itsIRIEpat

What about upgrading the Sora Brifters with Tiagra instead? Since shifing from the drops isn't that easy with Sora.

glight, have you tried taking the bike back to the Bike Store where you bought it?

LordOpie

well, if you're going to upgrade, go to 105. I wouldn't bother with Tiagra. I just think most people should wait until something breaks. But if you ride so much in the drops, well, there ya go

zeeg

I'm going to buy a new bike and a LBS has a Felt F90 and a Trek 1000, each is $650. Both seem very similar, I was wondering if these are good prices and if either bike has any obvious differences? Probably going to test ride them but unless I notice something I probably still won't be able to decide.

dogzero

Please Help! I have already purchased a Trek 1000- 2006 for $950 (canadian) with taxes from my LBS (sport swap) with two years of free tune-ups and half value trade in, in two years… but honestly I feel that could have gotten a better deal from the posts that I see around here.

Now I need to buy another one, at about the same money or a bit more, but a WSD.

So the question is where can I get Road Bike like Trek 1000 (maybe 1500) or a Specialized Allez (in general most of the bikes that were shown in this thread would suit me) from a bike shop in Canada or one that would ship to the Great White; at a good price.

IDOutlaw

Not sure if anyone has a local REI store...but if you do, check out the K2 Mach 2...$699, it has some pretty good components--very comfortable ride. I tested the Trek 1000 and 1200...for me, the K2 was the better deal. I will admit, the Trek's DC paint job was pretty impressive. Good luck to all! Keep Hardchargin'

JF1

A co-worker who has to give up his road bike because of a neck problem sold them to me for cheap. I got 105 front and rear derailleurs, 9-spd cassette, brifters and the Mavic Open Pros w/ Ultegra hubs for 100.00. I bought him lunch for the good deal. I think all I need now is a new chain. I wouldn't have upgraded if I had to pay new for everything or even half of new.

maxrep

hey i am new here and am wondering if this is the right place to post this.
wondering if anyone knows the details on this bike and what yer average local bike shop charges.
https://www2.trekbikes.com/bikes/bike...d=1342000&f=26

vinnydelnegro

Hey guys.....I just picked up a 2000 Marin Argenta for $500. It rides really fast and has a campy daytona group, campy hubs laced to ambrosia rims. I hope I didn't pay too much for it. Does anyone have any input on what this bike should be worth? It's in very good shape.

I'm going to be taking all the parts and putting them on a new frame as the bike is too big for me. The frame is Columbus 7005 and looks pretty sharp. I'll probably sell it on craiglist. Anyone have suggestions on what I should sell it for? Thanks for the advise.

mustang1

A few days ago I bought 2006 Specialized Allez (triple), silver. All stock (yup, including the pedals). I'll probably upgrade the pedals when LSB does the first service.

Bike history: Raleigh Budgie, Raleigh Chopper, Dawes Gold Wing (racer), Raleigh Massif (x2, first one got stolen), Peugeot mountain bike. I've had this last bike for 14 years. Test rode the Allez, liked it a LOT, also test rode Specialized Rockhopper (wasn't sure if I really wanted to go for a road bike). Didn't realized how bad knobbly tires are for road use. So it wa the Allez. Done about 40 miles on it so far.

Thoughts: the gears could be slicker in operation. I noticed this when test riding the bike but didn't want to go for something more expensive. I'll upgrade later (either bike, or components). Read a LOT about the wheels breaking so I've already budgeted for hand-built wheels in case they break/buckle/etc. Brakes are ok but will probably proivide more stopping power when they bed-in. I wasn't too far off going for Marin Lucas Valley, but the following put me off (in order):

1. more expensive
2. reviews not very favourable
3. wanted to try drop bars again

I'll use my Allez as a dry weather-only bike, and carry on using the Peugeot for everything else.

