Hi, I am new to road biking and have been using my mom's old diamond back mountain bike in the canyons of california. As you all may know, this is quite a challenge! I have been saving up some money to buy a bike and have found a Langster for under $400.

Could you please give me some advice as to if this is a good bike for a beginner? and if not, could you please point me in the right direction?

Here's the link to the specialized site:
https://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/...009&spid=38444


Thanks!

what do you want it for: exercise/sport; commuting; posing; other?

botto, thank you for the response! I would like it for excerise/sport I tend to ride on the mountain bike about 40-50 miles per ride (according to the odometer). So I assume I will be riding about 60 miles on the road bike.

if i were you, i'd get a bike with gears.

+1

yeah im not sure if you noticed but that is a single speed bike. is it an ok bike sure but for climbing around in the mountains and just riding on the road in general i would get something with gears. yes it will cost more but im sure you will be alot happier with it in the end. you should be able to find a nice entry level bike for under 600 or even check out CL or similar for a used bike. you need to know what size bike you are looking for first as bike fit is the most important thing to look for when getting a new bike. good luck and feel free to post back what you find for more advice.
By the way welcome to the forum

Thank you M_FactorX19.....unfortunately, my first day isn't going too well considering I posted a bike without gears haha. but I am just a newbie 16 year old.

How do I know exactly what size to look for? The bike stores around here aren't very helpful and they are telling me the cheapest I can get a bike for is about $1,200.

Thank you so much for the help!

Looking for a used bike off of craigslist might be your best option. New road bikes definitely aren't cheap, there are some that cost under the $1200 dollars but they will be the most basic. They will work just fine and be fun, but in my opinion if you get the road cycling bug you will want to upgrade. Hell, I bought a Giant Defy 2 ($1100) just this summer and already want to upgrade the components and wheels on it. Used, once you know what you're looking for, will often times let you get a higher quality bike, or even just a cheap 10-speed, depending on what you want.

+2

Try this
https://www.competitivecyclist.com/za...LCULATOR_INTRO

Where?

bikesdirect is your friend
https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/road_bikes.htm

you can upgrade later. for now, get a cheap bike, learn to ride it, adjust it, wrench it. when you're good and ready, save up for a nice ride.

as for sizing, it's kind of hard to get the perfect size advice from a forum. go to your local bike shop and see if they can get a fitting done. if not, just ride some different sizes and see which one feels the most comfortable. in general, i'm 5'8" with a 31.5" inseam and ride a 54cm.

Go back to the shop where you found the Langster and tell them you want the Allez Double in your size. It's $810 and will be able to climb those mountains with your 16 year old legs. https://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/...01&scname=Road

Where in CA ?

Try to at least sit on some bikes at your local shops, to get a feel for what size is best for you. The shop guys will want to tell you about their bikes. Listen to them, you might learn something. Ask about their used bikes.

If you want to pay cash and $400 is your preferred limit, then also start looking on your local - or closest - Craigslist for used bikes in your size. Don't be put off by prices which are above your limit. Prices are negotiable. (They're negotiable at the shops, too.) The posted price is just an asking price.

When buying used, you're substituting time for money. Patience and persistence.

I'd recommend going for a bike with gears especially if you're going to do some climbing. You should be able to get an entry-level road bike for about $650-$700. So where exactly are these canyons in California?

I assume the Langster was chosen just because of the low cost compared to other bikes, so if you have a tight budget look at getting a used bike but definitely one with gears.

Road riding ss/fg is fun but for most people (self included) something to do on the side of riding with gears or other types of riding, in my case mostly mountain and cross. Some people are really committed to it but they tend to be experienced cyclists who have ridden a long time with gears and without and developed a preference over that time. Others are into it because it's trendy, but I've noticed they don't stick with road riding or end up getting a geared bike pretty quickly.

So yeah, the Allez Double or something used with gears would be a far better choice for a beginner.

How about the Specialized Allez Steel? Ask your local specialized dealer, it's kinda expensive now at $720 (compared to last year's $600) but maybe you can talk them down on it. It's a great starting bike and it looks freaking awesome.