Road Bike Racing - are the $1000 bikes worth it?

I am a mountain biker who is looking to make the transformation to road cycling. I am torn as to what to do about purchasing a bike. I was looking at the $1000 range including the Giant OCR1, Trek1500, as well as the Felt F-70. I am not sure if I should choose one of these bikes or just save the money and go with the Trek1000. Are these $1000 bikes worth the extra money? Or should I just try the beginner bike and trade it in for a bike with Dura-Ace down the road if I still love the sport.

Thanks for taking the time!!

What are your goals in road cycling? How much time do you expect to be committing to it?

I know people are going to each have their own opinions about your question, but here's mine. For a decent road racing bike $1000 is at the very low end of the spectrum. If you would like to upgrade your components later that's fine, but if you have a poor frame to start off with, throwing nicer components on won't do very much for you. At $1000 if you look hard, maybe buy used or can find a good deal on a new or maybe a new bike from last year or the year before, do it.

Being as you're posting this in the racing section, I'm assuming that you're wanting to race and I do think quality matters. If I were new to the sport, but know what I do today, the lowest I would start out at would be the $1600 dollar range. I know that may sound a little steep, but what's the point of buying a $1000 bike, and then throwing another $1000 into it down the line to bring it up to the specs that the $1600 dollar bike comes equipped with?

For example, look at the Bianchi (non reporto corso) line. Many of those bikes have the exact same frame but different components. However, the price to upgrade a bike later to a higher level is much more expensive than just buying the better one in the first place.

I'm being long winded here, but look at the quality of the frame and go from there. $1000 is at the low end for racing bikes, but it can be done. But the bottom line is throwing Dura-Ace on a Huffy frame is still a Huffy.

You can get a nice bike for one grand. It pays to shop around. Sometimes you can get good deals on older model bikes that have not sold.

a friend of mine bought a fuji newest for about $600 bucks and he really loves it. he rides about 10 miles a day so it's perfect for him. since i ride a lot i "need" something a bit nicer. road bikes have a sweet spot at about the $1500 range - lots of options and some really nice stuff. if you're limited to a grand, try finding a close-out price on an older model. i bought my first bike for $1300 brand new - and it retailed at $1800. i just just bought the last years model.

hey....this is the most bike I have ever seen for this price. Only 1099.00 gets you full Ultegra 10(except crank is Truvativ), carbon fork, carbon stays, carbon seat post, Easton ultralight frame.

http://www.supergo.com/profile.cfm?LPROD_ID=25871&lsubcat_id=7618&lcat_id=7605&referpage=#

I mean this groupset is 'nearly' as good as Dura Ace. This is a steal!

I think I'll go to the Porche web site and ask if they are really worth it...just kidding...kinda. Riding on the road one or more days a week....spend the $. One of the best choices would be a $800-$1000 used bike....if you need to make a change you don't take the $ hit associated with a new one.

one word: ebay

test ride bikes until you know what size frame, frame material, and features you like. Then find something similar but used on ebay for a whole lot cheaper. You can find nice ultegra equipped bikes a couple of years old or less for much less than you'd pay new.

I know people are going to each have their own opinions about your question, but here's mine. For a decent road racing bike $1000 is at the very low end of the spectrum. If you would like to upgrade your components later that's fine, but if you have a poor frame to start off with, throwing nicer components on won't do very much for you. At $1000 if you look hard, maybe buy used or can find a good deal on a new or maybe a new bike from last year or the year before, do it.

Being as you're posting this in the racing section, I'm assuming that you're wanting to race and I do think quality matters. If I were new to the sport, but know what I do today, the lowest I would start out at would be the $1600 dollar range. I know that may sound a little steep, but what's the point of buying a $1000 bike, and then throwing another $1000 into it down the line to bring it up to the specs that the $1600 dollar bike comes equipped with?

For example, look at the Bianchi (non reporto corso) line. Many of those bikes have the exact same frame but different components. However, the price to upgrade a bike later to a higher level is much more expensive than just buying the better one in the first place.