LordOpie

I really like that bike. It's not a road bike, but more of a true hybrid. You can ride that anywhere, beat it up and keep on going. My LBSs have been charging near MSRP, but we're heading towards the end of the season, so prices may start dropping slightly. If you don't have a bike, you do like that bike, it fits you well and you want to start riding today, then it's not really worth the wait to save a few dollars.

maxrep

Hm i just clicked that link and did't quite work for me.... I was trying to send you to the Trek 7.5


the lbs said they had no trek 7.5's in stock but they had

Cannondale Road Warrior 400 for $699
and
Specialized Sirrus $649.

I am kind of clueless in these matters. I am usually the technophile people call on for advice so totally out of my realm. Anyone eager to flex their knowledge on this topic I woudl appreciate it!

Luwin1026

Great buy! I almost sprung for an Allez as well, but they had a killer deal on the Allez Sport that I couldn't pass up. Bike was ordered and should be arriving at the LBS in a day or two - will post review once I get it and get on it!

j3oomerang

what do you guys think about this bike. it seems to have just a couple of better features over the "denali" walmart bike. there is also another gmc kent ( the yukon xl) bike that has even more better features but then the price jumps to 320 plus. this bike here has free shipping to boot

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...sporting-goods

I know nothing about cycling and wanted to get into it, so i dont want to spend alot of money unless i grow to really like cycling.

baj32161

I think someone in your position would be better off going to your "local bike shop" and checking out their selection of used bikes. At your budget, buying new won't get you very much in terms of value. Sure it will get you on the road, but such a bike as the GMC bikes may cost you more in the way of frustration than what you gain from it. I am not knocking the bike, but I do think anything used offered by your LBS will be properly fit, properly assembled, and in many cases, come with a maintenance package that any Xmart bike will not, andf therefore, be a better value. When I started shopping for a new road bike, I knew I wanted to buy new, and knew I would love cycling (as I had done years before), so your reservations were not an issue for me. At your budget you will, quite likely, not get the highest tech, fanciest bike out there, but if you shop smart and do just a bit of homework, you should ber able to find something to suit your purposes and not break your wallet.

Good luck to you...this is the most fun next to actually riding your bike.

Cheers,

Brian

j3oomerang

^thanks for the relpy

i dont mind spending $900 on a bike. i just dont want to do that until i know i enjoy cycling. if the cheap bike lasts me 6 months its all good. if im still riding regularly after 6 months ill buy a "real" bike. i just dont want to spend an unecessary amount of money just to find out cycling sucks. do you think i might not like cycling because my bike wasnt good enough? does the quality of a bike make cycling more enoyable even if you dont know any better. i just dont want to spend alot of money on something i dont even know if ill grow to like. i can afford it, just dont like to throw money away.

so i went to walmart to see this bike in person, when i got on to ride it, my knees would hit mywrist. does this mean that im too tall for the bike? im 6' 1.5". the seat was pretty much all the way down. would highering the seat fix this problem, or is a 22.5 inch bike too small for me. most charts i looked at said 22.5shouldnt be way out of wack for my hieght.

maxrep

thanks for all the info.

Today I went in and rode an 07 Specialized Cirrus. Thing felt great. Better than any of the other bikes I tried.

Then I was able to order the 07 Specialized Cirrus Sport and it will come in for me Tuesday.
Its all white with black read and front Carbon Forks which you had to get at least a Comp for in 06.

The damage.. $700 flat but I will have to pay Tax.

Guys I need some pointers......

the lbs told me i can swap out wheels and seat if i wanted when i took a ride on the Sport when it comes in. Right now the tires are 28 very road bikish tires to my eyes. The seat looks like a Specialized Body Geometry seat.

What I am wondering is, what should i ask them for specifically in terms of swapouts and upgrades?

