baraadnan1

Hi, im new here, and im nearly new to cycling too...I have a question that confused me for long time!

What's the difference between ~190€ bike (it's a mountain bike), ~460€ bike (road bike), and ~840€ bike (road bike) ?!! They all are bikes!

I know the difference between mountain and road bikes, but mountain bikes can be ridden on the road (street)!

I'm gonna use it to move between my room and the university, about 9-25km (depends on my room/apartment location). Why I dont use a bus or a train? because I love cycling, here in my country I cycle everyday, but bikes here are cheap, and not brand ones (they are from china)...I consider cycling like if I go to a journey....also, I can save 160€ every month in that way.

I'm gonna stay in germany for about 14-15 years for studying, and I will cycle all that time, 18-50km everyday. I'm gonna go there next year, and I'm planning, and calculating the costs.

Here's the links for the three bikes:

~190€ bike: https://www.amazon.de/gp/aw/d/B00KGBSPEG/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1435785386&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX200_QL40&keywords=bike

~460€ bike:
https://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/fuji-sportif-2.5-262504/wg_id-110

~840€ bike:
https://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/radon-r1-4.0-239502/wg_id-110


*The problem that I will have ~2600-2800€ for a gaming laptop, a bike, and a mid-budget phone just for gps tracking on the bike.

Thanks you for your help in advance.

hillyman

Pretty much everything. Gears, brakes, frame, wheels will be a better grade. But in my opinion wheels will be main thing. Cheap wheels will never stay true.

Fastfingaz

If you buy an inexpensive bike if at any time something breaks the cost of the repairs are some times more expensive an a new bike if it's worth repairing at all , so you can go on that mind set, that if it breaks , all you do is buy another one???

vatdim

Hi there.

They are all bikes but there are some pretty big differences between various types. If you are really going to be traveling ~50 km every day, I doubt an MTB would serve you well. The wheel size is smaller and the tires will have more rolling resistance (unless you swap them for something lighter and skinnier), you will have front and rear suspension that will mostly get in your way, since these parts tend to absorb part of your pedaling effort. On the other hand, a road bike like those you listed, will probably feel better for the longer journey, but the drop handlebars have their pros and cons as well. Also, road bikes as a whole tend to be more expensive and you'll be more likely to have your road bike stolen, especially if it somehow stands out in between many shabby bikes and older MTB's.

Since you're facing a reasonably long commute for some time to come, my advice is, get a bike without suspension, but with 700c wheels, the option to install fenders and a rear luggage rack, as well as your choice of either straight or drop handlebars. A bonus would be for the bike to look old and unattractive, so that thieves don't take interest in it. A great way to start would be to find a cheap used bike and build up from there - see what you like, see what you wanna improve and how much it will cost, will it be worth to upgrade it on that bike or possibly just buy a whole new bike altogether. Experience will help you make these choices and you'll have saved some money along the way.

baraadnan1

hmmm before I move to talk about what you wrote, I just noticed that I may need a holder on the rear wheel, to put on it my clothes bag, and that's not available in road bikes I think, right ? because I will put the laptop bag on my bag, and the clothes bag on the holder, so is there an accessory for the road bike ?

baraadnan1

the laptop bag on my back**

McBTC

What's the difference between a VW made in Mexico, an Audi made in Brazil, and a Mercedes SUV made in Alabama?!! They all... cars!

baraadnan1

sounds good, but im not with buying used and trying, then upgrading, I just want to have a fast bike, that has a luggage rack!

baraadnan1

Quality...but I didnt even think that quality exists in bikes !

no1mad 

You can install racks on road bikes, though they typically don't hold too much weight and as they aren't designed to be pack mules, handling/performance may be adversely affected.

baraadnan1

so if I put a rack on this bike: Radon Ignite 9.0 SL | Road Bike Aluminium Shop

will it be normal foe the german community ? or it is weird ?

hillyman

Some folks cant read

hillyman

Mmm, did you really read my post? I said cost difference was for better parts. And I can fix my own bike thank you very much.

baraadnan1

A question.
is it ok to not wear cycling clothes with road bike, like this one:

Radon Ignite 9.0 SL | Road Bike Aluminium Shop

??
I'm gonna wear normal clothes, t-shirt and trouser, will I be weird ? is it normal in the german community (people) ?

no1mad 

Suggestion- get a cheap bike now to become accustomed to cycling- one simply does not start logging 50 km daily without some type of issues popping up- and then buy something else when you relocate.