I'm being long winded here, but look at the quality of the frame and go from there. $1000 is at the low end for racing bikes, but it can be done. But the bottom line is throwing Dura-Ace on a Huffy frame is still a Huffy.


While the last sentence is quite true, I do beg to differ with much of what you say. At the $1000 price point there are quite a few nice road bikes to be had...from the likes of Trek, LeMond, Cannondale, Felt, Specialized and many others. I do not recall anywhere in his post where he said he was going to race this bike. A $1000 bike is fine for a beginner, I would hate to have some "expert" tell me that the bike I just laid out $850 of my hard earned cash for is not a very good bike (LeMond Tourmalet). My bike is spec'd with Shimano 105/Ultegra...the only step up in the Shimano line is Dura Ace. Do you mean to tell this fellow that he needs to go right to the top of the line as a beginner? If you sir were a bike salesman, you could rest assured that I would not be spending my money in your shop, besides, maybe he doesn't have the extra $600.....I didn't. When I bought my bike...$1100 was about my ceiling and I was very glad to get this leftover for $850....you could have suggested other options, like quality used bikes, closeouts, rental stock or others.

More Elitists anyone?

Interesting.
On one hand we have Jaco who is talking about Racing bikes
(this is the racing sub forum).
On the other are answers about road bikes in general.
If this were in the road forum I would say $1,000.00 would
get alot of bike.
For racing, I agree with Jaco, look for used or last years models
at reduced cost. The upgraded gruppos is a minor point to me,
but the upgraded wheelset will be a significant difference where
it really counts in a race bike.
I don't think the posts are elitist or snobish but spot on in a racing forum.

Marty

While the last sentence is quite true, I do beg to differ with much of what you say. At the $1000 price point there are quite a few nice road bikes to be had...from the likes of Trek, LeMond, Cannondale, Felt, Specialized and many others. I do not recall anywhere in his post where he said he was going to race this bike. A $1000 bike is fine for a beginner, I would hate to have some "expert" tell me that the bike I just laid out $850 of my hard earned cash for is not a very good bike (LeMond Tourmalet). My bike is spec'd with Shimano 105/Ultegra...the only step up in the Shimano line is Dura Ace. Do you mean to tell this fellow that he needs to go right to the top of the line as a beginner? If you sir were a bike salesman, you could rest assured that I would not be spending my money in your shop, besides, maybe he doesn't have the extra $600.....I didn't when I bought my bike...$1100 was about my ceiling and I was very glad to get this leftover for $850....you could have suggested other options, like quality used bikes, closeouts, rental stock or others.

More Elitists anyone?

Okay, deep breath their dude. First off I'm not a bike dealer and I'm not an elitest. This guy posted in the racing forum so I'm going to tell him what I think about racing bikes. He also is talking about later upgrading to higher components after buying a $1000 bike. He may be a beginner, but if he's already talking about upgrading, and posting in the racing forum, he should realize that shelling out the extra money will save him some in the long run and he'll also be happier with the quality of bike that he's getting. If he just wants a bike to ride on the road, he doesn't need to spend even close to $1000. However, he's posting in the racing forums, and I'm thinking that he wants to be competitive, wants a quality bike and wants a bike that is a deal for the money.

And no offense to your bike, but having an Ultegra rear derailleur and all the rest 105 hardly means the only "next step" is Dura Ace. Also, if you think $1600 is top of the line, I think you might need to check out some more bike prices. And if you would re-read my original post you will see I did recommend used bikes or last year's model if he is set on the $1000 price range.

I can remember a time when I couldn't find the funds for a new bike...and boy did I want to race and train at a time when I didn't have a set of wheels to do it with.

Then one day I was riding home from work and passing a pawn shop. there was a cluster of bikes out in front of the shop and a bright red one caught my eye. I noticed it was a road bike..interesting!!!. So I slammed on brakes, did a U-turn and pulled up to the shop.

I walked over to the bikes and looked over that bright red Nishiki road bike. It was a little old and the paint was a little rough. Plus the tires were dry rotted. It had Shimano RSX rear derailleur with down tube shifters(7 speed cassette with a double) and the front chainrings were the old Biopace ellipticals.

