Originally Posted by
markwebb
Nashbar usually has an additional 20% promo once or twice a week. I'd look at their road bikes (carbon or al) or the touring or cyclocross. With 20% you can get the carbon road with 105 for $1,000, the 105 al road for $699, or the touring with Tiagra and Deore for $600, or cyclocross with 105 for $600. Those prices include shipping. They do it at least once a week for a few days.
Components have a lot to do with the riding experience. Many of those lower-priced bikes suggested have poor components that easily degrade and require tuning often. Anyone who says Sora is comparable to anything like 105 or Apex hasn't tried riding Sora on any long rides, and often. It works ok but fades in performance such that you have to constantly tinker. Not something you wanna do and not be able to get up that last big hill on a 50 mile ride because you cannot get into big sprocket in back, or be embarrassed because your hubs and wheels squeak the whole ride. Better to get a decent frame with good components. At the prices at Nashbar when they post 20% off these become rockin'-good deals on good bikes with excellent reliable components.
That was not my experience with 8-speed Sora, which I had on my first road bike. After the first few hundred miles (after the cables stretched fully- which happens on ANY new bike- even if you have Dura Ace), I NEVER had to fiddle with it; never had to adjust anything, in 3000 miles worth of rides in hilly terrain. Granted, there's no reason not to get at least 105 now-a-days, with the deals that are out there....but Sora and Claris are perfectly functional and reliable. Albeit, they can make a little noise and take a few fractions of a second longer to shift than the better groups- but that shouldn't matter to a beginner who is looking for a cheap bike with which to get started.