Buying my first road bike- rate the brands?

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Storm Boy
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Re: Buying my first road bike- rate the brands?

Postby Storm Boy » Sun Jan 11, 2015 5:50 pm

rockpaper wrote:Thanks, Storm Boy, for the reply.
Do you find it is more "relaxed"/endurance style bike? I.e. More upright than some others you might have ridden?
I'm no expert but I'd call it relaxed. Come to think of it the graphics on the frame say "endurance geometry". Over the Christmas holidays I averaged 5-600 metres of climbing per day over a 2 week period. While it's no lightweight climber (like me!), it went just fine.

Regards,

SB

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wombatK
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Re: Buying my first road bike- rate the brands?

Postby wombatK » Sun Jan 11, 2015 6:02 pm

Realise that while there are a lot of brands, many of them come out of the same factory (or just one of a few).

There was a great web-page "Where was my bike made" http://allanti.com/page.cfm?PageID=328" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; now
dissappeared that gave a good analysis of the brands as at 2006.
[quote]
Where was my bike made?


Or, who actually made my bike?

Revised December 12, 2006
Kerry Roberts is the owner of The Bicycle Company, the parent company of Allanti Bicycle Company, the Bike Pedlar, and The Jolly Cyclist in Nashville, Tennessee. He also provides consulting services to the bicycle industry.

The information contained in this report comes primarily from Bicycle Retailer and Industry News' 2007 Factory and Suppliers Guide, published in the October 1, 2006, issue. Bicycle Retailer and Industry News is the definitive trade publication in the bicycle industry. Other sources of information include trade show and factory visits, technical writers in the cycling media, and bicycle company employees who wish to remain anonymous.

Some bike companies have a few secrets. And one of those secrets is where your bike is made or who actually made it. The bike companies like it that way because many of them rely upon the same factories to build their bikes!

The big picture is pretty clear: most of the bikes sold in the U.S. are made in China or Taiwan by a handful of manufacturers of which Giant is the largest.

Generally speaking, low to mid level bikes are made in China and mid to high level bikes are made in Taiwan.

Bikes are produced in other countries, but Asian factories probably produce 95% of the units sold in the United States. Incidentally, the "big three" (Giant, Trek, and Specialized) account for almost 80% of all bikes sold in U.S. bike shops.

Another part of the big picture is that the sticker on your bike that says "Made in Country X" doesn't necessarily mean what you think! It can actually mean one of three things:

One, it can mean that the frame was made in Country X and assembled into a complete bicycle in Country X. For example, Brand Y actually builds the frame in Country X and puts it on their assembly line to assemble it into a complete bicycle with Shimano components from Japan, wheels, handlebars, stem, and seat post from Taiwan, tires from Germany, and a seat and handlebar tape from China. The sticker on the bike says "Made in Country X" when only the frame and the final assembly were done in Country X (using components from other countries). That's accepted and no one complains.

Two, it can mean that the frame was made in Taiwan (or wherever) and imported into Brand Y's home country of X. The frame goes through the exact same assembly process and receives the same "Made in Country X" sticker. The only difference is that the frame was made in Taiwan, not Country X. This practice is a little more controversial, but it occurs frequently with European brands. In my opinion, it would clear up quite a bit of confusion is the stickers said "Assembled in Country X."

Three, in the case of a frame only, it can mean the frame was made in Taiwan (or wherever) and imported into Brand Y's home country of X for finishing and painting. This is very common with high-end brands - especially European-brand carbon frames. The frame gets a sticker that says "Made in Country X." I don't agree with this. Consumers are entitled to a transparent process with accurate information that is not misleading.

With these things in mind, here is an alphabetical brand by brand run down of the bikes sold in Nashville, with a few bits of trivia.

Bianchi - As I was writing this, it occurred to me that Bianchi and Schwinn have remarkably similar histories. Both were turn-of-the-century family-owned companies, manufactured their own bicycles, were popular brands in their respective countries, fell upon hard times, were eventually sold, moved substantially all of their production to Asia, and have seen a resurgence in the past few years under new owners!

