Road Cycling - Best Road Bike for the Dollar

Are there other bikes out there like the Specialized Allez Sport that offer a good bike for the price? It's listed at 800 but I can get it for less and it's a great ride. Is there any other bikes I should look out for?

I am very picky when it comes to looks, that's why I prefer a black frame. I just want the frame to be light with half decent (105) components, I can always upgrade later but I want a frame I can upgrade on.

So, are you looking for the best road bike for the dollar or COLOR? :D

For the money, it's hard to beat online retailers like Supergo (http://www.supergo.com), who sell their own branded bikes (Supergo has the Scattante).

So, are you looking for the best road bike for the dollar or COLOR? :D

I have a can of black Krylon in case I end up with a nice american flag frame.

I just want a basic looking frame. I can't stand these multicolored pink/purple/yellow bikes that fade, etc.

Fuji Team Superlight. Fantastic bike for the price, but I purchased one that was 7 months old for $800 w/o wheels (read the roadbikereview.com reviews).

Great components, a stiff, comfortable aluminum frame even for big guys (I'm 6' 190 lbs). No flex and I just did a century on it without stopping - felt fine.

Howard

For the money, it's hard to beat online retailers like Supergo (http://www.supergo.com), who sell their own branded bikes (Supergo has the Scattante).

And how are their Scattante bikes?

The most for the least $ you should go with the generic Taiwanese builds. You can get a 105 bike with higher parts spec than a big name like Specialized (which basically is the same generic frame, just paying for the name and better warranty).

At the $800 price range there isn't a whole lot of manuvering room so it's going to be tight- meaning a part here, a part there will be better.

Look at the Supergo's (like Moonshot said) or Douglas (colorado cyclist)... there are many out there. I think those two will at least stand behind the sale for at least 30 days. Plus they usually throw in better wheels than Trek, Specialized, etc would.

Iron Horse is worth looking at. Scattante is a good bike. Fuji Roubaix. Douglas. Check out bikesdirect.com or getawaybikes.com for good deals. And buy some steel wool and a can of spray paint.

55/Rad

I'm not too crazy about those bikes. I guess I'll just wait to get a good used one..

Even a Giant OCR-1 ('03 or '02 models) are a good deal, at ~$800. They come with 105 and nice wheels..

There are quite a few very nice platform bikes available in the $800 price range you are targeting.

1.) Giant OCR 2 or 3
2.) Felt F80 / F90
3.) Trek 1200
4.) LeMond Nevada City

These are just a few of the bikes on the market that can be found for $800 or less.

The best buy would have to go to the Giant. The OCR 1, 2 & 3 utilize the same frame but the components get better as the model # gets lower. I believe you can get the OCR 3, which is Giant's entry road bike for $600 and it is equipped with a carbon/alum fork. The components are a mix of Shimano Sora and TruAvativ but the quality is there.

Don't be fooled that just because it's spec'd with SORA that it's cheap and won't last. My wife started with a 2000 Giant OCR 2 with full SORA. We just recently sold it on Ebay and purchased a Wilier frame set which is now built up with full 105 triple and still using the SORA shift/brake levers. These levers have 3500 + miles on them and still shift very well. If you maintain your components they will perform and last for years.

I know an amature Triathalete who has a bike with SORA/Tiagra with over 5000 miles on it and since I do all her maintenance I know that it still works very well.

The real consideration here is if you plan to only spend $800 max on a bike at this time and you decide to upgrade the components in less than a year you might as well go to the next level of bike. I see people do it all the time. They purchase a $700 bike and in 6 months they want to upgrade the derailluers, cranks and brakes, etc. Now they have spent $1000 to $1200 for a bike they could have bought for $850 - $900.

Shop around and see if your local shops have any 2003 models left. They usually want to move those out of inventory and you can get a great deal on last years models. Call around to surrounding towns and see if another shop has something.

Good luck and let us know what you get.

