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What bike to get

Old 09-26-21, 05:53 PM
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What bike to get

Hello,


I am interested in getting a second bike, a road bike, after having my fitness bike for a year.

My top priority is trying to find something, that is light agile bike, but at the same time, fit is most important, as this is my first road bike. I would prefer a little more relaxed, feel, but without altering the bike too much.


I tried today the allez, and in a size 56 and 58. I am 5'11. I thought the 58 was a bit big, and felt less playful, but i did like the saddle to handle bar drop was less then the 56 though it wasn't a huge deal. I think the 56 was a better size for me.

I then tried the roubiax size 56 (base model) to see how it feels, from a geometry stand point. I like that i was much higher up, but in all, the 56allez, and 56 roubiax and 58 allez, i found difficulty getting in the drop bars. I could do it, but it was quite a stretch and really not comfortable


Should i be looking at different bikes all together, or a shallower handle bar drop? according the specialized bike, the handle bar on the allez is "Specialized Shallow Drop, 6061, 70x125mm, 31.8mm clamp", roubiax's handle it says it is " Specialized Hover Comp, Alloy, 125mm Drop, 75mm Reach w/Di2 Hole"

On the 56 allez, the stack is 59.6 reach is 38.5

On the 58 allez the stack is 62.7 and reach is 39

On the 56 roubiax the stack is 60.5 , the reach is 38.4

I found the roubiax to be probably most comfortable but it is littler out of my price range. I like to stay around 1200 USD, but willing to stretch to 1600


With that said, based on my concerns,
1. what are my options if I stick to specialized models mentioned?
2. what other models from different brands can you recommend based on my concerns?


I am 5'11 and 36 years old, 233lbs

Last edited by Awesomeguy; 09-26-21 at 05:56 PM.
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Old 09-26-21, 06:01 PM
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Originally Posted by Awesomeguy
Hello,


I am interested in getting a second bike, a road bike, after having my fitness bike for a year.

My top priority is trying to find something, that is light agile bike, but at the same time, fit is most important, as this is my first road bike.


I tried today the allez, and in a size 56 and 58. I am 5'11. I thought the 58 was a bit big, and felt less playful, but i did like the saddle to handle bar drop was less then the 56 though it wasn't a huge deal.

I then tried the roubiax size 56 (base model) to see how it feels, from a geometry stand point. I like that i was much higher up, but in all, the 56allez, and 56 roubiax and 58 allez, i found difficulty getting in the drop bars. I could do it, but it was quite a stretch and really not comfortable


Should i be looking at different bikes all together, or a shallower handle bar drop? according the specialized bike, the handle bar on the allez is "Specialized Shallow Drop, 6061, 70x125mm, 31.8mm clamp", roubiax's handle it says it is " Specialized Hover Comp, Alloy, 125mm Drop, 75mm Reach w/Di2 Hole"

On the 56 allez, the stack is 59.6 reach is 38.5

On the 58 allez the stack is 62.7 and reach is 39

On the 56 roubiax the stack is 60.5 , the reach is 38.4

I found the roubiax to be probably most comfortable.


With that said, based on my concerns, what are my options if I stick to specialized models mentioned, what other bikes can you recommend based on my concerns.


I am 5'11 and 36 years old, 233lbs
which way did they have the stem pointed? you can certainly get shallower drops - specialized (and everyone else, i'm sure) has some that are down around 100mm - but you could also flip the stem up if it's pointing down, and get a shorter stem if that also helps with the fit. a good bike shop should be able to work through that for you. when i first got a road bike, the shop put on a very high angle (17 deg) stem pointed up, plus i had the hover bar which adds another 15mm.