In 1996, Bianchi was sold to a Swedish conglomerate (now known as Cycleurope1) whereas Schwinn went through several owners before winding up with Pacific in 2001.2

Under Cycleurope, which owns 11 bicycle brands,3 much of the bicycle production shifted from Italy to Asia, with the exception of some final bicycle assembly (i.e., Asian frames assembled into complete bicycles) and limited high-end production.

Let me take a minute and address Reparto Corse bicycles, because their "Made in Italy" sticker is a source of confusion.

The historic Treviglio factory - a monstrosity of a thing which used to house much of Bianchi's manufacturing before it shifted to Asia - has a section dedicated to Reparto Corse. It used to be that Reparto Corse (RC) meant the race department where high-end bikes were made. Now it is used as sort of a branding logo to identify the upper-end bikes that get the RC design and marketing treatment.

Many of the RC bikes have a "Made in Italy" sticker, which usually means assembled in Italy using a frame made in Asia. For example, the carbon RC frames are made by Advanced International Multitech (a Taiwanese carbon manufacturer of bike parts, baseball bats, golf shafts, arrows, fishing poles, etc.) and the aluminum frames are made by Taiwan Hodaka.

There are some frames still welded at Treviglio. My understanding is that the aluminum frames with carbon rears are either welded there or, at least, bonded there. I also understand that the frames with foam injection have the injection process completed there, even if the frames come from Asia.

Although Taiwan Hodaka manufacturers many of Bianchi's U.S. models, Fairly and Giant have manufactured for Bianchi in the past.

Cannondale - Aluminum Cannondales are made in the U.S. Cannondale, which was owned by founder Joe Montgomery and his son Scott. Cannondale is now owned by its key investment fund after experiencing financial problems. Cannondale's market share appears to have diminished but stabilized. Because it is owned by an investment fund, it is constantly rumored for sale. The carbon bikes are sourced from Asia.

Colnago - In 1944, when Ernesto Colnago served as a 12-year old apprentice in the shop of Dante Fumagalli, did he have any idea he would become the most famous of all Italian frame builders?

Colnago is, perhaps, the most coveted of all professional-quality bicycle brands - just look at the pages of VeloNews or Pro Cycling and see how many professional riders race on Colnagos!

Frames are still hand-made in Italy, except for three entry level aluminum models made in Taiwan (probably by Giant) and the carbon CLX, which is also made in Taiwan.4

De Rosa - De Rosa is an Italian company that is one of the Italian "big three" that includes Colnago and Pinarello. Ugo De Rosa, along with his sons, have been building bikes for over 50 years. As far as I know, all bikes are made in Italy.

Ducati - Bianchi has announced a licensing agreement with Ducati to produce a line of bikes with the Ducati name. It is my understanding that the frames will be sourced from Asia with the final assembly at Treviglio.

Felt - Felt is a fairly new bicycle company, started by motocross guru Jim Felt. All production comes from Asia.

Fisher - Gary Fisher is the "godfather" of mountain bikes. After struggling with his own bicycle company, he sold his brand to Trek Bicycle Company. Still involved in designing and marketing his brand, Gary is a popular figure at bicycle industry events. He's sort of a cult figure with an unmatched sense of fashion! Fisher bikes are made in Asia, except for the full-suspension rigs (which are made in Wisconsin).

Fuji - Fuji is now owned by Ideal, who manufacturers most of their bikes. Ideal is one of the key Taiwanese manufacturers along with Giant and Merida. Ideal also manufactures for other brands. Topkey of China manufacturers Fuji's carbon frames.

Giant - You may have ridden a bicycle made by Giant without knowing it! Giant is the world's largest bicycle manufacturer with factories in Taiwan, China, and Europe. Giant, a Taiwanese company started in 1972, manufacturers their own bikes - including the carbon bikes, which is unique in the industry (i.e., most other brands utilize other manufacturers such as Advanced or Martec).

