First of all, I meant non-motorized bikes. Schwinn, Cannondale, that sort of thing.
Here's the story so far:
I'm looking for something that I can do here year-round (living in Washington, we don't get the kind of weather that really supports full-year mountain biking) and something that I can use to cross-train myself, keep myself in good shape, commute to work (REI), etc. I've narrowed down the companies I'm looking at to REI/Novarra and Schwinn, for the most part.
The Novarra Strada looks like a fairly good bike - it's light, loaded with Shimano 105 components, etc. On the other hand, I'm naturally skeptical about the Novarra line, because they make remarkably bad beginner's mountain bikes. The Strada is going to cost me around $630.
My other choice I'm looking at is a Schwinn Super Sport GL. This will cost less, around $430, but I can't get it as quickly. It feels slightly heavier than the Novarra, but when I lifted the Novarra (haven't got either on a bike scale yet) the Novarra wasn't equipped with pedals - which will mean some extra weight, but I'm not sure how much. On the other hand, it's equipped with Shimano Tiagra...
To sum up, I'm leery about the Novarra line and haven't read any reviews on it. Everyone I've talked to says the Super Sport GL would be a great beginner's road bike at a great price - but I'm somewhat afraid that if I get a bike that isn't enough for me, I will either have to spend a lot to upgrade or buy a new bike, neither of which appeals to me.
I've stopped at two shops now, and talked to three different people - all have noted that I would fit well between a 52cm and a 54cm; while a 52 frame fits well, it may be a bit small - however, the top tube in conjunction with about a 110mm stem works well. On a 54cm frame, the top tube + 100 stem works fine as well. (I'm 6' tall with a 31-32" inseam).
Being a college student, I'm severely limited on what I can afford to spend. There are 4 bike manufacturers I can order from: Cannondale, Marin, Novarra, and Schwinn. Schwinn has the best prices - I like the Cannondale R600 but it's just out of my price range (~$600). I can afford about $450 - I'm currently also buying tons of gear for hiking the Pacific Crest Trail next year, thus my budget.
As far as prices go, I can get a Schwinn Super Sport GL for $430, a Cannondale R300 for $450, a Novarra Strada for $630, or a Cannondale R600 for $630. For the time being I'm having a hard time justifying the $600+ bikes. Maybe when I have more cash it'd be easier, but $400 is putting enough stress on my budget. OTOH, I love biking, so $400 I can deal with.
thanks a ton in advance, guys.
Rob
Here's the story so far:
I'm looking for something that I can do here year-round (living in Washington, we don't get the kind of weather that really supports full-year mountain biking) and something that I can use to cross-train myself, keep myself in good shape, commute to work (REI), etc. I've narrowed down the companies I'm looking at to REI/Novarra and Schwinn, for the most part.
The Novarra Strada looks like a fairly good bike - it's light, loaded with Shimano 105 components, etc. On the other hand, I'm naturally skeptical about the Novarra line, because they make remarkably bad beginner's mountain bikes. The Strada is going to cost me around $630.
My other choice I'm looking at is a Schwinn Super Sport GL. This will cost less, around $430, but I can't get it as quickly. It feels slightly heavier than the Novarra, but when I lifted the Novarra (haven't got either on a bike scale yet) the Novarra wasn't equipped with pedals - which will mean some extra weight, but I'm not sure how much. On the other hand, it's equipped with Shimano Tiagra...
To sum up, I'm leery about the Novarra line and haven't read any reviews on it. Everyone I've talked to says the Super Sport GL would be a great beginner's road bike at a great price - but I'm somewhat afraid that if I get a bike that isn't enough for me, I will either have to spend a lot to upgrade or buy a new bike, neither of which appeals to me.
I've stopped at two shops now, and talked to three different people - all have noted that I would fit well between a 52cm and a 54cm; while a 52 frame fits well, it may be a bit small - however, the top tube in conjunction with about a 110mm stem works well. On a 54cm frame, the top tube + 100 stem works fine as well. (I'm 6' tall with a 31-32" inseam).
Being a college student, I'm severely limited on what I can afford to spend. There are 4 bike manufacturers I can order from: Cannondale, Marin, Novarra, and Schwinn. Schwinn has the best prices - I like the Cannondale R600 but it's just out of my price range (~$600). I can afford about $450 - I'm currently also buying tons of gear for hiking the Pacific Crest Trail next year, thus my budget.
As far as prices go, I can get a Schwinn Super Sport GL for $430, a Cannondale R300 for $450, a Novarra Strada for $630, or a Cannondale R600 for $630. For the time being I'm having a hard time justifying the $600+ bikes. Maybe when I have more cash it'd be easier, but $400 is putting enough stress on my budget. OTOH, I love biking, so $400 I can deal with.
thanks a ton in advance, guys.
Rob