Waltsmith

This seems a little silly, but are straight bar road bikes? It seems to me they are just sport Hybrids. I thought at first they would be like hybrids with like 2X10 gear sets, but at lest the ones I see have 21 and 24 speed gear sets. And the most expensive sport hybrids have 2x10!

Sorry, I know it's not really important, just make shopping more confusing

mcours2006

I had a hybrid road bike called the Rapid made by Giant. That particular version, which had a Tiagra-based drive train with dual-pivot caliper brakes, road wheels and 25mm tires with not much clearance, had a 3x9 drivetrain. I had the Rapid 2, but the higher version, the Rapid 1, had a 105-based drivetrain, and it had 2x10 gearing.

The current Rapid is less road like than mine used to be, but still has a 2x10 road drivetrain. It's got disc brakes and 28mm tires but you can probably mount much larger tires on it.

hokiefyd 

Yes, as you've noticed, the less expensive trims come with a 3x drivetrain (usually 3x8 or 3x9), and usually with mountain group sets (like Shimano Alivio). The more expensive trims come with 2x drivetrains (usually 2x10), and often with road group sets (like Shimano Sora).

The bike frame itself is generally the same -- typically an aluminum-framed bike with "road geometry" (a nebulous term that generally means it has more aggressive geometry than a comfort-oriented bike) and with a flat handlebar.

prj71

I have a Giant FastRoad. It's nothing more than road bike with flat bars. I do numerous group rides with people that have road bikes and the flat bars don't hold me back from keeping up with them.

https://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/fastroad-comax-1

Waltsmith

Well I'm trying to narrow my search down for a new bike. I have a very upright comfort bike now. I bought it as new old stock a couple of years ago, then health issues kept me from riding until about a mouth ago. The more I ride it, the less I like it. Yesterday I met my uncle we live about 100 miles apart, at a organized bike ride. Our plan was to ridevto the 25 mile turn off, then decide if we would do fifty. Any way I told him how much I was disliking this bike and we switched bikes for a while. His bike was what I have been calling "sport hybird". It was a Cannondale "Quick", and boy was it! That bike had an alum frame and a carbon fork with a 3X9 gearset. It was like riding a road bike on the hoods. Unfourtanly, from what he said, it was a good deal out of my price rang. Btw he hated my comfort bike too!

So now I've limited my search to spotty hybrids or flat bar road bikes. I want higher top gears so the 21 speed bikes are out. So I guess 20 speed, 24 speed and 27 speed gear sets are the pick. I have LBS that carry all the normal brands like Giant, Trek, diamond back, etc. I also have a Preformance store not far away with is where the flat bar road bike question came from. I don't have a Cannondale dealer closer then 2 hr drive (each way) so I think they are out.

So in other words, I've narrowed my search down to oh say 60 bikes or so...

prj71

If you liked the Cannondale Quick then the Giant Fastroad, Specialized Sirrus or Trek FX are right in the same wheelhouse.

But these are good quality bikes. So don't expect they will be cheap. Not sure what your top dollar is, but the bottom line of the Trek or Specialized series will be around $600

Waltsmith

Well I started out thinking $500. After riding my Uncles bike I'm thinking maybe I can find a way to $600. Going to ride some giants today

hokiefyd 

Look at the Raleigh Cadent. It's essentially the same as the Trek FX. My daughter has a Raleigh Alysa, which is the female version. I enjoy riding it. It's super light, very manueverable, and the quality on the frame and paint is excellent. I'd absolutely buy it again.

If you step up to $699, the Cadent 3 has a carbon fork and a 2x8 Shimano Claris drivetrain: https://www.raleighusa.com/cadent-5437

This bike is available at a significant discount ($419) through Raleigh's Corporate Account program (which pretty much anyone can get).

The Giant Escape 1 is also a good choice, at $600. Carbon fork and 3x9 Shimano Acera drivetrain.

Jstan84

The specialized Sirrus disc runs $550 and is a really nice bike. I have the sirrus sport which is essentially the same bike, just with a carbon fork and I love it.

Waltsmith

Ok rode a Giant escape and a Trek FX. I loved the Giant. The carbon fork is very easy to like. I rode my bike with over the test course (series of roads and a bike path with a fair hill). I think the Giant with the carbon fork was as smooth as my bike but felt way lighter. It also didn't have The twitchy feel of my bike. I think the Giant was everything the Cannondale I rode was. Only problem is, it's $700 by the time I pay taxes! The search goes on

prj71

Any less than that and you're not going to get the same quality bike.

Save a little longer and buy the right bike.

badger1

+1

hokiefyd 

See if you can try a Raleigh Cadent 3 at a bike shop. If you like it, order one in to your house at the corporate account price of $420.