In addition to making their own bikes, Giant also makes, or has made, bikes for many other prominent brands, including Trek, Specialized, Schwinn, and Bianchi. Giant's claim to fame is that they have the most sophisticated and efficient manufacturing facilities in the bicycle industry.

A bit of trivia is that Giant owns 30% of Hodaka, a key Taiwanese supplier for many brands such as Bianchi.5

Giant also sponsors the T-Mobile professional cycling team.

Haro - a California BMX company started in 1977 by Bob Haro. All production comes from Asia. Haro owns the Masi brand. Kenstone, with factories in Tawan and China, is a key supplier.

Kestrel - Kestrel, an early pioneer in carbon frames, introduced the first production non-lugged carbon frame in 1986. Originally, frames were manufactured in California. In recent years, production shifted to Asia. The frames appear to be made by Martec.

Kona - a California company with all production from Asia. Kona, founded in 1988, is a very small company similar in size to Marin. Fairly and Hodaka in Taiwan are key suppliers.

Kuota - Kuota frames are made in Taiwan by Martec, the same manufacturer that makes Kestrel frames. Kuota is a creation of Sintema, an Italian manufacturer of components. Basically, they designed the frames, had the frames manufactured in Taiwan, and marketed the brand heavily in the U.S., Western Europe, and Australia. Kuota has been a successful brand launch in a very short period of time.

LeMond - Greg LeMond is the first American to win the Tour de France, winning in 1986, 1989, and 1990. LeMond also won three World Championships and the Tour DuPont. His career was cut short by lead poisoning from a hunting accident. LeMond's early bikes were made by Roberto Bilatto in Italy and distributed by a now-defunct company named Ten Speed Drive Imports. The Bilatto-made frames are somewhat collectible.

After an attempt to have an independent bike company, LeMond licensed his brand to Trek Bicycle Company.6 Trek now designs and markets his bikes, which are made in Asia except for the spine bikes featuring OCLV carbon (which are made in Wisconsin).

A bit of LeMond trivia is that he helped develop the first aerobar with Scott and used it in his amazing come-from-behind victory in the 1989 Tour de France.7

Litespeed - Starting in the 1980's, Litespeed was a pioneer in titanium frame building. As their reputation grew, a steady stream of cycling legends came to Litespeed for their titanium expertise. For many years, Litespeed built frames for famous brands such as DeRosa, Merckx, Basso, LeMond, Tommassini, and others.8

Litespeed was, for a period of time, the largest manufacturer of high-end bicycles in the world. All bikes, including the Merlin brand that they own, are made in Tennessee except for the carbon Pavia (which has been discontinued). The Quintana Roo brand is also owned by Litespeed but is made in Asia.

Look - Look is a French company with frames made in France and Asia. Look is also a leading pedal brand.

Marin - a California company with production from Asia, except for a handful of high-end models. Marin is a very small company similar in size to Kona. Key Asian suppliers are A-Pro, Fairly, and Sunrise.

Masi - Faliero Masi was, in my opinion, the "grandfather" of all Italian frame builders, serving as inspiration to famous frame builders like Ernesto Colnago. Faliero sold his company to Americans in the early 70's. Since then, the brand has had several owners including Schwinn! At present, the Masi brand is owned by Haro (the California BMX company)9 and the bikes are made in Asia.

One of my favorite frames was a made-in-Italy Nuovo Strada that I bought from Cumberland Transit in the 80's. Unfortunately, it was stolen in the 90's!

Alberto Masi, Faliero's son, still hand-makes the traditional Masi frames in the shadow of the Vigorelli Velodrome in Milan. Unfortunately, these frames - due the licensing of the Masi name to Haro - are not sold in the U.S.10

Merlin - see Litespeed.

Olmo - Olmo is a prominent brand in Italy. Traditionally, Olmo has been made in Italy. I don't have any information on whether any models are made in Asia.

