Originally Posted by
Roasted
Well basically I'm in the market for a bike. I'm eyeing up the Trek 2.1, but then I began to think... slow down there killer. Think this through.
I don't race. I don't plan on racing. But I like speed as a recreational rider. I like to ride to/from the local gas station to grab a soda now and then and I like to also ride 90 miles in one day on an otherwise uneventful Saturday. I want a blend of comfort, yet I want to be positioned relatively slack so I'm not taking the full brunt of the wind to my chest.
Reading through other threads got me a little curious, because some people were suggesting that certain brands have more race geometry whereas other brands have more comfort-driven geometry. And I'm not talking about specific race models within a company, but I got the vibe that certain companies as a WHOLE tend to have geometry suited to a certain direction.
Point being is this. I want to buy my bike local, and the Trek 2.1 is the top competitor @ my price range of 1k to 1.2k. Based on what I described above, with of course a successful fit, would that be my best bet for what I'm looking for? Or do you guys think there's other brands from KHS, Jamis, GT, or Giant that would be more up my alley? (these are all local authorized dealers)
I wouldn't limit myself to just one brand, and keep in mind most manufacturers make bikes with more relaxed geometries. I don't race but I like to ride fast so the benefits of a bike with aggressive geometry work for me, and I use the same bike to commute to work since I like to get training in during that time. You could go either way since you'd be able to set up an aggressive geometry bike to a more relaxed fit if you don't want to be in a more aero position; conversely you can make a relaxed geometry more aggressive if you want to as well. The one thing to keep in mind is that a relaxed bike will have a longer wheelbase which will give you more stable steering while aggressive geometry bikes have shorter wheelbases that give sharper handling. Take both types out for a spin and see which one feels best for you.