adgrant

The bike is very cheap cosidering the components on it. A Cannondale R700 with a similar level of components and the same wheels costs about $500 more. The frame must be total crap. My guess is it has the same frame as the GCM Denali which is a Walmart bike also made by Kent who likes to use GM brands for their bike models.

tracerit

I just started reading this thread and noticed in the first few pages (dated back to 2004), a few people recommended going with a Raleigh Sport but it had a steel frame. Is this the same bike: https://www.raleighusa.com/items.asp?deptid=5&itemid=289 but they decided to upgrade from a steel to an aluminum frame?

LordOpie

Upgrade? UPGRADE?

WTF?

Upgrade?

tracerit

am i missing something here?

Portis

He prefers steel.

LordOpie

It's not that I prefer steel, which I do, it's just wrong to think that AL is an upgrade.

Friggin' cheap $#!77y marketing!!! #%%##4 !@#$

I'd rather have low-end steel over low-end AL. And I'd rather have high-end steel over high-end AL.

shakeNbake

Got my Schwinn Fastback for $539 (tax free!) this weekend at performance

https://www.bikeforums.net/showpost.p...&postcount=982

n00bRider

I was looking at that CYTEK, and if pricepoint had it in my size I would have bought it already.

It looks like it's "799rrp" on their website, whatever the hell THAT means. Does anyone know where else I can get this for the $400 price tag?

RolfJB

my girlfriend just bought a 5 jear old Zullo, all Dura-Ace, a spare front wheel and 2 spare rear wheels (FiR net 97) for $ 420. Works perfectly!

Bacciagalupe

So does anyone have any recommendations on a sub-$700 flatbar road bike?

I know it's probably heretical to say it in this thread, but I'm just not a fan of drop bars or STI shifters. My main ride right now is a cheap Dahon folding bike, which is ok but just does not seem like it's made for some of the riding I'm now doing -- and definitely not right for the century I'm planning on in the fall.

(Shouldn't the $700 figure be adjusted a little bit for inflation, by the way? )

Simmons Lane

From what i've read and learned here the bike to look at for a flatbar roadbike may well be the Specialized Sirus, probably either the sport or comp. Also the Trek 7.3 FX (7.5...) gets mentioned as well in this area.

shakeNbake

I'm starting to sound like a Trek salesman here.

The FX is really great. Alot of the roadies here roll their eyes when someone mention the H(ybrid) word, but IMO the FX rides more like a roadie than a hybrid. The only thing that might slow you down there would be the suspension seat post, but that's a really quick fix.

LordOpie

No, cuz $700 is the deadzone. It's where you waste money. Either spend $500 and save a couple hundred towards your next bike or bump up your budget.

I think the Trek 7.#fx is the first line of hybrid bikes that really did an awesome job. You could almost call them cyclocross bikes. They're not really flatbar roadbikes, but they're so versatile and strong. I didn't know they came with a suspension seatpost, maybe the ones I saw had them removed, but I'd take it off while riding pavement and put it back on for long fireroads.

cohophysh

Howdy
I have read and been told not to pay full price for a bike at the LBS. How have you (the collective you) approached this when purchasing a bike?
Thanks

Bacciagalupe

Actually the inflation bit refers to the fact that the thread started in 2004, so prices should bump up a bit with inflation.

But I haven't heard about this "deadzone" bit.... Can you expand on that? I'm just not really clear on why what you'd want to spend ought to jump from $500 to $1000 in this instance.

ssk

My bike is better than your-ors.

...and its not in any deadzone! My humble 8 speed Sora shifters work fine and I burn past dorks with $1000 shifters all day (Well, certainly not all of them, but expensive shifters have nothing to do with that.)

Expensive bikes and components are over-rated and way unnecessary for most people. Yea, I went ahead and said it. No bike shop will tell you, and no sucker who baught the hype will tell you. Go ahead and be one if you want to but don't say you weren't warned.

shakeNbake

I'm a pretty frugal (read: cheap-ass), I always ask if there's any kind of discount that I they can give me, if they don't have any, I usually try to get them to throw any extras (cages+extra bottles, locks, racks, etc.)