once the fit basics are right, the biggest part is also probably just getting used to it...
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Old 09-26-21, 06:06 PM
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i know stem size range alot, but on a road bike, how many millimeters should the be allowable to shrink the stem, in other words, at what point is it better to get a bike with different reach all together, i.e deviating from the standard stem by 10mm, 20mm 50mm 100mm etc.?
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Old 09-26-21, 06:07 PM
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tl:dl, go with the Roubaix. Long answer- Like many of us, you are overweight. 40 pounds or so? Men carry most of that in our bellies. This makes it harder for us to be comfortable in the drop position. The Roubaix will put you in a more upright, belly friendly position. Either a 56 or 58 would work per the Specialized size chart. You are right in the middle, I think most would prefer the smaller size.
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Old 09-26-21, 06:16 PM
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Stem length- Regardless of what comes stock on the bike, 90mm-110mm seems to be the "normal" range for road bikes. If you have to go outside that range, absent an anatomical anomaly, you probably should look to the next size or a different bike. If you are not normally proportioned, you may have to compromise and do whatever is needed.
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Old 09-26-21, 06:33 PM
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Originally Posted by shelbyfv
Stem length- Regardless of what comes stock on the bike, 90mm-110mm seems to be the "normal" range for road bikes. If you have to go outside that range, absent an anatomical anomaly, you probably should look to the next size or a different bike. If you are not normally proportioned, you may have to compromise and do whatever is needed.
I agree, i am overweight, but beyond that, how do you know if you are normally proportioned, in your opinion?
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Old 09-26-21, 06:56 PM
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I am 5'11", wear 30-31" inseam and 34" sleeves. I think I'm close to normal. In my upright-riding days, I had a 56cm bike, a 58cm would have gotten me in the nads. But that was before the 'compact' frames came along and all bikes had horizontal top tubes.

Edit: I'm wide through the shoulders (49" chest courtesy of swimming/diving into my 40s,) otherwise I'd be wearing 32' or 33" sleeves. Shoulder width doesn't count for frame sizing.
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Old 09-26-21, 07:43 PM
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Originally Posted by Awesomeguy
I agree, i am overweight, but beyond that, how do you know if you are normally proportioned, in your opinion?
Well, at 36 years of age, you've probably been buying your own clothes for 20 years. If you had a proportional abnormality you'd probably be aware of it by now.
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Old 09-26-21, 10:28 PM
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I would go with the Allez... it's a very nice bike...
if you found the 56 to be nice, the smaller size will be more fun as you progress...
as for 'stack', that's just a number...
The allez seems to have a 7 deg stem (that's the angle off 90 degree to the steerer of the fork), which comes 'stock' set in the 'down' position.
If you have the dealer 'flip' the stem, you will immediately have a 1.5 cm higher 'realized' stack to the handlbars... reference the Habanero stem angle chart
You can always 'flip' it back or get another stem, different angle, and so on...
It's your 1st bike, if you really get hooked on riding, then after some time you'll develop your own 'gotta have' s for any future bike.
The Allez is a nice bike - more than good enough to really take you deep into the rabbit hole of sport cycling... LOL!
save up your dinars... you're gonna need them if the 'itch' need scratchin.
LOL!
Ride On
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Old 09-27-21, 04:19 AM
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Originally Posted by cyclezen
I would go with the Allez... it's a very nice bike...
if you found the 56 to be nice, the smaller size will be more fun as you progress...
as for 'stack', that's just a number...
The allez seems to have a 7 deg stem (that's the angle off 90 degree to the steerer of the fork), which comes 'stock' set in the 'down' position.
If you have the dealer 'flip' the stem, you will immediately have a 1.5 cm higher 'realized' stack to the handlbars... reference the Habanero stem angle chart
You can always 'flip' it back or get another stem, different angle, and so on...
It's your 1st bike, if you really get hooked on riding, then after some time you'll develop your own 'gotta have' s for any future bike.
The Allez is a nice bike - more than good enough to really take you deep into the rabbit hole of sport cycling... LOL!
save up your dinars... you're gonna need them if the 'itch' need scratchin.
LOL!
Ride On
Yuri
thank you. The only other bike I’m looking into is the Domane . It’s size 56 has 37.7 reach and stack of 59.1, while the allez has reach of 38.5 and stack of 59.6… I can already tell I like allez better from fun standpoint , but is it much difference in comfort if I get / try Domane?
also how safe is the quick release without through axel?

