Buying my first bike

Jet01
Posts: 35
Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2014 2:34 pm

Buying my first bike

Postby Jet01 » Sun Apr 06, 2014 7:58 pm

I've been looking at getting a new bike but find it hard to tell the difference between the running gear.

I want to spend around $2000 straight up as I hate having to stuff around with upgrades later on. I learnt this the hard way with all my fishing gear.

I've been looking at the trek crossrip limited and and the giant revolt 1.

From what I can tell, the trek seems like the best value for money but I can't really tell what the gear on the giant is like.

I won't be racing, but do like the road/gravel versatility. Also I'm about to have a baby so will end up putting a seat on the back in a few years time. This is a must for my new bike.

I'm a big fan of the crossbar brake levers and would prefer a bike that has these. I also want drop bars so I can have multiple riding positions. I've got a dodgy back.

Any thoughts on this, any suggestions on other models I should be looking at?

am50em
Posts: 1525
Joined: Sat Aug 28, 2010 10:21 pm
Location: Sydney

Re: Buying my first bike

Postby am50em » Sun Apr 06, 2014 8:24 pm

I have the Revolt 0. Was looking at Specialized Tricross/Secteur as well.
This is my first "road" bike in 25 years.
Mostly went for Revolt 0 because of the hydro brakes - well that turned out to be a mistake!
It is running fine with the Avid BB-7 cable disks now, they are good brakes - though the replacement hydraulic ones are due soon.
The Revolt
* does have mounting holes for racks/mudguards
* high front end ( I am not very flexible) and I have fitted a longer stem.
* has Giants warranty

I run it with Shimano RX05 wheel and 32mm Durano Plus for on road.
Have kept the original wheels/tyres for when I go on gravel (which so far has not happened).

I think the Revolt 1 would be fine - only way to really know is test ride the various models.

Fletch
Posts: 164
Joined: Thu May 29, 2008 12:07 pm
Location: Ocean Grove, Vic

Re: Buying my first bike

Postby Fletch » Sun Apr 06, 2014 8:37 pm

I recommend the Trek Crockett 5, I have had mine a few months now and ride it on and off raod. Actually did the Crazy 6hr MTB race on it yesterday at the You yangs, 110km over 5hrs 54mins with minimal stops, so can attest to it being a comfortable ride.

I have found it handles so well and is very well balanced, all 105 drive train with a wide gear spread.

I did look breifly at the Crossrip, do not need the rack mounts so went with the Crockett, I have made a few personal mods, flite saddle, 3T ergonova bars and a Thompson Layback post, will upgrade the wheels eventually using some Chris King hubs I have.

Ultimately am extremely pleased with my choice

Jet01
Posts: 35
Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2014 2:34 pm

Re: Buying my first bike

Postby Jet01 » Mon Apr 07, 2014 5:03 pm

Thanks for the helpful suggestions so far. I really liked the look of the crockett but I won't be able to out racks on it later on when the baby comes.

Hopefully there are a few more brands that I can check out
I'm going to organise a bike fit soon.

alexander
Posts: 379
Joined: Wed Feb 24, 2010 11:56 am
Location: Footscray

Re: Buying my first bike

Postby alexander » Tue Apr 15, 2014 9:46 am

Might want to check out this thread as your budgets are the same. Some good links to reviews and models in there.

http://www.bicycles.net.au/forums/viewt ... 70&t=72647" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
If you've got a $10 head, get a $10 helmet

User avatar
simonn
Posts: 3763
Joined: Thu Jan 31, 2008 11:46 am
Location: Sydney

Re: Buying my first bike

Postby simonn » Tue Apr 15, 2014 10:47 am

Jet01 wrote:but I won't be able to out racks on it later on when the baby comes.
Where do you live? Hills?

In my experience road/CX gearing wouldn't cut it for carrying comparatively heavy child seats and children if you have to climb any hills and you do not need the top end as you are unlikely to be sprinting with them on board. IMHO, you'd be better off getting a cheaper CX AND a ~$500-600 ladies bike (low entry/low top tube is great for carrying kids so you don't karate kick them while mounting) or even a BOTR (one up from BSO) MTB for carrying the kid(s) - well, it is what we ended up doing so I would write that. FWIW, I have been thinking about moving to a MTB triple on my CX so I can tow a WeeHoo iGo if/when we get one and make some space in our garage by getting rid of a bike (sacrilege, I know).