Orbea - Orbea is one of the two large Spanish bicycle manufacturers. It is sort of like Spain's version of Trek or Schwinn. Bikes are produced in Spain and Asia. High-end carbon frames are made in Asia and "finished" (i.e., painted) in Spain.

From Bicycle Retailer and Industry News:

Orbea builds aluminum frames in-house. Carbon fiber frame production, which accounts for half of its road bikes, up from 20 percent just three years ago, is outsourced to such Chinese specialists as Martec.

But unlike many bike makers who are content to tweak stock factory frames, Orbea does all of its carbon fiber frame design, engineering and prototyping in-house. It builds its own molds for new frames and assembles several dozen prototypes before handing off manufacturing instructions to China.

"We need to keep and develop our own knowledge of composites and carbon fiber, and then to find someone who can work with us to build what we want them to build," Joseba Arizaga (Orbea's marketing manager) said. "We make the molds, the first frames, everything here in Orbea. Then, when we are ready to do mass production, we send the instructions to Asia." 11

Raleigh - A few years ago, the U.S. management team, headed by former Murray exec Bill Austin, bought Raleigh from its U.K. owners. Headquartered in Kent, Washington, production comes from Asia, with key suppliers being Kinesis and A-Pro.

Schwinn - Schwinn was for many years the largest American brand. All bicycles were made domestically until the late 80's.

In 1985, Schwinn management called mountain bikes a "fad" - oops.12 After two bankruptcies, Schwinn is now owned by Pacific, who also owns GT, Mongoose, and the Pacific (and some other brands). Pacific is headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin.

Under Pacific's ownership, the Schwinn brand is returning to prominence. Pacific sells more bicycles than any other brand in North America. However, that includes Pacific brands sold at WalMart, Target, etc.13

The bikes sold in the U.S. are made in Asia, many by Giant.

Scott USA - Scott got its start in Sun Valley, Idaho, when Ed Scott developed the first aluminum ski pole in 1958. In the 80's, Scott developed a bike line.

Eventually, Scott pulled out of the U.S. market and focused on Europe, where Scott is headquartered.14

After an absence of several years, Scott has returned to the U.S. market under the direction of Scott Montgomery of Cannondale fame. Although the company is headquartered in Switzerland, production comes from Asia, with key suppliers being Hodaka and Giant.

Serotta - Serotta is a U.S. manufacturer of high-end bicycles. It competes with Seven and Waterford and is of similar size to Waterford.

Seven - Seven is America's number one custom bicycle brand. Seven Cycles was founded by Rob Vandermark in early 1997.

Rob, previously head of R&D at Merlin Metalworks, decided to branch out on his own and develop a company to build high-end titanium and steel frames. He also wanted to offer the rider custom geometry, without extra charges and long lead times. So Rob assembled a team of experienced craftspeople who all shared a common goal: To build the highest quality, most innovative frames, and therefore provide the cyclist with the best riding experience possible.

All bikes are hand-made in Watertown, Massachusetts.

Specialized - Started in 1974 by Mike Sinyard, Specialized has enjoyed a long-standing reputation for being a leading bicycle des
WombatK

Somebody has to do something, and it's just incredibly pathetic that it has to be us -Jerry Garcia

rockpaper
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Re: Buying my first road bike- rate the brands?

Postby rockpaper » Mon Jan 12, 2015 9:33 am

thanks, all, for replying.
macca33 wrote:
You're a bit over 40-odd aren't you, certainly not stone-age?!?!? Drop-bar will be fine.
:D
true, not stone-age. just when you read so many posts talking about flexibility it gets you (over)thinking.

cyclotaur wrote:CAAD 8.
well, i think we know where you stand. :D I imagine, with a 54 cm frame, the height of the head tube/handlebar tube (whatever it is called) will mean a more upright position.

