Splice

I'm looking to purchase a new bike and I'm looking for a little help. I'm looking to spend 300 to 500 but up to 700 if it's justifiably worth it.

I've compiled a list of all new bikes I can find online that meet the criteria I have selected for myself. I decided on this criteria based on the uses for this bike which will be long distance fast pace riding and distance sprinting. What I decided to look for mainly has been something that has decent teeth on it so I won't have to upgrade it. All of these bikes listed below has the common factor of an 11 tooth smallest cog in the cassette and a 52T max on the chainring. I would like to eventually upgrade to a 54/42 or 54/39 double but for now the 52T will be fine. The 11T in the back will save me from having to upgrade the cassette, rear derailleur or hub/wheel later which is why I'm choosing it.

I've already decided on new tires and clipless pedals for whichever I get so that part isn't really important.

Other that this I'm not sure what I should be looking for as I'm not really looking for comfort and only really looking for what helps me go faster. I can deal with the pain and my body will adjust. So....? Breaks & Shifters maybe? Not really looking to spend a few hundred extra on Ultegra over something else that will make little to no difference.

That being said here are the bikes I'd like some comparison on if anyone can help or has any pointers as to what else to look for on a bike. Specifics only please I don't need to hear more expensive = better because you can always ALWAYS find midpriced products that are 98% as good as the expensive ones.

https://www.roadbikeoutlet.com/road-b...no-tiagra.html

https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...ington3_IX.htm

https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/.../bristol_x.htm

https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/mercier/galaxy.htm

https://www.amazon.com/Giordano-Liber...0445342&sr=1-4

Since they're mostly the same I'm leaning towards the cheaper the better but if anyone has any good input on why one over the other seems to stand out as better or worth the added expense please let me know. Also if anyone knows of any other bikes that meet my criteria and are better or reasons to avoid any of these please let me know as well.

Please & Thank You!

v70cat

My crank cost as much as your budget for a bike good luck.

thehammerdog

Buddy,
Know that the best part of shopping for a new bike is the shopping part....Once you buy it the fun it over.
That being said $500 gets you a decent pair of training wheels, or a cool seat & handle bars or 1 bad bike.
Ride strong

ErichM

This type of thing has been beaten to death. Consensus is generally at that price range, find a used bike of decent quality. A piece of crap at any price is still a piece of crap.

Chickenstrip

^^^^^ elitist much? I got the Dawes lightning dlx. Yes it's heavy (21 lbs) and the name doesn't please other cyclist, but I've put over 1000 miles on it in the 2 months I've been riding it (including 2 metrics and one full century) without a single problem. I intend to spend the money on a nice bike come tax time but in the meantime I have a perfectly rideable bike to cut my teeth on. Buy the bike you want just make sure to get the right size and have an lbs set it up for you.

Kupkake

More importantly is the fit.
Talk to your LBS, see what they have to offer, depending on your budget they can point you in the right directions, also if you wait until the end of the season good deals are a plenty

ErichM

Yes, I'm an elitist for suggesting buy value rather than buy cheap. If your Dawes is working out for you, why get a new one at tax time?

Chickenstrip

I got into cycling to add some cardio to my workouts and have since fallen in love with it. I would have loved a nice bike from the start but after several weeks of searching craigslist I was left with BD being my best option.

Do not confuse my statement that my Dawes is a perfectly rideable bike with me saying that it is as good as any name brand bike. I understand this is not the case, however it has succeeded in rekindling my love of cycling and so far has not been the piece of crap you would make BD bikes out to be. Truth is it is somewhere in the middle and in my opinion good deal.

I intend to replace my Dawes because I would like to have a more aero lightweight bike and purchasing another bike is more cost effective than upgrading the wheels and accessories on this one.

Regardless I see no reason to insult another riders choice of bike as apparently you do.

DC_United_Fan

ErichM is simply pointing out that you can't make chicken salad out of Chickenstrip...



Something that you have apparently discovered

Splice

Can someone please point me in a direction of what makes a 'good bike' a 'good bike' because as of right now all I see is people saying the more you spend the better the bike.

I want specifics on why otherwise I dismiss this as a lie.

A frame is a frame personally I don't think spending an extra 2,000 dollars is worth saving 5-7 pounds if I wanted to do that I'd be 10 pounds lighter than I am.

What makes an Ultegra better than a Sora, they both shift gears and don't effect speed or comfort, does one jump gears or something because with proper maintenance I'm pretty sure a Sora would be great.

How about cranks? What difference is a $1000 crank going to make over a $100 crank 20 grams (1/23 of a pound) and a nicer appearance?

I'm starting to view people who spend $5,000+ on a bike as someone who just wants to brag as I don't seem to be able to get any reasons on WHY it's better other than 'it has better parts' and more excuses

So if anyone could please take the time to enlighten me or at the least point me to a post or website that has the info I'm looking for I would be very very appreciative.

I do however feel I'm going to get another side-step to this probably someone saying "Oh it's far far to numerous to list why".

Please help me.

v70cat

In general you pay more for less weight. You also get better quality.

My wife had a cheap Sears bike that was good and lasted for years. It weigh more and did not have the best seat.

The problem today is that everything is made in China and many things are cheap junk that do not last or work right.

I am a big believer in buying quality items and keeping them a long time. My Dad purchased a cheap Sears grill and had to replace it, my Weber is still going strong.

