Would you recommend this bike or something similar?

[Dari]

I'm in the market for a bike. The last one I got in 2007 is aging fast. I like mountain bikes. I've ridden them all my life and they don't force you to bend over like speed bikes. But they can get exhausting after a while. Besides, I don't go off-road often, more like rarely. I went to a bike store and asked the sales rep for his best mountain bike and he showed me a $10K bike. Then he said he wouldn't buy it for himself. Instead, after telling him my riding habit and preferences, he recommended the Cannondale Quick CX 1. I asked him if there was anything else competing with it and he said no. I think he only said that because it was the only kind in his store. Apparently, this bike is a hybrid. Never knew they existed. Is there any other bike that would compete with this one?

 

[2timer]

I don't go off-road often, more like rarely.

In that case I wouldn't pay anywhere near $1500 for this mountain bike, since you ride mostly on roads. The whole point of a mountain bike is to dampen the shock of off-road - the more expensive mountain bikes are expensive for their shock absorbers.

It sounds like you want a hybrid bike or a road bike that allows you to sit in an upright position. These bikes have road bike components and thin tires for faster riding, but they won't tire you on longer rides because you are not hunched over in an aggressive stoop. This is also called a "casual" position.

Here's a suggestion the Specialized Sirrus. It's a very common "casual" hybrid bike, available in many bike shops, and it has been well-reviewed.

 

[Dari]

In that case I wouldn't pay anywhere near $1500 for this mountain bike, since you ride mostly on roads. The whole point of a mountain bike is to dampen the shock of off-road - the more expensive mountain bikes are expensive for their shock absorbers.

It sounds like you want a hybrid bike or a road bike that allows you to sit in an upright position. These bikes have road bike components and thin tires for faster riding, but they won't tire you on longer rides because you are not hunched over in an aggressive stoop. This is also called a "casual" position.

Here's a suggestion the Specialized Sirrus. It's a very common "casual" hybrid bike, available in many bike shops, and it has been well-reviewed.

Thanks for the suggestion. I know little about bikes. Can you tell me what's in the price difference? The review said that there's a $2100 Limited model that includes a CF frame. I picked up a CF bike at the shop and it was very light. Is there another advantage to a CF frame other than picking it up and carrying it around? Also, what are the damping features that makes them pricier?

 

[Baked]

That looks more like a mtb than a road bike. Get a hybrid road bike with skinny tires. I bought a Trek 7.3 FX hybrid road bike with skinny tires for my commute. Paid $600 out the door at the LBS.

 

[2timer]

Thanks for the suggestion. I know little about bikes. Can you tell me what's in the price difference? The review said that there's a $2100 Limited model that includes a CF frame. I picked up a CF bike at the shop and it was very light. Is there another advantage to a CF frame other than picking it up and carrying it around? Also, what are the damping features that makes them pricier?

Basically, the $2100 bike will net you a fully carbon fiber frame, a higher component groupset, and maybe better rims.

It may be worth it to you to pay the extra money for a carbon fiber bike if you really desire an ultra-light bike. Of course the downside is the price and that carbon fiber frames are difficult and costly to repair. If you are a casual rider, I wouldn't recommend it. CF is good for people who are serious cyclists, if you have to ask about it you don't need it.

The damping features are to reduce the effects of bumps and cracks in the road. It will definitely make your ride smoother, but you can also add fatter tires to get a smoother ride and it won't cost you a fortune.

As for the component groupset, do you really need a DuraAce or Ultegra groupset? Most people will tell you no. It's hard to tell much difference between Shimano 105 and Shimano Dura Ace components, other than 100g of weight. What's the difference?

Personally, I would buy the very base model. If you decide at a later point you need a better groupset or rims, you can always upgrade.

 

[iGas]

MTB these days have shocks, and disk brakes that add to the overall cost of the bike, and then there is high end parts and wheels that can be upward to $3K or more just for the groupo, wheels can be upward to $4-5K each, and insane frames that save a couple of ounces off the bike also can be upward to $3K or more.

