New to bike buying- looking to replace old Fuji Touring



Originally Posted by alfeng .


Well, now that you've been IN Chicago for a bit of time, you know that MOST of it is FLAT ...

So, the type of bike you will need for your future 60+ mile ride, or shorter, will most likely be very different from the bike you will want for commuting ... particularly, depending on whether you are on the South Side (e.g., Hyde Park) or North Side (e.g., near Rogers Park, and environs) OR elsewhere in the city ...

So, before you get a NICE looking bike, I think that you should ask your campus police whether they know the level of bicycle thefts in-and-around where you live ...

Now, as to whether or not a Carbon Fiber bike is better than an aluminum bike ... or, even a steel bike ... THAT (IMO) depends mostly on whether you live in a third floor walk up or a building with an elevator BECAUSE the weight of a bicycle is most evident when you are hoisting it on your shoulder or otherwise picking it up off of the ground.

For commuting to school, a Single Speed from WalMart/KMart will more than suffice PLUS a really good lock -- the old adage is the lighter the bike the heavier the lock.

For the longer rides, 'I' would look at something similar to your FUJI rather than the particular Road bikes which you selected (which ARE certainly a nice selection) ...

And, choose something like a JAMIS CODA ... onto which I would either put the same type of Moustache handlebars which you have on your Fuji OR a set of DROP handlebars + Campagnolo shifters.

  • and, change the V-brakes to either Cantilever brake calipers or MINI-V-Brake calipers ...

Campagnolo shifters can be mated to a huge variety of (i.e., most) Shimano drivetrains & provide you with superior shifting + subjectively better ergonomics.

The shifters which will come on the Jamis can simply be transferred to a Moustache Handlebar.

FYI. The Jamis Coda line of bikes start at an MSRP of below $600 for the steel version with V-brakes (that is the ONE which 'I' would choose because MY preference is for steel framed bikes ... and, I would amend it with the fore mentioned Campagnolo shifters + Drop Handlebars -- if you buy the shifters on eBay & DIY then the cost is easily under $200 ... you will need a minimum amount of hand tools + time PLUS the skill level required to open & close a jar of pickles ... more time will probably be spent wrapping the handlebars than doing the mechanical work ... a shop will probably charge you 2x that amount) to an aluminum framed version with disc brakes (disc brakes are still a moving target, technologically) which is about 2x the MSRP the last time I looked.
Great response, thank you so much!

To follow up a little bit: I do indeed know how incredibly flat Chicago is. I live in Streeterville and will be commuting to the Loop. I can ask my office if there is bike storage in the building or if I can bring my bike up with me on the elevator. I don't typically commute to school because I live 2 blocks away from campus, so it's really not necessary. Most of the time during school I would keep my bike in my house and ride it for recreational/exercise purposes. And of course I will be buying a max safety lock, I've heard tons of horror stories about people getting their bikes or wheels stolen.

The rest of your post is a little bit beyond me...what is the difference between v-brakes and disc brakes? Is one preferable to another? Also I've never really fixed up my own bike before, is there somewhere I could go online to learn how to do it?

Thank you to MPRE, danfoz, and alienator for your responses too!!! RE: Sizing, I am either a 52 or 53...it's been a while since I've been sized and (embarrassing admission!) my Fuji was a 49 and way too small for me, but it was the last one in the store and I bought different handlebars and stuff to make up for it. So in a way this is a blessing because now I have the opportunity to buy a bike that actually fits me.

It seems like the consensus w/r/t the bikes I posted is that the Fuji Women's 3.0 is the best choice. That's what I was leaning towards as well. I do, however, like the Raleigh that you posted, danfoz - I rode a Raleigh road bike before I bought my Fuji, and it was very good to me :) It seems like the parts are slightly less high-end than the Fuji...will this make a difference, given my purposes (Commuting, exercise, recreational rides) and what I want in a bike (speed, endurance, ease of riding)?
 
Originally Posted by whimsical .

