lights
clothes
lights
oh, and some lights...