I need an okay road bike -- is this a good price?

msmogreen · 04-01-2009, 12:14 PM

I am just starting to train for triathlons and I don't own a bike. So, yeah, I need something to get me on the road. I'm told a regular road bike is fine and I'm looking for steals. Originally hoping to spend under $100, I'm now looking for used around $200. The more I learn, the more I talk myself into spending. I only have so much cash, much more than that and I'll have to resort to new bike on a credit card, which pisses me off. There was a Peugot on Ebay that sold for $167. I was tempted to bid because the size seemed right, but then I searched on the Internet and found they aren't worth more than $150, up to $200 mint. So, not a good deal. I know next to nothing about bikes. I have been borrowing a mountain bike and ride with a pack of other woman who quickly end up a mile or so ahead of me for the entire ride. I'm thinking any road bike will close that gap...do I really have to spend $700+?

I have been scouring CL ads for days by the hour in my area and slightly out of my area. Most bikes offered our MTB. But here is one of the few and far between road bikes that actually looks like it would fit me. It is a little above my price range, but if it is a really good deal I could swing it.

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sgv...101781039.html

Otherwise, I am looking at a new, lower end bike, that I can handily put on a credit card. I know these aren't the best bike, but will it be significantly faster than a mountain bike? I'm not all that competitive and doubt I'll ever care if I win--I just don't want to be that person who is coming in after everyone else has gone home.

http://sportymamabikes.com/cgi-bin/S...ails&ProdID=44

or

http://sportymamabikes.com/cgi-bin/S...ails&ProdID=36

These are the two that the store owner recommended for my budget and me being new to tris. And yeah, I know in the bike world it is a travesty to buy an online bike and not from your LBS. But my LBS owner was kind of a jerk and I wouldn't want to buy from him anyway. I want a bike ASAP...getting smoked on the borrowed mountain bike is getting old (and I've only ridden it twice). There also aren't a lot of places to go try out bikes...I know that is the recommendation. That CL listing is already over an hour drive, so I want to be pretty sure I'm going to want it before I drive to try it out.

Thanks for any attempts to help.

FishrCutB8 · 04-08-2009, 06:48 PM

The 3 most important things when buying a bike are fit, fit and fit. In the words of Jackie Childs, if it does not fit, you must not sit. The best way to get fit is to go to a local bike shop (LBS in bike parlance). Many shops will discount the cost of the fit off the price of the bike.

The advantage is a bike that will fit, that you will not get hurt on, and therefor will ride more. You also get your first tuneup for free. The downside is you might spend $700 (or more...eek!). That having been said, some LBS have spring sales and used swap-meets where you can buy a used bike that will fit you.

Hope this helps, and as always, YMMV.

msmogreen · 04-08-2009, 08:29 PM

Thanks, I appreciate your input...but too late. My new bike is on its way to be delivered today. And your advice echoes pretty much everything I've read. But my LBS owner was rude and he wasn't interested in answering my questions if I wasn't interesting in spending at least $700. I am a little confused as to how much bikes have changed that it is so much more complicated to buy a bike now than it was 30 years ago. Yeah, there are a lot more different bike styles, and you have to pick the type of bike that fits your needs. But why is fitting a bike so much trickier now? When I was 15 I bought an okay 10-speed from a store like K-Mart for $80. The bike was really too big for me (I dug it out of my dad's back yard this weekend and tried it out for size, although it is thrashed), but I wanted a guy's bike (that was just a teenager coolness thing) and it was my sole transportation for the next two years. It worked fine. I rode it everywhere and don't recall suffering in any way for having an ill-fitting bike. I don't get why it has become such a science.

FishrCutB8 · 04-09-2009, 09:19 PM

I suspect we know more about biomechanics and how a body fits on a bike. Sorry the lbs was such a jerk.

Good luck on your new wheels. Don't be afraid to tweak minor things and ask questions...there are some knowledgable folks who show up here from time to time (kind of hit or miss). I'll be happy to help where I can.

FWIW: Pixxors of the new ride are required fodder in this forum. Best wishes going forward.......

msmogreen · 04-12-2009, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FishrCutB8

I suspect we know more about biomechanics and how a body fits on a bike. Sorry the lbs was such a jerk.

Good luck on your new wheels. Don't be afraid to tweak minor things and ask questions...there are some knowledgable folks who show up here from time to time (kind of hit or miss). I'll be happy to help where I can.

FWIW: Pixxors of the new ride are required fodder in this forum. Best wishes going forward.......

Hey, thanks. I did search the forum for answers for a while before I posted and came across some of your other posts and visited your blog. I ended up getting the $499 bike from Sporty Mama. I've only ridden once so far, and I actually think it is perfect for my current needs. I rode with my group and had no trouble keeping up--big improvement from riding a mile behind the pack. I'll probably mess around some with seat and handlebar positioning here and there, but so far I'm happy.

FishrCutB8 · 04-14-2009, 06:17 PM

Keep riding!!!