doomwho

I'm planning on replacing my starter hybrid with a better bike. I think I've narrowed my choice down between a Jamis Coda Elite or the Allegro Elite. I'm hoping to be able to test both at an lbs, but before I do, can anyone give me an opinion on the "better" bike? Besides the frame (steel vs aluminum) and the disc brakes on the Coda, which bike would give me more value for the $1000 each cost? Thanks.

MRT2

What are you riding now?

doomwho

Trek 7000

SlimRider

In terms of value, which one do you think will have greater resale value in say 6-7 years from now?

Wait! Don't answer that question until after you've ridden them both.

fietsbob

in bike shops they ask what kind if riding do you plan?
so I will too..

Note the crankset; wide jump double vs a trekking triple..
low spoke fashion 20/24 wheels, vs more practical 32/32.
rim brakes Vs disc brakes..

one is a fair weather sport bike, the other a better year around commuter..

SlimRider

+1

You're being far too rational, Fietsbob!

ChowChow

The Allegro is more of a road bike. Which will be more speedy. I prefer the Allegro over the Coda. I like the Allegro 12-30t 10 speed 50/34 over the 11-32 9 speed 48/36/36t Coda.

SlimRider

Yeah, but compare the frame of the Coda, to that of the Allegro!

....Ok, you lose! Hands down!

ChowChow

Yeah, it will depend on what the OP is looking for. I'm more of a speed demon, so that's why I pick the Allegro Elite. If you want comfort, then maybe the Coda Elite would be better.

MRT2

Just wondering. If OP is moving in the direction of a road bike, why not just look for a road bike?

doomwho

I'm not really interested in resale, I plan on sticking with my purchase for quite awhile.

I try to ride about 85 to 100 miles per week mainly on towpaths or converted railroad corridors - relatively flat. Speed isn't much of an issue, although I do go all out when riding alone.

In my younger years I had a road bike, I prefer the more upright position of a hybrid now (I realize I'll be lower on the Coda). I'll be using it mainly for fitness, but I also want a ride I can use with my family when we go out together.

I'm not up on all the components on the bikes, so I'm really trying to get an idea on what type of value I can expect before I walk into a shop and look like an idiot.

EsoxLucius

There really isn't much difference between 12/50 and 11/48 as the top gear. 112.2 gear inches and 117.8 gear inches, respectively. At 90 RPM the Allegro Elite will yield 30.0 mph in its top gear while the Coda Elite will do 31.5 mph. The Coda Elite seems to have the more versatile gearing. Better top end for speed and low end for hill climbing. Coda Elite has a steel frame which should contribute to a better ride. Coda Elite has disk brakes if one rides a lot in the wet. Other components are pretty much equivalent. Deore and Tiagra are both considered Level 2 in the Shimano parts hierarchy.

I'm biased, but I'm going with the Jamis Coda Elite. Of course, the OP should ride both if they can.

EsoxLucius

Speed demon or not, the Allegro Elite is likely not a faster bike than the Coda Elite. Your assumption is based on flawed analysis.

batcat

In my younger years (I'm 67), I rode a road bike exclusively and felt at home on it. I also slid gracefully in and out of my English sports car (when it was running), spent a little time in the backseat of my VW (when it was not running), and didn't take daily pills for arthritis pain.

Now I love my Jamis Coda Sport (2011). I use it for fitness and getting a 25-pound bike up to 30mph on level ground seems more beneficial for that than 30mph on a 19-pound bike. And, unless your family is a team of hard-nose racers, you probably won't be dropped by them on the hybrid. On the Coda, you can almost put it on autopilot and enjoy the ride with your family without worrying about small/medium road imperfections, twitchy handling, and bent over posture.

Note: I passed a rider on a carbon Trek road bike with dropped bars, ultralight water bottle cages, and an aerodynamic paint job yesterday, but I think he was still warming up or feeling poorly at the time. I accelerated and made a quick route change before he could respond.

doomwho

Not worried about this, when I'm with my family I'll go much slower, I want to be comfortable when I need to do this, I don't think I would be as comfortable doing this with a road bike.

Granted I'm just on towpaths/train routes, but I pass more road bikes than the other way around.

