who knows road bikes (bicycles)?

bigwaylon

bigwaylon

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2005
Location
Charlotte
My wife wants a road bike to start riding. I ain't dropping big $$ on the first one until she decides she likes it and plans on keeping up the sport. She's a runner (has done 5 marathons) and is training for her first one after having a baby in November. Working towards some triathalons at the same time...already been swimming and now needs to start biking.

I don't know much about brands, other than recognizing a few industry brands like Cannondale, Shimano, etc. Considered looking used for the first one...checked Craigslist and then went to Ebay.

While on Ebay, I ran across this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/2007-NEW-ROAD-R...ryZ98084QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Best I can tell from trying to search Google (most of the bike forums found in the results are blocked here at work), there are two Dawes brands...the one in the UK, and then the one on Ebay.

The bike has an MSRP of $595 on www.dawescyclesusa.com.

If anybody here knows anything about bikes (and I have to assume there are several of you out there)...glance over that bike and see what you think. Are the options/accessories a good selection for a first bike?

$199 (+$39/shipping) for a brand new bike, with warranty, just seems like a good place to start...assuming the bike is roadworthy. I have sent emails to several of the Ebay members that purchased the same bike. One response so far, which was positive.

The seller has 3490 positive feedbacks on Ebay, and only 6 negative...hard to argue with that.

Thanks.
Greg
 
When I was at NCSU, I biked to campus every day, a little over 5 miles a day. at 5 days a week, that's over 100 miles a month...for 4 years, including summers, that's over 4000 miles I did, on an old Peugeot that I got for $20 from a bike shop, because someone never picked it up. Other than a snapped rear derailer bracket and broken brake cable, the only other thing I had to put on it was tires, at about 1 set per year...
A friend of mine rode from Detroit to Raleigh on a 1970's 10 speed over a few weeks, but she was pretty hard core.
My point is that you ought to be able to get something for under $100 that will be good enough for her to figure out whether she likes it or not...and by then you will have had enough time to do more research on the expensive ones. My sister has about $2k in a road bike, Cannondale, and has had it for years with no problems...she'll do maybe 30-40 miles on a weekend, but only maybe every month or two.
good luck,
 
Are you married to my wife? :lol:

She's in the same boat... been swimming competively, running competitvely, but doesn't have a bike for triathalons..

First thing she mentioned is she needs to get measured so you/she'll know what to look for.

Other than that, I haven't bought a bicycle since my BMX days as a 12-year old, so I'll be interested to see where this goes.
 
Rich said:
Are you married to my wife? :lol:
She's in the same boat... been swimming competively, running competitvely, but doesn't have a bike for triathalons..
First thing she mentioned is she needs to get measured so you/she'll know what to look for.
Other than that, I haven't bought a bicycle since my BMX days as a 12-year old, so I'll be interested to see where this goes.
Click to expand...


If we're married to the same person...that would explain a couple of things... :D

she's been to a local shop to get measured...so we can at least shop online and have an idea what we're looking for...

what she can't do is actually sit on this one first...although they do have a 7 day money back guarantee if for some reason it's completely usuable...

after talking to a couple guys here at work, two concerns:

1. being a "men's" bike...we may have to buy a different seat
2. the pedals may not be the best choice, but don't really know

that may mean spending a little money in the first couple months...but we'd still be dealing with a new bike with a warranty...that now we can customize a little...

for anybody interested, here are some of the links I found that I won't be able to read until I get home:

http://www.bikeforums.net/archive/index.php/t-87152.html
http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?p=714892
http://www.cyclingforums.com/t252674-dawes-bikes.html
http://www.bikeforums.net/archive/index.php/t-123217.html


Greg
 
Definitely get the squeze horn for the handle bars, and dont forget the little things that slide up and down the spokes and make a racket....
 
PM Woodkrawler or XCMtnbker ... they both raced and worked at bike shops while in HS/College....

But I can tell you Bikes are kind of like 4x4 parts.. you get what you pay for..

Is your wife planning to race this bike, ride it a lot, or what? I ask because the point of a road bike is something strong and lightweight.. I bet the one you have listed on ebay is in the 35lb. range (just guessing), and that's in the range of a high-end Downhill bike for weight. It's heavy is what I'm trying to say...

