MixdMartialArts

hi guys, i ride a mountain bike and i see people in road bikes wizzing past me and i think it's time to make the switch since i've decided to not to drive much anymore. i've been looking at this bike and wanted an opinion on it:

https://cgi.ebay.com.au/NEW-ATOMIK-MA...iewItem?hash=i tem350113316821&_trkparms=39%3A1|66%3A2|65%3A1|240%3A1308&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14


it looks good but that's about as far as my knowledge will take me. i don't want to buy something that'll make me have to upgrade down the line; if i buy a bike i want to be satisfied with it for at least a couple of years and i'm willing to spend. and if this isn't a good bike, what is? what should one look for when buying a good (not an entry level but a good) road bike?

i'd appreciate the help.

bigmand

Seems to me that you could find a better deal on a used road bike. Doesn't look that bad, but not that great either. If you buy a used road bike from an individual it will probably have much better components, and you will learn quickly that this makes a huge difference.

martytardy

Nothing against "Atomik" brand, but I think I'd stay away from that bike. If you're in the USA, shipping could be pricey. I didn't look at that info in the ad though. It says it's only got 14 gears. I'd never be able to get away with so few, though I live in Colorado and we aren't blessed with flats abounding. The bike kind of has a "cool" look, but I don't give much credit for looks. Then it says the bike weight is 15kg (1kg= 2.2lbs approx) which says to me that the bike ways 30-32lbs. If I wanted a bike that heavy I'd go by an entry level "mountain" bike. Of course said bike wouldn't hardly be fit for actually mountain biking with any sort of regularity.

Not knowing your locale (where you are living), I'd say consider it if you're in Australia but if you're not, start by going to your local bike shop (LBS) and test ride some bikes. Even better, go to 2-4 shops carrying different models. Read the first posts in the ROAD CYCLING forum on this site for suggestions on how to pick a good road bike. I spent $800 on what I consider a "entry-level" road bike ('05 Cannondale R500), but I have by no means outgrown the abilities of the bike. I'm still learning the nuances of road bikes. (Another hint: Read about "trim" aka "half-shift" on the forums here.)

I'll leave this post with that much.

martytardy

btw, the posting "how to buy a good road bike" is one of the first posts in this section.

Unagidon

Wow...that bike looks like something from Robocop!

MONGO!

The bike you are looking at is a POS.

Look harder.

vpr80

I just picked up my first bike and just a tip, everyone here is pretty nice, but you need to provide better info to get better help....also use Craigslist

Raven87

Bike weight/gross weight at 13kgs and 15kgs?

That's pretty heavy (28.6 lbs and 33.06 lbs) for aluminum road bike.

Are those SOLID tubes?