Originally Posted by
sdmc530
My wife rides the Specialized Roll, not lightweight compared to my road bikes but not bad either. Rolls really nice and she absolutely loves it. I don't think she will ever part with it. Before this bike she wouldn't ride much with me and our son. Her other more costly bikes she just didn't care for, but with this 10 mile picnic rides are regular in the summer now. Been a great investment on so many levels for our family!
Couldn't agree more. As I pointed out in post #8, When I swapped bikes with a friend who had the Roll low entry, I was so impressed with the comfort and stability of this bike, I will probably buy one myself. What surprised me is how easy it is to pedal. Even with an upright rider position and wide tires, It seems no harder to motivate then some hybrid bikes. One thing to consider with these bikes is the gearing. If it's in your budget, Moving up 1 model gets you lower gearing for hill climbs, with plenty at the top end. There's other improvements too.
Don't get hung up on weight unless you have to carry it up 3 flights of stairs to your apartment. Even if you cut the weight by 5 lbs, It would only take about 2.5% more power to climb with, and 90% of that is returned on the downside on many hills. Cruising on flat ground there is virtually no difference.