Some of the components on that bike are Shimano but very very low end.. If you want a decent light weight bike w/ decent components, I'd say your going to be spending around $750-1000.00 (for a good beginner bike)...and they go upwards to $5000.00 or so..

OH about pedals.. the ones on the ebay bike are just basic pedals w/ toe clips. Has your wife ever ridden clipless pedals (where you lock your feet onto the bike w/ special shoes?).. If not, I'd learn in the grass... but clipless pedals make all the difference in the world when riding...

just my $0.02

EDIT: Dont take this the wrong way or anything b/c you asked... but that ebay bike is something along the lines you would find a wal-mart, etc.

ALSO, If I were you I would not buy a bike off ebay for a first time bike. Unless you know a lot about it and what you want (size, weight, etc.) Go to some local shops, find out what you really like and then look for that specific bike on ebay...
 
uncc civilengineer said:
EDIT: Dont take this the wrong way or anything b/c you asked... but that ebay bike is something along the lines you would find a wal-mart, etc.

ALSO, If I were you I would not buy a bike off ebay for a first time bike. Unless you know a lot about it and what you want (size, weight, etc.) Go to some local shops, find out what you really like and then look for that specific bike on ebay...
Click to expand...


can't that the wrong way...If I knew what I was talking about, I wouldn't have asked... :)

very good input so far...thanks...


FWIW...I also asked my dad. He's run 80+ marathons in the last 10 years, and also some some tri's. He has also done the MS Bike to the Beach (~180 miles) several times, and was one of eight that rode from Charlotte to DC a couple weeks ago on a memorial ride for the two slain CMPD officers...all that to say he knows a little about bikes ;)

He (Ron) had not heard of the brand, and asked one of his fellow riders (Jeff), and here's the email:


----- Forwarded message from ron@tricharlotte.com -----
Date: Mon, 04 Jun 2007 08:17:08 -0400

Asked Jeff for help on this one. He keeps up with all the latest, having bought 5 bikes in the last couple of years and advised a dozen other people on how to spend their money. Below is his feedback, I agree with him. If you think the bike thing may not last but a year or so, then a $200 bike is probably ok. But if you want a bike that will carry her through a few years of riding AND could be resold at a decent price if she gives it up, then Jeff's advice is good.

I suggest let me take her to talk to Jim - the bike dealer in Concord that most of us buy from - before you make a final decision.

Dad

Quoting "Whitmire, Jeff":

> Sorry, had to do some research.
>
> First the good: It's cheap.
>
> Now the bad:
> Low end components
> Stem indexed shifters
> Double crank (huge cassette)
> Only 14 speeds
> Everything about it is heavy
> It's not going to be very comfortable
>
> Here's the way I look at it. You could go to Jim or any other dealer and get measured and fitted properly for between $600 and $700. This would get a nice Giant or Lemond, STI shifters, triple chain ring and 10 spd cassette. Now you have a nice bike that fits and can keep riding if you would like to. If you decide not to ride, you can put it on ebay and get your money back or come really close. I don't think you could sell this one again.


on a somewhat related note...my dad runs www.tricharlotte.com if anybody wants to run/bike/swim...

we had originally budgeted about $500 for a used one...so if another $100 or two gets us what we need for a brand new one, we'll probably run that route...

Rich...good luck on your purchase...:D

Greg
 
x2. Go spend some time in a bike shop and see what she likes. Each bike will have a different feel, and if you're going to ride a long distance, that difference is a big deal.
 
Chris (hscrugby) is selling his wife's mountain bike. I don't know all the details, but you could PM him and find out.
 
haha, yea,
Mt Bike.
Doesn't equal road bike.
I CAN ask my mother in law though,
She has a VERY nice high end custom built road bike.
(can't afford her own dinners when we go, out, but that's another rant, and one my wife will NOT hear :D )
And rides with the local groups entirely to many miles to be healthy.
At least for my fat lazy self's opinion.


Rich/Greg how tall are your wives? I can ask her if she knows of anyone local selling their road bike.
Probably more of an option for Rich, since local for me is localish for him.

