Road Cycling - Newbie Going Nuts

I am going completely nuts deciding on a first bike. There's so much conflicting info out there. I have not been able to look at or ride a steel bike to decide if it's something I want, but according to a lot of people on this board, steel can be almost as light as aluminim, rides better, and lasts far longer. I have a small window in which I can get a motobecane legacy pro w/ full ultegra for an amazing price. problem it is over the internet (from a reliable source) and i can't check the thing out. for most frames, i'd get a 58 or 59 cm, but the dealer said in an e-mail I should go for a 61 cm. I'm 6'0"-6'1", 34 inch inseam, and weigh 165.

based on conflicting reviews, as far as a gruppo, it seems that shimano 105 would be definitely safe, anything under that may be good, may be bad.

being that i'm a noob, should i just calm down and get myself a nice trek / cannondale / lemond / specialized / giant and enjoy it?

i'm going nuts overhere. would someone please calm me down?

For a noob you're doing very well.. Ans as to the trepidations you feel, thats normal.. :)

The difference between Ultegra and 105 will be irrelevant if the bike doesn't fit you perfectly. I would go with a bike you know fits you.
As to the size, I would say it is better to err on too small then too big. A bike that is too small can be made to fit (to a point, 1 or 2 cm) with stems, seat posts, etc. A bike that is too big can not be made to fit without cutting..:)

Yes, relax. This isn't a contest, and no one is supposed to buy the "perfect ride" the first time. As for some "advice," it's sometimes based on personal preferences, and sometimes based on "acquired preferences and knowledge" (meaning that until you ride X for a year or two, you won't know or feel the difference between it and Y).

Some general points:

1) I personally won't buy a bike without test riding it. I have bought from a Craig's List ad online, but only because it was local and I could test ride it.

2) Get the best components you can afford, but don't let them determine the bike. Just because something has Ultegra doesn't mean it's the right bike for you instead of a 105 bike. The frame and wheelset are more important (again, though, it take experiences and riding bikes for quite awhile to feel and know why).

Given this, the best first bike might be a used purchase, or a LBS purchase, but make sure the bike feels good if not great to you on the test rides. Components and wheelsets can be changed later, or your experience can be used to select an incredible second bike.

Final note: blowing too many bucks on bike one can be risky. Your tastes may change as your ability increases with riding experience. Also, I've seen more than one expensive "perfect bike" road/hybrid/mtb end up never being ridden.

I liked the look and feel of the Specialized Allez. It seems like a real nice bike for the price. The lower end model has the 105 and Tiagra. The higher priced model has 105 and Ultegra. Priced anywhere from 800-1000 at my LBS

If you 're this nervous about buying a bike on the 'net...DON'T DO IT! the peace of mind from getting it fitted to you by a pro is worth the extra money...believe me.
Do your homework, get as much knowledge as you can about, say 3 or 4 bikes in your price range, test ride them all...and... last but not least, make sure you feel confident abut the shop you're buying it from!
One thing to remember is that nearly ALL manufacturers are making quality frames...dollar for dollar,it really boils down to components and how the bike fits YOU.

Oh yeah...and relax. Biking is supposed to be about having fun... :D :D :D :D

61 may fit but it sounds large for your dimensions. I'm 6', 33.75" inseam, 165 lbs and I have 3 bikes of differing sizes, all fitting to a tee. 2 Lemonds (55 and 57) and a Trek (58). Although the 55 Lemond is the smallest frame, with saddle and stem adjustments, it's perfect. In fact, I prefer it's 853 steel smaller frame responsiveness over the Trek's larger carbon frame.

So what does this mean? Get yourself measured accurately - perferably by an LBS. If not that, go to www.wrenchscience.com and go through their fitting program. I, and many others have found their measurements to be accurate enough when it comes to frame size - as long as you measure yourself correctly.

My opinion is this - since this is your first bike, I'd recommend getting it through an LBS, if just for the peace of mind and the experience of being truly fit to the bike. Going this route not only get's you the one-on-one with the LBS, it allows you to ask questions and learn what it's really all about. On the other hand, if you get accurately measured and know exactly what you want, ordering it online is no big deal - as long as it fits. Sure, you'll lose out on the opportunity to test ride and compare but since this is your first bike, you have no real basis of comparison anyway. At some point, you'll have to rely on your gut to some degree.