$1,200 to $1,300 will yield a Caad 10 with 105. To me that is cheap bike vs my Cervelo yet it is almost as light. The Caad is sold at your LBS were they will fit you and service the bike. Ii you buy a $500 bike and then buy a real bike at tax time you are spending more not less.

tagaproject6

Splice...I believe you have already made up your mind as to what you want on a bike. No one here will be able to change a belief system that you hold dear...i.e., "a frame is a frame", "A shifter is a shifter", then there are your views on "people who spend +$5000 on a bike is such and such"...blah blah blah.

I don't a see a reason for your inquiry when you clearly have made up your mind. The specifics you want are non-existent and based solely on conjecture and personal experiences of people on BF. Some are quantifiable, and most are not.

No side stepping here. Go get yourself a bike you feel is adequate for your needs. Hop on the bike, HTFU and ride already!

On a personal note, I believe in the adage "The poor man always pay twice!" and the word "poor" is not indicative of a person's financial status.

joe_5700

Do you have a bike shop around you? Go and ride their entry level 2300/Sora bikes. Then ride Tiagra, 105, Ultegra and Dura Ace. Do the same with the SRAM levels as well. Riding is believing. You may decide though that Sora or Tiagra may be good enough.

LowCel 

See red for my comments.

Splice

My current beliefs are just that, current. They are always subject to change based on the argument presented and information provide to back it up. I've bought many things in my life that were more expensive and purportedly better only to find out they the same as the cheapest model of junk with a fancier outer appearance.

I've read a decent amount of the forums here and other places and I get a general impression of cyclists which can be found nicely in reading the discussion between bottles vs hydration packs. The general impression is 'real cyclists use bottles', 'real cyclists have $5,000+ bikes' and no one can seem to tell me why it's better which tells me it's all about ego about being a 'real cyclist'

Thank you v70 cat for confirming mostly what I suspect that it's mainly about saving a few grams to a pound or two. I don't really believe that 'some parts don't work' especially ones with brand names otherwise they give their company a horrible rep and wouldn't sell it, proper maintenance and adjustment should figure all these issues out.

I'd just like to know what kind of real tangible advantages I can get for dropping an extra 5K or even an extra 1K?

I do agree with you Taga on the poor man paying twice which is why I always do a good amount of research before I pay once instead of just jumping on what other people say. Paying twice could just as easily refer to paying double the first time by not giving things any thought. 'paying' not necessarily meaning monetarily but in any way applicable.

So by spending an extra $1,000 dollars I can save about 5-7 pounds which on flat terrain in Florida will do me little to no good. More please?

LowCel 

Unfortunately this statement is completely untrue. You will find both Shimano and SRAM low end components on bikes from Wal-Mart and I can assure you that they do not shift properly for very long at all no matter how much you try to maintain them.

Splice

Thank you LowCel I will ponder on what you said, it does help.

Splice

Is their a parts avoidance list anywhere around I remember seeing a few listed here and there but nothing big?

When you say doesn't shift properly, do you mean like
1.) not being able to shift into the biggest cog on the freewheel
2.) hence my highest gear being listed as 6 instead of 7 but still being in the smallest cog
3.) large amounts of slack in when shifting causing my pedaling to skip
4.) not shifting into other gears causing me to downshift twice and upshift once to get down 1 gear

That's what happens on my GMC Denali from WalMart - honestly I don't mind it all that much as it still works just fine you just have to know how to use it. Never really tried to fix it though and this is after about a year of zero-maintenance.

The only problems I've ever had with it are that and a horrible bottom bracket which I tend to replace on any bike I get anyways and with tires and pedals.

LowCel 

A bike should shift "perfect" every time. It makes the ride much more enjoyable. Personally I didn't have much of a problem when I rode Sora but I only rode it for six months or so before I upgraded bikes. Anytime I have a shifting problem (bike shifts under pressure, doesn't go to a gear, skips a gear, chain goes into wheel and rips derailleur off causing a crash) it takes a lot away from the ride for me. I like to have everything I own running properly, when it doesn't it annoys me and defeats the purpose of a bike ride which is supposed to relax you as well as help you get into shape.

Nicer components stay tuned longer. A lot of it has to do with cables and housing, however it also has to do with the individual components. The cheaper components have cheaper springs, plastic instead of metal, etc, etc. They also have cheaper cassettes and chain rings which do not shift as well. When you are 50 miles from home, out of water, and wore out you want to have a bike you have faith in. You also want to have a bike that you are comfortable on.

As far as all that goes, I also like to have a bike that I am "proud" of. It has nothing to do with ego. Just because I have an expensive bike doesn't mean that I enjoy riding more than a guy on a $600 bike. However, having nice components can certainly make the ride more enjoyable.

Sorry if I am talking in circles, have a lot of things on my mind at the moment.

ErichM

Look, I'm not suggesting anyone new to the sport go out and buy a $3,000 bike. I think you can spend around the $600 you're looking at and get a used bicycle that will probably be better, if it was well cared for..

If you want a brand new bike, that's cool too, but I think you're better off spending $900-$1,200 for an entry level road bike. Not being elitist here, that's what an entry level bike costs. Those $400 bikes I wouldn't even call entry level. I don't know what I would call them, which is why I used the word "crap" which apparently offended some people.

Splice

No your not really talking in circles too much, it does help me.

Curious though, how does the cassette or chain ring come into shifting to make it more difficult, to me it seems it would be all the derailleur at fault?

joe_5700

Do yourself a favor and go to your local bike shops and test ride their entry level road bikes. The difference between those and your Denali will be huge. You will ride more because you will want to ride more on a higher qualty bike.

LowCel 

The cassette and chainrings have ramps (chainrings also have pins) that allow the chain to shift, the derailleur just guides the chain onto the next gear.

DC_United_Fan

This is starting to smell familiar.

joe_5700

Yes...almost like the anti-Justin.