I can ask my office if there is bike storage in the building or if I can bring my bike up with me on the elevator. I don't typically commute to school because I live 2 blocks away from campus, so it's really not necessary. Most of the time during school I would keep my bike in my house and ride it for recreational/exercise purposes. And of course I will be buying a max safety lock, I've heard tons of horror stories about people getting their bikes or wheels stolen.
Personally for this reason I'd go for the Fuji. But I'm biased, I race, I love fast bikes. Not that the Raleigh is slow per se, but they are designed with a different purpose in mind - one for riding and racing, one for riding, touring, and chores. In addition to a serious lock. if I am going to lock the bike up I l would also carry a thin cable lock. The weight is negligible an it can be threaded through wheels and other removable parts. But my reality is one bike and it's worth a couple thousand and don't currently have the resources to replace it so my bike will never be left anywhere it needs to be locked... if the bike can't come in, I wont go in, or I'll get there by some other means.
 
whimsical said:
The rest of your post is a little bit beyond me...what is the difference between v-brakes and disc brakes? Is one preferable to another? Also I've never really fixed up my own bike before, is there somewhere I could go online to learn how to do it?
You ignore the part about the brakes, as well as all the other parts recommendation minutia that Alfeng suggested. You don't seem as if you're hip to assemble your bike from a mishmash of parts. In the price range you're searching, the brakes will be fine as will the other parts. If the brakes don't feel sufficient, that can be fixed nearly always with a change to better brake pads, something a bike shop can do for you in only a few minutes for only a few dollars. As for learning how to do repairs on your bike or work on it, if that interests you there a number of websites online that will walk you though the process of a given repair, either in text and pictures or in a video. Also, if you've an interest in learning how to do something to your bike, you can likely find that assistance at a bike shop. Mechanics are quite often willing to talk to a customer about what they're doing as a repair or maintenance is done. If they're not so willing, they'll become much more so with a beer offering, cookies, burritos.... You get my drift. Of course you can also come here or go to any other bicycle forum to ask about such things. Note that Pabst Blue Ribbon is only a suitable beer bribe in Portland, Oregon, and in bike shops near NASCAR facilities. Otherwise, the mechanics would probably prefer good beer. Going to your bike shop for such things and building a relationship with them can benefit you in the form of possible discounts, quick repairs without waiting, special orders, and other such things. Note that if you happen to stumble into Alfeng's bicycle shop intent on bribing him, his drink of choice is no doubt Zima:
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Originally Posted by alienator .


You ignore the part about the brakes, as well as all the other parts recommendation minutia that Alfeng suggested. You don't seem as if you're hip to assemble your bike from a mishmash of parts. In the price range you're searching, the brakes will be fine as will the other parts. If the brakes don't feel sufficient, that can be fixed nearly always with a change to better brake pads, something a bike shop can do for you in only a few minutes for only a few dollars.

As for learning how to do repairs on your bike or work on it, if that interests you there a number of websites online that will walk you though the process of a given repair, either in text and pictures or in a video. Also, if you've an interest in learning how to do something to your bike, you can likely find that assistance at a bike shop. Mechanics are quite often willing to talk to a customer about what they're doing as a repair or maintenance is done. If they're not so willing, they'll become much more so with a beer offering, cookies, burritos.... You get my drift. Of course you can also come here or go to any other bicycle forum to ask about such things. Note that Pabst Blue Ribbon is only a suitable beer bribe in Portland, Oregon, and in bike shops near NASCAR facilities. Otherwise, the mechanics would probably prefer good beer. Going to your bike shop for such things and building a relationship with them can benefit you in the form of possible discounts, quick repairs without waiting, special orders, and other such things.

