Need help please

[Xsjado]

Hey guys I need some help choosing a bike to start riding with. I plan on racing and getting very serious about riding. I have raced BMX, MTB, have done dirt jumping comps, been riding fixed gear for some years now, so I believe I am an experienced bike rider. But I am not to familiar with road cycling. So far I have been looking at some bikes to choose from, the one that has stood out to me mostly (for under $3000) has been the Cannondale supersix 5 105
But like I said I am not to familiar with road cycling, so I am up to suggestions. Please help me out.

-Milan

 

[180mmCrank]

Hey guys I need some help choosing a bike to start riding with. I plan on racing and getting very serious about riding. I have raced BMX, MTB, have done dirt jumping comps, been riding fixed gear for some years now, so I believe I am an experienced bike rider. But I am not to familiar with road cycling. So far I have been looking at some bikes to choose from, the one that has stood out to me mostly (for under $3000) has been the Cannondale 5 105
But like I said I am not to familiar with road cycling, so I am up to suggestions. Please help me out.

-Milan

You will get lots of good advice on here.

I would suggest that you find a good local bike shop near where you live and ask for their help. It is invaluable to have the support from a good shop with a good mechanic ... if they are a good shop they will value your custom and provide you with the support you need.

Good luck.

T

 

[Bustedknuckle]

Hey guys I need some help choosing a bike to start riding with. I plan on racing and getting very serious about riding. I have raced BMX, MTB, have done dirt jumping comps, been riding fixed gear for some years now, so I believe I am an experienced bike rider. But I am not to familiar with road cycling. So far I have been looking at some bikes to choose from, the one that has stood out to me mostly (for under $3000) has been the Cannondale supersix 5 105
But like I said I am not to familiar with road cycling, so I am up to suggestions. Please help me out.

-Milan

Only 3 things to get right with a bicycle, fit, fit and.......fit.
If the shop doesn't do a complete fit on you to ensure it's the right size frame, stem, seat height, fore-aft, etc, go somewhere else. A fit is NOT standover, ride around the parking lot...like the majority of bike shops.

LOTSA great bikes out there, no such thing as a bad bike, really, just bad bike shops.

105 or Campagnolo Veloce is a great group as well. Works well, reliable, long lasting. Stay away from entry level sram, in fact, all sram.

 

[Notso Swift]

IMHO You are better off spending $2k and $1k on wheels
Mind you the 'Dale is an excellent choice and 105 is where the good level groups start = best value/performance

Consider a runout, big savings for no real detriment

 

[biker77]

Get a cheap bike and a good fit. After training for a while you will adapt and your fit might change.You will notice if you feel too high or saddle is not quite right. If so, redo fit.

Then get better bike. At this point you will have more knowledge of road bikes and can make better decision.

 

[JayKosta]

There probably are several bike clubs in your area that do road riding & racing.
I suggest doing some rides with them to get info, and maybe try some of their bikes.
Your MTB should be ok for 'social rides', but not for hard training rides.
Even the 'old guys' know some stuff....

Jay Kosta
Endwell NY USA

 

[Xsjado]

Thanks for all the suggestions and info guys. I have test ridden some bikes lately, and I have found that the Specialized roubaix elite compact was a good feel for me. Anybody with any information on this bike? How they have felt with it, is it a good bike?

Also what is the difference between the roubaix elite compact vs the roubaix elite rival compact? Just some parts?

 

[Benotti69]

Thanks for all the suggestions and info guys. I have test ridden some bikes lately, and I have found that the Specialized robaix elite compact was a good feel for me. Anybody with any information on this bike? How they have felt with it, is it a good bike?

Also what is the difference between the robaix elite compact vs the robaix elite rival compact? Just some parts?

Roubaix dude, Roubaix.

Check out 'A Sunday in Hell', here;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4IDCkcnnHg

 

[rgmerk]

Thanks for all the suggestions and info guys. I have test ridden some bikes lately, and I have found that the Specialized roubaix elite compact was a good feel for me. Anybody with any information on this bike? How they have felt with it, is it a good bike?

