scott757

I just got my single speed road bike about a week and a half ago and I'm already looking at geared road bikes. I love riding single speed, but at some point I'm going to want to buy a geared bike. There's so much out there to look at that I have no idea where to start. So I'm looking for some recommendations.

My specs: 34 yrs old, 5'10", around 315 lbs (but I'm riding everyday), live in a relatively flat area and will be riding on the roads

I'm looking to spend about $1k total and I'd like a solid, reliable bike that I can do extended miles on and will last for years.

What do you recommend?

Pamestique 

Best advice I can tell you is seek out your local LBS and see what they carry and recommend... For your price range a Performance Bike would be great especially since they have a good return policy.

The reason I say this is if I recommend this or that bike and you can't find it locally, does you no good. Instead go the shop, tell them exactly what you want to do and see what they recommend then.. post and see if anyone has comments on those bikes... the shop can also then "fit" you to the bike - a very important step...

scott757

But when what am I suppose to spend my time looking at online? (kidding)

Pamestique 

Hey buy online if you know what you are doing... if you don't then spending alittle more to get LBS customer service is well worth the expense...I've brought a number of bikes online but knew exactly what I wanted, I knew how it would fit and I know how to maintain and repair bikes... at your price point... the LBS is probably losing money on you!

scott757

I don't know what I'm doing, but I would like to know what my options are. It seems that my options are limitless and in most of my LBS experience they only carry 1 or 2 brands.

Francis73

Man you should look at the Giant defy, I think the Defy 3 is right at your price range at $920 and is a good quality Alum bike, if you want the model with disc brakes its around $1,200.00. I bet if you look around right now you can find some good discounts on the 15's like I did and save even more or get a higher model. it is a very comfortable ride and very responsive (only thing I changed was the saddle)

dagray

for your price point I would look around and see if you can find any bike stores with last year or the year before's models so you can get more bang for the buck.

Look at everything you can and take test rides.

I like my Raleigh but love my Orbea road bikes.

Pamestique 

Yes true which is why I recommend checking the shops to see what they sell and support... buy online but just know how to measure yourself so the bike fits well. Mountain or hybrid bikes you can get close, road bikes must be precise or you will be miserable. And no one measurement works for all bikes... I am a 51 on one brand, 53 on another (my custom is 52 1/2). I even ride one 54... you need to understand stem length, crank length, top tube length, handlebar width etc. Assuming you know all that so nevermind...

Also I helped a friend purchase a Santa Cruz Superlight from Speedgoat.com (when it was in business). It was a close out and a good deal and he had ridden one of my Superlights so knew it would fit but the bike came poorly assembled which he would not have know if I had not pointed it out...

plus for $1000 most bikes are alike in materials and components - what makes the bike is fit...

Clyde1820

That was my thought, too.



One (sometimes two) year old models can be had for quite a bargain.

If uncertain, definitely head to at least two or three quality shops that have excellent techs who can help answer your questions and help you ask the right questions. Right now, you need to evaluate the type of bike, the material, the geometry choices that'll impact everything. Consider a proper fit session, if clearly uncertain about geometry, as it might help avoid some bad choices and can help point you in the right direction.

Example: the Surly Cross-Check can be $1300 or so from many shops, but some shops have last year's model in for sub-$1K. Can often find a deal like that, then up-rate a couple of the components to nail the specs how you like it. Or, getting a deal like that can allow you room to beef up the wheelset.

Example: the Surly Troll. Joe-Bike (in Portland, OR) has them for $1700 in the 2014 model, but has one listed from 2012 for $1200-ish. Such deals are out there, and they come and go as the inventory and season changes. Helps to be patient and know pretty much what you're looking for. Good way to find an excellent deal, or up-rate some components.

dagray

My bike shop likes to buy one or two high end bikes a year and see if they will sell.... that was the case with my Orbea..... so what would have retailed at $3000.00 ended up being mine for $1700.00..... they didn't lose money on the deal, but didn't make much either.

Once it was sold they brought in some decent lower priced bicycles that would and do sell faster. Remember, bike sitting on the showroom floor isn't making the shop any money until it sells, and the longer it takes to sell the bike the less money is made in profit due to the shop's overhead.

Don't be afraid to respectfully haggle a bit over price.

bassjones

Try and find an older model year closeout with 105 on it. At $1000 budget, you shouldn't have any trouble. Cannondale Synapse 5 or similar from another brand should fall in that price if you can find a shop with a leftover 2013 or 2014.

jsigone

aim for something with at least 105's/Apex for a $1000-1100

Willbird

In that price range I shopped quite a bit, the giant defy as mentioned, the Fuji sportif, and the felt z95 are a few I test rode. If your thinking on something to ride on gravel and this winter look at the Fuji tread, you can get one of those in tiagra for 1k I think....maybe even a little less at performance on sale, the sora level one is like 769 MSRP giving you enough for shoes and clip less pedals if you do not have them yet. My sportif is Sora and once adjusted to shift decent I just rode it 4000 miles without touching a thing.