FWIW, I took the interrupter brakes off when I fully serviced/upgraded my CX. They sound like a great idea, but I never used them, even CX racing (albeit in my own hilarious way).

Calvin27
Posts: 2435
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2013 5:45 pm

Re: Buying my first bike

Postby Calvin27 » Tue Apr 15, 2014 12:03 pm

Specialized Secteur Expert disc $2k
Trek Crossrip Limited - $2k
Fuji Sportif 1.1 - Stupidly cheap at $1200
Salsa Collosal 2 (steel frame just to throw in the mix) $1400 - http://www.clickbike.com.au/#!product/p ... colossal-2

Don't go for pure cross bikes if your back is a bit crook most of them have quite aggressive geometries. I'd personally go for the Fuji and just upgrade to TRP spyre brakes (it's the only thing that is not on par with the other bikes).

The Salsa will give you more comfort being a steel frame (carbon forks) but at a weight penalty so figure out your tradeoffs. Additionally, the Salsa uses SRAM which means you have the option to use mountain bike derailleur and cassettes in you need the extra range. I'm talking about 11-36! The other two are good too, but no real discounts there.
Heavy road bike
Cushy dirt bike
Very cushy dirt bike
Bike crushed by car (RIP)
No brakes bike
Ebike

Jet01
Posts: 35
Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2014 2:34 pm

Re: Buying my first bike

Postby Jet01 » Tue Apr 15, 2014 4:24 pm

Thanks for all the input so far. So hard to decide as most of the retailers in my area don't stock cross bikes (Sutherland). Hard to get a ride on one.
The trek sale didn't include the crossrip so I'm not in hurry which i guess is a good thing.

Still looks like the crossrip will get the chockies, the hydro brakes are a big draw card for the price.

I just want to make sure I check out all the other options so I make the right choice the first time.

User avatar
silentbutdeadly
Posts: 2294
Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2010 9:52 am
Location: Somewhere flat...

Re: Buying my first bike

Postby silentbutdeadly » Wed Apr 16, 2014 10:36 am

Don't forget the Norco Threshold...nicely equipped and great price for what it is.
Ours is not to reason why...merely to point and giggle

Jet01
Posts: 35
Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2014 2:34 pm

Re: Buying my first bike

Postby Jet01 » Mon Apr 21, 2014 10:14 pm

Went with a crossrip limited in 54cm.
Done about 100km over Easter in between beers and surfing.

Great bike for what I was after. Rode with the standard pedals is comes with. Looking forward to putting on some shimano A530 peddles and some shoes.


Thanks for all your help

Jet01
Posts: 35
Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2014 2:34 pm

Re: Buying my first bike

Postby Jet01 » Wed Apr 23, 2014 6:16 pm

Bought some A530 pedals and some m088 shoes.

Now this bike is almost exactly the way I want it for day time riding.

Thanks again to everyone for your input

alexander
Posts: 379
Joined: Wed Feb 24, 2010 11:56 am
Location: Footscray

Re: Buying my first bike

Postby alexander » Fri Apr 25, 2014 10:53 am

good to hear that you love your new bike, now post some pics!
If you've got a $10 head, get a $10 helmet

Jet01
Posts: 35
Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2014 2:34 pm

Re: Buying my first bike

Postby Jet01 » Tue Jun 03, 2014 9:07 pm

Here's some pics of my crossrip

Image

Image

Image

Image

thecaptn
Posts: 1711
Joined: Wed Mar 17, 2010 8:28 pm

Re: Buying my first bike

Postby thecaptn » Wed Jun 04, 2014 8:19 pm

Sweet looking ride 8)

Fletch
Posts: 164
Joined: Thu May 29, 2008 12:07 pm
Location: Ocean Grove, Vic

Re: Buying my first bike

Postby Fletch » Wed Jun 04, 2014 8:32 pm

Nice

Jet01
Posts: 35
Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2014 2:34 pm

Re: Buying my first bike

Postby Jet01 » Sun Jun 15, 2014 6:11 pm

Decided that I'm never going to ride off road.

For sale $1600. No lights or peddles.

Going to get a domane 4.3

Check the add in the market place section or on gumtree.

koshari
Posts: 908
Joined: Mon Sep 09, 2013 5:33 pm

Re: Buying my first bike

Postby koshari » Sun Jun 15, 2014 6:39 pm

Jet01 wrote:Decided that I'm never going to ride off road.

For sale $1600. No lights or peddles.

