cyclone24

Ok im 39 and my knees are too shot for basketball and softball. Got out my mountain bike the last few weeks and have really enjoyed it, but im slogging up and down hills on this tank of a mountain bike...so looking for a road bike.

This isnt something i have even $1500 to spend on (insert 2 year old child, single dad, blah blah blah). Im not going to do races, or triathlons and im not concerned with my time. Just purely for exercise and figure ill get in more miles with a better bike.

Anyway......knowing that information and that ive never had a road bike before......should i go with something like....and i know this is probably blaspheme on here.....but getting even a "nicer" wal mart road bike just to see how it goes?? (note: im mildly concerned going head over ass on one of these road bikes).

Do i take it to a shop to get adjusted before riding?

The trails i go on cross over roads onto paths as it winds through neighborhoods (not curbs or anything)...is that ok for a road bike to handle?

Thank you in advance.....

Homebrew01

Go to a shop and see what they have in your price range. I would avoid department store bikes - they are mostly junk, or junk-ish.
If the bike shop bikes are too expensive, then searching for a nicer used bike is another option.

Roads bikes can take a decent amount of abuse, so unless you plan or riding in the woods and jumping logs, or rutted gravel roads, you should be fine.

cyclone24

The shops im not sure had a road bike for under $1000.

Ive scanned craigslist for bikes, but im 6'2"....and in des moines....apparantly not that many larger bikes running around. Been a ton of smaller bikes though.

Thats why i was considering a cheap one.....

BruceHankins

Buy used and don't get a department store bike. What kind of mtb is it? If its a nicer mtb consider getting 26x1 3/8 or 26x1 1/5 road tires+tubes for it and trying that if you're concerned about drop bars and road bike geometry. Tires can make a noticeable difference in ride quality on some bikes, plus its a cheap and easy. If it doesn't work still you're not out much money. If your mtb is a Walmart branded tank though it might not be much help.

mshred

you can go the department store bike route if you are just trying to get on something you consider a road bike, but after a month or two, you'll wish you got something of higer quality. i just got my first road bike a few months back and was in the same position as you (young kids, tight budget, etc.).

in my opinion, you'd be better served staying patient looking for a used higher quality bike (craigslist, ebay, etc.). if you spend even a couple hundred bucks on a very low quality bike, you'll just want to upgrade soon and the money you spent on the cheap bike you wont get back.

you might be able to get away with a 58cm bike at your size, those arent as plentiful as smaller bikes, but there are some out there. i'm 6'4 and had a terrible time finding something 61cm+. i know how it goes.

cyclone24

I know this is a dumb question.....but are dept store bikes really that bad? I mean i see all these $1500-$2000 bikes and those seem way over what im looking for or wanting to get into. Im only looking to do 20-25 mile spots...i dunno.

Elduderino2412

at 6'2" you PROBABLY will fit on either a 58cm, 60cm or Large(if they don't have measurements).

Most department store bikes aren't a good value, b/c they will probably break after about a year or two. If you can't find anything on CL than you can also try bikesdirect.com. Your LBS should have some sub $1k bikes. Buying a bike requires some online research.

MRT2

Every sport has its cost of admission. Stay away from Wal Mart junk. Educate yourself and look for end of season deals, buy used, or suck it up and pay full retail so you at least have a waranty and piece of mind. You should be able to find an entry level road bike, full retail, from a LBS for less than $1,000. For that price, expect an aluminum frame (or steel, my personal preference) with either a chro moly steel fork or carbon fiber fork. Components will be entry level (some mix of Sora or more likely 2400). For Tiagra ,105, or above, you will need to pay a bit more.

Used depends on the market. If you are lucky, maybe you can find something a few years old for, maybe half off full retail. If you don't mind downtube shifters, you can find something C & V for maybe a third of the cost of a new road bike, though in that case you really need to educate yourself, or you will wind up with a 30 year old bike that was just entry level back in the day. Fit and condition on used is really important. The best bike isn't so good if it is too big or too small. And it is no bargain if you have to shell out a lot of money for repairs. Might as well go new if that is the case.

I know, that seems like a lot. Alternatives are.
1. Keep riding what you have. Maybe put more road oriented tires on it.
2. Go with a hybrid or "flat bar" roadbike. These are a little less expensive than "real" road bikes. If you like this option, you can find something like a Trek FX 7.1 or Jamis Coda for $550 or $600 full retail. Think long and hard about this. It might be just what you are looking for, but if what you really want is a road bike, you will find yourself in a year or two taking a loss on your hybrid to finance what you should have gone with in the first place.

BruceHankins

Yes they are. I hadamy over the years. My Walmart mtb I took trail riding and destroyed the seat, seat post, front wheel, brake caliper and bent the fork off one hard drop off. Probably 50% rider error but still. $1500 will get you a basic entry level bike, nice carbon roadies run $3k+. Try bikesdirect.com, but make sure you know exactly what size you need first since its online ordering an returns can be bothersome. Go to your LBS and ask them about sizing, they can usually give you a rough size, probably 58cm-61cm like mshred said.

Look for things like downtube shifters, brakes with hoods (no dual lever) chromo or tange tubing (high tensile steel can be heavy). Or go to yard sales and see what you can pick up for $30 or so that's rideable in your size and try it out for a while to see if you really want to get a road bike. Chances are once you get on a nicer one, you'll never want to go back.