Storm Boy wrote: I'm no expert but I'd call it relaxed. Come to think of it the graphics on the frame say "endurance geometry". Over the Christmas holidays I averaged 5-600 metres of climbing per day over a 2 week period. While it's no lightweight climber (like me!), it went just fine.

Regards,

SB

ok, so ok up hills and a bit more relaxed. sounds good to me.
and at the end of the day, 500g or 1kg here or there may not be the rate limiting factor for me and climbing, anyway. anything is an improvement over my hybrid.

wombatK wrote:Realise that while there are a lot of brands, many of them come out of the same factory (or just one of a few).

There was a great web-page "Where was my bike made" http://allanti.com/page.cfm?PageID=328" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; now
dissappeared that gave a good analysis of the brands as at 2006.

thanks. that was a great excerpt you have added to the post. i read it with interest. it is very similar to "made in australia". who knows the country of origin these days. perhaps "made in anywhere" is trumped by the QA, design principles and reputation of brands.



thanks, again, everyone.
will bite the bullet this week.

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SheikYerbouti
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Re: Buying my first road bike- rate the brands?

Postby SheikYerbouti » Mon Jan 12, 2015 11:57 am

Also remember regardless of the bike you buy it needs to be set up for your body. Saddle height and offset, reach (stem length), that sort of thing. These will make a difference, and can completely change the feel of the bike your ride.

2ndeffort
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Re: Buying my first road bike- rate the brands?

Postby 2ndeffort » Mon Jan 12, 2015 3:36 pm

+1 for buying a nearly new 2nd hand bike. Just over 12 months ago I too was asking here on the boards which bike I should be getting. It has been a whirlwind but I thought I would post up a couple of points on my experience:

1. All bike shops haggle on price. They dont sell too many high end roadbikes, especially the smaller shops. Don't take the sticker price as gospel, dont be afraid to ask..'would you do it for this much $$' particularly as there is a model that seems just out of your reach. I ride a Domane 5.2. i wanted the 5.2 but could only afford the 4.7. Perhaps a bit cheeky but I told the sales guy, I like this one but can only afford that one. His answer was 'if I could do that one for the same price would you be interested.' The rest is history!

2. Dont be intimidated by swapping parts or a bit of modification. I've made up 2 bikes from parts in the last year, currently trawling the facebook swap groups for parts to build up a 2 year old Defy frame I bought (for $150) for my 17 yo son. Put most of it together on the weekend!! My Local Bike shop mechanic is always happy with advice if I get stuck and I normally pay him to 'service' the bike once I am finished (by service I mean fix up any bits I couldnt do or stuffed up). i am mechanically hopeless so if I can do it anybody can. Certainly dont be intimidated if a bike you like only has Tiagra brakes or a saddle you dont like etc. Switching out a component or 2 is often so easy it is trivial. In fact I've read that many bikes actually have cheap saddles and wheels to bring the cost down as they expect new owners to switch them out soon after purchase anyway.

3. Find a local bike shop you like and become friends with them. Nearly all Local Bike Shops (LBS) run 'shop rides'. Do a couple and make friends. I get a permanent discount as a 'regular' at my LBS even though I bought my bike at another shop. I've had mechanical help, bought helmets, Oakleys, Garmins and all sorts of stuff from them. I was even invited to the low key 'beers in the workshop' informal end of year thing late last year. You will be amazed what you pick up from advice on riding to mechanical tips. Also great gossip about other local riders and what the other bike shops in the area are up to!!!!

4. i've been looking at Gumtree, eBay and several facebook groups. Generally the 'name brand' bikes seem to hold their value a bit better than the 'Cell' or 'Azzuri' local models. I know many of the frames probably come from the same factory but 2nd hand Focus or Merida or Giant or Cannondale or Specialized or Colnago seem to hold better value than a 2nd hand Cell or Azurri. Not a major deciding factor but certainly a consideration. I set out assuming I would buy 1 of these expensive bikes, a set of knicks and a top and that would be me until the shorts or tyres wore out. A short time in, along with my Trek Domane I also have an Avanti Flat Bar (for the Bike paths/commuting), a full suspension MTB for the 2 or 3 times a year I go Moutainbiking with my son, I'm building a roadbike for my son and I find myself wondering if I should have a Time Trial bike and/or a specific light-weight climbing bike. Selling/upgrading is probably an inevitability.