Going to get a domane 4.3

Check the add in the market place section or on gumtree.
Why dont you just put 28s or 24s on your crossrip?

you say your not gonna race and you dont wanna go back on the dirt, so effectively you want a slick comfy commuter, put some slimmer tyres on your crossrip and your set.

spend the rest of the cash on your kid when he comes.
Image

Calvin27
Posts: 2435
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2013 5:45 pm

Re: Buying my first bike

Postby Calvin27 » Mon Jun 16, 2014 9:46 am

Jet01 wrote:Decided that I'm never going to ride off road.

For sale $1600. No lights or peddles.

Going to get a domane 4.3

Check the add in the market place section or on gumtree.
Thanks for contributing to the second hand market :D .

But seriously, that was fast. Like the dude above me said, just add 28 or 25c and you have a roadie. I hope it's not because other roadies are giving you crap about the discs (happened to me). If so just lead the pack into a gravel trail next time!
Heavy road bike
Cushy dirt bike
Very cushy dirt bike
Bike crushed by car (RIP)
No brakes bike
Ebike

User avatar
Wakatuki
Posts: 799
Joined: Fri Nov 23, 2012 6:15 pm
Location: Qld

Re: Buying my first bike

Postby Wakatuki » Mon Jun 16, 2014 2:56 pm

Calvin27 wrote: I hope it's not because other roadies are giving you crap about the discs (happened to me). If so just lead the pack into a gravel trail next time!
I am looking forward to putting my JTS into a bunch ride, particularly in the wet :)
The fate of the Scott Foil unknown till the JTS arrives.

User avatar
cyclotaur
Posts: 1782
Joined: Wed Jan 26, 2011 1:36 pm

Re: Buying my first bike

Postby cyclotaur » Mon Jun 16, 2014 3:23 pm

Jet01 wrote:Decided that I'm never going to ride off road.

For sale $1600. No lights or peddles.

Going to get a domane 4.3
I plonk some FulcrumQuattroCX wheels and 25c tyres on my CAADX and do plenty of road riding on it - no need for a new bike.


Sent from my iPhinger ...
2023 Target: 9.500kms/100,000m
My old blog - A bit of fun :)
"Riding, not racing...completing, not competing"

Jet01
Posts: 35
Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2014 2:34 pm

Re: Buying my first bike

Postby Jet01 » Mon Jun 16, 2014 11:23 pm

Calvin27 wrote:
Jet01 wrote:Decided that I'm never going to ride off road.

For sale $1600. No lights or peddles.

Going to get a domane 4.3

Check the add in the market place section or on gumtree.
Thanks for contributing to the second hand market :D .

But seriously, that was fast. Like the dude above me said, just add 28 or 25c and you have a roadie. I hope it's not because other roadies are giving you crap about the discs (happened to me). If so just lead the pack into a gravel trail next time!
I can't be ar$ed stuffing around with changing tires and wheels. I did all that rubbish with my fishing gear. Costly and time consuming doing all the research.

My problem is I made a semi rushed decision. I had my heart set on the versatility of the crossrip, and ended up making my decision to buy a crossrip based purely on reading internet reviews and eyeballing a bike for about 5 mins in a shop.
My local trek dealer didn't have a crossrip elite or limited built up in store and didn't offer to get one in within a reasonable time so that I could check one out. I went in twice over the period of a month but they just weren't interested in taking my money from me. I had to travel into the city from Cronulla just to see one in the flesh. I actually ended up buying my bike from a shop in Wollongong on the way to my Easter holiday because they had a 54cm built up on the floor that i could have there and then. I just got sick of the waiting and searching. I realise this is the wrong way to go about buying a bike.

The other thing that I found a challenge, is that I wasn't sure what kind of riding I would prefer doing until I got some time in the saddle. And therefore didn't really know what bike I needed. I'm too lazy to properly maintain an off-road bike so it's really unlikely I'll ever head off road.

I was mainly concerned about my bad back.
I also had pipe dreams of being able to alter my bike to become a little more family friendly, but I'm now thinking I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

The full carbon domane with the isospeed tech would surely be easier on my back that the aluminium crossrip that I'm riding now.

I look forward to riding a faster more road orientated bike. Haven't had any interest in the crossrip yet so there's time to find a test ride somewhere.

Now to find a store with a 54cm test model.

koshari
Posts: 908
Joined: Mon Sep 09, 2013 5:33 pm

Re: Buying my first bike

Postby koshari » Tue Jun 17, 2014 8:10 am

Jet01 wrote:
I can't be ar$ed stuffing around with changing tires and wheels.
Huh. What do you do when you get a flat?