I'm lucky because I got my Schwinn Fastback Sport for a pretty good price.

It was on sale for $539 (MSRP is $599) without tax (saved $37 bucks there) and I got a free Team Performance membership and $53 giftcard because of the purchase.

So I walked out with the bike, two bottles + cages, and a $53 gift card for $539 out the door.

gtuck12_31

Just picked up a used Trek 1000. It has an upgraded stem, shimano 600 cranks (biopace cogs) and shimano 600 front/rear components. It cost me about 200 bucks. I picked up a pair of AXO shoes, and today I'm picking up a set of pedals. Look PP166 for $25.00 (used)
Did I get a good deal on the bike?

Lion Steve

I wish that I had seen it first. It's really difficult to find a decent priced used bike. I look at the LBS's, garage sales, craigslist, and other places locally, but nothing here, so far, where I live.

jcm

Great thread. I've never had a road bike and I'm heading to The Dark Side. But every time I see that Specialized Sequoia Elite on sale for $999, I see images of my starving wife and kids before my eyes... then, the long Dark Tunnel to the Debit Reader. Flames, hellish laughter... MUAHHAHAHAHAHA!

...so, I'm buying an old but beautiful Centurion Elite RS for $200. Frame is Tange2 with upgraded (lighter) rims, about 23lbs. which is lighter than my Trek 520, Shimano 600 everywhere, and, BioPace 52/42 rings - don't even think of saying it, or I'll have to come over there and beat you up (the hills, that is ).

This is my dea of an entry level bike. I'll use it to make a bigger decision later.

gtuck12_31

I actually got my pedals yesterday and I love this bike now. It just keeps getting better. The monster hills that are part of my commute are still monsters...but the feel a bit less ugly with the pedals.

landon3

Last summer I bought a five-year-old Jamis Quest for $450. It has 105 components, came with a Flight Deck, bottle racks and a few other little extras. I've been pretty happy with it, but it ended up being not such a great deal when one of the shifters gave out this spring and I ended up replacing them both. Anyway, still feel like it was a good way to get a taste of road biking without a major up-front expenditure.

blackcannon

My very first road bike build...

2006 Cannondale R800 frame- $120(Craigslist)
Shimano 105 Crankset- $60(ebay)
Shimano 105 Shifters- $140(Nashbar)
Forte Titan Wheelset- $150(Performance)
Cane Creek Integrated Headset- $40(LBS)
Used Cannondale Fire Stem, handlebar, seatpost- $70(Craigslist)
Continental Ultra Sport Tires- $44(pair)
Carbon Fiber Stem spacers- $12(ebay)
Blue Cork Handlebar Wrap- $15(LBS)
Transfered all other 105 componenets from older Trek bike- FREE
Shimano 105 Bottom Bracket- $15(Craigslist)

=$645 total

Bike is not fully built yet but I will take pics later on....

kulamorris

Here is a question: If you had a cheap steel frame (say, a 1998 Bianchi Premio) with 7 speed, downtube components but it fit well, would you spend 675 dollars to upgrade it with the following:

Neuvation M28 wheels - $200
Shimano 9 speed 105 front &rear derailleurs & brakes, bottom bracket, crank, cassette, chain - $350
Ritchey WCS seatpost, stem, handlebar - $125

And, do you think the 105 9 speed stuff will be tough to come by in a few years?

vaxathrax

Ive seen a lot of posts about the trek 1000 rear wheel. Im 190 pounds and looking to get my first road bike and wondering
a) most of the people that have complained about this are 220+, has anyone lighter found this issue
b) are the wheels better on a specialized allez?

Also, many people say buy for the frame and upgrade as needed. Overall, whos got the best entry frame between trek specialized cannondale and lemond.

right now, im either thinking of going new and getting a trek 1000 or a specialized allez (still have not ridden one), or waiting for something on craigslist...which is taking awhile for something perfect to come.

Thanks.