Overthewheels7

Hello folks, very glad I found a thread for this bike! I need help, YOUR FEEDBACK IS GREATLY APPRECIATED. I hadn't done any biking since I was a child & opted for an Escape Composite RX after reading all the reviews and test riding it for a couple of blocks. I am 5'8 and my LBS told me that the Medium (which was the only composite they had) was good for me. I rode out of the store with it today, I'm so ignorant to biking & wanted it so bad for commuting that I didn't think of asking for a fitting, nor did they offer me one. Upon getting home from a 45mt. ride through the street of NYC, I am hurting!! I feel like when I get on this bike, I'm climbing onto it even though the seat post is only about 4" from the tightening/loosening clamp, if I have to lower it even more, should I have gotten a Small? (Picture attached) I'd like to know if there is anyone here who's my height (5'8") and find out which size they purchased.
Also, the bike shop didn't give me any manuals and pretty much gave me the bike that was on display and that had been test-ridden and charged full price, is that how it works? They said it was when I asked them. Also riding on this seat, my bony rear-end feels as if I had been riding on railroad tracks. I am kind of annoyed now, since I dropped a pretty penny (US 1,450.00 + a $187.56 tax) & looking back, all they did was tune it up downstairs (didn't take long), hand it over to me and didn't test fit me given their experience as a bike shop & the money I spent.
Summary:
a) Should I have gotten a small given my height (5'8') and how little tube there is left to lower?
b) Was the purchasing process (no manuals, no fitting, display bike @ full price) honest?

Thank you so much for your time and feedback.
- Andres D.

Overthewheels7

Very nice looking/performing bikes but delicate paint. Any tips on how to touch up a composite bike? Mine fell and now I have a chip in a white area, any tips on how to paint/cover up? Thank you.

Overthewheels7

Sir, would you happen to know the model of the rear rack that you installed? I've been looking online but I'd like to make sure that I purchase one that fits properly. Thank you for your time, if not at hand, no worries. Thank you.

DowneasTTer

Here's the one I used a Topeak Explorer, but I think any one would fit. I just like the Topeak system and have a couple of bags to attach to it. That said I don't care for the Topeak supplied attachment bars as they are a heavy chromed flat metal bar. These I replaced with a couple of bars purchased at my local Trek dealer. I can't remember the part number. Here is a link to the rack on Amazon. Amazon.com : Topeak Explorer Bike Rack : Sports & Outdoors

canadaride

Brilliant thread guys, thanks for the info. I am about to upgrade my specialized hybrid, i was originally looking at the Escape Rx (or equivalent trek 7.4, Cannondale quick 3, specialized comp) - but now i'm thinking the Composite is the way to go.
But can you help with a few Qus? - I ride road and some short sections of fine gravel trails (about 2-3km 5 x a week) - will the bike be OK on slightly rough sections? - not bad at all, but just want to be safe....i might need 30-32tires (currently use 32).
Also i ride up to 15f degrees / -10c. Is the cold temps OK on the composite frame?
Lastly -(you've probably answered before), is the extra $400/500 for the Composite worth it over the Escape RX?
Very many thanks indeed for any help you can give, much appreciated

DowneasTTer

Well as I posted on the Foo board a couple of days ago Mrs. DowneasTTer and I just returned from our summer trip. While cleaning my bike sometime during the summer I discovered what looked like a small crack or scratch in the head tube right at the bottom where the bearing face is. I watched it over the next thousand miles of so without any change. Finally took the bike into my LBS yesterday and sure enough it's a crack. Bummer the frame only has about 6k on it at this point. Giant is making good and replacing the frame. Should be in the couple of weeks or so. Until then I'll watch it like a hawk. Anyway, Mrs. DowneasTTer's frame is fine. But if you own one of these do a detail check. Here's a close up pic I just took for a reference.

DowneasTTer

Updates on the frame issue can be found here: https://www.bikeforums.net/hybrid-bic...head-tube.html

DowneasTTer

Well I haven't updated this thread in a while so here goes. After the new frame last spring all is well. Both my wife's and my currently have 18k or so on bikes with 26k on the crankset. This summer I replaced the 50t crankring and the 105 cassette along with a chain. The ring had about 23k on it and we got about 15k out of the cassettes. Not bad.

These were our first carbon fiber bikes and we have enjoyed them. They have been through quite a bit during the past year and a half. Riding all over the Eastern US from Cape Cod to the Fl keys. As far as I can see Giant created a super flat bar bike in the Escape RX Composite.

Yesterday we ordered a couple of FastRoad CoMax 1's from our local lbs (Blue Run Bicycles, Dunnellon, FL) and they should be here by the end of the month. Then we will need to decide whether we sell the RX's or keep them for travel bikes. I'll update this thread when the new bikes arrive.

Sunset_Va

Very beautiful bikes. Read this from the beginning, and most especially your comment about a $1,500 bike.

i paid that exact amount for a wonderful Cannondale X7 , CX bike. Sadly sold it at a big loss. Bikes depreciate too much for me to buy any more $1,500 + bikes. Promised to not spend over $600 on any new bikes, but do component upgrades and changes I choose. Also in 2001 purchased a year end Giant NRS2 MTB for $1,395, which I still have and ride and think a lot of.

But once again, thanks for writing your excellent posts about those nice bikes. I don't think I have ever seen one.

DowneasTTer

For most people I think your statement applies. However, we tend to think different (sorry for the apple pun). Being retired we spend 4+ hours/day riding generally doing around 10k (miles) a year. The beauty of living in FL 9 months and traveling via RV the rest of the time. When you figure we update our bikes after a year or two, the return on our outlay is quite good. Think of what other sport/fitness thing you can do everyday for less $$$. What about the health benefit? Before owning high end hybrids we used heavy steel frames and the like. They were not something one would want to spend a great deal of time or miles with. Currently we ride about 40 miles/day and look forward to the next ride. Not sometime I would want to due on a $600 ride.

We have been able to sell our older bikes for around half of the cost of the replacements over the past 5 years. For example when we purchased these Escape RX Composites in Feb of last year we sold our two Escape RX 0's. The final cost for the bikes worked out to $1275, (the bike shop sold them at the time for $1250.00 each). We have owned and used our Composite's for 638 days so that works out to $1.99/day. That's assuming to receive nothing on a resale. In fact if we decide to sell these bikes down the road I expect to recoup most of the cost for one of the CoMax.

DowneasTTer

The new CoMax's arrived at my LBS today. The shop owner is putting them together and I hope to get them on the road tomorrow. Then I will need to decide what to do with the RX Composites. Here are a couple of pics of the replacement bikes.

DowneasTTer

Well after a 60 miles on the new bikes we have decided that the RX's need a new home. So on to Craig's list they go. Thus ending this thread. Thanks for all your input over the past year and half.