Fifty Plus (50+) - Question on two bikes?

I know I'm not 50+ just yet but who would know better about a bike at our age then you guys/gals. I just posted this over on road bike but I thought maybe some of you guys don't look over there & I would like your help.

Tonight I picked up my bike (hybrid that looks like a mountain bike) from a LBS, they did a tune up on it since I haven't done that since I've owned it (3-4 years)
Anyway we were talking road bikes again & they invited me to take one out for a ride tomorrow. The bike I'm looking at there is a Giant OCR A1 which has 105 components compared to the Specialized Sequoia Elite Tiagra that I've been looking at but haven't ridden either. The Giant doesn't have the set up for a rear rack, but the guy at the shop said I can get a seat post type rack that is good to 45 pounds, which is more then what I would ever carry & so when I don't need the rack I can use just a small seat type to carry a tube & parts...

The Giant has CF fork & all the bike except for the down tube & the chainstay is CF & the other is alum.
The Specialized has CF fork, and seat & chainstay are carbon fiber.

Just wondering if anyone would have the time to check out both bikes & give me there input?
http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=34075
http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-US/bikes/road/1242/29288/

One of the things I like about the Giant is the spoke pattern, but a guy at my work didn't know if they would be as strong so I asked & the LBS guy said they are very strong. My co-worker is old school so he doesn't know a lot about the newer stuff.

The LBS also has discounts on 07's now just like everyone else, but they also have lifetime tuneups, 10% off on all accessories, & you can get financing with 0% for a year, which means I could buy now & pay it off in a year & get the discount now & the bike.

The only draw back is the bike is "Red" & I don't like red.

Both are about the same price so price isn't much of an issue at this time.

I guess I'll go for a ride tomorrow & see what it is like riding a road bike compared to the hybrid....

I don't know much about "newer stuff," either, but I'm inherently distrustful of those low spoke-count wheels. Your LBS guy could be right, but whenever I've tried wheels with fewer than 32 spokes, I've had problems. Could be OK if you're average size or smaller, or I could just be dealing with old information.

I'd be wary about seat post racks too, especially with a carbon seat post (if that bike has one). There are ways around that though, such as little clips that go around the seat stays in place of brazed on mounts.

Just ride both and see which one you like best. You're not going to go wrong.

Richard

I'd be wary about seat post racks too, especially with a carbon seat post (if that bike has one). There are ways around that though, such as little clips that go around the seat stays in place of brazed on mounts.

Richard
You are right, I can't use the carbon seat post, I would have to get a alum. one.

I think 45 pounds is more than a seat post rack is rated for. I'm thinking maybe 15 or so. The bottom line is to test ride both bikes before laying down your money, and then taking the rack mounts into consideration.

The geometries of the two bikes are different enough that they're really an apples and oranges comparison.

Take long, varied and extensive test rides of each, then decide based on the ride rather than components and wheels (which can be upgraded).

Take into account your intended use, which I don't see in your post above. Most people who buy bikes like these are pure recreational/sport riders. Your desire to add a rack makes me wonder what else you'll be using the bike for. That should dictate--along with ride, fit and comfort--the bike you buy, not sale prices or coolness factor.

I have bikes with geometries similar to each model you're considering. I like them both, but they're very different bikes. The one most similar to the Giant feels lots sportier. I like it for tooling around and fast group rides. It gets uncomfortable after 50 miles or so due to the very low front end. It puts extra pressure on both my shoulders and my "taint".

My new bike is more similar to the Specialized you're looking at. I like the slightly higher "relaxed" front end. Although purchased specifically as my primary commuter rig, I rode this bike on my first century less than two weeks after I bought it. I was amazed at how good I felt afterwards as compared to my other bike. Interestingly, it's just as fast on group rides.

I am wary of both low-spoke count wheels and springboard racks. But my usage is primarily commuting. Even so, my new bike has low spoke count wheels and they seem to be holding up well enough after 700 miles, that I'm buying a second, identical set for my snow tires. For my use, I could never compromise on a rack. Perhaps you can.

