CCHIPSS

Hi guys,

I am new to this forum. I am also totally new to road biking.

Back story: I had been riding an old mountain bike around the city for years. The gear break down (it doesn't change gear anymore) so often now that it is no longer worth fixing. So I decided to get a new bike.

I tried my friend's road bike and I really like how light and fast it is. However I only got to ride it for about 30 minutes. He warn me that if I had to ride for over 3 or 4 hours in the "road bike position" I might start feeling uncomfortable. However I decided to get a road bike next.

So my next task is to find a road bike that will fit my needs. I have close to no experience with road biking. I am not into bike racing at all. However I do enjoy bike rides around the city on the weekends to get some fresh air. So I am not looking for too much. I just need a road bike that works. And all the maintenances will be done by a bike stop.

After some quick research I have narrowed down to 4 choices.

Please help me pick one. Thanks!

CCM Presto 700C Road Bike ($280)
CCM Presto 700C Road Bike | Canadian Tire

CCM Endurance 700C Road Bike ($360)
CCM Endurance 700C Road Bike | Canadian Tire

CCM Vapour 700C Road Bike ($500)
CCM Vapour 700C Road Bike | Canadian Tire

Raleigh Revenio 1.0 ($560)
Raleigh Bicycles - Revenio 1

greenlight149

DO NOT buy a canadian tire bike, i had one a long time ago, and i left it in the back yard when i moved. POS.

Bunyanderman

Those 2x7 and 3x7 are going to be pretty poor. Try to buy a used bike that is made with more modern components, 2x10 or 2x9. The new group sets will be much better all around, better brakes, shifting, longer life.

For $500 you could get a bike that was probably over $1k new, definitely aluminum, but most likely a carbon fork and with a better group set. Try to find something that fits you, high end brands measure the frame in cm, I ride a 54cm and it fits me at 5 foot 9 inches. There are multiple sizing charts available online.

rjones28 

Of the options you listed, only the Raleigh is worth considering.

bigredkevbot

Agreed
Consider looking into other options for online shopping (REI or BikesDirect)?

Good Luck!

AlmostTrick

Get the cheap one and ride the heck outta it. Next bike can be nicer.

cale

The CCM bikes are generic Chinese bikes that are sold under the discontinued CCM product name by license. If you're comfortable with buying a generic big-box store bike, and there's nothing wrong with them, and have reasonable expectations for their performance and durability, then bikes like these can be very good value.

The Raleigh bike is a better candidate for longer term use. I use the word "candidate" because there's no saying how long you'll stay with the next bike and if you are likely to change bikes soon, a less expensive bike is a better choice where it comes to reducing lost value to depreciation.

CCHIPSS

Thanks for your suggestions. I did look at the used road bikes. However most at my price range are over 10 years old and look very bad. They are $300 or more. I don't know much about bikes so I wouldn't know what to look for or avoid.

There are some that are around $150 from the 1970's. They are so old and cheap that I don't trust buying them, no matter what the sales person says.

Hmmm

Check out Tommaso?

CCHIPSS

Do they ship to Canada? And how hard is it to assemble the bike?

bigredkevbot

They both ship to Canada, though I'm not sure to what degree you have to assemble the bikes. You may only need to straighten out the handlebars and put the wheels on. I would inquire with individual businesses for additional information.

CCHIPSS

Any more opinions? Thanks!

PeteDman

Find an aluminum frame bike with Tiagra or better components on Craigslist or ebay. I spent $400 on my Cannondale off of Craigslist and it was the best decision for me. You need to ride a bit before you know what you're really going to use the bike for. There's a few videos on the web that teach you what to look for when buying a used bike. Many times the seller will include pedals, computer, saddle bag, tools and other goodies that you will need to purchase anyways. This is from a "Newbie" that's only been on the road since September and now that I've been on my bike for some time, I know what I'm looking for in my next bike but now I have a point of reference. Good luck

pdedes

since you're new, go to a full service bike shop. they might have some new old stock for a significant discount. but a good shop will steer you in the right direction with respect to fit and expectations. crappy tire and walmart bikes are for hanging in the garage and riding a couple of times a year.

RoadGuy

In the price range you're looking at, the only thing you're going to get is a WalMart bike or BikesDirect.

If you're considering Bikesdirect, you might as well look at used Craigslist bikes, because the work necessary to get either working/riding will be similar.

$300-$400 will get you a bike as little as 5 years old, that originally cost $1000, and may be as old as 25 years old, and might have cost $3000 when new. Either will be a better bike than a WalMart Special.