Newbie trying to decide between 2...help!!

[saaron83]

OK, so I caught the bug after talking with a couple friends who only recently purchased road bikes. I rode a couple over the last week and can't remember the last time I had that much fun.

So here is my dilemma. I originally went into this with a max $1100 budget....fast forward 2 week and now my budget is up to $1500.

I rode a few bikes, but 2 really stood out to me. The Specialized Roubaix Elite and the Cannondale Synapse. My local shop has a 2006 Roubaix Elite for a great price and ends up only being $50 more than the Cannondale.

The Roubaix is a smooth sturdy ride and I have no complaints about the Cannondale either. I've been told I have a longer torso which is why the Roubaix may feel more comfortable to me. I'm looking for some advice and feedback from riders that at one point may have considered one of these bikes over the other and why.

Thanks in advance,

Scott

 

[kdelong]

I rode a few bikes, but 2 really stood out to me. The Specialized Roubaix Elite and the Cannondale Synapse. My local shop has a 2006 Roubaix Elite for a great price and ends up only being $50 more than the Cannondale.

The Roubaix is a smooth sturdy ride and I have no complaints about the Cannondale either. I've been told I have a longer torso which is why the Roubaix may feel more comfortable to me. I'm looking for some advice and feedback from riders that at one point may have considered one of these bikes over the other and why.

Thanks in advance,

Scott

Welcome to our world Scott . Beleive me when I tell you that comfort will be worth an additional $50.00. Both of those bikes are excellent rides for a newbie, but in this sport, comfort is the key . One thing that you might want to do is have the bike shop fit the bike to your body and style of riding. Of course the bike has to fit you, but there are a number of adjustments that can be made to the seat, stem, and handlebars to fine tune it to your body and riding style to maximize your comfort.

 

[ilmooz]

Both are very nice bikes. I might give a nod more toward the Cannondale for the components it's outfitted with, but if the Roubaix clearly feels more comfortable to you then you can't go wrong with that choice.