Help needed from bicycle enthusiasts!

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  infinity89 on 10/09/2013 - 23:34

  I would have a look around Gumtree as well. I ended up buying mine second hand, spent around $1.3k for a full carbon Pinarello :)

  You can find some pretty good deals locally if you're not in a hurry

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  ESEMCE on 11/09/2013 - 09:34

  Anything with Shimano 105 or higher level components should be very nice

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  kingsville on 11/09/2013 - 09:51

  +1

  Of the two bikes you've linked, the 500 is definitely worth the extra $150. Don't forget to budget for pedals/shoes/helmet/gloves.

  That said, I agree with infinity that you can get a lot of bike if you look second hand. I have had a lot of success buying bikes and bike parts on eBay - but everyone seems to want road bikes at the moment.

  I'd like to take you back to square one…. are you sure you want a road bike? The reason I ask that a road bike is great for exploring long distances, and essential for group road rides. However, if you are in a place with good bike infrastructure like Canberra or Melbourne, the road bike may not allow you to do everything you want. For example, in Melbourne there are lots of paths and trails that have bumpy/broken concrete paths or crush gravel surface - i.e. Merri Creek and Yarra trail.
  If you haven't been riding for a long time, maybe a flat-bar road bike or cyclocross bike suits better? These fit larger tyres which are more comfortable and have more grip for varying terrain.
  If you only want to ride on roads, then a road bike probably is best.

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  ropdoh on 11/09/2013 - 10:11

  I'd agree with kingsville, it really depends what you want to do. I ride a fair amount, but on the tracks around Melbourne with the family, to from work, etc. and for me a flatbar is great, not too heavy, not as aggressive as a racer. I have a Giant CRX 4, which cost around $600 four years ago, and I still like my bike. Agree with the choice of tyres too, as this will greatly affect where you can ride happily.

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  r2160 on 11/09/2013 - 10:54

  The most important thing is to get a bike that fits you properly. You would probably be better off hunting around bike shops, there are a few around, until you find one that will set you up properly.

  Alternatively,
  http://www.competitivecyclist.com/Store/catalog/fitCalculato…
  will help you sort out your size.

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  NancyCat on 11/09/2013 - 12:09

  I'm not a bike enthusiast, but we do have a few bikes at home…
  My advice is, buy them from a bike shop near your house, near as in riding distance. If anything goes wrong, you can just ride up to the shop to get it looked at. My local bike shop also have free servicing for the first 12 months. (Well, unless you have a bike rack for your car or you have a 4WD / ute / van …)
  Whatever you do, DO NOT, and I mean NEVER, EVER buy them from GoEasyOnLine.com, we had a very bad experience with those guys … that's another story.

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  Euphemistic on 11/09/2013 - 22:38

  If you haven't ridden for a long time, definitely get to a bike shop and try a few out, I also agree that a flat bar road bike is probably a good starting point esp for comfort as opposed to a drop bar road bike.