drumgod828

HI folks. I have a decent commute to work (18 miles) and am looking for another bike that won't take me too long or make me feel like my legs are dead when I get there e.g. my cheap mountain bike. I have been reading and reading. This has lead me to realize how little I know about this subject. I am a little over 6 feet and weigh around 190 pounds. I am in decent shape; I am a martial arts instructor for competitive fighters. The path will include some city but mostly country roads that have some gravel over the roads and there may be times when I need to ride on the shoulder. I have done some pretty significant damage to my lumbar spine so I don't know if those drop handlebars would be good on my back. My budget is around 1000 USD but would consider spending another 500 if that's what I need to suit my needs. I know I may need extras such as baggage, helmet, fenders and so on. Those items need to fit into the aforementioned budget.

Thanks in advance for your help.

bunkiefd4

I just started riding and I bought a new Trek 8.3 dual sport. Man what a bike! It's got great tires, it's lite as a feather, has the suspension on the front but you can lock them out if you prefer and it has disk breaks. I was riding a mongoose mountain bike and man what a difference. I to have to ride on some gravel not for though and the road I travel on is pretty rough. The 8.3 handles it like a dream. Look into it. It was only $660.00

DogBoy

if you have to stay upright, much of the benefit of a more road-oriented bike may not be worth the cost. You might want to see if a touring frame would work for you since they are designed to be ridden more upright. I'm not sure you really gain that much over your mtn bike with that. Have you started with changing the tires of your current bike to slick tires to see how much that helps? I've ridden lots of bikes. The biggest influences on my speed are 1. Tires. Slick and light is way better than knobby and heavy. 2. Position. If I can duck out of the wind I go faster and 3. weight. Combined, 1, 2 & 3 get me 2-3 mph between my surly troll and my specialized rubaix. 1 & 2 gets me 2ish mph between my surly troll and my surly LHT.

RGNY

i'm a total cyclocross bike convert. with armored touring tires. i use mustache bars instead of drops because i only used the flats or hoods.

the Swiss Army Knife of bikes.

plenty of choices in your price range.

ronocnikral

I ride a motobecane 400HT. I just changed the bars to Ragley's Luxy, put on some "brifters" and roll with Pasela TG tires. I've been out riding my 100k routes with this and I pass many of the "freds" and can easily clip along at 18-20 mph. I still have the option to unlock the front fork and take the single track home with this setup as well. I let a little air out of the tires and take it easy. While I won't set any records, it handles the single track fine. And 95% of my riding is on the road.

drumgod828

So I managed to try out a few bikes over the past few days. I sampled some "comfort bikes" but they did not seem aggressive enough and felt like the ride would take forever. I tried a Specialized Secteur and Tricross sport disc and favored the Tricross for it's speed but didn't think that the price was comforting considering I will still need all the extras (helmet especially). The two bikes I am really leaning towards are the Trek 7.6 with a bunch of upgrades already in place and a brand new Specialized Sirrus Elite.

I tried the 7.6 and it felt pretty good and fast. It was purchased by some guy who apparently had too much money. He added a bunch of upgrades and then traded it in for a more expensive bike. I believe the upgrades include graphite handlebars, a computer, new rims with "flattened spokes", new grips with gel in them and I think a different saddle (it felt comfortable). He is selling the bike for 1190 but it will still need pedals (none on the bike),fenders, rack, bag, helmet, and tool kit-including pump. He said he could give it too me for 1390 including all those accessories out the door.

Now for the Sirrus. I tried the base model and it felt ok; not as good as the trek but ok. I certainly liked the price better but a few things felt, I don't know, out of tune. I mentioned this to the salesman and he admitted that the bike needed some adjustments. That is all the time I had there but tried another Sirrus at another shop. This time I was able to try one but it was a size too small. He adjusted the seat as best as he could and I took it for a ride. Oh I should mention that this was the Elite version. I could feel the speed. I don't know how it felt compared to the Trek since that was a few days ago now. As far as comfort went, my hands were killing me. He said this was likely due to it being too small. So I tried the Specialized version of the 8.3 mentioned above. This was actually the ride size for me and felt good. I could feel how it was much heavier and wondered how it would be any better than my mountain bike. This experience led me to strongly consider the appropriately sized version of the Sirrus Elite. I mentioned this and the shop owner said he would be will to order one for me to try under no obligation. This bike is an 8XX dollar bike and I figure this would leave some room for accessories.