Finally, as for components, in day-to-day riding, I can't really tell the difference between Sora (one step "down" from Tiagra) and 105, except that there are two more cogs on the 105. They both shift smoothly, quietly and reliably.

In summary, it's easy to get swept away in marketing hoopla and sale prices. That's fine if it's the right bike. No amount of fancy components, swoopy graphics or discount prices can make the wrong bike into a right one.

Ride both, listen to your body, not your head. Buy the one your body says works.

I have low spoke count wheels on one of my road bikes, and they are working out just fine. I weigh 220 lbs.

Never did like my seat post rack. Finally gave it away. It looked real pretty however it never would stay in position and always seemed to shift to the side no matter how tight I made it. It may be able to hold 45 lbs but will the seat post take that lateral force is my question. I went back to my tried and true frame rack for my utility bike.

The only draw back is the bike is "Red" & I don't like red.

Huh? Well, you're just going to have to get over this. Red bikes are the best!

The only draw back is the bike is "Red" & I don't like red.

Ride the bikes.

If you think that one feels a lot better than the other, buy it.

If you think that it's about even, not liking red is a plenty good enough reason to buy the other. It would suck to feel like you were stuck with a bike that turns you off every time that you look at it.

Questions about only two bikes - I'm afraid you might find this is the wrong forum. We're all co-dependent here, when it comes to exhorting strangers to buy more bikes;)

Low spoke count wheels - no problems here so far. My wife bought our first low spoke count wheels on her Trek 7.5, 20 spokes front 24 rear, carried her and luggage across Denmark a little while ago - up to a couple of thousand miles so far (I know that's not a lot, but it would be enough to show any weaknesses) - still in perfect tension despite banging across a lot of unsurfaces trails

We still use 38 minimum on the tandem, though.

One problem I have with a seat post rack is that my thighs hit the clamp while riding. Not a big deal for me on short rides, but I would not want to use it on a long ride.

The only time I would use the rack & my bags is commuting to work or back which is 25 miles.
It would be mainly carrying extra cloths & lunch.

On rides I would take it off & use a smaller seat bag, but I like my trunk for food, etc now on my day trips.

Someone asked what my plans are for riding?
Commuting to work once in a while, which is 25 miles one way. Then a co-worker wants me to do at least one century with him. Most of my riding will be recreation on weekends & living in Colorado there are hills & mountains to climb. ;):D
I've just found myself riding longer distances & I hope to keep doing that in 08.

It is possible to fit a rack to a bike where no rack mountings are available- you just have to find that rack- but I have seen them. I personaly would use a post mounted rack- with an alloy post though, and use one on the Tandem and does not moveabout or the mounting get in the way of my legs.

I have an OCR3 and have been very happy with the bike- Well made and for the quality of parts fitted- a cheap bike. My only concern with the OCR3 was the wheels and they were changed- The Wheels on the one you are thinking of are different and are far better. Gearing for hills is good. A compact double with a 27 on the rear should get you up a few mountains- but don't try 3 on your first ride. So far I can climb the same hills on a compact as I can on a triple. The specialised has a triple- Which may suit you better, but the compact Double is pretty good.

Spec on the two bikes and I would favour the Giant. 105 10 speed is a good step up from Tiagra and overall the components just seem a bit better - but this is also reflected in the price.

2 good bikes to ride but the final test is to ride them.

Another point in the Giants favour is that there is less white on it -but you only find out the benefit of this after riding the bike for about 5 minutes.:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

If you have a horizontal top tube, the seat post rack rides quite high under the seat. Thus it tends to hold the cargo too close to the seat, and the front part of the rack is unusable so the cargo weight is far back and that extra levarage adds strain to the rack. My last one cracked at the front after about a year.

If you have a compact frame there's a bit more exposed seat post so the rack rides lower and works a bit better.

EDIT: both those bikes have slanted top tubes so that will help.