Note that if you happen to stumble into Alfeng's bicycle shop intent on bribing him, his drink of choice is no doubt Zima:

LOL I am DEFINITELY not hip enough to assemble my own bike. Maybe one day...I'm still a n00b though. Thanks for the advice! I'm still looking for a reliable LBS here. If anyone knows of a good place in Chicago near Mag Mile, that would be great!! Thanks :)
 
danfoz said:
And yup, this will be the only place you really feel any weight difference on the bike. Of the bikes you've listed any, weight differences between those models will have zero impact on the speed of the bike when actually riding.
but for climbing is another story, with my adult belly i cant climb half of what i did before, its exasperating...
 
whimsical said:
Has anyone purchased from rudyscycle.com before? They seem to have amazing deals on a lot of bikes. Almost too good to be true.
I'm not finding any "rudyscycle.com". Can you copy and past the full link?
 
Sorry, it's "rudycycle.com" - http://www.rudycycle.com/

For example the 2012 Fuji Supreme 3.0 Women's Road Bike is $700 cheaper on that website than it is on performancebike.com

rudycycle - http://www.rudycycle.com/index.php?dispatch=products.view&product_id=325

performancebike - http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1117161_-1_400306__400306?PID=6146893&utm_content=2470763&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=cj&utm_campaign=cj_affiliate_sale&utm_term=10391901&cm_mmc=CJ-_-Affiliate-_-2470763-_-Affil_Item

If it's a legit site, then it's an AWESOME deal. If not, it's a hell of a way to get scammed.
 
Took a closer look - seems like it's probably a scam. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/frown.gif I should have known better, anything that's too good to be true usually IS too good to be true.
 
whimsical said:
Took a closer look - seems like it's probably a scam. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/frown.gif  I should have known better, anything that's too good to be true usually IS too good to be true. 
That "business" is in Indonesia, and right now Malaysia, Indonesia, and few other places in that corner of the world are hotbeds of bicycle scams. If you're going to buy online as opposed to buying at an LBS, you can always post here asking if a site is a respected bike dealer or not.
 
Originally Posted by alienator .


That "business" is in Indonesia, and right now Malaysia, Indonesia, and few other places in that corner of the world are hotbeds of bicycle scams.
A $2200 bike selling for $650 a scam? Say it ain't so.


And I'm sure it's an honest coincidence their phone will never work: [COLOR= #ff0000]( Note : If our office phone not active because sometime have network error for international call, please request to our team )[/COLOR].
 
Yeah, y'all are right. I just wanted SO BADLY for it to be legit, hahaha.

I think I will go with the 2012 Fuji Supreme 3.0 Women's Road Bike. Does anyone have recommendations for clipless pedals? I'd prefer walkable pedals because I'll be commuting so much and because I've never used clipless pedals before.
 
Originally Posted by whimsical .

Yeah, y'all are right. I just wanted SO BADLY for it to be legit, hahaha.

I think I will go with the [COLOR= rgb(24, 24, 24)]2012 Fuji Supreme 3.0 Women's Road Bike. Does anyone have recommendations for clipless pedals? I'd prefer walkable pedals because I'll be commuting so much and because I've never used clipless pedals before.[/COLOR]
Some MTB pedal variation would work well for your purposes..

I have used the Shimano SPD cleats in the past paired with the Shimano A520 pedal:
http://shopping.yahoo.com/1065498391-shimano-pd-a520-pedals/

These SPD cleats:

Not these (which are Shimano's "road" cleats:


Many good systems out there though
 
Thank you so much for the recommendation! Cleats can be used with any type of shoe, right? Or do I have to buy special cycling shoes?
 
Any MTB (mountain bike) specific shoe should work. Shimano, SIDI, Louis Garneau, Giro, etc, of which there's quite a few.Those I'd buy in person as all fit differently. Other cleat/pedal systems may work differently but the SPD fit into a recessed slot on many shoes (below) so when walking your not actually walking on the cleat. You'll want to make sure an check for that.

Your local bike shop may ideally carry a couple brands.

$T2eC16FHJHQE9nzEyId9BQvVnog0Ew%7E%7E60_12.JPG


The bottom of a "road" shoe would look like this (notice the lack of bumper and different drilling pattern):
$%28KGrHqJHJFcFD2%291dE2WBQ+ReL66Sg%7E%7E60_12.JPG


The range of footware available is so broad for mtb cleats (or at least he SPD brand) stuff like this is available. Notice the bottom has a removable section where the cleat would go with bumpers on either side to keep the cleat off the floor. It's important to note the cleat is recessed enough to walk around a bit, but I would not run around on a freshly finished wooden floor.