Really mate I can see you feel you may have been possibly sold a pup at the moment or gone in a little half cocked but I really dont think a novalty frame dampening function is the answer you seek. IMO a front sprung hardtail 26er like the one leaning against the brick wall in one of your pics with some slicks is prolly more suited to your needs But hey man its your cash.
Last edited by koshari on Tue Jun 17, 2014 12:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Image

User avatar
Wakatuki
Posts: 799
Joined: Fri Nov 23, 2012 6:15 pm
Location: Qld

Re: Buying my first bike

Postby Wakatuki » Tue Jun 17, 2014 10:50 am

My roadie has American Classic Hurricane CX wheels on it (need to start saving for the disc model now :roll: )
They are wider in the rim than the Bontrager Nebula you have on your trek. I run GP4000s on them. The 25mm on the rear measures at 27.7 and the 23 on the front measures at 24.3. These are road slick tyres, you have many other options I also have some continental supercontact 35's that the GLW puts on her 29er.

It's much cheaper getting dirty hands than ripping up $400+ It's up to you, good luck either way.

Jet01
Posts: 35
Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2014 2:34 pm

Re: Buying my first bike

Postby Jet01 » Tue Jun 17, 2014 7:07 pm

koshari wrote:
Jet01 wrote:
I can't be ar$ed stuffing around with changing tires and wheels.
Huh. What do you do when you get a flat?

Really mate I can see you feel you may have been possibly sold a pup at the moment or gone in a little half cocked but I really dont think a novalty frame dampening function is the answer you seek. IMO a front sprung hardtail 26er like the one leaning against the brick wall in one of your pics with some slicks is prolly more suited to your needs But hey man its your cash.
I'll obviously change a tire when I get a flat. I'm not an idiot. I was pretty clear when I said I don't want to be chopping and changing tires/wheels to suit the ride I'm about to do. Especially when it's unlikely that I'll ever do enough off road riding to justify having another set of wheels or even different tyres taking up valuable space in the garage. I don't feel I've been sold a pup, I made my own decision.

There's obviously more to a bike than just isospeed. Just going from aluminium to carbon is going to improve the ride from what I understand. I'd previously read about the domane when I first started looking at bikes. The isospeed gimmick is just a bit of a timely bonus really. I'd love to hear whether new domane owners notice the difference isospeed provides them.

I hardly think that a 26er with slicks would meet my needs. I'm working my way up to longer faster rides. According to your wisdom Koshari what standard should I be at before I've earned the privilege to buy myself a comfy full carbon road bike?

The 26er in the back is my wife's bike. I didn't actually think about using my wife's bike to carry kids. Seems I missed a post or two before my purchase which suggested it.

I'm thinking I'll just get something I want now and deal with the kiddie bridge when I come to it.

Most of my forum time has been spent on fishing and surfing forums. Both pastimes have their gear junkies. I guess I was trying to appeal to the gear junkies of the cycling world when I started this thread.

koshari
Posts: 908
Joined: Mon Sep 09, 2013 5:33 pm

Re: Buying my first bike

Postby koshari » Tue Jun 17, 2014 7:56 pm

Firstly Dont take wahat I say the wrong way as iam honestly not trying to wind you up. My posting was simply that IMO I really dont think you are going see a huge difference in speed getting a new fibre frame from the steed you have now.

The suggestion to change tyres was intended as a one off action rather than continuously changing them after every ride as you say you wont be riding trails anymore. Anyway for a few bucks surely its worth a try?

As another poster stated whilst describing his rims that yours are perfect for taking 23 to 25mm tires.

With regards to being at a level you deserve a carbon frame iam prolly the least qualified to be giving you advice as I have 4 bikes and none are carbon. And iam far from fast having only today broke 20kmh average on a 20km ride. As I said earlier its your money.

Just reading the various threads sure many are passionate about nice new gear and everybody has different opinions as per where the money is best spent. Iam sure you work hard so If you think with regard to your gear its justified to send the do rey me I say go for it. Just dont go in with unrealistic expectations that a new carbon bike will see you shave minutes of your times.

And most of all make sure you enjoy the riding experiance overall.

As for discounting the 26er dont be so quick to write them off. I did a 50km ride up mount worth recently and was riding at an average speed of 19kmh. Unfortinately due to some of the unsealed roads on that run it is impractical to do that ride on one of my 700s to compare how fast It would be.
Image

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users