buying first road bike

tony66
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buying first road bike

Postby tony66 » Sat Jan 05, 2013 2:39 pm

Hi hope I have this in the right forum.
I'm 46 year old male who has been a runner for the last 20 years. Lately my knees have been getting very sore and I've noticed my recovery time becoming much longer.
Talked to several friends and work colleagues and they suggested bike riding several days a week just to break up my fitness regime. So I started with a $1500 budget.
Looked at several bikes and in the end was sold on a Caad 8 for $1190(2012 model), I just love the look of this bike (black over white). Then someone(who is into bikes and was looking for me) said to me why don't stretch your budget and look at the Trek Madone 3.1 $1699 (2012 model) and get into carbon (something I never thought about). Test rode the Trek and liked it, but maybe I'm just too new to riding but it didn't feel that much different than the Caad 8. I truely cannot make a decision (thats probably why I married a bossy wife, she'll never read this). Thoughts from any of you gentlemen would be much appreciated or perhaps just plain out tell me what to buy !!

Cheers
Tony

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Mulger bill
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Re: buying first road bike

Postby Mulger bill » Sat Jan 05, 2013 4:52 pm

G'Day Tony, welcome outside. :)

Here's the thing. A $5,000 bike that never feels right under your bum or a $1,400 unit that you can't stop thinking of and you're already planning the next ride as you open the shed door after getting home? Which one is better value?

Try to organise an hours test ride on each then go for the one that sends a tingle down your spine.

Cheers
Shaun
...whatever the road rules, self-preservation is the absolute priority for a cyclist when mixing it with motorised traffic.
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DoogleDave
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Re: buying first road bike

Postby DoogleDave » Sat Jan 05, 2013 4:57 pm

Mulger bill wrote:G'Day Tony, welcome outside. :)

Here's the thing. A $5,000 bike that never feels right under your bum or a $1,400 unit that you can't stop thinking of and you're already planning the next ride as you open the shed door after getting home? Which one is better value?

Try to organise an hours test ride on each then go for the one that sends a tingle down your spine.

Cheers
Shaun
+1 (what he said) :-)

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tony66
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Re: buying first road bike

Postby tony66 » Sun Jan 20, 2013 4:57 pm

Well I've test rode a few other bikes and now need to be told to choose one of these. My decision making ability is atrocious.
My best friend recently narrowed down his 50k choice of cars to two potentials. He test drove them on the same day and had bought one by 3pm (he thinks I'm nuts)
I've expanded my choice (and budget) to four bikes and I need to purchase one in the next few days before my wife shoots me!
The bikes are:
2012 Giant TCR advanced 3 105. Ride was really nice and I actually loved the red and white frame colour.$2000
2012 Giant Defy Composite 1 mix of Ultegra and 105. Rode this and seemed really nice and stable with an upright position. Price was very good at $2100
2012 Giant Defy Advanced 3 105 components. Better frame without the ultegra shifters. Couldn't tell the difference in ride and the shifting seemed similar to ultergra. $2000
2013 Guerciotti Cartessio 105 $2300. Was driving past bike force and went in and mentioned to the guy my budget and he showed me the bike they all seem to love at the moment (Guerciotti). Test rode and it seemed nice but maybe it was just me but it was a bit more aggressive than the Defy but not the TCR.
Lovely looking bike but maybe a bit of overkill for a newbie and I'm not sure about the warranty on the frame (any advice on this Italian brand would be helpful)
In a way this might sound strange but I found buying a car with a budget a much easier choice. There seems to be a lot of great bike manufacturers out there.
I need to be told by someone what to purchase!!

Cheers
Tony

drumondo
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Re: buying first road bike

Postby drumondo » Sun Jan 20, 2013 5:17 pm

Mulger bill wrote:Here's the thing. A $5,000 bike that never feels right under your bum or a $1,400 unit that you can't stop thinking of and you're already planning the next ride as you open the shed door after getting home? Which one is better value?n
+2.

Do you still feel the same about the CAAD?

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DoogleDave
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Re: buying first road bike

Postby DoogleDave » Sun Jan 20, 2013 5:47 pm

They should all do the same thing or you Tony....which one felt the best to ride and which one did you like the look of the most? The bike needs to make you want to get out and ride it whenever you see it.

Once chosen, a properbike fit will ensure that whichever bike you choose will be setup to suit you and your riding style to maximise comfort and you getting the most out of the bike.