The real consideration here is if you plan to only spend $800 max on a bike at this time and you decide to upgrade the components in less than a year you might as well go to the next level of bike. I see people do it all the time. They purchase a $700 bike and in 6 months they want to upgrade the derailluers, cranks and brakes, etc. Now they have spent $1000 to $1200 for a bike they could have bought for $850 - $900.

This is oh-so-true. I bought a used Poprad cyclocross as a second bike and proceeded to to turn it into a roadie. New (to me) wheels, tires, crank, derailleurs, almost everything. Then I decided what I really wanted was a better road bike. So I bought a better frame and took all the new stuff off the Poprad, put it on the new frame and rebuilt the Rad into it's original form. Now I have 2 bikes where 1 would have been sufficient. Not that I'm complaining but until I bought the new frame, I had well over $1500 invested in a $800 bike.

Point is - know what you want and get the very best you can now.

55/Rad

Well, I might go with the Specialized Allez Sport Triple. It has the same frame as the upper level bikes and I can always upgrade the parts in time which I do with every bike I've ever owned (that's half the fun). I can probably get one for 700.00...

Two things, first the frame on the Allez Sport has the same geoemtry but not the same tubing as the higher level Allez' Second I have a 'used' 2003 Allez Sport with new fork looking for a new owner (56cm..PM me if your interested)

Point is - know what you want and get the very best you can now.

55/Rad

Couldn't agree more. Probably the main reason I got the Felt F35. I figured in a few years I could upgrade the frame and easily keep all the componentry.

Felt,Fuji,K2,scattante,in another couple of months from now when the 05's come out you can find a deal on any 04.

The Douglas Precision Plus looks very good. You could put Litespeed decals on it, and it would pass for the 2004 Tuscany.

Cheers

And how are their Scattante bikes?

I heard somewhere that the Scattante shimmied at high speeds. Not sure if that has been addressed yet.

I heard somewhere that the Scattante shimmied at high speeds. Not sure if that has been addressed yet.

I have the CFR. Great bike. The shimmy that has been reported is almost certainly due to improper setup. Mine has never once shimmied at high speed....

If you're going the on-line route you might want to check this out:

http://www.ibexbikes.com/Bikes/2004/VTG-5500-Details.html

Full 105 group and a carbon fork for $850. Even comes with clipless pedals.

The Allez sport is a decent bike. You may be able to find a 2003 Allez Elite for a similar price though.

Are there other bikes out there like the Specialized Allez Sport that offer a good bike for the price? It's listed at 800 but I can get it for less and it's a great ride. Is there any other bikes I should look out for?

I am very picky when it comes to looks, that's why I prefer a black frame. I just want the frame to be light with half decent (105) components, I can always upgrade later but I want a frame I can upgrade on.

While it may be slightly higher than your price range, I thought it worth bringing this thread to your attention. This appears to be a seriously good deal. Budget an extra ~$50 to be fitted by your LBS and you're SET!

previous thread (http://bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=52651)

-mark

The Allez sport is a decent bike. You may be able to find a 2003 Allez Elite for a similar price though.

I got my 2003 Specialized Allez Elite 27 for $800 and change off of eBay. I love the bike, and in the 300 or so miles I've put on it since I bought it (I've had it for about two weeks now), I've only grown to love it even more.

It's a beautiful bike and rides amazingly. I've not had much experience with road bikes, as I mostly rode MTBs, but I've made the switch to this and I'm pretty damn happy. Of course, I now want to upgrade to an S-Works bike, but don't we all?

While it may be slightly higher than your price range, I thought it worth bringing this thread to your attention. This appears to be a seriously good deal. Budget an extra ~$50 to be fitted by your LBS and you're SET!

previous thread (http://bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=52651)

-mark

I did see that but I locked onto a white 2003 Santa Cruz Roadster with full Ultegra & Mavic Ksyriums for 1300. Can't wait to get it...

And how are their Scattante bikes?


I am primarily a mountain biker but I am pleased as punch with my Scattante

I payed 850 at supergo (on sale) and got a stiff, light bike with ultegra components!