Sixty Fiver

The Coda Elite is a nicely equipped bike and if that wide range cassette with the triple is way more gearing range than you'd like or need, you could always ask the LBS to swap that 11-32 for an 11-25 to tighten up the steps in the rear which will make for a nicer shifting experience.

batcat

Train routes, huh?--you'd have more chance of getting away from overtaking trains with the Allegro, but bumping over the ties would be more comfortable on the Coda

batcat

Train routes, huh?--you'd have more chance of getting away from overtaking trains with the Allegro, but bumping over the ties would be more comfortable on the Coda

doomwho

Former train route that has been converted to a path.

bjjoondo 

I have the lower end of both, 2011 Allegro 1 and 2012 Jamis Coda Sport, they are quite different in FEEL, the Coda Sport is a BMW 7 Series Coupe, SMOOTH, powerful a real sweetheart. The Allegro 1 is a BMW Z3, it's easier to get off the line, very quick handling has a "racy" look and feel to it, I've put 700Cx25 road tires on the Allegro 1, it's my "club bike", the Coda Sport has 700Cx32's, it's my utility/EVERYDAY bike. Both are FUN but they are different, JMHO, YMMV. PS: To be honest, I WISH, they'd have left the "SPORT" off the Coda, name wise!! I guess if you stepped up to the 2012 COMP, then it might fit the name, SPORT! )

desertdork

Between those two options, and given the little info you provide about your riding, I'd get the Coda Elite. I'd normally recommend someone stick with the simplicity of rim brakes where they suffice, but converted rail beds and tow paths can be dusty, mucky and gritty places. The disc brakes will save rim wear; plus, the BB7 brakes are a high quality disc combined with simple cable operation. Chromoly is nice, but big tires soften up the ride on aluminum, too, so that's not a big deal comfort-wise.

I agree with sixty-fiver on gearing. The trekking 48/36/26 combined with a narrower cassette would allow nicer gear transitions. I'd opt for a 12-25 (or even a 12-23) to tighten things up if you aren't climbing steep grades. On those paths, you'll probably spend the most time on the middle chainring and the middle cogs.

The Allegro is a really nice bike, too. Just glancing it over, it appears very close to the considerably more expensive 7.6 FX. Two things I don't like for your application. One is the compact double with wide range cassette. Bigger jumps in back. Also, that 50t big ring is just big enough that I'd probably spend most of my time in the small ring while trying to find a comfortable gear in back. Also, I'd prefer the durability and thus economy of 9sp over 10sp for recreational riding. My 10sp chains last a max of 2500 miles, while my 9sp chains last 7000+ on roads.

ChowChow

I believe that is a biased answer. There's no way that a mountain bike crank set/gearing would be quicker than a road bike style crank set/gearing.

ChowChow

There's a reason why there's road bikes and mountain bikes. There's no way that a mountain bike will be faster than a road bike. Even if you swap out the tires.

desertdork

The 50t chainring is only 4% larger than the 48t ring. It's the same difference you get between a 24t and 25t cog in back. Notice you never see a cassette with a 24t and a 25t cog? The small difference wouldn't be worth the space it occupied on the cassette.

But there's a 9% difference between an 11t cog and a 12t cog. That's the most significant "single tooth" jump you'll find on any cassette other than a Capreo used on a folding bike. 11t cogs exist for high top end, and in the comparison of the two bikes of topic, that 11t nets the Coda with the higher top gear.

Of course, that's if you have the legs and lungs to make use of it.

Dunbar

The Allegro has a 40mm taller head tube than the Coda so the bars will be about 1.75" higher (all else being equal) for a more upright position. If you get the Coda I think the Comp is a much better deal at $775. As far as I can tell with the Elite you're paying an extra $275 for disk brakes (don't see what else you get for the money.) Disk brakes aren't worth it unless you do a lot of riding in wet conditions. The Shimano R500 wheels on the Allegro are pretty solid wheels for having fewer spokes. You can get beefier/heavier 28/32 spoke wheels on the Allegro on the $800 Comp model. As far as gearing, if you need a triple you can't get that on the Allegro without dropping down to the Sport model. I prefer triples on hybrids but a compact double is fine if you don't live in a very hilly area. The Allegro Elite is 10sp so you get a 30T low gear without the downside of a wide spaced cassette like you'd have to on a 9sp setup.