That said, a good steel or aluminum frame can out last the exotic frames that can be had for less than $100 and so as wheels. The only thing that I feels that you do not want to skimp on is the groupo, and the middle of the road groupo (I'm a fan of Shimano 105 , but I have heard that SRAM Apex is just as good).

 

[Dari]

That looks more like a mtb than a road bike. Get a hybrid road bike with skinny tires. I bought a Trek 7.3 FX hybrid road bike with skinny tires for my commute. Paid $600 out the door at the LBS.

It's a hybrid.

Basically, the $2100 bike will net you a fully carbon fiber frame, a higher component groupset, and maybe better rims.

It may be worth it to you to pay the extra money for a carbon fiber bike if you really desire an ultra-light bike. Of course the downside is the price and that carbon fiber frames are difficult and costly to repair. If you are a casual rider, I wouldn't recommend it. CF is good for people who are serious cyclists, if you have to ask about it you don't need it.

The damping features are to reduce the effects of bumps and cracks in the road. It will definitely make your ride smoother, but you can also add fatter tires to get a smoother ride and it won't cost you a fortune.

As for the component groupset, do you really need a DuraAce or Ultegra groupset? Most people will tell you no. It's hard to tell much difference between Shimano 105 and Shimano Dura Ace components, other than 100g of weight. What's the difference?

Personally, I would buy the very base model. If you decide at a later point you need a better groupset or rims, you can always upgrade.

Thanks.

MTB these days have shocks, and disk brakes that add to the overall cost of the bike, and then there is high end parts and wheels that can be upward to $3K or more just for the groupo, wheels can be upward to $4-5K each, and insane frames that save a couple of ounces off the bike also can be upward to $3K or more.

That said, a good steel or aluminum frame can out last the exotic frames that can be had for less than $100 and so as wheels. The only thing that I feels that you do not want to skimp on is the groupo, and the middle of the road groupo (I'm a fan of Shimano 105 , but I have heard that SRAM Apex is just as good).

What's a groupo?

 

[2timer]

That's Italian for groupset

 

[mmntech]

Hybrid bikes seem to be the most common style nowadays. It's what I have. Works well enough on road and grass.

All I can say is there's no way I'd spend that much for a bike. Would have slapped him for showing me a $10k one. You can buy a 1000cc motorcycle for that kinda change. Even $1500 is outrageous, especially if you're not a competition rider. Lots of great bikes out there in the $600-$800 range. I wouldn't pay a dime more than that.

 

[Dari]

That's Italian for groupset

I have no idea what that is either. Is it a group of parts? The only thing I've changed on my bikes were the seats...

 

[GasX]

The type of riding you are going to be doing defines your needs. I don't think you've been very specific on that.

I have one of one of these. I can ride it all day on the street at 15-16mph which is 2-3 mph slower than my road bike (due to the knobby tires). But I can also take it off road. I have ridden all of the trails in this video on it. It has disc brakes which are great, but no suspension and skinny tires which are not so great.

For me, this is a great compromise around town go anywhere bike, but for you? I don't know. That bike you linked looks nice, but I'd like to know what kind of riding you are doing.

 

[2timer]

Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groupset.

The groupset is basically every part of the bike that is not structural. That's how I think about it. So the structural parts are your frame, fork, handlebars, and wheels. The groupset is everything else that attaches on the structure: front der, rear der, brakes, crankset, cogset, and shifters.

Put it like this, the "group" is the group of components attached to your bike, and the "set" is the level of the components. Shimano has different sets: 105, Ultegra, DuraAce, Tiagra. SRAM has sets, and Campagnolo has sets. I don't really know much about groupsets outside of Shimano.

So a groupset gives you information about the type of bike, ie road/mountain and it's place on the "hierarchy" of groupsets.