I went inside and asked the shopkeeper his lowest price. I seem to remember we agreed on 50 bucks. I loaded the bike into the car and headed for home.

Next day I was at the LBS with my bright red Nishiki. I submiited the bike for repairs, tune up, wheel trueing, and a new set of tires. Plus I added some bottle cages and some new cork on the handle bars. I also purchased some bright red touch up paint and did a job on the frame. Total amount spent was approx. 160 bucks max.

Well...in no time I was out on the open roads training again and having the time of my life. It felt great to be riding hard and getting fit. Within a few months I was doing a few crits and road races on my bright red Nishiki....having the time of my life I tell ya. That bright red Nishiki never complained once. No problems all summer!

Eventually the hot summer days gave way to the changing of the seasons....and in time I was forced off the bike for the winter. When spring returned my finances were such that I could now get myself a new road bike...you know, one with those hip shifters integrated into the brakes. One with 200 cogs on the rear cassette. Had to have some carbon fiber too!

With great sadness I retired that bright red Nishiki. I'll never forget that bike...as it got me through a difficult period and allowed me to get out there and revel in my passion. I had many great rides on that bright red Nishiki...out on those open roads on hot summer days. Just me and my bright red Nishiki. Best 160 bucks I have ever spent! She never complained once I tell ya!

I am a mountain biker who is looking to make the transformation to road cycling. I am torn as to what to do about purchasing a bike. I was looking at the $1000 range including the Giant OCR1, Trek1500, as well as the Felt F-70. I am not sure if I should choose one of these bikes or just save the money and go with the Trek1000. Are these $1000 bikes worth the extra money? Or should I just try the beginner bike and trade it in for a bike with Dura-Ace down the road if I still love the sport.

Thanks for taking the time!!

In that you are already a mountain biker, you must have a reasonable idea if you will have a continued interest in road bikes. I made the mistake of starting off with a $1200 bike, and within three months, I was buying a CF bike with full Dura-ace, and spending over $3000. My most recent bike, my TT bike, was about $6000. It is addictive!

I know that the Trek1500 is a great bike. My son, after doing lots of research and test rides, but one of those as his entry level bike.

With great sadness I retired that bright red Nishiki. I'll never forget that bike...as it got me through a difficult period and allowed me to get out there and revel in my passion. I had many great rides on that bright red Nishiki . . .

Nice story. I also started out racing last year on a used older model, since it was all I could afford. It featured Shimano 600 8 speed when everybody else is riding 9 and 10 speed. I was also sad to retire that bike and move up to CF stuff and a fancy new frame with 10 speed goup this year. A new bike will make a good rider better but it won't make a bad rider good . . . it's still all about the engine. I got my share of good results and even a few wins on that old bike.

The other side of this argument is people who lay out thousands for a new road bike, only to have it sit in their basement gathering dust after a year or so.

If you aren't sure that you will continue with the sport, it is possible to get a decent entry-level road bike for about $1,000. That's what I did. While my mountain bike was rotting in my garage, my $1,000 Bianchi was seeing almost constant use. I got about 6 good years out of that bike before I decided to upgrade to a nicer bike. But at that point, I knew the money I was spending wouldn't go to waste. And, since I had been road riding for a few years, I had enough experience to make an intelligent choice on the better bike.

My Bianchi now lives on my trainer. It's still a good bike.

Re-reading the original post, the question was more "is it worth spending $1,000 or should I save money on a cheaper bike"?

I'd have to say it's probably hard to find a good road bike for under $1,000. I'm sure it's possible, but it would take some research. I'm talking entry-level racing bike.

It may be possible to get a decent touring bike for that price.

But it would be difficult to enjoy the sport if the first bike purchased isn't right for the type of riding the OP had in mind.

I started racing this year with a '04 LeMond BA with Bontager Race wheels and Ultegra. I got it for about 17k and I have been taking on guys with high end bikes. I say for Cat 5 a little less that 2k will get you in the door; the rest is training. My last race I took 10th on the RR and 5th on the TT... not bad for a low end bike.

