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Buying first road bike-Need some opinions from the Guru's and Trolls

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Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

Buying first road bike-Need some opinions from the Guru's and Trolls

Old 07-18-16, 01:00 PM
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Originally Posted by SpeshulEd
<- Whatup!?
Meh, you're grandfathered in.
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Old 07-18-16, 01:27 PM
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Get a dog too.
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Old 07-18-16, 02:12 PM
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Originally Posted by redfooj
Ban the next person who writes "Spesh"
Spesh

Whatever, I can't be assed to type out the whole word. Spesh. Spesh Spesh Spesh
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Old 07-18-16, 02:55 PM
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Originally Posted by BillyD
Meh, you're grandfathered in.
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Old 07-18-16, 03:54 PM
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Guru and troll: what if you are both?
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No matter where I go, here I am...
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Old 07-18-16, 04:46 PM
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Originally Posted by SpeshulEd
Your budget is $1-$6500.

Go to a bike shop, ride some bikes, buy one. It's honestly not that hard.
Hello love, do you have any more excellent advise regarding the Pinarello bikes I mentioned?
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Old 07-18-16, 04:48 PM
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Originally Posted by vinfix
Remember that Cali is a community property state, so when you get divorced, your wife gets half.
Does Pinarello make the best unicycle?

I'm sure you'll get a lot of opinions from the carbon fanboys for Trek/Cdale/Spec/Chinarello. Then a retrogrouch will say buy a steel bike with Campy because crabon asplodes, and Shimano is unfixable.

Just get a bigger cog and keep riding your FG.
Lol. The Pinarello Uni market is rough.

I run a really low cog and it always keeps me working. I guess my preference is to keep it as is because I don't want it to get "easier" for when I'm not in the hills. It's all relative but I want a bike made for the hills is where I'm finding my thoughts recently.

And Thank you for your feedback.
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Old 07-18-16, 04:50 PM
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Originally Posted by Mulberry20
If your budget is that high contact Mike DeSalvo in Oregon or Kelly Bedford in NY and speak to real experts about frame materials, quality and pluses and minuses. There is a guy in Cali I forget his name that has a seven year wait, so don't bother with him.

Kelly Bedford has forgotten more about frame building than most know. DeSalvo builds killer frames. I have seen several, for about $2,000. Bedford a little more.

I would never spend that kind of coin on a stock pre-built bike. I don't care what the fashion is.

Get a custom bike and put more money in the groupset, wheels, shoes and not the frame material.

You are just flushing money down the toilet overspending on materials for the frame.

Contact those guys and get a custom bike if your budget is that generous.
I will definitely be reading about these names. It didn't even cross my mind to get a custom bike, thank you.
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Old 07-18-16, 04:54 PM
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Originally Posted by Married4Now2015
Hello love, do you have any more excellent advise regarding the Pinarello bikes I mentioned?
Avoid Chinarellos...
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Old 07-18-16, 04:55 PM
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Originally Posted by thin_concrete
I have 2 Pinarellos and love them both - a Dogma 60.1 and a Marvel. Both are quality bikes that are light and responsive. I also have a Cervelo P3, so look at their S and R lines as well.

If you can afford a Dogma F8, do it.
Thanks for the applicable data.

Can you tell me about your riding? Like are you a serious rider? Or just an avid 200+ a week dude? You have the bike(s) and the cervelo advise that I have already been looking into so would like to hear more from you if possible

I'm interested in the F8 because of its rigidity and ease in hills(relative to rider strength of course). It's gorgeous and I will grow into it.

Being a newer/returning road rider I want a new badass bike yes but I also don't want to just buy something top shelf simply because I can, yknow? Ideally I will get a bike that Will be right for me now later and way later if that makes sense.
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Old 07-18-16, 04:56 PM
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Originally Posted by cthenn
I'll be the troll for pointing out you added an unnecessary apostrophe in "gurus".
I noticed that too! Lol. Apparently my phone prefers grammar in some words and not in others.
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Old 07-18-16, 04:57 PM
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Originally Posted by Maelochs
If you want to p!$$ off the wife, spend the money on a girlfriend, then get a bike after the divorce ... because she gets the car and you need a bike for transport.
My current wife has MET my girlfriend actually hahaha.
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Old 07-18-16, 04:58 PM
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Originally Posted by bmthom.gis
Up your budget and get a Spesh Venge ViAS, then go ride as fast as Sagan
Bro I hate Sagan >:T
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Old 07-18-16, 04:59 PM
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Originally Posted by Icculus21
With that kind of budget - professional fit and custom frame, and you'll still be able to purchase all high-end components.
Thank you. Any particular shops or sites or names you can offer and I will definitely look into it.
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Old 07-18-16, 04:59 PM
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Originally Posted by K.Katso
Are there any sweet jumps?

I caught you a tasty bass..
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Old 07-18-16, 05:01 PM
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Originally Posted by rpenmanparker
Guru and troll: what if you are both?
Then spill beans and share your snobby wisdom homeboy! It's all good with me!
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Old 07-18-16, 05:02 PM
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Originally Posted by SpeshulEd
Avoid Chinarellos...
Copy. Will do.
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Old 07-18-16, 05:05 PM
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Originally Posted by Married4Now2015
Thanks for the applicable data.