Podagrower

The advice that stuck in my head when I was shopping-buy the bike that makes you want to ride. I was looking at Giant Defy, Spech Roubaix, Trek Domane, Cannondale Synapse because there are dealers in my area for them, and there is a decent amount of used ones available.

sam_cyclist

That doesn't narrow things down much. Every bike manufacturer offers many "solid, reliable" bikes at the $1K price point.

I was willing to drive out an hour and a half to test ride bikes. I found a great bike at a shop less than an hour out.

The only way you're going to figure out what you like is by test riding bikes. Which is a very enjoyable process at any rate.

I found some great closeout deals, but those were on higher end bikes $3K and over that were steeply marked down to around $2K or so.

ColaJacket

Agree that you should go to several LBS and road test the 1-2 brands at each. All of the major brands (e.g. Trek, Specialized, Cannondale, Giant, Raleigh, Fuji, Jamis, etc.) will have solid bikes in your price range. If you can find a 105 on sale, and it fits, snag it. Otherwise, go for (in order) Tiagra, Sora, Claris (or the equivalent Campy/SRAM groups). I wouldn't go to Shimano Tourney level, but you shouldn't have to with $1K to spend.

We can't tell you which brand, because every brand has a slightly different geometry, and then, for road bikes, you have Endurance, Race, and Aero geometries. So, depending upon your flexibility you might like different one of those geometries better than the others.

And then there are Hybrids, Cyclecross, gravel grinders, and other types of bikes that have a little more upright position than even the endurance road bikes. The Haro looks more like a hybrid than a road bike, so a hybrid might be right for you.

The only way to find out which bike you will like riding best is to road test the bikes available to you. Ride a bunch of bikes, narrow it down to your top 3-5 bikes, regardless of brand. Ride those bikes, again. Make sure you know the exact model, and download the specs form online, so you can compare the components on the bike, versus the sale price of the bikes. Yes, at this price, you probably won't get a complete group on your bike, as the manufacturer will probably substitute some parts. But many of the OEM parts are comparable to the Shimano parts, just less expensive. But by looking at the specs, you can see which parts on which bikes are OEM, and you won't be surprised that you have a sunrace cassette or a FSA/Oval/Bontrager crank. And if the one that excites you to ride costs a little more than one that doesn't excite you, then get the one that excites you. As you will be more likely to ride that bike. Color may matter, as most brands have only one color per model, but if you change the model slightly by getting a better or lesser group, then they may have a different color on that model. Don't get a color that you hate, as that will make you less likely to ride the bike.

GH

Short Cut

I think you're getting some solid advice here. Something you have in your favor is time, because you have a bike to ride. Sticking around this forum really helped me to tune in on what would work best for me. I also wasn't in a hurry and started watching Craigslist everyday. What I found was an exceptional bike that was 14 years old, but barely used. The amount that I spent for it wouldn't have gotten me anything nearly as nice in a new bike. This is just one data point, but worth checking on if nothing else to get an idea for the market prices of used bikes.

HERE is what I ended up buying.

Fangowolf

Wow no one even offered a Scott brand? Get one with your name on it. Kinda a joke, but their low end bikes are pretty good from what I've seen.

Oh another thing that might help other rec bikes how are you on these scales

Speed -------- Comfort
Tweeker --------- Set and forget
Light load ---------- I want the kitchen sink if something goes wrong

mikescooling

take a look at the Trek 520 touring bike

Casey1167

I would really go steel or titanium at your size, that is all I ride and I am about 260#. Alumium and Carbon are just not options....
The Trek 520 might be a good option, but if you can swing $2K, I would go for a Habanero, with a 105 set up, they run around $2,200 and are completely bomb proof in Titanium.

Regardless of the bike you pick, you are much better off getting a piece of junk bike and getting some good wheels made for a big guy. I tried the off the self wheel for a couple of years, and finally bought some wheels made for a guy my size, and it has made a huge difference.

sam_cyclist

Plus tax and he's close to $2400.

OP said his budget is $1K.

Casey1167

Well, the OP better save up a bit, or get a good used steel bike. If he wants it to "last for years" he is not going to get that for $1K unless he finds a really good used Surley or something. Just the standard chainrings on a 1K bike will flex like the dickens when you are putting that kind of weight on them......

sam_cyclist

It's really ridiculous to dismiss carbon fiber and alu.

Steel is going to be very flexy, as is titanium.

Carbon and alu are going to be stiffer, befitting a heavier rider.

Also, lower cost component groups use more steel rather than alu, hence will be heavier and perhaps a touch more durable. There will be less heat treated alu and carbon, but it's a moot point since the more expensive component groups are far outside of OP's price point.

OP: go visit some bike shops and do some test riding. As you can see, you're getting crap advice here on BF.

scott757

80% comfort - 20% speed
90% s&f - 10% tweeker
50% sink - 50% light load

scott757

I've been going to LBS and one of the things I've found is that they don't seem to really know what to do with a bigger rider. I'm getting pushed at the high end, carbon stuff and when I ask about how they would do with my weight I generally get a blank stare, like they have no clue.

The shop I bought my last bike from was awesome when getting me on a solid single speed that felt sturdy. But they don't have a huge selection of road bikes for me to ride.