Interesting that no one has commented on another difference between the bikes. The giant has a double and specialized has a triple. I would suggest triple. As you get older, the extra gearing gets more important. I have a Giant and didn't see any models I would recommend. I have become tired of the alum frame. It's nice for an entry level bike but after about 10 miles it starts to get harsh.

45 lbs is a lot to carry on a bike. Do you really need to carry all that stuff? Have you considered having some of the heavy clothes at work, so you don't have to carry them. I used to have a set of shoes I left at work so I didn't have to carry the alone.

I glanced at the geometry and didn't see much difference. Maybe I don't know what to look for. Seat angle and chain stay is about the same.

Based on my experiences, I'd recommend:
1. a non-alum frame [you're going good distances]
2. a triple for the hills
3. a smooth cassette [12-27 ish]
4. good pedals for your knees [speedplay like, 15 degree float]
5. sks fenders
6. reflective sidewall tires for your commute [such as schwalbe marathon racers]
7. a good saddle, check out slowtwitch for saddle reviews.

Have fun. You have to find something you really like so you're going to ride, ride and ride.

Another point in the Giants favour is that there is less white on it -but you only find out the benefit of this after riding the bike for about 5 minutes.:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

One of these days, I'm going to smack him for spewing such nonsense. :D

I'm back from the LBS & I rode two Giant bikes. One was the OCR A1 which was a large & I need a XL but they didn't have one. Then I rode the OCR C3 & I like that one a LOT better just because of the road vibration. They are having a sale now so the OCR C3 is $1449.00 which is only $150.00 more then the A1, they are both 07 bikes.

I took it on a pretty good ride & did one good size hill that got me down to first gear. The guys at the shop like the compact double because they feel there is less maintenances on it & they have seen more trouble with the triples in there shop. It was also set up with 25 teeth & they could change it to 27 for me if I needed.

Since this is the first time I have ridden a road bike like this I had to get used to shifting, breaking, etc. but that didn't take long. They both are 105 & I thought they shifted smooth & the guy at the shop thought 105 is plenty good for a recreational type rider.

They couldn't set it up totally for me but they did what they could. I noticed more weight on my hands/wrists & I'm not used to the weight in the shoulders but that is probably common for a road bike.

At least now I know what it is like riding a road bike, but the ride home on the hybrid was nice. It felt comfortable (just a lot slower) & I noticed how much smoother it takes the bumps.

I guess it is like an old girlfriend, they might be a little overweight but they are still fun to ride. :eek::D

They only have the one XL bike left so I guess if it is meant to be it will still be around in a month, because I can't afford it now & I know I won't be able to afford the 08 bike.

The only thing the same between my bike & a road bike is they get you from point "A" to point "B" and after that there is nothing the same.
I would have to get used to that more leaning over feeling you have on a road bike, but I suppose that comes with time in the seat.

Thanks everyone for there suggestions, I can use all the help I can get...

Had a good look at the OCR C2 in my lbs a couple of months ago and It interested me. Spec is good- but the ride did not please me. Too soft for me. Now on that ride position- It took me time before I got down into the drops and started, and still do,with riding on the hoods (Top of the brake levers). Still had a problem with hand pain but after looking at the problem- I got some new gloves with padding in the right place. Initially I had the too much weight on the hand problem and cured it with a slightly longer stem but with a lot more rise. This put the bars just below the saddle position and it worked.

Changing from MTB or hybrid riding position will cause a few problems but with adjustment- It can be sorted. All you have to think of is that a Road bike is not as Manouevable as an upright- but with looking ahead and picking your line- You can avoid the rough bits of the road.

I would not say that a double is easier to maintain or set up than a triple- but they are right at the LBS in saying that they will swop a 12/25 to a 12/27 with the compact crank. You will need the extra teeth on the hills.

Just hope that the bike is still there in a month and what a bike to start with- CF and 105 and at a sensible price.