And aside from cleats there's always the old fashioned toeclips/toe straps that will accomodate any shoe.
 
Originally Posted by danfoz .

The days of "bad" bikes are over, unless you are shopping at a department store.
You're right. Even Fuji's Newest range is pretty decent this year.

Really, you can't go wrong with any Shimano- or SRAM-equipped bike at a bike shop.

And beginners should not try to save a few bucks by shopping online. There's a lot of **** out there.
 
Originally Posted by whimsical .

Hahah for what it's worth, I'm a woman, so the women's road bike should work just fine for me!

I'm 5 ft 7 in with a 31.5" inseam, so I'm a size 53 I think. I totally forgot to look at sizes, d'oh -_-;;
Lot's of guys around here have really short stumpy legs.

Depending on a few things like your arm length, your posture, and the bike itself, I see you on something between 50 and 54 cm. Try some on for size.
 
Sorry to bug you guys again but I'm getting nervous about the price so here is ONE LAST Q about comparing bikes.

To reiterate, my preferences are speed + ease of ride. I will be riding primarily on flat ground (Chicago area near the lake) and I will occasionally be commuting to and from work (I will probably ask my office if there is somewhere safe I can keep it in the building). I am shooting to do a 35-mile ride and possibly a 60-miler by the end of the summer. Here are the bikes I am considering:


2012 Fuji Supreme 3.0 Women's Road Bike ($1299.99) http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10052&productId=1117161&langId=-1&parent_category_rn=400306&top_category=


Pros: carbon frame, obviously a super nice bike
Cons: Price. Will also have to purchase pedals, which is an additional cost


2013 Fuji Finest 1.3 C Women's Road Bike ($799.98) http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10052&productId=1126713&langId=-1&parent_category_rn=400306&top_category=

Pros: Still a good bike, WAY cheaper and don't have to buy pedals
Cons: Not a carbon frame, less high-quality parts.

I guess I'm just not sure if I really NEED to be going for such a high-end bike at my (rather amateur-ish) level of riding. I WANT one, because I like shiny things and I like the idea of a super light, super fast bike, but I also don't want to needlessly burn almost $600.00 on something that is just way beyond my level.
 
I would still go with the $1300 bike. The cheaper one must have the older 9 speed Tiagra rear derailleur, to work with the 9 speed cassette and Sora shifters. And for riding on the flatlands, you don't need--or maybe even want--an 11-32 cassette. You will never be using either your 11 or 32 tooth cogs. So you'll effectively have a 7 speed rear cassette. Better off with a 10 speed 12-28, with smaller gaps between gears. The costlier bike has slightly better wheels, too. A CF frame with a Tiagra group for under $1300 is a very good value. You'd be paying nearly as much for an aluminum bike with Tiagra from and of the big name makers---say, Specialized, Trek, or Cannondale.

Don't worry about pedals. The cheaper bike most likely comes with $15 nylon platform pedals, with plastic toe clips. You can get a pair like them to put on the CF Fuji.
 
Originally Posted by mpre53 .

I would still go with the $1300 bike.
Ditto. Primarily because until very recently it was a $2000+ bike and there's a lot of value squeezed in there. The other bike is nice too. But I am sorry to say even though it conceptually feels like you will be faster on one of those bikes, you will probably go very similar speeds on either bike. And either of those bikes could be raced if you ever wanted.

You should buy the bike you are going to be comfortable owning. At this point it's similar to asking your friends who you should date. You probably know better than any of us which one will make you happy in the long run. You want a nice bike but you want to be sensible. If you are a sensible person and buy the flashy bike you could resent it, if you are really following someone elses voice to be sensible but want the flashy bike you could resent it. To thine own self be true...
 

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