General Cycling Discussion - LBS Shop

I am looking at getting into cycling. One of the local bike shops will sell me a Specialized Roubaix Elite Compact for $2,000.00. It is a 2011 model and 3 months old, it is in their rental program. Any pros or cons to buying a bike use in a rental program?
Mahalo

If you want to spend $2000 on a bike, it's your choice, but don't feel you have to in order to get into cycling. You can spend a lot less and get happily riding on a good quality bike. A former rental bike may have been abused a bit more than other bikes, but with a good service initially it should still serve you well.

I don't know where you live in regard to the geography but if its at all hilly and/or you're new to cycling as you say don't get a compact get a triple. It doesn't add that much weight and it's nice to have those lower gears when you need them.

As Monster Pete said you don't have to spend $2000 for a decent bike to get into cycling. Guaranteed you will find things about any first bike that you wish were different after you've been riding a while. Some things to consider what type of riding are you going to be doing? Strictly recreational/exercise? Commuting, touring? Running errands? If you are just getting into cycling you may not have the answer to those questions so I recommend a smaller investment or a good all arounder.

A good all around bike would probably be a cyclocross bike that lets you use a variety of tire sizes and allows clearance for fenders. Look for one that will let you mount a rack for carrying things. Cyclocross bikes come in aluminum, steel, or carbon or a combination. It doesn't matter if you never take the bike off rd. the versatility is what your looking for. If you can find a bike that will let change tire sizes, mount racks and fenders that isn't a cyclocross bike thats fine too, but it seems to be difficult to do. Find a bike shop who will fit you properly and guide you through this process so that you will be happy with your purchase a year from now.

I would not pay $2000 for a first bike. While $200 is too cheap - parts are unreliable at that price point - when you approach and pass the four digits mark you are typically delving into the realm of diminishing returns. This is the realm where they start selling you parts that are slightly lighter in weight for substantially greater cost. You can cut $2000 worth of weight off of a top end bicycle by going to the bathroom before you ride, and you can eke another $1000 out of performance by oiling the parts better. If 0.003 mph is going to win or lose you a race, these things are important, but for most people, they are a waste of good money.

$400 will get you a decent road bike at many professional bike shops.

I don't understand a 2K$ bike, as a rental, a posh neighborhood?

they use beach cruisers around here..

One of the rules about a first bike----It is only there to tell you what the second one is going to be.

That first bike and you may be lucky- It could be the right size- have the rights components and even be the right style of bike. Until you get into the sport and have been in it for a year or so- you do not know what is right for you.

I started riding 21 years ago on MTB's and then it was whatever I could afford. Eventually got decent bikes but 5 years ago I decided to give road a try. My LBS gave me some good advice. Buy cheap but buy above Crap. They are Giant Agents so I started on an OCR3. It had everthing I wanted- Wheels- brakes and a triple crank. I learnt a lot on that bike so when one year later I got the 2nd bike- It was the right size- had good wheels and a compact crank. I have stayed road and have a couple of good bikes but by the time you learn what road riding is about- have sorted the bike and you are ready to go- You will need a new bike.

I paid $600 for that OCR- 2nd bike cost nearer $5,000 and so did the 3rd. I sold the OCR for $400 this year. It still rode well but was not the bike I should have bought in the first place. But Any bike I bought as the first bike would not have been right either.I just did not know what I wanted- needed- or required.

Aloha,

There are so many different types of bikes and styles of riding. A first bike is a first experiment into riding. I have ridden road bikes most of my adult live, I got an early model stumpjumper road this for a while. I never really liked mountain biking and its a good thing that I didn't drop a lot of money into it. I ride it less than once a year.

I would get a less expensive bike (make sure it has good components) to use for a while, then after a year decide if that is what you want for a bike. Then you will know if you want a road bike and what style of road bike.

I am looking at getting into cycling. One of the local bike shops will sell me a Specialized Roubaix Elite Compact for $2,000.00. It is a 2011 model and 3 months old, it is in their rental program. Any pros or cons to buying a bike use in a rental program?
Mahalo

The Specialized Roubaix Elite has a CF bike frame. Most rental items get abused. That includes CF bikes. Especially fast CF racing bikes. CF bikes can have very elusive frame damage that won't appear for weeks or perhaps months later. Do you really want to take a chance like that on such an expensive bike? I always say, if you're going to buy CF, always buy it new!

Besides, it takes much time to become an efficient racer. Most racers don't perfect their skill for years. Many start when they're teenagers and go professional in their early twenties. Most don't start out with expensive racing machines. They start with entry level racing bikes that traditionally aren't CF bikes.

