Help me buy a road bike (bicycle)

In My Humble Opinion
1

I’m fixin’ to buy a road bike for casual use and exercise. I used to love road biking and want to do it again, but it’s been about 20 years since I had a road bike.

I tried a mountain bike but don’t have much desire to go off road and over rocks and whatnot. I would just ride it on the street and bike paths and think about how much better it would be without a heavy frame and fat tires holding me down.

I am 5’11", so what size frame do I need?

What’s a good deal on used bikes? I don’t need top of the line stuff.

I was looking at Craigslist and found these:

  1. http://sacramento.craigslist.org/bik/724490077.html

  2. http://sacramento.craigslist.org/bik/724431473.html

  3. http://sacramento.craigslist.org/bik/723852214.html

  4. http://sacramento.craigslist.org/bik/723786665.html

  5. http://sacramento.craigslist.org/bik/723700178.html

  6. http://sacramento.craigslist.org/bik/723532255.html

  7. http://sacramento.craigslist.org/bik/709975566.html

  8. http://sacramento.craigslist.org/bik/722359849.html

  9. http://sacramento.craigslist.org/bik/722063010.html

  10. http://sacramento.craigslist.org/bik/721214060.html

  11. http://sacramento.craigslist.org/bik/720576509.html

  12. http://sacramento.craigslist.org/bik/720275872.html

Any other features that may be important? Thanks!

2

#4 is out.

When would someone want a hybrid instead of a pure road bike?

3

Road bikes are meant to be rode for long distances. If that is your goal, and you don’t know how to choose a bike, do not buy a used bike from somebody off Craigslist. (You can definitely get some good deals there, but if you don’t know what to look for you can purchase a lemon quite easily.)

I’ll offer you a few suggestions. First, if you do go and check out some Craigslist bikes check, first off, for rust. If the chainwheel, cassette, or derailleurs are rusted, not a chance. Means either the owner did not take care of their bike or it has been sitting around for far too long. Second, if the parts look new or well maintained, check the frame out. Look closely, any crack, however tiny, and you walk away. And finally, take any bike for a test drive before you purchase. Don’t just take it around the block, go for a good half hour or so. Make sure the bike feels good, you’re comfortable on it, and everything works on it. (If you can’t tune up the bike yourself then don’t buy a bike that isn’t properly tuned up.)

The preferred suggestion, if you want a cheaper bike, is to just find a local bike dealer who buys used bikes and then fixes them up himself. Just go to a local bike shop or two and ask the employees if they know any shops like that. Local bike shops, not big commercial shops, are glad to help people out with their bike questions. For the price of something on Craigslist you can get a properly refurbished bike for a few dollars more (or less, depending).

Last suggestion is, if you’re at all interested in a new bike, a Surly Long Haul Trucker. I purchased one the other month and I’m still in love with it. She is going to take me across Canada next summer. The LHT is a nice ride which comes with good standard parts on it and it isn’t too expensive. On review, if you’re just riding casually around town, you don’t need a LHT. Go with my second suggestion. You’ll get a decent bike at a decent price that is tuned up and ready to ride.

Goodluck with the bike hunt, whatever you choose.

Oh, and you’ll probably be around a 56. It depends, however, on the build of the bike.

4

Thanks for the tips. What could I expect to spend on a new bike?

5

#4 is not a Hybrid; it’s a fixed gear bike, which is for a fairly specialized purpose. There’s no freewheel, so the rear wheel turns in direct response to the crank. No coasting, no downshifts, no upshifts. No brakes. If you want to stop, you stop the pedals. If it weren’t for the handlebars, I’d say this was for racing in a velodrome

6

Of all of them, I would personally go for the KHS although honestly none of these reach out to me as great deals. I tend to think the bikes on Craigslist are overpriced or at least listed at too high of a price. If the listed price is really your range, make some offers to people at 25-30% above that and just see if people bite.

I would go for modern if you could. It will be far easier to service and obtain proper parts for. STI (integrated) levers are indeed a nice feature I think it’s worth “splurging” on. Don’t listen to too much crap about “fine Italian steel frame artistry.”

Maybe make a low-ball on something like this:
http://sacramento.craigslist.org/bik/724667919.html

Depending on the miles, 2001 Campy Chorus should still put you through plenty of miles with good perforarmance that will make riding your bike fun and enjoyable like it ought to be.

Here are some more that can likely be had for under $500.

Anyway, like others said, really take the time to test-ride bikes. The longer the better. Try not to feel any pressure to buy or not buy.

7

Oh, I know, thanks. My comments were not related.

8

What do you think of #10?

9

Leaning Toward:

1 ($300)

5 ($80?)

8 ($275)

10 ($200)

11 ($500)

10

Ouch. I can’t get past the color. :stuck_out_tongue:

11

If those are the only options, I’d go for 10. Size is close, might be too small, but the owner had it on a bike repair stand for the photos. If somebody owns a bike stand I figure they either have money to blow or they take care of their bikes.

I’m still going to make a push for trying to find a local shop that deals in refurbishing old bikes. My buddy just told me about one around the corner from me in Toronto. Checked it out myself and was impressed. The shop had lots of good bikes for the same prices as your finding on Craigslist, and the owner was super nice.

Whatever you choose, hope you enjoy the ride.

12

Thanks. I haven’t ruled that out.

13

What about new bikes from cheap-o places like Target?

14

You buy a cheapo bike, you get what you pay for.

Assuming it’s in good mechanical condition and has no problems, I think the OP would be far better off buying a used “real brand” bike than a Target or WalMart cheapo.

15

I would go for 1, or 12, depending on 12’s size. Also 12 has those awful wheels. If you are 5 11 you should probably be riding a 56 to 58 cm bike. Too bad the Masi (#11) is too big for you.

I would base my decision on size first, then on what components it comes with.

16

Sorry, my mistake.

FWIW, I saw someone ride a fixed gear bike on a century in Death Valley last fall. Although I admired him, I didn’t envy him.

On another note, I don’t get the hate people have for hybrids. I spent most of the '90’s living in a 400 square foot apartment, and really didn’t have room for two bikes. Hence the hybrid. I had two sets of wheels, road and off-road, with differently geared hubs. I also had an unusual handlebar that wrapped around in front for different riding positions. With the road rims, it was geared higher, handled pretty well, and made a decent, albeit heavy, road bike. And with the off-road rims, it was all the mountain bike I really needed, even living 1/2 mile from trailheads in Rocky Mountain National Forest. In all but the most technical terrain or deepest mud, I could keep up, and on jeep trails and dry creek beds, I had a real advantage.

Although I’d never ever trade my Calfee for a hybrid (or hardly any other bike), from time to time I miss my old Specialized Crossroads.