PS OH yea, for Rich, if she's really looking into triathlons, I recomend hitting up Henry's Gelato while she looks for bikes at the triathlon store (inside out sports) off of Cary Parkway. :D
 
hscrugby said:
haha, yea,
Mt Bike.
Doesn't equal road bike.
Click to expand...




doh.gif
 
My advice is to go to a shop and get fitted, and test ride as many as you/she can. A competent bike shop will be able to fit 90% of riders on a bike.

It is ALWAYS better to pay a little extra for a GOOD bike from a real shop. Most shops will help their customers with fitting and maintenance for no (or very little)additional cost. They'll also work with you to find the type of bike and price point you need.
 
hscrugby said:
Rich/Greg how tall are your wives? I can ask her if she knows of anyone local selling their road bike.
Probably more of an option for Rich, since local for me is localish for him.
Click to expand...


my brother lives in Raleigh, as do all my aunts/uncles...plus, I travel there frequently, so it wouldn't be much of a big deal to get one from there...

She's in the 5'6"/5'7" range...been fitted at the local shop for a size 52 bike...

we just used that info to go looking at Craigslist and Ebay...

Greg
 
Hehe
I am currently amazed that somewhere actually blocks MORE sites than my stingy company with the web surfing.
I was going to suggest mtbr.com because they have road bike stuff there as well, but it just links to roadbikereview, which you said was blocked.

As an aside, when you do buy a bike, don't forget to budget for the "stupid" things.
GOOD bike shoes will make a WORLD of difference in whether or not she will stick with it.
Also a good helmet that is comfortable to her.
Gloves, bike shorts, maybe a jersey, and for long rides, I recomend a camel back. (Or some other brand of water toting device)

As for the shoes I really REALLY recomend the "clipless" style pedals and shoes. It will take her a few minutes to get used to clicking in and out, but it will be so much nicer for riding.

Also xWhatever it's up to on going by bike shops and looking at lots of different bikes.
Any used bikes you might buy, try and go for a short ride on them also.
 
hscrugby said:
Rich/Greg how tall are your wives? I can ask her if she knows of anyone local selling their road bike.
Probably more of an option for Rich, since local for me is localish for him.

PS OH yea, for Rich, if she's really looking into triathlons, I recomend hitting up Henry's Gelato while she looks for bikes at the triathlon store (inside out sports) off of Cary Parkway. :D
Click to expand...

She's 5'7, but has legs almost as long as mine, and I'm a 32" inseam. (Part of the reason I married her :D )

I think that Inside out place might the place she's going... they're having a "Ladies' night" there this weekend which was exactly what she needed to get fit for the bike, and spend more money on other triathalon stuff...

(And I'm sure her sixth sense will find the gelato place without me even mentioning it...)
 
rich and/or greg: my cousin works at all star in raleigh if you want a contact there.

he also buys worn/neglected/broken bikes, repairs them, and sells them if you're interested in something used.
 
$200 isn't going to get you much for someone that's thinking about biking competitively or getting into triathlons.
Couple of suggestions...
Your local triathlon club probably has a classifieds section... they are as crazy about gear as the folks on this board... always (good) bikes for sale, as they upgrade almost every year.
There's always used bike ads hanging around most local bike shops... try there.
Don't buy off ebay... she needs to ride the bike before you buy it.
 
as somebody who worked at a high end shop. (lightspeed, etc) I'd advise going to a shop. get a good fit on a bike, ride as many different brands as possible. Very subtle differences in geometry will make an enormous difference in the enjoyment of the bike. Poor fit on a road bike can result in all kinds of ailments, wrist problems, numb hands, neck/back issues, Knee problems.
Most shops will work with you on swapppping out stems, bars saddles etc to get it right. And once you establish a good relationship with a shop, they will tend to try to keep you happy both with fit and service.
A road bike is very different from a mtbike fit. Typically rd bike rides are much more single position, whereas a mtb you tend to move around a lot more during a ride, allowing for a less "perfect" fit.
Again, a good shop can help you fit a "generic" fitting bike if bought from ebay etc, but It would be much further ahead to buy the bike that actualy fits from the get go.
A good bike does not have to be all that expensive, look at the giants, etc.Also, talk to the shop and ask about used bikes from race teams etc.
Make sure that the shop you deal with Actually knows what they are doing and that they have a "fit station" Many shops Really don't know bike fitting beyond generic frame size.
 
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