If you start out on a slightly heavier racing bike, that will be excellent training for a real nice CF racer later when you're ready to go pro. If you're not going to go pro, you will never really need a CF racing bike, unless you just have a CF craving.

There are many nice aluminum and steel-framed racing bikes that cost half as much as the Roubaix Elite. When you purchase one from a LBS you will have both a warranty and the reasonable assurance that your bike has not been abused in any way, prior to your purchasing it.

Now, insofar as really nice bikes are concerned for half the price (around $1000), consider the following:

Racers

(1) Giant -Defy

(2) Marin -Lucas Valley

(3) Jamis -Ventura Comp

(4) Jamis -Satellite

Touring (A Really Nice Investment)

Fuji -Touring

Commuter (with really nice components)

Jamis -Coda Elite * An award winning steel-framed bicycle that will out pace many street racers

PS.

All of the bikes above cost approximately half the cost of the Roubaix Elite and the last three bikes, all have steel frames. All three of them will still be here for you to hand over to your grand children! :thumb:

The first criteria for buying a particular bike is this: does it fit? Nothing else matters- a $2,000 bike will beat you up if it doesn't fit your body. A $500 bike will carry you to the ends of the earth if it fits right.

The first criteria for buying a particular bike is this: does it fit? Nothing else matters- a $2,000 bike will beat you up if it doesn't fit your body. A $500 bike will carry you to the ends of the earth if it fits right.

This is the BEST advice you're ever going to get in this thread, buddy!!! :thumb:

This is my bike, which cost me $65 at a garage sale:

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a39/TromboneAl/SpecOnRoad.jpg

This is the BEST advice you're ever going to get in this thread, buddy!!! :thumb:

I just wanted to third this -- get a cheap bike to get to know how you and your body like to cycle, then buy an expensive one once you know what you like.

$400 will get you a decent road bike at many professional bike shops.

I don't understand a 2K$ bike, as a rental, a posh neighborhood?

they use beach cruisers around here..

Most of the rentals I see here are hybrid or comfort bikes but the rental places usually have a few specialty bikes. One of the places here has $4000 Kestrel and $2000-3000 full suspension Marins for example. Beach cruisers I see occasionally, but the San Francisco terrain also means they're not all that useful.

Check out the fleet of one of the shops:
http://www.blazingsaddles.com/san-francisco/bikes-and-rates.aspx

The first criteria for buying a particular bike is this: does it fit? Nothing else matters- a $2,000 bike will beat you up if it doesn't fit your body. A $500 bike will carry you to the ends of the earth if it fits right.


This is the BEST advice you're ever going to get in this thread, buddy!!! :thumb:

^^^that times a million.

Unless you have more money than Bill Gates I think it's maybe not the smartest strategy spending $2k on your first bike. I've been riding for decades and out of the hundreds of bikes I've owned, and the dozen or so i have now it's a humble mid-range steel framed touring bike (Surly LHT) that has turned out to be the one against which all others are measured, including some road bikes that have run very close to 5 figures.... but that's just for me, I'm sure it'll be a different one for you. The point is that I'm 99.999% sure that your first bike will only be a stepping stone to the bike you really become 'ay one' with but as yet you can't know which one that will be, and perhaps that may even be your 3rd or 4th bike. I'm sure you'll be happier in the long run if you put, say, $500 into your first bike, and save the remaining $1500 for your second bike.

Even if you get a really nice, expensive second bike, you'll still have the cheaper first bike to ride on those occasions you'll be locking it up in potentially risky places for theft where you would be crazy to lock up an expensive bike, or maybe you'll throw a rack, fenders, and lights on it and turn it into a utility bike.... you have lots of options, a lower priced first bike won't go to waste once you get the flashy new big-ticket roadie.

Something to consider on the other side of this coin. Buying a nice bike with a better group set like will be found on that 2K model, as opposed to the 1K and less options that have been suggested, will save you money in the long run and be a better experience overall IMO. But, as was mentioned above, don't buy a poor fitting bike just because of a group set or a deal on price.

First, check around and find out if that is the going price for that bike. Then, by all means buy it if the price is not too much of a hardship. I made a similar purchase 5 years ago and am still riding it, in fact I love it. If you can commit to riding better and harder, then don't be put off by those who say its too much.
I love my compact ( I'm 59) and I ride in the Adirondacks, a hilly/ mountainous area. If you can afford it and if it is fairly priced then whats the problem? If its a stretch then its a different story.
Life is short.......