Doctor Morbius

Newbs

McBTC

Sounds like a traditional tour bike --e.g., Trek 520: inexpensive, solidly built, made for carrying things, riding in all kinds of weather, very efficient if you need to put in some miles...

AlmostTrick

Name brand, bike shop bikes are very robust, even at entry level. You do not need to spend more than that to get a bike that will hold up well.

I'll even challenge the assertion that cheap wheels will go out of true... they won't in my experience, unless you are very heavy or bash your bike over curbs and such.

vatdim

OP, I believe the road bike you referred to (the 1.5k euros one) may not be the best option. Here is why:
1) Since you stated that you want to have a rack, you need to make sure that you can mount one without resorting to even more expensive modifications. It looks to me like this particular bike doesn't have rack eyelets, but you could probably ask the seller to verify.
2) I'm pretty sure with this bike you won't be able to use fenders, at least the full-sized ones. Since we're talking about Germany where it rains a lot even in the summer, you will get quite wet anyway. However, riding with fenders is much better than without them, trust me.
3) This bike is too expensive for the average bike commuter in Germany. Most people, especially students, will be using something cheaper and shabbier. You will have your bike stolen because it will attract a lot of attention.

I suggest you get a bike similar to this city bike. It will be a lot more comfortable than the road bike because of the added fenders and luggage rack. It's also a third of the price and will blend a lot better with the bikes of other commuters, i.e. it's less likely to be stolen.

If you must have drop bars, things are going to be more expensive, especially since you don't want a used bicycle. My suggestion would be to get something similar to this drop bar commuter bike. It's got eyelets for fenders and a rack, so you can get more comfortable with it. However, you'll have to factor in the cost of these components, since they are not included. Also, this bike will draw more attention and is more likely to get stolen than the city bike because of the drop bars.

baraadnan1

Thanks you vatdim, really good information

I dont want to get used, because I just want a bike to serve me 14-15 years, do you think that a used one can serve me all that time ?

Also, if we compared the bike you mentioned with this one:
Radon TCS Rohloff | Trekking Bike Shop

what's the difference to my body ? like more comfort ? or more years ? or just higher quality components that I wont ever get use of them ?

Little Darwin

Not necessarily. I have 10 years, and several thousand miles at weights from 300- 365 on cheap stock wheels from a $300 hybrid. I did have the rear wheel trued once, and the shop noticed the cause was a broken spoke.

Little Darwin

One element that contributes to road bikes being more expensive is that the integrated shifters are more expensive for drop bars than flat/riser bars. Whether this is because of some engineering, or material cost or just because the manufacturers know road riders will pay more I don't know.

Other than avoiding the very lowest end components, I think most people would be fine with any group from Shimano, Campagnolo or SRAM (I have no opinion on other manufacturers).

The more money you pay, the lighter and prettier the components. Some claim a durability difference (some claimn more durable for more money, others claim less durable for more money because of lighter materials used)... Based on my limited observation, components (of all levels) are more likely to be replaced in order to upgrade than being worn out. Actually most components get little use before the bike is stored in the garage permanently until the bike becomes vintage, and is reclaimed by a lover of old bikes.

rydabent

Which ever you buy, go for the mid level cost. Beyond that all you are buying is a couple of ounces less, and a name.

spdracr39

I would consider all those "cheap".

Jim from Boston

Cheap vs expensive bike !

Regarding the above question in relation to the specific need of the opening poster, my usual advice to buying a bike is to assess your needs first. Then, as for any major purchase my strategy is to start looking at the high end, to see the best available, and then work downwards to find the “sweet spot” where your needs are satified at a reasonable price.

Cheap vs expensive bike !

In reply to the generic question of cheap vs expensive bike, here’s my answer at an extreme end of the road bike spectrum, classic steel vs high end carbon fiber:

So in summary, the ultimate advantage was comfort, especially on long rides, but the joy of riding such a bike has encouraged me to start training to improve my speed. (And I have no buyer's remorse over what I might be missing ).