So how much of a difference can the original poster expect when shelling out 2 grand as opposed to only 1. Some mentioned that the level of comfort increases with the amout of money spent, but since this is a racing forum question how much more competitive will the more expensive bike make the average person in terms of speed and time?

So how much of a difference can the original poster expect when shelling out 2 grand as opposed to only 1. Some mentioned that the level of comfort increases with the amout of money spent, but since this is a racing forum question how much more competitive will the more expensive bike make the average person in terms of speed and time?

Ultimately, it is up to the "engine." However I think an approrpiate analogy would be this... You could buy a Chevet and race it. If you became a good driver you could probably beat some of the superior cars that had poor drivers. However, once you got to a point, you would be racing against good drivers in good cars, and you would be at a disadvantage. In cycling, especially in the "upper" races, the differences in places can be seconds, which a nicer bike can afford you. It's not going to win you races out of the box, but a good engine together with a nice bike will beat people with good engines and poorer bikes...not by hours, but by just enough to win. It also gives you (and I hate to say this, but we all know it's true) credibility and even respect. If I pull up to the line next to a guy riding a Huffy mountain bike, it's going to be hard to take him very seriously and that alone (lack of credibility) can make racing much more difficult.

... If I pull up to the line next to a guy riding a Huffy mountain bike, it's going to be hard to take him very seriously and that alone (lack of credibility) can make racing much more difficult.
That gives me an idea! I'm going to get good enough to be competitive and get a decent MTB(current is good but long in the tooth), and put Huffy decals on it, so they think I whooped 'em on a Huffy.:lol:

That gives me an idea! I'm going to get good enough to be competitive and get a decent MTB(current is good but long in the tooth), and put Huffy decals on it, so they think I whooped 'em on a Huffy.:lol:

I always wanted to pull up to the line chewing tobacco or smoking a cigarette, just to see what reaction I'd get. I think it would be even better to cross the line smoking a cigarette, if you were winning by a large gap. Just to see the look on the peope's faces crossing the line with arms raised in victory with a Marlboro hanging out of your mouth would be priceless.

I always wanted to pull up to the line chewing tobacco or smoking a cigarette, just to see what reaction I'd get. I think it would be even better to cross the line smoking a cigarette, if you were winning by a large gap. Just to see the look on the peope's faces crossing the line with arms raised in victory with a Marlboro hanging out of your mouth would be priceless.
I have a friend that runs (needs conversion) and sit and smokes on the starting line of 5k races. All the other racers are warming up and saying "stay away from me I need to run" then he takes first place. Its good.

I always wanted to pull up to the line chewing tobacco or smoking a cigarette, just to see what reaction I'd get. I think it would be even better to cross the line smoking a cigarette, if you were winning by a large gap. Just to see the look on the peope's faces crossing the line with arms raised in victory with a Marlboro hanging out of your mouth would be priceless.

Now THAT would be a riot!

i totally agree with sat_cycle's suggestion of learning about which sizes fit you in the various brands by test riding and then shopping on eBay.

these folks at the forum are all very helpful and they have good advice for the most part. but despite baj32161's good fortunes (finding a Lemond Tourmalet for $850) i'm a firm believer that if you're gonna shop for a new roadie you should have $1200 or $1300 in your pocket so you have options for a decent frame with a decent group on it. getting a Felt F-60 or a Jamis Quest or a Bianchi Imola or something along those lines - it's a ways up from a $1000 budget, but you end up with an honestly good roadbike that you won't need to upgrade. the fuji finest is _not such a bike and nobody here would claim that it is. it's true that you could start out on it, but still....

So the Felt F70 for $1100, the Jamis Quest or the Bianchi Imola for $1300. Actually, you can get a Fuji Roubaix Pro from Performance for $999 now - that's a fair price for a good bike. But options like that around $1000 are hard to find.

on eBay you can lots of good used bikes for under a grand, but you have to know what you want and be careful with sizing.

good luck!