Road Bikes

[Son of a Son]

Ok, so the wife has taken to cycling and has a mountain bike her father gave her which doesn't fit her. So we are going to go to a bike shop and get her measured for a road bike. I have seen some specials online, and I am curious what to look for. I found a Motobecane 2005 Road Bike for around $350, and it retails for around $750-800. Anyone heard of this company?

What other types of things should I look for?

 

[Aragorn]

How serious of a rider is she? I would look for a bike that:

1. fits her
2. is comfortable to ride
3. is lightweight and
4. has quality components

The bike should have a firm, rigid feel to it. If there is any looseness or play in the components or too much flex in the frame i.e. it feels "soft", I would look elsewhere. You should be able to find something suitable in the $500-range or less.

 

[Son of a Son]

This is the bike I mentioned above

 

[Mrmyke709]

That is a great price. You need to let her test ride a road bike first, she may be more comfortable on a "hybrid".
Dropout handlebars are tricky for some people.

 

[Baboso]

I cannot stress how important points 1 and 2 of Aragorn's post are. Go to the best bike shop in town and pay to have them do a "fit kit" on her. Get the recommended frame size, stem height, etc. Have her ride different brands of bikes at more than one bike shop. Then, find a used bike that is closest to the one she liked best from test rides and is as close as possible to the recommended frame size.

 

[horn4life]

Get fitted... and buy a bike with better components.

You can find some good deals if you look. Size is key. EBAY is good especially if you buy somehting in Austin and save on shipping.

 

[Campus Loop(y)]

I am looking for one too and concur w/ what they have said. Fit is huge. We are lucky Austin is such a big biking town. Lots of places to look.

 

[K-Man]

I want this baby for my commute

 

[horn4life]

Oh yeah... Freewheeling has a bulliten board outside of it's store that often has some sweet deals.

 

[Campus Loop(y)]

There is an upside and downside to Austin being cyclecentric. There will be an abundance of used bikes for sale but an abundance of owners who know what that bike is and what it is worth. But it also means it was likely taken good care of. But the great deal of somebody not knowing how good a bike is, getting one at auction (UTPD or APD) or finding somebody who just wants to get rid of it as they have a new and better one, is out there.

What kind of bike is that up there? It looks sweet.

I don't know if I want a hybrid Mtn/Road or a Road/Mtn. I think I may want the latter w/ the non Mtn. handlebars but the Specialized or the one above look very sweet and what I would need. I would run slicks.

 

[K-Man]

That's a Jamis Coda Sport, I saw one at University cyclery. Most of the manufacturers make similar bikes. I was told that it was designed with bike messengers in mind.

 

[Campus Loop(y)]

I got a bike back in the day that was the hot thing for messengers...I was a messenger. It is a '88 Specialized Rock Hopper Comp. That damned thing is tough as it gets and I still love the hell out of it. Deore group and all. I did switch out the Biopace crank for a round one though.

I would be adding a roadie or hybrid for longer rides.

 

[Son of a Son]

Ok, looking at two possible bikes. Both have Shimano Sora gear and are fairly similarly priced. Now my decision comes down to steel or aluminum. Any extra info is appreciated.

 

[txzen]

Motobecane was a very well-known name of bike in the day. Unfortunately, they were bought out years ago, and are now cheap-o generic bikes assembled in Asia. This probably doesn't mean anything to you, since you are looking at a certain pricepoint. As far as quality goes, I'd probably say that any of the other bigger names make better bikes (in general) - Specialized, Trek, Canondale, Giant, etc.

You don't mention two things - how tall your wife is and what sort of riding you plan to do.

If she's short, you might want to spend some extra money and get a bike that has some women-specific design bits built in - both Trek and Specialized have women-s specific models that have a different frame geometry, sometimes smaller wheels on smaller frames, handlebars that are narrower for women, brake levers with shorter reach for small hands, etc. The brake lever thing can really, really make a difference.

Of course, these are for real road bikes, which are for real road bike riding. Is that what you are going to do? These bikes stretch you out over the top tube, which many find to be hard on the back, the arms, and make the bike hard to handle and balance. If you aren't really planning on long distance road riding, you may be better served by bikes of a different style, like Trek's comfort road or similar design.

I agree that you should spend as much money as you can if you think the bike will be regularly used. Better components mean better shifts and brakes, easier maintainance, and longer life - all of which make the bike easier to handle, more enjoyable, and thus more likely to be used.

On the topic of steel versus aluminum, much can be said. Aluminum bikes are generally much lighter than inexpensive steel bikes : less weight = an bike easier to pedal up hills. However, they are also much much more stiff than an steel bike, so road vibrations tend to make a much more jarring and sharp ride. Some people really feel beat up after a ride on an Al bike. A steel bike tends to absorb more of the shock, and gives a plush, lively feel. But, especially in a sub $750 bike, it's going to be very, very heavy.

What's important is that she rides several different bikes to get a feel of the differences, and that she be properly fitted to a bike of an appropriate size for her, otherwise you are just throwing money away.

Oh, and by all means get a women's specific saddle for her - Terry makes great ones. My wife uses the Terry Butterfly.