xqwisit

First off I'm a newbie to road biking who has her own bike (Felt F70), looking for bike for husband. Some of you already know the story so not going to re-interate it (see previous posts).

Hubby decided to bike a bike from bikesdirect (here is where the hating doens't have to come in) considering they have good prices and stuff in his size range. He is contemplating between wto Motobecane Le Champion CF. One comes with a Sram Rival group and the other comes with a Ultegra group. Both same price, color etc... any suggestions between the two?

Reading other posts on here about the components it seems both are comparable but have different feel characteristics and depends what the rider likes. Hubby is new to road biking like myself so won't make a difference. The rational behind the bikesdirect option is they have the bike in stock, his size and if he doesn't like it he can send it back. Our price cap is $1500. If anyone has other suggestions to mail order for a first bike that would be great, but like he told me the other day he is not going from shop to shop anymore to see if they have his size in stock...

Thanks guys/gals.

BigSean

I dont advise mail ordering a first bike. Id look for a local shop with end of the year deals. There is also the Cannondale Caad route to look at. Great bike and they have many models in your price range.

Nachoman

+1. Husband should try a bunch of different bikes, different sizes and different component groups. Then find what he likes best and buy it.

StanSeven

+1. Both Sram Rival and Ultegra are good. It's really a personal preference on which you like and feels best. I know your husband doesn't like going shop to shop to find the right size, but how does he know his size? The thing to do is narrow down the brand and have the store order the right size. Just because one's a 56 in one barnd/model doesn't mean that same size is best for other brands/models.

achoo

How certain is hubby about knowing what size bike he needs? Stem length? Seat tube and head tube angles?

How good is he at doing the mechanical upkeep of the bike? Is he capable of replacing the stem? Putting on a different saddle? Figuring out why the rear derailleur won't shift properly?

If he can do all that, an internet purchase would be fine.

If he (or you) can't do all that, the chance of the purchase being a waste goes way up.

datlas 

+1

No hating, but newbie/1st road bike and "BD" should probably not go together.

guadzilla

To actually answer your question - I prefer Rival over Ultegra. I like the snappy shifting, better shifting under load and double-tap. Plus it is lighter. And cheaper. And the hoods feel better under my hands.

V.

Palomar01

I agree with what others have said. Newbie should stick with LBS.

Regarding component group, I did a few test rides this weekend. One bike had a full Ultegra group and the other had a full Rival group.

If found their performance to be close but the edge went to Ultegra for me. The Rival has a nice feature called “Double Tap” in which you shift up or down using the same shifter lever (the inner one). This is very useful when I am in the drops because I don’t have to stretch my hand to reach the brake lever to shift to a lower gear like I do with Shimano STI. However, I frequently have to brake AND shift to a lower gear and the Shimano does that very well and very fast. Since I do a lot of downhills, the latter is important to me. Finally, this may have been due to tuning difference but the Ultegra felt noticeably faster shifting to me and required less effort at the levers. The brakes also felt slightly more powerful and easy to modulate.

I also like the Ultegra’s aero looking crank. So my vote goes to Ultegra

achoo

Which is why, when you go to Google and type in just "andy sch", the third hint that comes up is "andy schleck chain"...

W Cole

the fit portion may be a bit tricky to get right when purchasing online. But anyone should be able to swap a stem, seat, adjust the shifting, etc. It's dead simple. Lots of step by step tutorials on YouTube.

chasm54

He's new to it, he isn't going to be able to tell the difference between rival and ultegra.

The important thing isn't going from shop to shop, it is being certain that he knows what size he needs. Any decent shop should be able to tell him that, and to order him a bike of the right size if they don't have it in stock. If he buys online without a clear understanding of what he needs, he risks having to spend more money later on swapping stems etc, even if he gets the right size frame. I'd seriously suggest he pays one extended visit to one reputable bike shop.

StanSeven

Agreed it's simple but when you buy a bike online you are buying the bars, stem, seatpost and saddle. When you find later that you have discomfort because of poor fit and have to buy everyting in different sizes, you may end up spending for the bike than a LBS price.

ahsposo 

You ever have the feeling that sometimes, when a person asks for advice that no matter how good and well reasoned the advice you give is, they are just going to do what they want to do anyway?

I just got that feeling now.

vdek

Get a 105 group instead IMO. CAAD9-5 is only $1499 new... Consider gear costs as well, helmet, gloves, shoes, pedals, bag, bottles, cages, etc.

tagaproject6

With that being said...Go ahead and go Bikesdirect, since you already know the size you want and don't want to hassle with return problems. Go with Rival equipped bike. My personal choice and totally unquantifiable if it is indeed better or not.

WHOOOSSHHH...

He is not going from shop to shop to see if they have his size? Well, since you know your price range, and probably have a good idea of his size, then why not CALL 2 or 3 shops and see if they have his size before mailing in $1500.00 for a bike he has never even sat on. Better yet, since fit isn't all that important, mail me a $1000.00 and I will send you one of mine!!