Good luck.

55/Rad

a 61 might do it, I'm 6'2" with a 34' inseem and i ride a 61, but i would suggest you actually RIDE the bike your going to buy (if you can). I didn't because they only had a 56 in stock, so the day i rode my bike was the day i paid for it. I was lucky, but ride some bikes, and see what fits. frames are diffrent, so a 59 of one may feel like a 61 of another.

good luck!

Hey -

I've been where you're at and I know the frustration. However, after 30 years and 14 bikes I'd say that the most important thing is to get something and start riding. If you want some general guidelines on fit try the calculator at:

http://www.zinncycles.com/FitIntro.aspx

I'm 6' 1" and I ride a 58 or 57. My inseam is a tad longer than yours. I'd guess that you'd have to have some pretty long arms to justify a 61. With today's longer seat posts the top tube length is potentially more limiting than the seat tube (sure there are long stems out there, but I think a stem in excess of 135 or so can affect handling - but the effect depends on the fork and rake).

If it turns out that you like road riding, you'll find that shopping and building up bikes becomes a passion and that the long term durability of a frame might not be an issue since you'll probably move on to something that suits whatever riding you like the best. I still have my first "real" road bike that I bought in 1972 (a Nishiki Road Compe) and it's steel frame is in great shape - but I hardly ever ride it so I probably wouldn't really be out much if its frame had gone south after 10 years (or even five!). I usually only worry about long term durability of frames when I'm buying a second had bike that's more than two years old.

I have bikes that are Campy Record throughout (older style), Ultegra, Dura Ace, 105 and bizarre mixes - I like riding them all. Sure I have my favorites, but even when my lowest "quality" bike is the only bike I have access to (Bianchi Axis with 105, for 7 months of the year) I love riding it.

If you can test ride that's the best, but if you can't I think you'll still be fine.

Howard

the peace of mind from getting it fitted to you by a pro is worth the extra moneyi have to disagree with that. of course it's different depending on your budget and your needs. but that same old friend that i helped shop recently got that reynolds 853 bike with full ultegra for $1095 shipped and the Gunnar Roadie he tested was something like $1800 pre-tax still with only 105 on it.

fitting might be nice, but that's a lot of extra cash - you could get your gf or bf a nice low-end bike with that money. i mean maybe the wheelset is different and i know it's not apples to apples, but $800 for a lower group?

to my wallet, the LBS is just for tune-ups and fitting unless you can find them with last years model in your size. if i made >$80k/year or something i might feel differently, but around hear you'd get the impression that you can't get a steel Ultegra bike for under $1300 and it turns out you totally can.

can't you just do that and then get a longer stem if you need to?

i have to disagree with that. of course it's different depending on your budget and your needs. but that same old friend that i helped shop recently got that reynolds 853 bike with full ultegra for $1095 shipped and the Gunnar Roadie he tested was something like $1800 pre-tax still with only 105 on it. Fitting might be nice, but that's a lot of extra cash
It's unfair to compare a generic Taiwan-made frame with a refurbished name to a US made frame with a long reputation for quality and workmanship. Those Motobecane, Windsor, Mercier, Leader, Tommaso (and other) frames are all fine for basic, no frills frames but what those online dealers are really selling you is a decent component mix with an inexpensive and unsophisticated frame. I would agree that people just getting into road bikes will not be able to tell the difference and these bikes offer good value for a lot of riders, but people who have been riding awhile most certainly will have established strong opinions for their overall preferences. Long term value shouldn't be discounted either. And, although I don't like over-spending for the sake of a brand name, I do believe you get what you pay for in most things in life. I also like the challenge of shopping around - online. This was why I like the Fuji's - good frame, good components, good reputation and history, and comparatively inexpensive.

I also think you shouldn't discount getting a professional fitting before you go shopping - especially if you are a first time buyer. Yes, it will cost you 50 or 60 bucks but it could save you a bunch because if you're smart, you'll come away knowing what size (or sizes) frames you'll fit on and what adjustments, or more importantly, changeouts, to the stem, crank, seatpost, bars, saddle (et all) will need to ultimately happen before the bike truly fits. People buy bikes all the time with frames that fit but spend the next year and hundreds of dollars making it truly work. Why not know all this up front when it can be pre-negotiated into the deal and you can get to enjoying cycling that much sooner?

