dur4ce

Hey Guys!

I have good news and I have bad news. The good news is that my gf is kinda starting to get excited about cycling. I fixed up my POS walmart roadmaster mtn bike, and she's gone on a couple recreational rides with me. Now she's getting excited and would like a road bike of her own. Thats the good news.

The bad news is that she isn't $750 excited yet. In fact, she is only about $200 excited. In thinking of what we could get that would work for her, I was searching e-bay with her at my side and BAM! that Dawes $200 special comes up. I would go for an older bike, but she is terrified of dt shifters, and will not try them, despite my attempts and convincing. STI equiped bikes are still abover her price range though, so it appears that for now, the stem mounted shifter of the Dawes Lightning sport might be what she gets. I figure I can throw on some STI levers, ect later, as I come across them cheaply. She is also extremely nervous about going used, and is a "buys-everything-new" type. So the arguments for the Dawes are building.

I'm excited that she wants to give road biking a try, and that she's willing to plunk down some cash. Even if she wants to upgrade soon, its just $200 down the hole. I think its a good idea, but I wanted to make sure I wasn't crazy. What do you guys think?

-Steve

Here's the link: https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...7491&rd=1&rd=1

ElJamoquio

Step 1. Buy $200 DT-shifter bike.
Step 2. Buy yourself a brandy-new set of brifters.
Step 3. I got you a set of almost-new brifters, honey!

voltman

Let her be $200 excited and chip in $550.

urbanknight

+1 I got many of my Ultegra parts as a teenager when my father upgraded to Dura Ace. If you ever had a reason to upgrade your bike, this is it.

Aside from that, have you looked for a bike with barend shifters?

urbanknight

she's a girlfriend. I'd only chip in if she was a fiancee or wife... or at least has been dating for more than a year.

Trevor98

Find a good used bike. If she likes it upgrade later. If she doesn't you're only out a couple hundred.

dur4ce

I'm still looking on ebay and craiglist, hoping I can find a compelling deal...

Phantoj

Afraid of DT shifters? Always buys everything new? Time to re-evaluate the relationship!

chipcom 

From experience - if you get her a cheap bike you're only gonna have to buy another, then another, progressively more expensive and blingy. Take her out bike shopping and buy her whatever bike she wants after she looks at AND gives it a test ride.

slvoid

Are you two the same size? Give her yours and get yourself a better one heh.

merlinextraligh

Or worse dislike the $200 bike so much she never rides. Pony up and buy her a bike at least as nicve as yours. It will pay dividends.

ridethecliche

Actually, one of my friends on campus was really strapped for money and he bought that Dawes bike.
He's done a couple of centuries with it and it works really well for him. He had some problems with the RD but he was probably hammering it pretty hard or something hit it and turned it outta whack. If she's going to be riding VERY recreationally, I would say that the Dawes bike would work just fine, especially if you know how to fix it up if it needs it.

urodacus

$200 seciond hand is SO much better than $200 new. you'll (she'll) regret buying the boat anchor later, and then there's $200 wasted...

ridethecliche

I beg to differ on the bike. I think it'll do a newbie good if it's all the can afford. Like I said, my friend has no real problems with it. He can do the basic work though. Truing wheels, setting up the Ders, etc.

I agree that a used $200 bike will be much much better.

eddie25

my gf just got her 1st road bike a 07 fuji finest 2.0 @ performance for $799. I paid half and she paid half. which is cool because we now try to bike at least once a week on sat or sunday.

jccaclimber

I have ALWAYS recomended that my friends buy used bikes as a first bike. Some listen to me, some don't, the ones that do are happier. Once you develop any skill on a bike DT shifters are fine unless you need to shift in a sprint. I'm making that claim because I think being able to get to the water bottles on your frame is an essential skill and downtube shifters are easier to use than waterbottle cages. Also, make sure that they are INDEXED downtube shifters, that part really helps.

dur4ce

Ok, I convinced her, and I think we'll be going the used route, with a little higher budget. I'm contributing, considering we've been together for almost three years now, and I think she's a keeper. If a little money now gets her into a sport that I love, then great. Hopefully, I'll be posting about the new (to-her) bike soon!

Avalanche325

Good choice. A good way to make sure that someone hates cycling is to put them on a heavy piece of crap. A used bike in the same price range will be a much better bike.

Good luck. I hope she loves riding.

GamecockTaco

I found my wife a used '05 Scott Speedster S4 on fleabay that we got back in November for $450 shipped. It is Tiagra equipped with a triple on the front. Ended up swapping out the saddle (big surprise there, huh?) and she's just now starting to put some more miles on it.