PhotoJoe 

I know you said $1500 is your cap, but if you shop like i do, that really means $1750 by time all the rationalization is done. Do you have a Performance Bike near you? I'm no expert, but this GT seems like a good deal. Full carbon and FULL Rival plus the points toward toys. If you have a PB "nearby", you could ride it before buying. Those extra few bux, for an assembled bike with the PB guarantee would be worth it...for me.....unless it didn't fit.

xqwisit

I almost knew that I would get some cruel responses but that's okay. I, like most of you prefer to go the route of the LBS but when you have went to almost a dozen shops and called around and not have any luck it kind of sucks. For all the good advice on here about going to the LBS and sitting on the bike and riding it and getting a feel for it, it's not always that easy. Hubby asks the question what is the difference ordering online and ordering in the store if you can't sit on the bike. Sure we understand that you can swap stuff out easier on a bike buying from your LBS as opposed to online. The other question is how do you know a Cannondale will fit better than a Trek or a Specialized etc... when you initially can't even sit on one?

I will go home tonight and convince him not to buy from BD. I knew it was a bad idea when he suggested it the other day but when you men get something in your head its not always easy to change your minds... (guess it is the ego.. haha). I will try and get him to the LBS where I go and see if they can order him in a Cannondale or Felt in his size and go from there. But first thing is first and convince him to steer clear of BD. Thanks for the input guys.

PS... hubby spends all day in front of a computer so when he is at home he steers clear and is better served playing a round of golf or running, that is why I am on here for the knowledge and doing my part in the relationship

tanguy frame

Best thing would be for hubby to try about 7 bikes in a variety of price ranges., say $500 to $3500. Se what he's sentsitive to. The bike he wants to take home will talk sweetly to him and he will recognize it.

banerjek

His question of what the difference is if you can't try the bike out in the shop is an important one since test rides are extremely valuable. What he can get at a good shop is are questions from experienced people who can help him find a bike that fits his preferences, personality, and likely riding style best. They can fit him to whatever bike he gets which will make an enormous difference in his comfort (as well as his speed), and adjustments with most shop bikes are free for the first year or two -- most new riders don't know how to do this stuff themselves.

They might have something one size off that can be adjusted out that he can try to get the general feel as well as other bikes that are the correct size, but not what he's looking for -- these can help the shop explain what effect he'll achieve with a bike that must be ordered.

Just as an observation, a huge percentage of very expensive bikes I see on rides are way out of adjustment or obviously sized improperly. This kills a lot of the benefit of getting a great bike in first place.

I suspect your hubby has already made up his mind in which case he'll go out and get a good deal, hopefully on something that's reasonably well matched to his goals. If he does that, he should hang out with some guys who've been riding for awhile since they can help him out.

roadiejorge 

Best recommendation if you're new to cycling is to find a good LBS whose staff will be able to get you on the right bike for the type of riding you want to do. There are a lot of things to sort out when you're new to cycling and lots to know so having experienced people around to answer questions will be pretty important. Going the Bikesdirect route is better when you know your fit and what frame dimensions you require otherwise the money you think you're saving is lost when you get a frame that's the wrong size. At the shop you can get on a bike and see what feels best because fit will depend on more than just numbers since you have to account for flexibility. Go with your husband to the shop and take some bikes out for a spin, eventually he'll find one he likes and be on the road soon enough. Good luck!

BengeBoy 

+1

Definitely true!

My two cents: I would normally tell someone for their first bike in this price range, go find a great LBS and get a bike that fits. But you have patiently already explained to everyone that you guys tried that, were unhappy, and are going to go the BikesDirect route. I completely sympathize; sometimes when shopping locally, especially at the end of the summer, the selection is terrible.

You're adults (I presume) so I say: go ahead. You will likely do OK. I am one of the folks who think that sometimes test rides in LBS's are over-rated because if you're a newb everything is going feel strange, wonderful, or maybe both strange and wonderful at the same time. It will take a few hundred miles of riding to figure out what works and doesn't work on the bike anyway. Also, I understand that sometimes when you are new to a sport or hobby you don't want to know every detail in the world, you just want to get started (e.g., I am like that with downhill skiing -- I don't really give a s**** what I ski on, just give me something that allows me to get down the mountain in one piece, and I"m happy).

The weeks left in riding season are winding down. Presumably you've got the money to get a bike; I say go for it.

As for Ultegra vs. Rival -- I prefer Shimano, but for reasons that are irrelevant to this discussion. Go w/whichever one your husband thinks looks best. Really, they're both good.

icyclist 

"any suggestions between the two?"

Followed by:

"Reading other posts on here about the components it seems both are comparable but have different feel characteristics and depends what the rider likes."

Why are you asking for an opinion here, if you already have the answer to your question?

PhotoJoe 

When I was shopping for my mountain bike, I rode the Specialized Rockhopper, a Cannondale, Trek and Lightspeed. The Specialized was the last one I rode and I can't explain it, but it fit me like a glove. The others felt like I was riding a bike, the Specialized felt like I was riding MY bike. For me, having been through that, I would need to test ride any road bike before buying. But that's just me. But then again, I live in LA and have 20 LBS's within 30 miles of my house, which makes it easier.

achoo

He goes to your LBS, wants to spend $1500, and they won't let him sit on the bike?

That's crap. Don't spend your money there. Find another LBS.

And if you can't, or hubby is intent on BD, show him this:

https://www.neuvationcycling.com

You can get an alloy SRAM Apex for $1100 there. Along with great service.