Entry Level Commuter Bike
 

Hey, I have been looking at a lot of road bikes lately. I went to a couple LBS to check out some road bikes. And sadly I can't drop more than 400 dollars. I feel that can get me a nice used bike, or bikes I have found off of online stores.

I've read plenty of posts battling out the pros and cons of certain stores such as Bikesdirect, but my main thought is that it's a good starting point, which I really need right now. I feel like I just need to act and purchase a low end bike to get the feel of riding before I can truly gauge what is good or not.

I found a Motobecane Super Mirage on BikesDirect, http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...rage_steel.htm

After coveting craigslist for a few months I found a few road bikes, but I don't necessarily trust the components on most of the bikes I find.

Any thoughts over the motobecane or other places I may have overlooked?

Best,
Sam

There's a lot about that bike to like:

CroMoly frame for durability and comfort

Rack mounts for commuting

32H wheels also for durability

"Cross-top" levers (not visible in picture, aka "chicken wings") for brake access from the tops of the bars in traffic.

The 2300-level components are bare minimum, probably reliable and a good place to start if you are planning for this to be a N bike while you look for N+1. May not give the most accurate shifting every time.

CL is a great resource, you may well be able to get a better bike (especially an interim bike) used than new. If you want to post some links from your local CL, 'experts' from here will swarm in and give their opinions.

I've been happy with my '93 Specialized Crossroads for commuting. I'd imagine the new ones are a good buy too in your price range.

from my research on the specialized website, they don't make a budget road bike. the lowest price road bike they have is $990.
otherwise you're looking at MTB or hybrids.
but i may have missed something...

Another option is the Motobecane Mirage - the $350 model. It doesn't have brifters, has down tube shifters instead. If you are okay with that, it could be a possibility. I really thought of getting that one so I read reviews and asked some folks who own one - they seem happy on the whole. I ended up getting a base model Specialized Sirrus (hybrid) instead - I decided I needed an LBS for my first real bike.

If you know what you're looking for, you can find an excellent older commuting-oriented bike on Craigslist, but you have to know what you're looking for, and be ready to strike quickly if you want to snag a good deal. If you want to go down this road, come on over to C&V and post a thread.

That's how I feel about getting the motobecane. A good place to get my footing.
Thanks for breaking it down for me, and I'll grab some of my CL postings I've hoarded.

I noticed the Mirage as well, definitely a toss up. I test road a couple road bikes with tube shifters and it didn't really bother me.

Awesome that the feedback you received was positive. And the specialized sirrus looks like a nice starting bike as well. I might just bite the bullet and get a motobecane.

Thanks

Just remember the Motobecane requires assembly,more than just putting the front wheel on. If you don't know how to work on bikes,you'll need to get a shop to assemble it or take it to a co-op/bike kitchen. The wheels need special attention;most components can be adjusted with simple tools and there are many sites/books that can show you how to do this. But you need a truing stand and someone with experience to make sure the wheels get properly tensioned.

I'd never depend on the partial build by a factory worker in Taiwan or China. You should make sure that every component is torqued and lubed to spec (including more esoteric things like hangers, hubs, and headsets).

For $400 I would buy this bike from Nashbar:

http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product...54_-1___202613

It's currently on sale for ~$398 and has decent alu frame with a 9 speed drive train (sora) and tektro brakes.
Nashbar is owned by Performance and is a large company with a decent reputation.

That does seem like a good deal, but as the link renders to me, the price is $499. Plus only 48cm or 51cm are available, wouldn't work too well if you are bigger, don't know OP's size.

It's discounted 20% as of Sun so the larger sizes probably sold out. They have 20% off sales very regularly.

My suggestion would be to get something off of craigslist. You would have an opportunity to test ride the bike to see if it fits and look over the bike before you buy. I would look for a name brand bike that is maybe a few years old to save money.

There may also be a LBS that has a used section (you may need to ask an employee since it might not be on the showroom floor) or a bike co-op in your area.

Lightweight aluminum frame and fork

Not a fan of straight blade alloy forks. Not a steel worshiper,but would take the BD bike over this.

Agreed. It's hard to beat a vintage mtb for commuting. They are stout and comfortable bikes and pop up regularly on CL. Plus they typically don't run a lot of money.

You get a better value with a used bike, even if it needs repairs and some replacements. I'm not a fan of low end bikes, and I think $500 is a minimum when buying a new bike. If you pay less, you get stuff you'll eventually have to replace. Or if you don't, it won't serve you well. I'm particularly an un-fan of mail order bikes. They need work, right out of the box.