fordelit

I saw this bike in our local store and liked it and would like to buy it .. its around $400 ..
https://genbikes.com/road/Genesis_G500_Road_Bike.php

I do not want to spend too much as I just want to get back to riding bikes and would love to get an entry level road bike to start with. I have no knowledge on which shifters are expensive or what tires are the best, etc .. After unsuccessfully trying to find reviews on this bike, I thought of positing this query here with the expectations that people here know what they are talking about and can give me an informed review how this bike is based on the specs given,

I know bikesdirect has some bikes around the same range. But I have read some bad reviews about customer service. Buying locally means, i atleast have the option to return it if it does not suit me. Also I checked my LBS and the entry level bikes they have start at around $700 ..

Thanks in advance for your time .. :-) ..

uncrx2003

I would buy a used bike. Those components are as low end as they get.

SlowOlympian

Used would be better than that

rdtompki

Use of the word "Experts" has eliminated virtually the entire population of BF

RT

Bikes Direct has great customer service. Many of us in here have had at least one purchasing experience with them, and the reviews are more favorable than not. BD is a point of contention in here, but not nearly as much as it used to be. BD is definitely worth a look.

For $399, my last BD purchase was the Liberty 1, much more than you get with the link you provided.

FrenchFit 

I am an expert of something other than bicycles, so I guess I can answer.

It's an OK idea as long as you know what you are buying. It's a poser racer bike with cheap components, hi-ten fork, and it's probably a good deal heavier than an aluminum bike should be. If you'll have fun riding it for a few years, then it's a great idea. Realize it's a disposible bike, upgrading it - other than tires - would be fairly ridiculous waste of money. Enjoy.

pihb

If you can afford it, most bike shops do financing

botto 

wrong forum.

Ghost Ryder

+1

You can do better for $400, if you raise your budget to the $600-$650 range you'll get much better components.

RacerOne

I saw this bike in Walmart earlier this spring with a nothing but a sticker on it that read $135.00 Purple. I found that odd since the bike was red and white, I figured it was miss-marked but at $135 it would be a decent deal. I asked two employees, including the bike assembler and both comfirmed the price. So I bought it as a bike for my kids when they get a bit bigger.

My other road bikes are a 2010 Madone 6.5 and a 2012 Caad 10. I've ridden the Genesis and frankly it's not bad at all, sure it's using lower end components and wheels but it's comfortable/fast enough. Put my pedals on it and I wouldn't have any problem keeping up on the Thursday Night Worlds ride.

So in the end, it's not a bad bike at $135.00, really not even at $400.00, but I'd have never paid that much for it.

RacerOne

If you have to finance it, you can't afford it.

Paul Barnard

I have been looking for an entry level road bike for my daughter for the past couple of weeks. I have shopped at the LBSs, on Craigslist and online. This is the best deal I have seen. Shipping is free, but you do pay the oversized portion of the shipping charges. It will arrive at your door withe their "build" having been done and only needing minor assembly. It's a name brand bike with Sora, Tiagra and other name brand parts. It comes with a carbon fork and seatpost.

https://www.jensonusa.com/Road-Bikes/...gen-10-Bike-11

cmcgarvey

That's not entirely true. What if you have a very stable job with $200-$300 disposable income and instead of saving up for 10 months you get on good payment plan so you can get the bike now?

Paul Barnard

Please explain?

pihb

So if you get qualified for 6 months no interest to finance a bike you wouldn't jump on it if you would take that extra money and use it to save for a bike and you can leave the store with it that day? That's not what I did when I bought mine. I know people who have. It's an option because it's a big investment to some. The Key is to make sure you can afford having it paid off within the time frame.

It's a little thing called financial responsibility.

You can finance a $15k car or a $60k car no problem, just find one that works for your budget.

RacerOne

6 months no interest is fine, if you already have the cash, but financing toys and paying interest is just not financially smart. Sorry.

RT

This is always correct.

jesspal

This

fordelit

Ok .. so the "experts" was a wrong title .. got it .. :-) ..

Thanks for the comments .. So assuming I cannot finance and $400 is around what I can spend, based on the comments, should I assume that the parts I am getting is not worth it? I mean, is this bike worth $400?

Anyway, I went ahead and bought it to try it out. I went on a 20 mile ride yesterday and riding it felt ok. I have nothing to compare it with because I never rode the high end bikes to compare it it. For the past year, I have been riding MTB .. But ride was smooth. I did have to google to find how to change the gears though because its not the kind that I seen with levers on the handle bar :-) .. The gears do not shift very nicely and I assume that is something that can be fixed by my LBS.

@Paul .. the bike you bought for your daughter .. how do you rate that?

@RacerOne .. thanks for your comments. You are the only who seem to have actually seen this bike and rode it too. I guess luky too to have got that bike for $135 .. .. so you think its a good entry bike for $400 and is comparable to other bikes around that range, right?

pihb

If you like it and it fit your budget, then I would not worry about other people's opinions. There will always be room for upgrades (better components, carbon wheels, carbon frame, etc)

Maybe now is a good time to start stashing away so when you are ready for an upgrade, you have the funds. let this be the bike that got you hooked

fordelit

Thanks .. I did weigh the bike and its around 24 lbs ..

I do not plan to upgrade it .. I do not plan to race .. just ride it around and relive my younger days when bikes used to my sole mode of transportation :-) ..

RT

OP, now you are required to post pictures of your ride, or be flogged publicly for not doing so in a timely manner.

It's the rules.

fordelit

Thanks Phib .. that was the idea ..

The reason to post this question was just to ensure that I did not pay $400 for a $100 bike .. or that I could have got a much better bike for the same cash somewhere else ..

fordelit

ok RTDub .. still learning the rules .. second lesson learnt in a day .. first lesson? do not call anyone experts here

where do I post it? in my profile I assume .. let me check and will post one soon ..

fordelit

The pictures are exactly the same as you see in the link - https://genbikes.com/road/Genesis_G500_Road_Bike.php .. same color, stickers, etc ..