Now for the questions. Knowing what you know about these two bikes, which do you all think would be a better choice and bargain considering up front costs and long term investment? Also if I have a rack on the back, do I even need fenders?

I have more questions but this is already long enough. Sorry for the long post.

ronocnikral

buy what is most comfortable.

fenders do more than just keep the spray off your back. and rack's usually do a poor job of preventing the stripe.

another consideration, where are you parking the bike and is theft a concern?

fietsbob

You self contained on all repairs ? If not , Pick out your favorite bike shop and make a consideration amongst their Brands

"Cross Bikes" are either road style drop bars , or mountain style flat ones , 700c , 35 wide tire common to both,
take a spin around the block on each type and see what suits you best.

Disc brakes will work OK in foul weather.. stop in shorter distances.

New, at the same pricepoint Trek And Specialized are same value. $XYZ=$XYZ.

gerv 

Great post! I'd also think about trying to dial in my current bike before I'd be looking for something new.

drumgod828

I have thought about what everyone has said here. I did consider making changes to my current bike but it wasn't the best bike to begin with and would need a fair amount of work-and money.

I am pretty mechanically inclined but the recommendation to pick a LBS really spoke to me because I don't know that much about bikes and unfortunately don't have the time to learn or work on them.

I am certain I will go with either the Trek 7.6 or the Specialized Sirrus Elite. I understand that the two brands are essentially equivalent at the same price point but these two bike are not at the same price point. Both felt comfortable to me. I am considering the Trek because he only wants 1190 for an already upgraded bike. I am considering the Specialized because it is cheaper, brand-new and I figure I can do my own upgrades-I think it might cost more in the long run this way though.

As far as security, I am good there. I own the business and can just bring the bike in when I get there.

CenturionIM

I think Giant Defy 1/2 are good candidates for your need and price range(~$1000). It is a fast bike with a good frame, decent stock components and semi relaxed geometry.

https://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-us/...1/11498/55820/
https://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-us/...2/11498/55821/
Note the price here is MSRP. Shop price is usually 10%-15% off the shelf and may offers some other discounts.

You can also try to find a 2012 or 2011 model to save some additional $$ for essentially the same bike. For example:
https://kozy.com/product/11giant-defy-2-72337-1.htm

If you are a first time buyer, LBS will (usually) be helpful in finding the right size and dialing the bike in to your body. It took me buying (online) and selling my first bike to figure out what I liked. This calculator can also help. https://www.competitivecyclist.com/za...LCULATOR_INTRO

byrd48

Take the time to make sure the bike fits. I'd take a crappy bike that fits over an expensive one that doesn't. Part of the problem is that all bikes feel good when you ride them around at the bike shop, but when you put 10 miles in, then you know if it works. I want to make an investment in a custom built bike, but I don't feel like I know yet what the best geometry for me is, and I've ridden 800 miles in the last 8 months. I built up old mountain and hybrid bikes off Craigslist with different geometries and some bikes I bought and didn't keep more than a week or two, but I'm at little investment at this point.
If your legs are really sore, tired, you might first check your seat height. If it's too low, it will wear out your legs in short order. If I stand with one leg on the pedal, I like to have maybe an inch clearance between my rear end and the seat. It's safe enough to get on and off the seat, but high enough to keep your legs from bending too much. Also check the front to back position on your seat. Too far back and it really taxes your knees as well. I probably spent several days tweaking my seat position. Also make sure it's level to the ground and not sloping downwards towards the front of the bike. If it slopes down, it makes your back want to bend and adds to the fatigue factor.

drumgod828

Ok so I went with the Specialized Sirrus Elite and I am happy. I also tried a Scott Metrix 20; it was fast and comfortable. I was not as comfortable as the sirrus though. Also the sirrus was a little less money. This is a nice thing because I convinced my wife to get a new bike. So now we need to decide between the Cannondale Adventure 3, the Specialized Vita or the Specialized Arial.