Originally Posted by
clepothole
I have always been a mountain bike rider, and recently bought a hybrid bike to tackle the mean streets of Cleveland. Cycling has come back into my life as a fitness mechanism, sustainable option and most important, a mood stabilizer and I want to go faster and farther. I ride to work twice a week, and do 20 miles either in the morning or at night when I don't ride in, and I need more speed. I am interested in purchasing a road bike because I am ready to take my enthusiasm to another level. I have been on ebay, and have three local bike shops around me, and I am wondering...in my price range, what is the best value?
1. Someone please tell me outside of ebay about the value of the windsor/dawes/kinnebac bikes that are listed at half price and seem to have a good look and good components.
2. I would like to buy an American made frame.
3. My price range is $800 tops. Is there a bike out there that won't have me clamoring for another upgrade, road bike? Aluminum frame is fine for the price. I ride six days a week, normally by myself, but sometimes with another. I have good endurance, and have been stuck on the Fisher Cronus that is really made for a college kid. I like the frame, and the bike, but I don't need disc brakes and I only have nine speeds, which I didn't think would be a problem in flat Cleveland, but it is. My mistake.
I don't know much about road bikes and would be interested in knowing from someone like me, 6' foot, 240 lbs, what works best for the money.
In Cleveland, you have a wonderful advocacy group called the Ohio City Bicycle Coop. You might want to check with them to purchase a used road bike. That would stretch your dollar and allow you to purchase additional items for the bike.
When I was in Cleveland in May, I rented a Giant Cypress from OCBC to ride around town. It was a seven speed commuter bike, and I had no problems with climbs, even on a group ride out to the Steelyard Commons. It was great for riding through Public Square in rush hour. I'm 6 foot, 240 some pounds. So while those extra gears might be nice, I'm not sure you'd need them.
The Motobecane/Dawes/Windsor are all imported frames sold by a company named Bikes Direct. I've seen one of them up close about a month ago. The owner thought it was wonderful, but he did admit he had a problem with a bad wheel, which he sent back for an exchange. The bike looked solid, and the owner had ridden it for six months, but it had some very ugly welding on the tube joins.