Now have you looked at the Specialised shop to see what their bikes are like to ride. Well worth the comparison and might change your mind. Only other thing is the LBS. Sounds as though the Giant shop are helpfull and that is almost as important as the bike.

Now have you looked at the Specialized shop to see what their bikes are like to ride. Well worth the comparison and might change your mind. Only other thing is the LBS. Sounds as though the Giant shop are helpfull and that is almost as important as the bike.
I stopped by & checked it out but hopefully if the weather is nice tomorrow then I will go test ride a Specialized.
Yes I do like the guys at the first LBS, one has been around bikes for 20 years & the other for 25 & they have been very helpful. On the test bike they had to exchange a couple parts to make it fit me better & they said there are still some things they would like to change if I bought one. The handlebars were a little lower then the seat & they both said that needs to be higher.

I just realized that I never tried out the lower horns on the handlebars. :rolleyes: I was so excited trying the shifters & watching the road I didn't even think about that.
I did notice I liked the feel of my hands just on the curve of the top handlebars, when I rode on the horns it seemed to be stretching me some, but again they said that was just a matter of adjustments.

Today was the first day of riding my hybrid after they did the tune up & I was amazed at how nice it shifted & how quit it is now. I thought they did a very good job & it is all nice & clean & they even cleaned off the glue from an old sticker that someone put on it a while ago.

Another point in the Giants favour is that there is less white on it -but you only find out the benefit of this after riding the bike for about 5 minutes.:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:


One of these days, I'm going to smack him for spewing such nonsense. :D

That's right, it happens much faster than 5 minutes ;)

Richard

Just wanted to give everyone a update on the bike hunt. I want to thank everyone for there suggestions & help.
First off I want to tell everyone that looking for a new bike for a beginner is a pain in the arse. :eek:
Everyone has just a little different components, which makes the price just a little different.

At first I felt a little funny having the LBS people spend so much time with me when I knew I would only buy something from one of them, but the more I started test riding bikes the more I noticed the difference in how they road & that I knew this was something I would have to do.

Price is a factor on what I buy but the price of what I wanted to spend started to go up as I looked at different bikes.

I test road Giant, Trek, Specialized, & Lemond & I kept coming back to the Specialized Roubaix. I was hoping to get Ultegra components but the Roubaix is all 105 which I guess isn't all that bad.

There were a couple LBS that I looked at that I really didn't like the customer service & I feel that is very important specially for after you buy the bike.

Well today I rode the Roubaix again & decided to put some money down on it since they only had one left in my size from last year.

I don't really have all the money so I'm hoping to find someone that has 6 months no interest payments so I can put what I have down & then pay the rest off before the 6 months.
If anyone knows of a place I am all ears. ;):)

I hope our weather will stay nice so I'll be able to get some miles on it. The guy that has been helping me set it up pretty well, but wants me to put some miles on the bike, then bring it back & we will do some more fitting.

I'm excited to get riding, I also bought some tights (I think that is what they are called) so I can ride in a little cooler weather.

I think you made a great choice. The right choice. Then again, I'm biased. See my signature for my bike collection. :D

I think you made a great choice. The right choice. Then again, I'm biased. See my signature for my bike collection. :D
Do you have the origanal seat on your Roubaix?
The first time I rode it I didn't like the seat, but today I wore my shorts & it was a lot better.

I was also thinking of going with 28cm tires instead of the ones that are on it.

I came to this thread rather late - today! :) As I started reading your original post, I was going to leave some comments until I read to the end. I was going to tell you that the Sequoia is a super bike, but you should not miss test riding a Roubaix. I happen to own both bikes. My top-of-the-line bike is a Guru Geneo which is an $8000, and when riding by myself, I have just as much fun riding my Sequoia. In a typical week, I will ride the Geneo one day (Saturday for my typical 26 mph group hammerfest), and I ride the Roubaix and Sequoia each three days a piece. You made a super choice. I have been the cause of more people buying Roubaixs. A riding friend just bought the high-end S-Works model of the Roubaix. Good luck with it, and ride it in good health and safety.

