pearcem

So, after a bit of a hiatus, I have gotten back into cycling. It has been a long time since I have posted here, so I would appreciate any feedback. I bought my current bike when I was still racing. It is a 2008 Orbea Opal (Bought new in 09). It is a 54, has Mavic Aksium wheels, and is spec'ed with 10 Speed Ultegra SL. It is a great bike, but it no longer suits my riding style/ambitions or my body. I am no longer racing. I have no desire to race anymore. I have also had quite a few injuries since buying the bike that forced me to take a lot of time off and re-think some things (Torn R Labrum, arthritis in L Knee, Virtually no right ankle, and dislocated L4-L5 vertebrae - thanks Marine Corps!). All of the injuries are "healed", but still bother me fairly frequently. Now that I am able to cycle again regularly, I am just riding for fun and to stay in shape. I am focusing or organized rides, charity rides, centuries, metrics, and just good old fashioned exploring. It has been a blast so far.

I have seen quite a few people about changing the fit on my bike, and so far I have not really had any luck. The more aggressive riding position tends to put a good amount of stress on my lower back, and also puts a lot more weight on my hands, which tends to bug my bad shoulder after long rides. I am thinking it might be new bike time (woo!), but I need to do something that suits my riding style better. I want a steel frame (My last bike was steel and I loved the ride), and I want something that is more comfort/sport touring/club racer oriented as far as geometry goes. I really want a bit more upright position that puts less stress on my injuries. I am debating buying a frameset and using what I have to do a build, or buying a new bike. So, now for the questions:

1) The two bikes that have jumped out at me so far are the Surly Pacer and Crosscheck. I like the fact that they seem to have what I am looking for as far as ride/geo, and the crosscheck has the ability to accommodate large tires and racks. I don't plan on touring right now, but I might in the future, and running a single rack wouldn't be bad for centuries. The price is also good (400-600 for frameset) and while budget is negotiable, a Crown Jewel or new Waterford are out of the picture. What other bikes should I be looking at? I want to be able to ride it before buying (Greensboro, High Point, Wisnton-Salem NC)

2) Should I go with a new frameset and use the parts off of my opal to build the bike, knowing that I would probably have to buy a few components, and try and sell the Opal frameset, or sell the Opal and just do a new build/whole bike? The Opal is low miles, stored indoors, and never crashed. The components are all in good shape, and I feel like cannibalizing the Opal to do a build would be cheaper. I would also end up with higher end components than I would be able to afford new. Some of the compents might not be ideal for the type of build I would want, but they would work fine in the relatively short term.

3) If I did sell the Opal, what should I ask? Also, what should I list the framset for if I go that route? I am a little out of touch with pricing, and my internet research has not turned up much so far for comparable bikes/frames.

Thanks to anyone who took the time to read my post! Much appreciated!

fstshrk

Did you look at the Specialized Secteur series? You can get a complete bike with reasonable components for around $1000.

If you sell your old bike for $700, that seems like a good option.

zymphad

You can't buy a new stem and flip it and maybe add a spacer?

RollCNY

On frames, Soma Smoothie and ES, plus their cross models, will be in that price range. Don't know how hard they are to find in rideable form. Jamis still makes several steel bikes which shouldn't be hard to find.

The Pacer is a decent, and largely underappreciated bike. I wouldn't hesitate to build that up by moving parts over. Total Cycling out of England has Genesis Equilibrium frames, which I think look to be a great package, but you have no way to test ride.

I am not familiar with the geometry of your Orbea, so I have no clue how workable it is or isn't. Too much weight on your hands can be addressed pretty easily, but back issues or flexibility issues are harder. If you just feel beat up after riding it, try the widest tires that will fit, and drop your air pressure. You would be amazed how much difference it can make.

robbyville

I would echo what RollCNY mentions about tires and pressure, but assuming you've tried to get your orbea fit dealt with professionally and it still didn't work you may want to look at the Salsa line of bikes as well. I would be cautious of cross bikes since their bottom brackets tend to be higher and geometry often still racier than some others. Not a big deal just make sure you ride test properly.

nothing wrong with your parts and of course you could probably shuffle them over to a frame set with no problems. That being said I've generally (not always) fared better selling complete items on eBay or Craigslist. You may be able to get a complete bike with new parts after selling your bike for almost the same price as if you sell your frame and buy a new one, albeit probably not at the ultegra level. That will require a little more research on your part. At any rate, nice to hear that you've healed well and are back riding. Thanks for your service!

pearcem

Thanks for all the replies. I will definitely check out the Secteur. Specialized was the first brand I rode and raced on, so I have always had a soft spot for them.

The larger tires have helped with general comfort, but that really isn't the problem. I don't exactly feel "beat up", my Orbea handles the road buzz and bumps fairly well. The pain is more from staying in the same position for a long period of time.

I have tried quite a few stems with different lengths and different angles, and that has helped a lot with the shoulder issues and taking weight off my hands (No spacers, though). The problem is that I have not been able to find a stem combo yet that puts me upright enough with my saddle position. When I start to move the saddle around from it's current position, my bad knee starts to act up. So, I basically have to choose between knee pain or back pain.

I also appreciate the advice on some of the other brands and swapping parts vs. selling. One question I do have is roughly what do y'all think the Orbea is worth? Fstshnk said $700, is that about right, or should I go higher or lower? Like I said, I am a little out of touch on current pricing trends. Thanks again for all the input!