ahson

Hello as you can see from the topic, I am buying my first road bike. However I would like to hear your advice in regards to things that I should aware of when shopping a bike.

I know I am not looking for any expensive road bike, all I want is an entry level road bike for the weekend rides and will need a bigger frame like 58/61 as I am 6'3 tall.

What else I should know before buying one?

Diesel-CAAD9

make sure the shop fits you right... can't stress this enough... just don't think you need a size cause you're 6'3"... i'm about 6'1 and ended up on a 56... original shop sold me a 60 without fitting me... it's worlds different between the two...

don't be afraid to spend some extra money for better components...

frankly if you are serious at all or think you might start to ride more than once or twice a week, look for a bike with at least Shimano 105 components...

don't forget some proper shorts, it DOES make a huge difference... you'll get passed the "OMG" i'm wearing spandex phase...

Atol

First: Avoid carbon fiber tires, they don't have good traction.

Second: Buy the best bike you can now or else you're probably gonna end up spending more money upgrading in the future. You might even look into buying used, you can get a lot more bike for less money this way.

Third: Test ride as many bikes as you can and go from there.

lambo_vt

Huh?

goodtimes5

Avoid Sora components.

curtwally

One way to keep the cost down, you may consider Shimano Ultegra equipped bikes. This are much less costly than Shimano's Dura Ace high end line of brakes, derailuers, crankset and BBracket, but.... they are real close in quality and performance.

Good luck and have fun.

Ditto on getting the right fit. Each of us is different even though we could have the same height. We will have different leg length, arm lenght and torso. So first and foremost get a bike that fits right.

DeweyJuice

Fit! Alot of people will hand you a bike based on your height whcih isn't correct. Make sure the shop gets you on bikes that fit.
You'll need acessories like clothing, helmet, tubes, etc.

diziet

How much do you want to spend? Do you plan to race? Do you want to have nice gear (bibs, saddle, shoes, jersey, glasses, gloves, socks... etc). How much do you weigh (flat prone?).

Etc.

You could probably get a ready for anything rival equipped bike (or ultegra), and gear I mentioned for 2k.

If you buy an entry level bike, expect things to go out of tune/true often and hassle you.

tFUnK

make sure you get fitted properly (ie, don't get sold on whatever size just happens to be in stock) or else you'll be hating life dropping money on a compromise.

mrvrsick

OP says he doesn't want to drop a whole lot of cash, so the question to him/her is: what is your total budget? Do you love riding already? How much do you ride a week?

ahson

I guess my budget will be around $800. Even though I don't own a road bike now, but I do ride my hybrid (which it's too small for me now) few times on weekdays and log most of the miles on weekend.

I never plan to race with a road bike. Most of the time, I will ride it with my family or 'try to' ride fast when I ride alone on the trail/road.



Thanks

BigBlueToe

I'd suggest going to at least two bike shops; more would be better. Have them all fit you and try out the bikes they offer in your price range.

The advice they give you should generally agree, though it's to be expected that they would tout the bikes they sell over ones they don't. If one of the salespeople seems to have very different advice, be suspicious. He/she may be trying to sell you something. A really good idea would be to bring along an experienced cyclist who can tell you whether the salesperson was BS-ing you or not. Good shops don't do that, but it happens.

I think getting the correct size frame is the most important thing. You can tweak fit by moving things around - saddle height, saddle postion fore and aft, stem length, stem angle, spacers on steerer, etc. but you should start with the optimal size frame. A good salesperson at a bike shop should be able to do a good job of this, but don't automatically believe the first person you talk to; shop around. Also, these days there are different frame designs. Two 61cm bikes might feel quite different. Pay particular attention to how far you feel like you have to reach to the handlebars. Don't worry so much about how much seatpost is showing. In the old days the general rule was you wanted a good handfull of seatpost showing. Nowdays, with compact geometry and sloping top tubes, this rule isn't as good.

Once you have the frame size dialed in, I think there are three main factors - price, components, and the intangibles. You probably have a price range in mind. After hearing the sales pitches you may choose to vary that, or it may be set in stone. Different bikes in a certain price range come with some variations in components. This is something to consider. The third factor, intangibles, would be things like how comfortable does it feel when you ride it, how the handling feels to you, how cool it looks, etc. I think this is important. You're more likely to ride happily on a bike you think is really cool, and less likely to second-guess and regret your decision.

Whatever bike you choose, you can always upgrade components, and you probably will. But I'd recommend buying a bike that you're happy with just as it comes.

markieta

There are many bike shops in GTA,
take a few weeks to shop around, try bikes out, compare prices.
Hassle the employees a little, shake them up. Bikes priced over $1000 at my store are easily negotiable for a much better price. Under a $1000 and we already aren't making much money. Keep in mind you will need more than a bike when buying a road bike. If you don't already have the proper clothing to ride in, being comfortable is a must. Budget in some shorts/jersey/gloves when buying your bike.

Take a look at

Specialized Allez (various models in and around $850-1500)
Trek 1.2 and 1.5 (for about $850-1200)
Devinci Silverstone SL 1, 2, 3
etc.etc...

Most road bikes start at 800$ and go up unfortunetly. Last year identical models were selling for $100-300 cheaper... It's ridiculous.

RoboChrist

For $800 I would go used because you won't find a decent bike with good components new for such a low budget

Here's three great deals on kijiji, the first one being a c-dale road-tri bike for just under $900, dura ace

https://toronto.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-s...AdIdZ134917982

https://toronto.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-s...AdIdZ144381841

https://toronto.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-s...AdIdZ142040885

franknstein

Advice, get the most bike you can afford now.

Even if you don't plan to race, join fast group rides, etc., you may want to once you get into riding your road bike.

I didn't plan to race or ride seriously when I got my first bike, but now I decided that I want to.

For me, that means buying a new bike now.

So, shop around, get fit at different shops, test ride different bikes, and then decide based on what feels most comfortable.

DownByLaw

A friend of mine who is about 6' 5" and 275lbs purchased a Caad9-7 recently and is very pleased with it. (think Larry Bird body type) This replaced his ancient Schwinn, and is his move back into regular riding. Although this frame has a rep for being harsh, apparently his weight counters the stiffness of the frame, and he has no complaints about the ride. I believe it's love.

Patrick

bds1168

I'm new to this sport also. I just got a 06 trek 1000 sl with carbon forks and seatpost in great shape for $450.00. I will say talk to a bike shop, not one that sells bikes but one that just works on them that way you get real info and not a sales pitch. I would go to a new bike shop and get sized up. Oh yea about the shorts you realy need then I road for a week in regular shorts and my butt was so chafed it wasn't even funny. Good luck.