5. The 'Lifetime warranty' on Trek frames was a big factor for me. A friend I ride with bought a Madone about 6 months ago. He was showing us on Saturday that he has some cracks on the seat stays, little hairline things. This same mate would be 75Kg ringing wet! The shop has told him these are just cracks in the paint and not structural. We bombed down a hill at 80 something KM/Hr on that same ride, I would be worried if I was him! He has asked a couple of times for it to be checked out, doesn't sound like there is a lot of love beyond a cursory look coming back his way. I love my Trek but I didn't get the impression that the 'lifetime frame warranty' was as easy to fall back on on as what I expected.

6. Dont underestimate the value of good wheels. Strong and light are the best. I would prefer a less capable rig with better wheels (ie 2nd hand 10 speed Aluminium with good wheels) over a more capable rig with poor wheels (ie new 11 speed carbon bike with heavy, flexible wheels). Of course what most of us would probably do is buy the newer carbon 11 speed bike then, when the wife wasn't looking jump onto probikekit/wiggle/chainreaction/Ribble/Evans/Merlin etc and buy better wheels to add onto it.
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cyclotaur
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Re: Buying my first road bike- rate the brands?

Postby cyclotaur » Mon Jan 12, 2015 4:01 pm

rockpaper wrote:
cyclotaur wrote:CAAD 8.
...well, i think we know where you stand. :D I imagine, with a 54 cm frame, the height of the head tube/handlebar tube (whatever it is called) will mean a more upright position.
I have a mate who started out on my old 2002 alu framed Tiagra 9 sp roadie. When he was ready to get his own bike (mid-2013....) I searched in vain for a good 2nd hand GIANT Defy 1 (105) but there were none that suited (he missed one by not having $800 cash in his pocket).

As I have a Canondale CAADX CX bike and love it, I searched for a (2nd hand) Canondale CAAD 8 roadbike and found him one, which he bought for around $850 and loves. If he hadn't bought it I might have, they are a great ride for the price. He is riding strongly and is coming to the AAC with me this year. If they get around to upgrading the range to 11-speed 105 they will be a great bike.

Meanwhile, I found myself a 2011 GIANT Defy 105 last year and I like it a lot and will ride it in the AAC.
2023 Target: 9.500kms/100,000m
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Re: Buying my first road bike- rate the brands?

Postby rockpaper » Mon Jan 12, 2015 5:43 pm

thanks again for the replies, everyone.
SheikYerbouti wrote:Also remember regardless of the bike you buy it needs to be set up for your body. Saddle height and offset, reach (stem length), that sort of thing. These will make a difference, and can completely change the feel of the bike your ride.
@SheikYerbouti: i found this to be the case for the two rides of on the Bianchi. Second ride much better with more appropriate setup.




2ndeffort wrote: ...deleted lost of helpful comments on second hand gear, price haggling, swapping parts, LBS's and riding, info on resale, lifetime warranties and the benefits of good wheels.
@2ndeffort:
i saw a second hand carbon framed Defy on gumtree but will not get it as I rode a defy and was not so keen plus i am not experienced enough to look for any problems.
still i have been keeping my eye on gumtree and this forum's classified.

re: price
- i must not be very good at haggling. no one seems to want to reduce the price on the Synapse that I want... :( :)

re: parts
- well, i, too, am not very hands-on. i think i will look at swapping the tyres on anything I buy, though. luckily, i have liked all of the saddles.

re: LBS
- I can see myself frequenting my LBS, whether I get the bike there or not. I quite like buying from stores over the internet, unless the price is stupidly high or if there has not been any help from a store.

