Rayme

According to my LBS there will be no 2015 roam 0 and a roam 1 will be replacing the 2014 roam 0. I am (very) new to biking and am looking for any advice on the differences. Thanks in advance!

dynaryder

Only real difference I can see is the '15 has a touch nicer fork(preload adjustment). That,plus the lower price would make me choose the '15 over the '14.

Rayme

Thanks! My LBS just introduced me to the trek 8.4 DS. Do you know how they compare to the roam?

xltiny

I've got a 2013 Trek 8.4 DS, comparing the specs to a 2015 Roam 1 and looking at the savings ($80) I would get the Giant over the Trek assuming when you ride them they feel the same.


Upgrades of the Giant over the Trek

- 30 speed vs 27 speed
- Full Deore Group vs mix of Alivio/Deore Group
- Shimano vs Tektro Brakes
- $80 difference on MSRP


Ultimately, whichever bike feels better when you demo ride should be the one you choose. While the specs and the ~10% difference in price makes me lean more towards the Giant, the bike with the most comfortable geometry is the one you should choose. That one extra "granny" gear while climbing would be a godsend for me as my cardio is quite lacking.

Rayme

I am leaning towards the giant bikes. It has been hard to get around to try all of these different bikes. Regarding the 2015 roam 1 vs 2014 roam 0. I looked into the different forks and found that the 2014 has hydraulic dampening, a rebound cartridge and a 30mm stanchion tube diameter while the 2015 doesn't have these features and has a 28mm stanchion tube diameter. Do these things matter for a beginner rider? I haven't been able to test ride the roam 1 because it is so new but the roam 0 feels great.

Links
2014 Roam 0 front Suspension - Details*- SR SUNTOUR Cycling
2015 Roam 1 front suspension - Details*- SR SUNTOUR Cycling

sinosurfer

I'm interested to know about this as well as I was looking to buy the Roam 0 but I see the new Roam 1 is $165 cheaper.

badger1

Rayme, if you've been able to test ride a '14 Roam 0, and you like it/are sure that it's your size, and it's available, grab it (as opposed to the '15 Roam 1). Reasons.

1. Frame/drivetrain the same. However,
2. The fork on the '14 is significantly better. It is stronger, likely a bit lighter, and most importantly has hydraulic damping (rebound control). Instead of riding on a pogo-stick you'll be riding on a proper suspension fork. The spec sheet doesn't mention pre-load adjust. because it's highlighting the hydraulic damping. If you get into cycling much at all, you will eventually notice the difference.
3. Brakes are better (i.e. one series up in the Shimano hierarchy).
4. Wheels are better.

In my view, the 14 is more than worth the slight difference in cost, but to repeat ... it has to fit you properly. Don't buy it if, for example, you need a 'Medium' Roam for fit and the dealer is trying to sell you the last '14 Roam 0 on the floor and it is a 'Small' or a 'Large'.

Shanej

I was in this situation. LBS had a L 14 Roam 0. I would have bought it but an XL fits better. I ordered a Roam 1 in the right size even though I really wanted the 0.

Shanej

Looking at the exploded view of each fork these look to be similar. They both have a hydraulic damper and hydraulic lock out in the right tube and a main spring in the left. The 2014 version lacks any pre load adjustment while the 2015 has a pre load adjuster on the left/spring side.

badger1

Quite right ... my mistake; the NEX fork clearly does have hydraulic damping. However, the NCX fork on the 2014 does have preload (see spec sheet) as one would expect, does have 30mm stanchions, and is significantly lighter. So that taken with my other points (#3 and 4) -- my advice to the OP stands.

Shanej

I don't disagree with your advice either. I called all the stores within 100 miles of me and none had a Roam 0 XL.

badger1

That is too bad; however, the new Roam 1 is nice as well, and the same frame -- which is what really matters.

Shanej

I picked up my new Roam 1 from the LBS yesterday. I haven't gotten to put any miles on it yet but everything looks in order. I spent some time last night installing my new Ergon GP5's and aligning my shifters and brakes the way I like them. I hope to get out and ride today.

My fork does not have a pre load adjuster. It is an NEX with hydraulic lock out but it's missing the adjuster for preload. I don't know if I will miss the feature but it was disappointing to receive something lesser than was described on the website.

Although looking at the exploded view I wonder if the cover over the preload side just needs to be popped off to access the adjustment.

badger1

That is odd, and unfortunate. It's not hiding under a removable top cap on the non-lockout fork leg, is it?

Shanej

I just edited my post to say the same thing. I will have to look after I get home from work.

Shanej

Looks like there is a cap that comes off to expose the adjuster. Of course the cap broke while I was trying to pop it off.

sinosurfer

Do you think the slightly better components of the Roam 1 or Roam 0 is worth the few hundred dollars extra for a novice rider who is looking to buy his first "real" bike? I am not sure whether I would notice the difference between, say, the Deore derailleur vs the Acera on the Roam 2?

Shanej

In my opinion probably not. On the bikes I test rode the Acera stuff seemed to work fine. I went with a Roam 1 because it is my first new bike purchase and I just wanted to go with a little better stuff. I had saved up and was ready for the cost. My existing bike has STX components on it and I also didn't want to go lower in quality than what I was used to. I've read that the older STX stuff is comparable to the current Deore so I went for it.

I think it also depends on the amount of miles you are going to put on the bike. I have been riding more each year and put 1000 miles on last year. If you are only riding 250 miles a year then the lower end stuff should do you just fine.

I've got about 15 miles on the new one and I am slowly getting things fine tuned. The front disc brake is driving me crazy though. I adjusted it once but it keeps making a scraping sound that I am not at all used to coming from canti brakes. It is much better than the first time I rode it though.

mwl001

I'll agree with what was said above. I bought the Roam 2, which itself is just a terrific value -- you're getting what might cost you $850-900 from other manufacturers to start with. It's not a true MTB fork, the hydraulic disc brakes are not performance level, and the derailleur is not performance level either. But... it's all really nice stuff and you get to experience 27 speeds, hydraulic disc, and a hydraulic lockout fork in a bicycle way under $1k. Plus having that stuff stock makes it easier to upgrade than a bike without any of those upgrades. The frame on the 1/0 is lighter but I can't believe that's a huge advantage for a novice rider. In any case the Roams are a great value no matter which one you choose, just a matter of spending your money where you get the most out of it. I was a little concerned that the Acera/Altus gearing/shifting would bother me but it's all adjusted perfectly and shifts super smooth, no complaints. May be some advantages in terms of weight/durability with higher level stuff but I doubt it's anything you'll notice while riding.

Good luck!

Shanej

What makes you say that the frames are different between the 2/3 and 0/1? They all list ALUXX-grade aluminum as the frame.

mwl001

My bad, I might be thinking of the XR -- that might be the one with the lighter frame, or confusing it with other brand lines. In which case the Roam 2 might be a better price if you're only interested in upgrading one piece of equipment.