Can you tell me about your riding? Like are you a serious rider? Or just an avid 200+ a week dude? You have the bike(s) and the cervelo advise that I have already been looking into so would like to hear more from you if possible

I'm interested in the F8 because of its rigidity and ease in hills(relative to rider strength of course). It's gorgeous and I will grow into it.

Being a newer/returning road rider I want a new badass bike yes but I also don't want to just buy something top shelf simply because I can, yknow? Ideally I will get a bike that Will be right for me now later and way later if that makes sense.
I try to get 100-125 miles per week because I live in the city and it's not the best place to ride before and after work. I usually take my bike north and ride up there on the weekends. I will say that I use the Marvel the most as the Dogma is set up for racing. My LBS holds TTs every other weekend and I want to do a sprint tri, so that's where the P3 comes into play.

I think the F8 is gorgeous, but way too much bike that I could utilize (maybe even appreciate), but if cost is no object, then why not? I took the 2015 Marvel over a 2016 Gan because the LBS had a huge discount to make space for new inventory. The Gan is plenty rigid, and in your budget you could get some quality components and better wheels and you'd probably be happy, but an F8 would be great to come home to and hop on.

Last edited by thin_concrete; 07-19-16 at 05:32 AM.
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Old 07-18-16, 05:07 PM
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And check out Parlee as well. They make amazing bikes as well (a buddy owns one).
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Old 07-18-16, 05:11 PM
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Originally Posted by Married4Now2015
Then spill beans and share your snobby wisdom homeboy! It's all good with me!
Okay, you asked for it.

If you don't know what you want, it doesn't matter what you buy. Spend 20% of your budget on the big name bike at your local shop that you like the best for that price: the ride, the color, whatever. Ride it for a while. When you have seen and experienced enough to know what you really want that you don't already have so you don't have to ask us, then spend the other 80% on your "real" bike. Not a single name recommended by someone else will satisfy you better than any other except by dumb luck. That is the bane and the beauty of good bicycles.
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Originally Posted by LAJ
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Old 07-18-16, 05:13 PM
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Originally Posted by thin_concrete
I try to get 100-125 miles per week because I live in the city and it's not the best place to ride before and after work. I usually take my bike north and ride up there o the weekends. I will say that I use the Marvel the most as the Dogma is set up for racing. My LBS holds TTs every other weekend and I want to do a sprint tri, so that's where the P3 comes into play.

I think the F8 is gorgeous, but way too much bike that I could utilize (maybe even appreciate), but if cost is no object, then why not? I took the 2015 Marvel over a 2016 Gan because the LBS had a huge discount to make space for new inventory. The Gan is plenty rigid, and in your budget you could get some quality components and better wheels and you'd probably be happy, but an F8 would be great to come home to and hop on.
This is exactly my ride habit and the last paragraph is virtually right here my mind is at. I love the idea of hopping on an F8. I normally ride at dusk and LATE night so nobody ever sees me lol, but that's irrelevant, I just want a dope ride to grow with. My worry is that I WOULD be simply burning money. Perhaps the Gan RS is something I should consider.

I see the value in getting one over the other when a discount is in play though, absolutely. I'm between the F8 at 6500 and the RS around 5. What you do man?
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Old 07-18-16, 05:14 PM
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Originally Posted by thin_concrete
And check out Parlee as well. They make amazing bikes as well (a buddy owns one).
Will do thanks man!
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Old 07-18-16, 05:14 PM
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Originally Posted by Married4Now2015
I will definitely be reading about these names. It didn't even cross my mind to get a custom bike, thank you.
You can also try John Caletti in Santa Cruz and The Vanilla Workshop in Oregon.

When you closely examine expensive pre-built bikes, you can see the value is simply not there.

Have fun and good luck. You could get lucky and fit a standard size and save the extra fees, but you still get to pick the paint and artwork on a standard frame as well as all the components.

These guys know more about bikes and components than any shop. With carefully picked components and tubes these guys can build a sub 17lb complete steel bike, on par with any carbon bike.

Last edited by Mulberry20; 07-18-16 at 05:22 PM.
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Old 07-18-16, 05:16 PM
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Originally Posted by rpenmanparker
Okay, you asked for it.

If you don't know what you want, it doesn't matter what you buy. Spend 20% of your budget on the big name bike at your local shop that you like the best for that price: the ride, the color, whatever. Ride it for a while. When you have seen and experienced enough to know what you really want that you don't already have so you don't have to ask us, then spend the other 80% on your "real" bike. Not a single name recommended by someone else will satisfy you better than any other except by dumb luck. That is the bane and the beauty of good bicycles.
This makes perfect f$&cking sense.

Side note: does anyone feel like they're getting ripped buying from LBS cuz they are just trying to sell a specific brand to the cities surrounding "market?"
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Old 07-18-16, 05:18 PM
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Originally Posted by Mulberry20
You can also try John Caletti in Santa Cruz and The Vanilla Workshop in Oregon.

When you closely examine expensive pre-built bikes, you can see the value is simply not there.

Have fun and good luck. You could get lucky and fit a standard size and save the extra fees, but you still get to pick the paint and artwork on a standard frame as well as all the components.

These guys know more about bikes and components than any shop.
Mulberry I have plenty of time today to likely look into all these names. Santa Cruz sounds like a fun trip and definitely worth a day to eat and look at custom bikes. I will definitely look into him.

And I appreciate this: HAVE FUN.

You classy sonuvab&$ch.
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