UMassAm

Hey.

My Jamis Ventura Comp was stolen yesterday. I'm pretty heartbroken, no one will ever ride it like I did.

From adversity comes opportunity. First of all, I'll get a beater for commuting. And up to 3 locks.

But for the serious amateur cyclist in me..

Help me out. I want to spend around 1,600, but could be convinced to spend 2,000.

What road bikes would you suggest?

hhnngg1

Check out the SALE section of competitivecyclist.com.

Then also check out BikesDirect just to get an idea of what a rock bottom frame + real components costs and whether you're willing to make that sacrifice.

neneboricua

Jamis is a good value brand and very underrated. If you liked the Ventura, you could take a look at their Xenith Endura Sport - https://www.jamisbikes.com/usa/thebik...durasport.html

Fuji is similar in that you get more bike for your money than from larger brands. Take a look at the new Fuji Gran Fondo 4 - https://www.fujibikes.com/bike/details/gran-fondo-40

Both of these are carbon bikes with new 10-speed Tiagra components. Your original Ventura isn't really pure race geometry so the bikes above are along a similar vein in that they're not pure race geometry either.

Another option is to go with an aluminum frame but high end components like Ultegra or Force. There are good options there as well. An Specialized Allez, Cannondale CAAD10, etc..

UMassAm

Can you tell me more about what it means to have pure race geometry?

neneboricua

A bike with race geometry typically has a shorter wheelbase and a lower headtube.

The shorter wheelbase means that it can corner more aggressively but that aggressiveness can sometimes feel sketchy or unstable to some riders. A bike with a longer wheelbase will tend to like to travel in straight lines, making the bike very stable, but it might feel a bit sluggish when cornering to riders used to very agile handling.

A lower headtube means that the bike can be set up with a more aggressive position (lower handlebar position) which is important when cornering aggressively and maintaining a more aerodynamic position. A lower headtube may make the front end more stiff. A taller headtube leads to a more relaxed or upright position. This can be good for you if your flexibility isn't the greatest or if you're not after raw speed.

Typically road bikes fall into two segments, endurance and race geometry. The Ventura is not quite all the way to the endurance side but its closer to endurance geometry than race geometry. The perennial example of an endurance bike is the Specialized Roubaix. A good example of a race bike is the Specialized Tarmac.

There are other differences as well, but these are just some of the main ones.

neneboricua