Do you have the origanal seat on your Roubaix?
The first time I rode it I didn't like the seat, but today I wore my shorts & it was a lot better.

I was also thinking of going with 28cm tires instead of the ones that are on it.

I do have the original seat, and have no complains. 28s might be nice, will they fit?

I upgraded the saddle on mine to the Alias and I think it's great. I took the tires off that came with the bike because they seemed to pick up everything on the road. I got a flat from a little stone. I went with the Conti 4 seasons and I like them much better. Good luck with the new bike, I know I really like mine.

I do have the original seat, and have no complains. 28s might be nice, will they fit?
Steve said they should fit without any trouble.

The bike is only the beginning, now I need shoes, pedals but Steve wants me to ride it for a few weeks & get used to the bike then come back & he will fit me again with the shoes.

Steve said they should fit without any trouble.

The bike is only the beginning, now I need shoes, pedals but Steve wants me to ride it for a few weeks & get used to the bike then come back & he will fit me again with the shoes.



I ride plain old platforms, with MTB shoes. My LBS cringes when they see me come in -- they're afraid other customers might see me.

I ride plain old platforms, with MTB shoes. My LBS cringes when they see me come in -- they're afraid other customers might see me.
that is funny because I thought of that.

I upgraded the saddle on mine to the Alias and I think it's great. I took the tires off that came with the bike because they seemed to pick up everything on the road. I got a flat from a little stone. I went with the Conti 4 seasons and I like them much better. Good luck with the new bike, I know I really like mine.

Interestingly, I disliked the saddle that came with my Roubaix and also bought an Alias based on the recommendation of the LBS owner who indicated that it was the most comfortable seat he had ever ridden in over 25 years of riding. Ultimately, I wound up with Alias seats on three of my four bicycles.

I ride plain old platforms, with MTB shoes. My LBS cringes when they see me come in -- they're afraid other customers might see me.

DG rides up to his favorite Starbucks, parks the Roubaix next to a shiny new Madone, and suddenly four roadies in full kit sipping their lattes gasp in unison -- "he's got platform pedals!" :D

DG rides up to his favorite Starbucks, parks the Roubaix next to a shiny new Madone, and suddenly four roadies in full kit sipping their lattes gasp in unison -- "he's got platform pedals!" :D

Exactly! :roflmao:

The only time I would use the rack & my bags is commuting to work or back which is 25 miles.
It would be mainly carrying extra cloths & lunch.

On rides I would take it off & use a smaller seat bag, but I like my trunk for food, etc now on my day trips.

Someone asked what my plans are for riding?
Commuting to work once in a while, which is 25 miles one way. Then a co-worker wants me to do at least one century with him. Most of my riding will be recreation on weekends & living in Colorado there are hills & mountains to climb. ;):D
I've just found myself riding longer distances & I hope to keep doing that in 08.


The only thing I can add is that a seatpost rack makes an excellent fender if you get caught in the rain. No soaked rear end.

I don't know much about "newer stuff," either, but I'm inherently distrustful of those low spoke-count wheels. Your LBS guy could be right, but whenever I've tried wheels with fewer than 32 spokes, I've had problems. Could be OK if you're average size or smaller, or I could just be dealing with old information.

I don't know those specific bikes either, but let me second two cautions other posts have raised:
--the low spoke count wheels worry me. I know people who weigh around 180-200 lbs who say they've used them successfully, but personally, at 225-240 depending on the season, I've had problems whenever I've gone below 32 spokes. Your weight and riding habits would be factors here, of course.
--There are better ways to attach a rack than hanging it off the seat post. If you have no attachment points, you can get vinyl-coated C-shaped clamps (Home Depot sells them, and any bike shop should know what they're called, but I can't remember offhand) that go around the stays and hold the rack. Might take some looking around to find what you need, but I'm always worried I'll snap off a post if I load the rack up.