Waltsmith

Called around, only one Raleigh dealer in drive distance. TT him, sz great bike, but he is out of '17s and dosent plan to get any '18s. But can have one shipped in for me. Which killa riding one. Also sz there is a great Diamondback model I would like except he is out and it will be a while before the '18s are in. Sz will have some Jamus in for 18 models too. So nothing for me to test ride.

Waltsmith

Drove down to Detroit today. Tested a Cannondale Quick 4. Fits me great, feels good. With out a doubt the best feeling bike I have tried. Unfourtanly the only large frame bikes they had were the Quick 4. I wa hoping to ride a Quick 5 which fits my price range a bit better.

Also tried out a Trek FX2. Fantastic price! The sales person seemed to know little about fit. She let me ride a 20" (which should fit me I think). Well did not go well. First she didn't put air in the tires, even though I mentioned they felt soft. Then she gave me the bike to Test ride with the chain I n the large ring and one up from the smallest cog. I took a ride once I got it in a more resionable gear. The bike felt tiny to me. Also had all sorts of proubles shifting up the chain rings. I know it's just a matter of adjusting the front derailer, but this is supposed to be a test ride.

Anyway, I didn't ride it far. Kept wanting to fall off the back of the seat. I asked her if she was sure this was a 20". She pointed to a label on rhe frame saying "20". I told her it felt small to me, she said she could get someone to raise the seat!

I'm tempted to try it at a different Trek dealer because the price ($400) was so good, but it did clearly say it was a 20". I may just have to sell my bike first (to get some extra money) and buy the Quick 4 or Giant Excape. They seem almost like the same bike, and I liked both

prj71

Haggle with dealer. Not much price difference between 4 and 5.

BiciMan

I'd bet on it: Escape 2 = Quick 4, and Escape 1 = Quick 2, etc., and there are many other brand peers.

Waltsmith

The Escape has the carbon forks, the Quick 4 is the fist one in the Cannondale line with carbon forks, and frankly, after a number of test rides I want the carbon forks. I could care less about the 9 speed vs the 8 speed. They have the same low low and the same high high.

I remember when Cannondale were made in the USA. I was surprised to find out that they are basicly just a wholesaler now. Some where I read that Cannondale, treck, Giant, and others order from Taiwan, and the " factory" in Taiwan orders the assemblies from China and just installs the gear sets. Then the "assembled" bikes are shipped to US and the only thing the US company does is reship it to dealers

hokiefyd 

That's about it. There actually aren't that many factories globally that produce bikes -- just a few mega factories that have somewhat monopolized the market. My 2015 Trek had a "Made in Taiwan" decal somewhere on it. Perhaps for that reason, and for others I've mentioned in other threads, I'm quickly growing attached to my 1997 Trek, made in Waterloo, WI.

prj71

Specialized and Trek...Frames made in Taiwan (not by Giant) but assembled in the U.S.

It's not really a big deal where the frames are made anyway. As long as they are made to the manufacturers specification ensuring a safe riding frame. The frame made in Waterloo, WI isn't any better than the one made in Taiwan. No reason to get hung up on where the frame is made regarding a bike purchase from the major manufacturers.

hokiefyd 

Mechanically, I agree that the frames are all durable, reliable, and safe. Subjectively, though, I think there's something appealing about a frame that was hand-welded in the United States.

(For new bikes, it's a moot point anyway, as they're all Asian unless you spend good sum of money.)

Waltsmith

Or like maybe double butted steel brazed in the USA... I'm sorry OLD.

It's not a quality think. I'm sorry, but the japs changed the US auto industry for the better.

It's just I'd like to think some of my money was staying in the US

hokiefyd 

They did. I own two Hondas, both designed and built in North America (one in Alabama, one in Canada). Interestingly, most of the parts on them were made in either Japan or the United States, and I think they both are categorized as "domestic vehicles" because of the country of origin of their parts.

SANDBORNSTEVE

You might consider just buying a road bike and changing the the handles bar to straight bars.I bought a used Trek FX just to get back to riding again and did not like it.Before that I had a Scott Speedster and changed the handle bars to straight bars and it was awesome.Unfortunately at this time I don't have the cash to buy another Scott and do it all over again.I going to buy a road bike frame and change out the parts from my Trek Fx until I get the money to start replacing all the Trek parts out.Except for the straight bars.LOL.Hybrids to me are not as smooth as a road bike.The Trek Fx just feels big and clunky.But then again it was a well used Trek.Just my two cents.

prj71

We live in a global economy, so I don't get hung up like some on where it's made.

What doesn't appeal me to me is the extra $$$$ I have to spend on frame hand-welded in the U.S.

I'm looking to keep more dollars in my pocket.