Also what is the difference between the roubaix elite compact vs the roubaix elite rival compact? Just some parts?

If it fits, it's a good bike for you. Fit is the *most* important aspect of a good bike. None of the major manufacturers make bad bikes. I haven't ridden that specific model, but I did ride a couple of models further down and found it pretty good for the money.

The Roubaix is what's called a "plush" or "sportive" bike - it has a little more upright seating position by default than an out-and-out racebike, and it trades off a little handling sharpness for ride comfort and stability. Before you buy, you might want to try the Allez to see if that suits you better, but plenty of people race bikes like the Roubaix very successfully so don't let that put you off if the Roubaix is the one you like.

The difference between the two variants is in the parts. The elite compact runs Shimano 105 drivetrain component parts, the Elite Rival Compact runs SRAM Rival drivetrain components. Rival is lighter and it's also easier to fit very low gearing if necessary, but many around here claim that SRAM stuff is unreliable and not as durable as Shimano (though the warranty support from SRAM is apparently excellent).

 

[Xsjado]

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/bik/3214006952.html

Thinking about checking out this bike. 2011 model
Any thoughts? Pros/cons of the bike, just basically looking for someone with cycling experience to give me their thoughts on it.

 

[Boeing]

nothing wrong with Rival either. do take advice of a LBS as 180 says but be wary of mechanic guy who wants to tell the big MFGS how to make their gear

 

[JayKosta]

The Cannondale Caad 10 has gotten very good reviews as a respectable racing bike.
It has an aluminum frame with 'racing geometry' - which means it is intended for fast & hard riding.

I'd at least try a test ride to see how the bike feels, and then decide if you want to buy it.
ref: http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/bik/3214006952.html

Jay Kosta
Endwell NY USA

 

[Bustedknuckle]

nothing wrong with Rival either. do take advice of a LBS as 180 says but be wary of mechanic guy who wants to tell the big MFGS how to make their gear

As in 'please try to make it more reliable and functional'....

 

[Xsjado]

The Cannondale Caad 10 has gotten very good reviews as a respectable racing bike.
It has an aluminum frame with 'racing geometry' - which means it is intended for fast & hard riding.

I'd at least try a test ride to see how the bike feels, and then decide if you want to buy it.
ref: http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/bik/3214006952.html

Jay Kosta
Endwell NY USA

This bike would be fit for a guy to ride right?

 

[JayKosta]

From the photo on CL, it seems the bike would fit a man who is about 70 inches tall (180 cm).
It does not appear that the stem can be raised, so if a higher stem height is needed that would be a problem.

Getting a bike to fit properly typically involves:
1) adjusting the seat height - easy to do
2) adjusting stem height - might be a problem
3) adjusting the angle of the handle bars - easy
4) adjusting the placement of the brake hoods on the handle bars - easy, but bars need to be re-wrapped
5) if necessary, changing the stem to a length that fits better - easy, but some $$

Jay Kosta
Endwell NY USA

 

[Xsjado]

From the photo on CL, it seems the bike would fit a man who is about 70 inches tall (180 cm).
It does not appear that the stem can be raised, so if a higher stem height is needed that would be a problem.

Getting a bike to fit properly typically involves:
1) adjusting the seat height - easy to do
2) adjusting stem height - might be a problem
3) adjusting the angle of the handle bars - easy
4) adjusting the placement of the brake hoods on the handle bars - easy, but bars need to be re-wrapped
5) if necessary, changing the stem to a length that fits better - easy, but some $$

Jay Kosta
Endwell NY USA

Think it is a pretty decent buy for $1000?

 

[avanti]

From the photo on CL, it seems the bike would fit a man who is about 70 inches tall (180 cm).
........................

I'm 70" (5-10) tall and find a 56-cm bike too large for me.
But whether it fits you or not depends on your physical proportions - go to a Cannondale shop and take a test ride.