Then the hard part begins....finding time to clock up as many km's as you can :-)

Dave

PS. None of us can really tell you which bike you should buy....this is a decision YOU need to make dependant on the looks and feel of the bikes you've looked at. There is no right or wrong answer as long as you choose the bike you cant resist.
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macca33
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Re: buying first road bike

Postby macca33 » Sun Jan 20, 2013 5:57 pm

They're all shiny and new and in all reality, very similar in specification / performance. The most telling part ought too be HOW it FITS you (sizing AND comfort). You are going to do a lot of miles on your new rig, so you don't want to get a couple of months down the track and not be happy, or get sore.

The only way you'll know is to take them for a ride over a bit of a distance (around the carpark isn't good enough), then you'll know which is the correct bike - price isn't always the best guide.

Cheers and good luck.
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RonK
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Re: buying first road bike

Postby RonK » Sun Jan 20, 2013 6:00 pm

It doesn't matter which one you buy. If it turns out you don't really like cycling, it'll end up at the back of the garage. And if the bug bites and you do like cycling, well it's only your first bike and you'll soon be lusting after something better.
So just buy the one that has the best paint job.
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Soulspawn
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Re: buying first road bike

Postby Soulspawn » Mon Jan 21, 2013 1:17 am

tony66 wrote: The bikes are:
2012 Giant TCR advanced 3 105. Ride was really nice and I actually loved the red and white frame colour.$2000
2012 Giant Defy Composite 1 mix of Ultegra and 105. Rode this and seemed really nice and stable with an upright position. Price was very good at $2100
2012 Giant Defy Advanced 3 105 components. Better frame without the ultegra shifters. Couldn't tell the difference in ride and the shifting seemed similar to ultergra. $2000
Hey tony,
I've just started to get into researching road bikes in the last week or so, and I was seriously considering the Giant defy alloy frame with carbon fork and the 105s for $1400.... But then a mate asked me to look online and I found this http://www.cyclingexpress.com/cycle/201 ... -bike.aspx 2013 verite team s carbon. Also try looking at polygon bikes from bicyclesonline.com.au as I've read good things about them!
These are not branded bikes (ie like giant, specialize or trek) but I thought it wouldn't matter much to me as I'm a newbie. I also had a tighter budget and didn't want to spend more than $1.3k on the bike itself, and with the verite team s, I was getting mostly 105gear set (note this is not full 105s) and a carbon frame instead of a alloy one.
Bearing in mind that clothing, helmet, saddle bag, pump, etc will also need to be bought and will prob cost another 200-300 more.

There are obvious cons to this... Firstly, you don't get to try the bike out for fit before buying. Secondly you will not get that relationship and service from a bricks and mortar local shop (which many people tell me is invaluable) and warranty might be harder to claim from an online shop. Thirdly, I've read a couple of bad review on service from online retailers, and if you buy from overseas you will get stung by import tax.

Balancing out all the pros and cons, the tight-arse in me won and I pulled the trigger on the team s above today, as they had a 15% sale which is just ending. I will try to post feedback on this purchase as I get the bike and ride it. Not sure how valuable this might be for u, as I'm not an expert. :)

Soulspawn
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Re: buying first road bike

Postby Soulspawn » Mon Jan 21, 2013 1:27 am

Oops.. I just read the buying a first bike FAQ and one of the rules which people seemed to highlight was "don't buy your first bike online" hahaha. Dang. Too late for me now. Fingers crossed thing turn out ok.

Philz
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Re: buying first road bike

Postby Philz » Mon Jan 21, 2013 10:54 am

hope it works out with CE...

thejester
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Re: buying first road bike

Postby thejester » Mon Jan 21, 2013 11:16 am

My rules to buying 1st roadie
1. what $Aus you are prepared to leave in the shed is your budget.
- cause "yes" you will want to upgrade if you get into it, but if you dont :(
2. does it look cool to your eye.
- if you like it, you will want to ride it
3. does it have carbon seat post, if not, will buying one break rule one.
- I just bought one and OMG!!! My arse loves me again.
4. Sora and Tiagra are NOT crap!!!!! They are reliable. They are heavier and less precise than 105.
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Re: buying first road bike