Think they will swap out the wheels or just the tires and if so whats my best bang for the buck!

oneradtec

I would second the suggestion to go to a local bike shop. Tell him/her your budget for a new bike. They will show you some nice bikes that you can afford. Then they will make sure they fit you. Then they will make sure it is tuned up before you take it home. They will then give you free tune ups for first 90 days...or perhaps even first full year. If you buy some cheap generic bike from Walmart or Amazon...you will get none of this professional advice and service. You are going to end up with a bike that does not fit and one that gives you a lot of frustration.

I think it's fine for someone to buy a good bike online..such as from Performance or bikesdirect...but only when one knows what he is doing. You have to know your fit very well, and you have to know what to look for as far as wheels, frame and components go. I don't recommend the online route for new first time buyers...unless they have a very good advisor to lead them through the process.

Don't worry about wasting your money if you don't like the sport. If you buy a good bike from the local bike shop, and take good care of it, you can always sell it on ebay or something. The resale value of these bikes are pretty good. Especially if it is a recognized brand such as Trek, Specialized, Cannondale, Lemond, etc.

oneradtec

So you wanted a comfort/hybrid bike? That's not a road bike is it?

I doubt you need to make any changes or upgrades.

What kind of riding are you doing with it?

maxrep

its a hybrid but its definitely more road bike than it is comfort or mountain.

i didn't want a full on road bike as i am new to this and want something more like this. i tried some road bikes ands its just didn't feel right at this time.

I will probably only be taking 15-20 mile rides in city and some roads. I won't be going off road with it and then increasing as I can.

One thing is pedals. I don't want my feet strapped in or locked in anyway. Just don't feel comfortable with it right now.

Basically im just wondering right now about whether it will serve me well to get wheel/tire swapouts, seats, pedals,

zeeg

I just got a Trek 1000 today, and it's pretty nice. Managed to get them to go down in price to $599, after I showed them it was on sale for $568 at a bike store 28 miles away. Good trade off, I have to pay a bit more but now I can goto the LBS for service, etc.

JF1

You got a good deal! I would certainly pay that little extra for the convenience of the local store.

baj32161

+1...there is nothing like having a good shop close by. My shop is in Pihladelphia and I live in Burlington NJ, so it takes me about 25 mins to get to the shop but the guys are so cool and have been so good to me that it is really no effort at all.

Hey zeeq, have fun with your new 1000....did you get the new Disco kit colours?

Cheers,

Brian

metrow

What's the best deal for finding a good bike with Tiagra shifters for under $700.00? I would perfer to stay away from Sora. Any ideas?

mustang1

I posted earlier about my Allez Tiprle I bought a few weeks ago. Now that I've used it a little more, I actually dont have anything more to report. The gears are still not as slick as I wanted them to be but then again I know I bought bottom of the range. I still love the bike and use it only in dry weather. I bought a Specialized Turbo 2 Elite cycle computer but decided not to install it. I'll either install it on my Peugeot mountain bike or sell it on eBay.

Last week I bought a Specialized Air Tool Comp floor standing air pump. I had a choice of Sport (£25), Comp (£40) or Pro (£50). After reading numerous reviews, I decided on the Comp because the Sport appeared not to be the quality product I was expecting. Many people said it broke after a year. I also didn't need the nicer aluminum finish of the Pro nor the air-bleed valve so for £10 less, I bought the Comp.
Dont curse me, but I'm also thinking I'll put off buying the clipless pedals until next year. Since this is a summer bike and I live in the UK where we dont get much sunshine, I'll leave those alone. I done some research however and will probably get SpeedPlay X2. The X1 are made of Titanium and are dearer and the X3 are chepaer but not of very good quality. I'm favouring SpeedPlay because of the high ampount of float which is supposed to be good for knees. I have to have another look at SpeedPlay Frogs though. They're almost the same but are more resistant to dirt and I think you can use them with walking shoes.

I've started loking at bike stands and maybe the next time I post, I would have bought one. Stay tuned.

mustang1

The only problem with buying a not so nice bike in the first place, purely to see if you'll like cycling, is that you wont like cycling your not so nice bike, therefore giving you a false reading that you dont like cycling.