jaci

the bike shop owner is pushing me into this. she's not pushy, just feels this will be the best bike for what my goals are.

i've looked at lots! test ridden, narrowed down my choices to:

Bianchi Advantage
Jamis Aragon
Trek 7300

i think i'm preferring the Bianchi bc she feels I can do distance as well as recreational riding and the price is right in line with the others. she felt the Bianchi is capable of longer riding than the others.

i'd love if someone here would share re: the Bianchi line.

thanks!!

kf5nd

we can't answer your questions. not enough information.

what kinds of rides do you want to do?

in the last year, what is the longest distance you've ridden in a day? how long did it take you?

have you ever owned (and liked) a bike with road-style (downward curving) handlebars?

jaci

Hi ~ thanks for asking me to clarify.

This is a new purchase for me. My current bike is a Sears, piece of crab.

I biked in high school; rode a Schwinn World Traveler. LBS tells me this was comparable to a touring bike of today. It had curved handles and skinney tires. I LOVED that bike. Sure wish I had it today.

What kind of biking would I like to do? Mainly recreational riding with my kids, but my goal also is to get my husband into biking and go on longer rides with him.

I am going to join a biking group (something for me), that rides anywhere from 10-25 miles weekly. Prob. will have to build up to that, but that is my plan. A good friend of mine is the organizer of the group.

Once I'm in shape I'd like to stay in shape and participate in longer organized rides...... day rides, overnight trips, etc. Am thinking 40 mi. rides, maybe more.

I have not seriously ridden since high school. But I am in good shape now. 5'7" about 135#, and I'm 44, female.

Thanks for being interested and helping me.

phillybill

The trek 7300 might suit you needs a bit better.....also look at a Jamis Coda Sport. A sporty Hybrid will be better for the 15 + mile rides.

Bigmark

I am not sure if you prefer the bike, or you are listening to the sales person.

All three bikes will do what you are asking. I did see, and ride a few miles with a woman in Canfield Ohio that has one of the Bianchi Advantages, and to be honest with you I liked the bike a lot, but it was not much different than the 7300. She also does 20 miles three times a week, and she like me changed the seat to a Bontrager comfort saddle. We both thought the stock seats became uncomfortable after 10 miles or so. Yea they are nice for starting out, and I grantee you will love it for a while, but the seat is made for very new riders, and as soon as you start putting miles on the bike you will want to change the seat.

Have the sales person set both of the bikes up identically and try them both, when I got my Gary Fisher I was torn between the 7300, and the Tiburon. When I test road them they just pulled them out of the rack, and said here you go, but when I told them I was not sure which one I liked they adjusted the seat and handlebars so they were exactly the same, and I could not tell any difference except in the shifters. So I opted for the GF Tiburon, and I am not regretting it in the least.

So don’t just try them out of the rack, have them adjusted equally and then give them one more shot. If you can’t make up your mind after that, then you will just have to listen to your heart. Just don’t listen to the sales person, both bikes will do exactly what you want. And for anything under 80 miles at a time, you won’t be able to tell the difference.

Buy what you want, not what the sales person wants to sell you. If they test ride the same then you will have to choose by which one looks best on you.

slotibartfast

I feel that you can't go wrong with a Bianchi, but I'm biased.....I'm sure the Advantage would meet most of your immediate needs, but I think you might outgrow it quickly if you want to go on group rides longer than say 10-15 miles. For an extra $70, you could step up to the Boardwalk, which will be lighter and have a more road-like stance. You'd also be getting rid of the suspension seatpost - I know it sounds great now, but believe me, you won't need it. If you go with a Bianchi, remember to get the celeste. Good luck on your purchase. One of the bikes that you test ride will sing to you - that's the one to get. Let us know what you decide and happy riding.

Randymac

The saleswomen might be biased or not.

Like Bigmark said, have the shop adjust all three to fit you, then ride them. All three are fine bikes, so it's down to feel.

One thing actually two things to keep in mind, warranty and customer service. Ask how problems will be handled in 6 mo., year, 2 yr. Which manufacturer takes better care of customers and which manufacturer has the better relationship with the shop.

Fasteryoufool

I too had a Schwinn Traveler in HS, and your LBS is correct - it's the equivalent of a modern touring bike. Actually, I ride an early '80's era Univega 12 speed that's outfitted for touring... have you thought of checking out thrift stores? Mine set me back a whole 20 bucks and was in great shape. Since getting it I've added a water bottle cage, tire pump, lights, computer/speedometer and a new saddle, so all told it's cost me maybe $150. The newer bikes are better in some ways, like weight, but if all you're doing is recreational riding or short distance touring, so what?

georgiaboy

fasteryoufool

I love your member name. I cracked up immediately when I read it.

haha!

Fasteryoufool

Heh... thanks. My little brother knew a guy who raced 600CC supersport, and he had a sticker over his speedometer that said "Faster, you fool!" which made ME crack up. Every male in my family is into motorcycles, and my brother and I are both into bicycles (ok, anything 2 wheeled, really), so I took it as a screen name years ago. I use it everywhere I go online, so if you see it anywhere else, it's probably me.