I did briefly ride the Domane sl6 long time ago it was size 56, it was ok
The allez seems more fun/ lighter bike nimble bike.

Last edited by Awesomeguy; 09-27-21 at 04:38 AM.
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Old 09-27-21, 04:31 AM
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Originally Posted by Awesomeguy
thank you. The only other bike I’m looking into is the Domane . It’s size 56 has 37.7 reach and stack of 59.1, while the allez has reach of 38.5 and stack of 59.6… I can already tell I like allez better from fun standpoint , but is it much difference in comfort if I get / try Domane?
The allez seems more fun/ lighter bike nimble bike
The Domane will be more comfortable. I wouldn't worry about the bike weight in this comparison. The Roubaix you tried should have been very comfortable too. More comparable to the Domane in that respect.
Really this comes down to your personal preference. If you can try them, do so and pick the one that makes you smile the most. Just make sure you try them on roads similar to what you will be riding on - to test the ride comfort. Bikes like the Roubaix and Domane are notably more comfortable on poor roads.
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Old 09-27-21, 05:31 AM
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Originally Posted by PeteHski
The Domane will be more comfortable. I wouldn't worry about the bike weight in this comparison. The Roubaix you tried should have been very comfortable too. More comparable to the Domane in that respect.
Really this comes down to your personal preference. If you can try them, do so and pick the one that makes you smile the most. Just make sure you try them on roads similar to what you will be riding on - to test the ride comfort. Bikes like the Roubaix and Domane are notably more comfortable on poor roads.
that is what so confusing , the Domane has a lower stack but slightly shorter reach than allez, so how can it be more comfortable …should be about same stack on Domane is 59.1 and allez is 59.6 and reach on Domane is 37.7and allez is 38.5. So doesn’t the slightly longer reach compensate on allez even things out with lower stack of Domane ?
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Old 09-27-21, 06:29 AM
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Hmmmm .... "Stack" and "Reach" are two different numbers. Both affect the position of the bars relative to the bottom bracket but in different ways. Stem length, stem angle, and to some small extent head-tube angel also affect bar siting. Spacers under the stem also .... With the Domane, apparently, even though the bars were higher, they were still too far away. As you lean forward, your hands actually move forward and onward in an arc, so the slight extra lean angle to reach the Allez bars kept them within comfortable range. Maybe you sat up a little higher and thus straighter on the Domane so your hands were actually further back----this would explain what you felt.

I thought I had posted here .... maybe I got bored and deleted it .... but you can change stem length, stem angle, and on some bikes you can add spacers under the stem (unless the steerer has been cut too short) to effectively adjust the bar mounting position. I use a +17-degree stem on a couple of my bikes and while purists roll their eyes, I got the frame size I wanted and the fit I want, and the bikes are supremely comfortable. Just flipping a -7 stem to +7 as @cyclezen suggests, might give you the right fit---as you increase the upward angle you are actually moving the bars back a tiny amount.

Don't be fooled by the numbers. If you sit on the bike and it doesn't feel right, but the numbers say it is fine, ...... unless you plan to ride the numbers and not the bike ......
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Old 09-27-21, 07:23 AM
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Originally Posted by Awesomeguy
that is what so confusing , the Domane has a lower stack but slightly shorter reach than allez, so how can it be more comfortable …should be about same stack on Domane is 59.1 and allez is 59.6 and reach on Domane is 37.7and allez is 38.5. So doesn’t the slightly longer reach compensate on allez even things out with lower stack of Domane ?
I was talking about ride quality, not position. The Domane has IsoSpeed compliance and relatively wide tyre clearance.
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Old 09-27-21, 10:57 AM
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Originally Posted by Awesomeguy
thank you. The only other bike I’m looking into is the Domane . It’s size 56 has 37.7 reach and stack of 59.1, while the allez has reach of 38.5 and stack of 59.6… I can already tell I like allez better from fun standpoint , but is it much difference in comfort if I get / try Domane?
also how safe is the quick release without through axel?