55/Rad

i have to disagree with that. of course it's different depending on your budget and your needs. but that same old friend that i helped shop recently got that reynolds 853 bike with full ultegra for $1095 shipped and the Gunnar Roadie he tested was something like $1800 pre-tax still with only 105 on it.

fitting might be nice, but that's a lot of extra cash - you could get your gf or bf a nice low-end bike with that money. i mean maybe the wheelset is different and i know it's not apples to apples, but $800 for a lower group?

to my wallet, the LBS is just for tune-ups and fitting unless you can find them with last years model in your size. if i made >$80k/year or something i might feel differently, but around hear you'd get the impression that you can't get a steel Ultegra bike for under $1300 and it turns out you totally can.

can't you just do that and then get a longer stem if you need to?
[QUOTE]i have to disagree with that. of course it's different depending on your budget and your needs. but that same old friend that i helped shop recently got that reynolds 853 bike with full ultegra for $1095 shipped and the Gunnar Roadie he tested was something like $1800 pre-tax still with only 105 on it.
...YES, but he's a newbie,HE SAID IT HIMSELF!!, i.e, he's new at this game...he needs to get professional opinions from a shop. I'm not a shopowner...and I don't play one on TV. But if you don't know what you're doing...What options does he really have?


fitting might be nice, but that's a lot of extra cash - you could get your gf or bf a nice low-end bike with that money. i mean maybe the wheelset is different and i know it's not apples to apples, but $800 for a lower group?
Who said you had to pay to get fitted for a bike???? My LBS spent an hour (at least) fitting my bike to me...total cost? $0. Any bike shop that can reasonably fit you to a bike and then charges an arm & a leg to do it...is insane IMHO. We're not talking Lance friggin' Armstrong here...he's a neophite..looking for the "right fit and a fair price" on a decent bike...that's all

to my wallet, the LBS is just for tune-ups and fitting unless you can find them with last years model in your size. if i made >$80k/year or something i might feel differently, but around hear you'd get the impression that you can't get a steel Ultegra bike for under $1300 and it turns out you totally can.
I never said that...and I certainly don't make 80K a year...not even close.
Look, he himself said he's nervous....Doesn't that tell you something?? Unless someone here wants to jump out of their PC/Mac and hold his hand, he needs to go to a bike shop and learn the ropes ;)

I guess I approached it from a different perspective.

As a total newbie, I developed a relationship with an owner of a well-recommended LBS, whom I still totally trust.

After getting to know him a bit, I told him who I was, what I wanted to do riding-wise, how much I was willing to spend, my experience so far, my body build (a big challenge), etc., etc.

He did a good measuring job, and, after appropriate consideration, recommended a Lemond Buenos Aires.

I bought it, he set it up nicely, fit me to the bike, and I have ridden it for almost 6 years now.

I guess I might have gotten a bike more cheaply, but it was worth it to me to have the good support and to be satisfied. And it was and I was.

Simple, quick and easy! No muss, no fuss.

thanks for calming me down guys. i was losing the forest for the trees.

get a bike. a 58 is standard for your inseam and height. 61 is considered big, 56 small. 105's are considered the minimum standard for decent components. the motobecane will be fine.

don't go nuts about all the fitting b.s. they're saying here. you're new, and you have no idea what fits you, and what the bike shop says will fit you, within your budget, is exactly what the books will say too. follow the measurements and the standard recommendations. as you ride more, you'll learn what kind of bike you want, whether you want a smaller faster one or a bigger one...etc., etc., etc. 58 is just fine.

sd

but that same old friend that i helped shop recently got that reynolds 853 bike with full ultegra for $1095 shipped and the Gunnar Roadie he tested was something like $1800 pre-tax still with only 105 on it.

I bought a Gunnar with 105, after tax, peddles, saddle, etc... for $1,450. And remember that Gunnar is part of the Waterford orbit built by the Waterford staff. Its a heckuva steel frame. Whoever quoted pre-tax of $1,800 has really overpriced products.