re: resale value and expanding my holdings
- i had a chuckle at the line up of bikes you now have... :D
- will be sticking to a brand as you mention

re: lifetime warranty
- thanks for the heads up. I have read similar stories in other posts on the forum

re: wheels
- will be changing the tyres but might wait for a bit on the wheels. that seems liek i need at least 6 months before sneaking out and upgrading...

cyclotaur wrote: I have a mate who started out on my old 2002 alu framed Tiagra 9 sp roadie. When he was ready to get his own bike (mid-2013....) I searched in vain for a good 2nd hand GIANT Defy 1 (105) but there were none that suited (he missed one by not having $800 cash in his pocket).

As I have a Canondale CAADX CX bike and love it, I searched for a (2nd hand) Canondale CAAD 8 roadbike and found him one, which he bought for around $850 and loves. If he hadn't bought it I might have, they are a great ride for the price. He is riding strongly and is coming to the AAC with me this year. If they get around to upgrading the range to 11-speed 105 they will be a great bike.

@cyclotaur:

finding second-hand bikes is challenging...
your good opinion of the CAAD 8 is putting me in mind more and more to get one of those...
if i could find a second-hand one it would be good.




cheers, again.

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SheikYerbouti
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Re: Buying my first road bike- rate the brands?

Postby SheikYerbouti » Tue Jan 13, 2015 9:25 am

Go and ask for your desired model/size on the Facebook Bicycle Market. Bargains are common: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2096120 ... 640808397/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

rockpaper
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Re: Buying my first road bike- rate the brands?

Postby rockpaper » Tue Jan 13, 2015 9:34 am

SheikYerbouti wrote:Go and ask for your desired model/size on the Facebook Bicycle Market. Bargains are common: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2096120 ... 640808397/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

thanks, will do. sounds like a good idea. Since i Have to spend a bit more on kit, a second hand bike would be ideal.

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Re: Buying my first road bike- rate the brands?

Postby rockpaper » Tue Jan 13, 2015 2:19 pm

I have decided on the Merida Ride Lite 93 or Ride Lite 94.

thanks for everyone's input. It has been a very educational!

(now, just have to decide which of these and from where...i see the difference is essentially the groupset).

thanks, again, everyone.

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TonyMax
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Re: Buying my first road bike- rate the brands?

Postby TonyMax » Tue Jan 13, 2015 2:47 pm

Wheels and tyres are upgraded on the 94 as well.

For what it's worth my current bike is 10 speed Tiagra and I have put 4600km on it in 15 months with no problems related to the groupset at all in that time.

Figure out if you want to spend the extra and make a decision from there.

Get a proper fitting, and don't be afraid to go back to the shop if you are experiencing pain or discomfort, they can adjust things or some will even change a stem for you if required at no cost.

Good after sales service can make or break a new bike purchase.
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Re: Buying my first road bike- rate the brands?

Postby rockpaper » Tue Jan 13, 2015 4:52 pm

Thanks, TonyMax. "Figure out if you want to spend the extra and make a decision from there."

I think that has sold me on the Merida Ride 93 2014. I keep looking at the bikes and the cost keeps creeping up as i think about the different components. I just need to bite the bullet. I am sure the tyres and wheels will be fine for me on rides in Melbourne and in the high plains around Bright. And the Tiagra is a fine unit from what i have read and people have said, uch as you.

Will head down to Fitzroy Cycles in Carnegie (VIC) tomorrow night or Thursday.

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Re: Buying my first road bike- rate the brands?

Postby normo85 » Tue Jan 13, 2015 9:54 pm

Thanks storm boy!

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Re: Buying my first road bike- rate the brands?

Postby rockpaper » Fri Jan 16, 2015 11:56 am

Just an update:
I bought the Merida Ride 93 today and will pick it up next week. of course, now that I have bought it I wish I had bought the RIde 94. :D

thanks for everyone's assistance.

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