MRT2

Yes, pretty bad. Cheap, heavy frames, poor quality components, and unknown or indifferent standard of assembly.

A 25 mile ride on a nice road bike is a pleasurable experience. On a crappy bike, not so much.

Even if you are pretty handy with a wrench and can fix the possibly poor assembly quality, you still have a cheap, heavy department store bike.

cyclone24

Good advice.....my thought process i guess is...i think i have someone who will buy my mtn bike for $125. Well shoot...even if i got a $250 wal mart one...and it broke in a year (seems quick)...im only out a hundred bucks or so. I dunno.....

Just worried about getting a nicer bike than what actually fits my needs? Not sure i care about forks and weight and frame preference at my level...maybe i should?

BruceHankins

Always care. As stated a long distance ride can be real fun....on the right bike.

MRT2

So just ride your mountain bike. Every weekend I see dozens of people riding the local MUP on old comfort hybrids or mountain bikes. BTW, what model is it you are currently riding?

mshred

i picked up a used specialized allez (2004) with shimano 105 components (not top end, but not bottom end either) for $350 off craigslist. granted, it's used and i have had to learn to do some maintenance items. however - for this price compared to spending around $200 on a deparment store bike i got an infinitely better road bike experience.

as far as weight and specific frame geometry (other than making sure the bike fits you) you probably dont need to be too worried about the detailed specs. however, just know that the ride quality (enjoyment) and especially the shifting experience you get on a cheap bike vs a higher level bike is night and day. the longer your rides and the more you ride the more you'll notice the difference.

cyclone24

A raleigh m40? No idea. I mean it works....ha....

MRT2

Pretty entry level, but still much better than any Wal Mart junk. My son rides an old Trek 800, sort of the same level mountain bike, on 20 to 25 mile rides. Just switch out the tire to a 1.5" wide road tire. Plenty of good options. On my son's bike, we put Geax Street runner tires on. https://www.biketiresdirect.com/produ...Fe9cMgodQjcA3w

jsharr

Have you considered putting slicks on your mountain bike and playing with the fit to get a bit more aero ride? Could be easy and cheap and give you something workable until you find the right used road bike.

I have a 1992 Trek 8000 that has Onza bar ends on it that allow me to stretch out a bit and I run Specialized Hemisphere tires that are a good mix for street and light trail use.

I use it to ride around with the kids, pull a trailer etc, but I have done tons of 20-30 mile road rides on it.



You can get bar ends that let you strecht up and out or drop bar ends for around $20
https://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&key...2Ck%3Abar+ends

A good set of tires can set you back $50 - $75 but you can find city tires for a mtb for as low as $10 each
https://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product...54_-1___202470

Just a thought, that for under $100 you might be able to turn what you have into what you want or need.

cyclone24

Thats very similar to what i have now...with the handle bars and such.


So if im looking on bikes direct......seems to be a million options with a million specs.....what are you looking for? There are 30 speed, 20 speeds...carbon brakes, tire types, etc....kinda overwhelming

nastystang

There are some great sub $1000 bikes out there. I would present your budget to the LBS and see what they have to offer. You can get an Idea what size frame to look for even if they do not have anything that fits your budget. What about craigslist? Might find a great bike at a good price. I agree stay away from the bikes at Walmart. The quality is not there and in the end it could be just like tossing money in a garbage can. Been there done that.

MRT2

Yes it is. That is why it is, maybe, best to work with a LBS. You pay a few bucks more, but (hopefully) you get a chance to work with them on fit and test ride a number of bikes before you buy.

99Klein 

Yes they are better. A better bike will probably make you want to ride more. Make sure it fits.

jsharr

Typically, more money buys you less weight and better quality components. Any of the Tiagra bikes will fit your need. Sora / Acera / Microshift bikes would be as inexpensive as I would go on the Bikesdirect site. Bear in mind that you are going to have to put the bike together and adjust it, or pay a shop to do that for you.

BruceHankins

An m40 while not a great mtb is a good mtb, I second the opinion of skinnier road/commuter tires and try it. It's a solid frame with decent components and you might be surprised how much more rideable it is with new treads. Get some strada k's for about $20 each, like you said you can always sell it if you still aren't happy.

cks

You need to decide why you want a road bike. If it's purely for fitness, you're going to be more than fine on your current bike with slicks. You have to remember that road bikes may weigh less but they have higher gear ratios- so your knees will still feel you mashing up those hills pushing harder gears. Use a gear calculator to see what the lowest gear is on your current bike v the road bike you're considering. You may find that spinning up a hill in a lower mountain bike gear is better than mashing up a hill in a 34/25 for instance.

If your goal is to be able to ride farther and faster in a given amount of time with a goal of maybe riding 25-30 miles regularly, then I'd wait for a sale at an REI or see what your local LBS has lying around. You should be able to get at least Tiagra for $1000. An example:

https://www.jensonusa.com/Road-Bikes/...t-Road-Bike-12

cyclone24

https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/dawes/lt1500.htm

Thoughts on this? I know its for Tri's which i said i wasnt doing.....but i umm...well...i like the arm rest thingys.