I did briefly ride the Domane sl6 long time ago it was size 56, it was ok
The allez seems more fun/ lighter bike nimble bike.
the 'numbers' are so close its meaningless... 'ride manners' are however your personal feel of each bike. Id pick the one i liked best... 'comfort' can be a very much 'tire' thing also... if any of the bikes come with 25 or 23 width, consider going to 28 when you do tire replacement. For your size, it would make a difference... don't pump any tire too hard.. won't be faster, certainly not more comfortable...
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Old 09-27-21, 12:21 PM
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Stack numbers are frame stack and that ignores how many spacers might be under the stem of the bikes you have tried. So you can't just go by numbers if you don't know all the other numbers to add up.

I'm 5' 11" on a 56 cm Tarmac and wondering if I might have liked the 54 cm better. Wish I'd tried a 54 cm out. Since my height put me squarely in the overlap of the 56 or 58 cm I only tried them. However I'm happy on my 56. Just one of those grass is greener things.
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Old 09-27-21, 03:39 PM
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Originally Posted by Iride01
Stack numbers are frame stack and that ignores how many spacers might be under the stem of the bikes you have tried. So you can't just go by numbers if you don't know all the other numbers to add up.

I'm 5' 11" on a 56 cm Tarmac and wondering if I might have liked the 54 cm better. Wish I'd tried a 54 cm out. Since my height put me squarely in the overlap of the 56 or 58 cm I only tried them. However I'm happy on my 56. Just one of those grass is greener things.
if you don’t mind me asking how much do you weigh ? Tarmac is an aggressive bike, just curious since im in the heavier side but same height as you
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Old 09-27-21, 03:53 PM
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Originally Posted by Awesomeguy
if you don’t mind me asking how much do you weigh ? Tarmac is an aggressive bike, just curious since im in the heavier side but same height as you
I'm about 175 lbs right now. I wasn't suggesting the Tarmac for you. That was an example of how the manufacturer suggested sizes for me was 56 and 58cm based on height and whatever else Specialized might have used back for the 2020 models. Yet I think I might have like a 54 cm better. I'll not know since I didn't try out a 54.

As for what bike to get, if you don't know enough about what matters to you in a bike and it's fit, then I'd recommend you make sure you buy a bike at a price that you can get another when you finally do have the experience to know for yourself what you want.

If you ride a lot you'll get fitter so the bike you like now may not be the bike you'll like later. So save your big bucks till you know what you want.
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Old 09-27-21, 04:53 PM
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Originally Posted by Iride01
I'm about 175 lbs right now. I wasn't suggesting the Tarmac for you. That was an example of how the manufacturer suggested sizes for me was 56 and 58cm based on height and whatever else Specialized might have used back for the 2020 models. Yet I think I might have like a 54 cm better. I'll not know since I didn't try out a 54.

As for what bike to get, if you don't know enough about what matters to you in a bike and it's fit, then I'd recommend you make sure you buy a bike at a price that you can get another when you finally do have the experience to know for yourself what you want.

If you ride a lot you'll get fitter so the bike you like now may not be the bike you'll like later. So save your big bucks till you know what you want.
yea. Were u ever a fatty if so how did u overcome troubles like mine with getting to the drops? I’m trying the Domane tommorrow , but I gotta say that allez was really something else so light and nimble ..
I feel like the Domane might not feel much difference than my trek fx3
day after tommorrow I will try the allez again with a shorter and higher stem
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Old 09-27-21, 06:21 PM
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Originally Posted by Iride01
As for what bike to get, if you don't know enough about what matters to you in a bike and it's fit, then I'd recommend you make sure you buy a bike at a price that you can get another when you finally do have the experience to know for yourself what you want.

If you ride a lot you'll get fitter so the bike you like now may not be the bike you'll like later. So save your big bucks till you know what you want.
Repeat this, and tell it to everyone else posting these "Which bike should I want?" threads.

And I hope you get exactly the right bike, whatever that may be.
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