jethro56 

It would be worth a trip if I could ride the Aurora and a Synapse alloy. Effingham's Cannondale has a 58 cm Carbon 5 coming in. It is the absolute Max I'll spend and I really don't want to ride it first. Plus being a newbie and buying something like that would spoil me

1855Cru

I have an H3, very relaxed geometry

CraigB

If you get a Carbon 5 I don't want to see it, hear about it, or ride with you on it.

j/k of course. I'd have bought one if I could.

And if you get over to the shop, let me know and I'll meet you there for a ride.

Brutal.Roadrnr

Okay transitioning to a Trek 1000, today I did my 30 mile ride with the roadbike...

I feel like I got it done faster (only slightly faster there was a nasty headwind), but it seemed to take more out of me than the same ride with a MTB. Is this is normal thing?

rawhite1969

Craig did you do the Century on the track or another route?

Richard.

jethro56 

Rode a Cannondale Synapse Carbon 5 this morning. It was fast and smooth but I didn't fall in love with it. The vertical compliance was great but the lateral stiffness was wormy.It also made a irritating creaking noise from the seatpost that the LBS was unable to correct. The rear deraileur was very slow to shift when going to a smaller sprocket. They said I wasn't shifting properly could be. Riding into a 12 mph headwind was much easier down in the drops. You would have gotten a good chuckle watching me climbing hills out of the saddle. I was weaving 2 feet back and forth because of not being used to the hoods.

If speed and efficiency where my priorities it would be a good choice but with it's lack of braze ons and a spoke count of 20, I believe I'm still looking.

CraigB

Mine was only a metric, and it was all at the track.

IAmCosmo

Really? I found the one Synapse I rode to be very stiff laterally. At least as stiff as my Tarmac, which I can't flex no matter how hard I try.

And, the 20 spokes shouldn't bother you. Especially at 214 lbs. I've got about 45 pounds on you and I have no problem with 20 spoke wheels. If you want more braze ons, you are out of luck of course.

jethro56 

My experience is with Aluminum Hybrids and Mtbs. I probably lack the experience to describe what wormy means to me.

wxduff

Jethro, I made the jump into a road bike last year and I found riding anywhere but the bars a bit awkward. However i slowly moved down to the drops as I gained confidence, and now I must say one of my favorite parts of cycling is getting into the drops for a sprint, even if it is only from light to light. Hopefully you find a bike you enjoy. Half the battle is finding a bike shop that will really work to make you happy.

flippin_bikes

The Aurora is a nice bike. I had a 2008 model. I wish I had not sold it, but at the time, I thought I was finished with road bikes. A few months later, I am back on a very entry-level KHS, but I like it so far.

What I liked about the Aurora is how smooth it rode and comfortably upright it was. The fork has a fair amount of rake which allowed a lot of vertical compliance on the rough roads I ride. They are a bit heavy as the wheelset is built more for durability and the Reynolds 520 steel tubing is not as light as 631 steel like what comes on the Aurora Elite. Obviously, these have room for bigger tires, racks, and fenders. Would I buy another one, probably not because there is other stuff out there that will suit me better.

The other bike I am really liking these days is the Jamis Quest. I would consider this more of a century bike and it does have eyelets for fenders or a rear rack. The geometry looks pretty upright, but without the long wheelbase of a touring rig. I've been told that the Mavic Aksium wheels that come on this are pretty stout, so should be fine for Clydes in the bottom half of the 200 lbs range. If I can find the cash to swing one of these, I think it might be my next bike.

Another model to look at is the Specialized Secteur which is their comfort road model. They have a range of models. The top end is the Comp which has carbon seatstays on the frame, Shimano 105 drivetrain, and a clyde friendlier 32H wheelset. I believe the recommended weight limit on this model is 250 lbs due to the carbon stays, but the model below it does not have carbon stays. I was checking these out recently thinking it would be a nice bike to get as an upgrade. I think they'll fit a 28c tire, but can't say for sure. They come with a fairly fat looking 25c tire.

Zoxe

In late '09, I went looking to ride an LHT after drooling over them on these forums and the Surly web page for months. I also found I wasn't keen on the bar end shifters and wanted brifters. Now, I could have worked something out with the shop and had a frameset built up to my specs, but I blundered into a deal on an end-of-year clearance on a Bianchi Imola. After riding several aluminum frame bikes, the steel framed Imola felt slinky to me.

It's perhaps unfair to compare the LHT to an Imola, since the Imola is more in the category of "road bike" and not "touring bike." But for my criteria, look, and feel, it was a great deal at the price I got.

There's a cross version of it, the Volpe.

https://www.bianchiusa.com/bikes/gran-fondo/

Food for thought.

rawhite1969

I'm transitioning now. Have been on a 2001 Trek Hybrid that I outfitted with flat bars and road tires (47s). Pretty agressive stance but still a hybrid with a triple. rode a metric on it last year, a century this spring, and have almost 1500 miles on it this year.

Picked up a Torker InterUrban this week. 30 miles on it Thursday night and it felt pretty good. A much different ride. Tires are 28s, and I've picked up an adjustable stem as I am going to have to gradually get used to the longer reach and more bent over position. Bike is steel and took in the bumps nicely, although I'd not hit the neighborhood streets with it like I do with the Trek.

We'll see how it goes!

jethro56 

rawhite69: I really like the adjustable stem on my Trek 7300. It allowed me to slowly lower the bars. I now run with it slightly downhill. I have a 45 rear (for the bike) that I use on the trainer. Doesn't work real well with the rear fender though. I'm leaning more towards a steel bike now. Just need to ride more of them.

rawhite1969

I did the same thing on my Trek. Its quill stem made it challenging when I then wanted to go to a threadless set up, but accomplished it. Stem is now horizontal on it, but pretty stubby. Would guess I'll get to that on the Torker, but its geometry is a lot different. the trek is a 57" and Torker is a 54" and both fit me very well.

I was running 37s with fenders but opted for 47s without them. The rear rack on the Trek takes care of the spray and I have a removable fender for the front. Undecided on fenders for the Torker.

Herbie53

A road bike with a good fit for you will be just as comfortable as a straight bar bike when riding the hoods. Over time you will likely get more comfortable and be able to ride the drops more and eventually "flip it" and ride lower. Even if you don't, it's helpful at times to have the option of riding in the drops.