Originally Posted by MelloBoy
Hey guys,
I've been lurking around for a while and decided to register. I've been hunting around for a road bike for about 2 months and have started to narrow down the field to a few bikes. My budget is $1300 max. I've tried the following:
Specialized Roubaix
Specialized Allez Elite
Cannondale R600
Cannondale R800
Basso GAP frame with mishmash of components
I found that the Roubaix is damp...while i found it comfortable, it felt like it was too damp, which was a little unnerving. The cannondales both felt identical to each other. Very good tactile feedback and it gave me a pretty good idea of what kind of pavement I was on. The R800 is last year's model and is only available in 52 cm and I don't think I can get away with it...i struggle reaching the pedal with the rear reflector removed and bike seat lowered almost all the way. The person helping me said the R600 MIGHT be available in a 50cm so it's one of the options I'm thinking of keeping open. The Allez felt VERY light. It was the first thing I noticed when i started pedaling...the loud wratcheting sound is annoying when i'm coasting tho...can this be remedied? Aside from that, I really enjoyed testing the allez. THe Basso was a little out of my range, but it felt muted but responsive...aside from that, i think it wasn't very memorable...
I'd like to check out a few Giants and Treks comparable to the R600 and Allez. Any recommendations? Also, are my observations about those bikes in the ball park of being somewhat accurate? Thanks for your times guys! I'm looking forward to making the transition from mtn biking to road biking.
melloboy
The R-800 and R-600 should both be available in 48 cm and 2 cm increments above that. A bike can be a great bike but if it does not fit you properly, it is not any good for you. It is like shoes, a bad fit is a very, very bad thing. The bike shop you went to may not have the 48 or 50 cm in stock, but they should be able to get the proper size for you from Cannondale. But if you make them order one, you really should be very serious about buying it.
The thing is that many companies make "bikes". What the different companies do is make the frame and buy the components - handlebars, wheels, deraillers, brakes and so on to make the bike. Most components are made by either Shimano or Campagnola so bikes at the same price point vary primarily in the frame. Sometimes company A will spend more making a fancier frame and put cheaper components on it while company B will go with a more generic frame and put slightly better components on it. But the competition is pretty stiff and at any given price point, bikes made by various manufacturers will be pretty dern similar. The main thing is to go out and ride and see if you like the feel of a ride.
By the way, bike shops make money more by selling accessories and doing repairs & maintenance then they do by selling bikes. Bike shops make their money from people who fall in love with cycling. So it is in a bike shop's best interest in the long run to sell bikes that are pretty good rather then just those they can make a few more bucks on. In my experience, most bike shop owners have figured this one out. So you probably will not be able to make a dreadful choice. So go for fit, comfort and the ride you like.