Postby thejester » Mon Jan 21, 2013 11:23 am

Soulspawn wrote:Oops.. I just read the buying a first bike FAQ and one of the rules which people seemed to highlight was "don't buy your first bike online" hahaha. Dang. Too late for me now. Fingers crossed thing turn out ok.
if its a medium (53 - 54 ish) and you don't like it, and haven't broken it, after your 1st ride. I will swap you a brand new Giant Defy 105 in whatever size you like. :twisted:

if you cant put it together, make it a Defy 2 :twisted:
Trek Madone 3.1
Giant CRX4 - Black Ghost
Shogun Trailbreaker3
I need a dualie

tony66
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Re: buying first road bike

Postby tony66 » Fri Jan 25, 2013 7:40 pm

Bought the Guerciotti in the end.
Test road a Madone 4.5, Defy Advanced 2 and Specialized Roubiax.
Sat on the Guerciotti rode it for 20minutes and bought it without a second thought.
I was going to buy the Giant which was also great but the Guerciotti just looked and rode that bit better.
My late Italian dad who cycled a lot in Italy would be very proud of me.
Now a decision on the colour either blue and white or the yellow and black. Which do you guys think looks better?

Cheers
Tony

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The Walrus
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Re: buying first road bike

Postby The Walrus » Fri Jan 25, 2013 11:41 pm

Show us some links or pictures?
Never underestimate the power of ignorance

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DoogleDave
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Re: buying first road bike

Postby DoogleDave » Sat Jan 26, 2013 8:19 am

Well done Tony, a friend in our local club got one of these just before xmas....looks like a nice ride.

As for the colour choice, it shouldn't matter what colour we think looks best, we're not riding it - YOU are.
Which one do you like the best? You have to live with it and love it, not us....

Dave
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RonK
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Re: buying first road bike

Postby RonK » Sat Jan 26, 2013 10:03 am

Yellow and black not a top choice at the moment.

Italian? Don't they have red, white and green? :)
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fatdudeonabike
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Re: buying first road bike

Postby fatdudeonabike » Sat Jan 26, 2013 5:52 pm

I'm probably a bit late in giving advice given you've chosen the bike.
But as a new rider myself, I'd suggest that no one be talked into going above your price bracket - from what I hear, the first bike you buy is rarely the bike you're using in a years time. Either you'll be upgrading, or it'll be in the shed getting cobwebs. In any case, I just don't think you should go above your budget on a hobby thats completely new to you.
I'm lucky, the bug has bitten me - but I dont regret the cheap hybrid I got for a second.

The other bit of fellow noob advice that I'd give as to why you shouldnt go above your budget - I doubt any new rider ever has really had a clue how much more it costs to get set up. Certainly I didn't. Lights (at least 100 if you'll be riding at night), helmet (at least 50), bottles and cages (at least 50 if you're getting two), pumps, patch kits, spare tube, tyre levers (well over 50 for the lot), probably a lock (at least 50 for a good one - and a lock, alongside a helmet, is what you don't want to skimp on), gloves (at least 20-30), padded shorts (at least 30), probably a jersey that will allow you to be seen if you're riding on the road (anywhere from 30-150), saddle bag (at least 30), multi tool for roadside repairs or adjustments (about 30). And in my case, wanting to commute adds another 180 bucks for a Topeak quick release set up (so I can remove it for weekend riding)
And that's only if you don't start to get upgradeitis as well.

That should really be the golden rule to buying a bike, along side the obvious ones like correct fitting and not buying the first one online - that you should set aside at least $400 of your budget for accessories.

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The Walrus
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Re: buying first road bike

Postby The Walrus » Sat Jan 26, 2013 10:23 pm

You're totally right Fatsydeonabike it's a bit late.
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Summernight
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Re: buying first road bike

Postby Summernight » Tue Jan 29, 2013 12:26 pm

The Walrus wrote:You're totally right Fatsydeonabike it's a bit late.
:)

But not too late for anyone else reading the thread later on in the future who is interested in buying their first road bike. Before buying my first road bike I researched and read these forums and the threads on here that mentioned the list that Fatdueonabike mentioned were very helpful in getting a good accurate idea of how much I would be needing and paying in total.

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The Walrus
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Re: buying first road bike

Postby The Walrus » Tue Jan 29, 2013 4:12 pm

Summernight wrote:
The Walrus wrote:You're totally right Fatsydeonabike it's a bit late.
:)

But not too late for anyone else reading the thread later on in the future who is interested in buying their first road bike. Before buying my first road bike I researched and read these forums and the threads on here that mentioned the list that Fatdueonabike mentioned were very helpful in getting a good accurate idea of how much I would be needing and paying in total.
+1
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