In need of some advice, ROAD BIKES is the topic

Lkthraa on 30/01/2013 - 14:16

Hey people,

First time for a post on here for me, been looking around the site for some information and trying to do the research on my own, but i simply don't know enough about bicycles to make an informed decision.

Here is what I'm looking at (not sure if i can post links, but I'm sure someone will let me know)
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/PROGEAR-FLAT-BAR-ROAD-BIKE-RS-40-…

I would like to get people opinion on this item and let me know if it suitable for a "beginner" rider, I'm looking to get something good enough that i can commute to and from work each day (work is about 18kms~).

So any riders out there, let me know what you think, I'm sure there are a few of you on this site, in desperate need for some advice as i don't want to get ripped off

General Discussion

Comments

  • kingsville on 30/01/2013 - 14:46
    +1

    It is the style of bike I would recommend for a beginner who needs to travel a decent distance.

    Thumbs up:
    Tiagra - is a good level of component for the money
    carbon fork - will soak up some bumps
    wh500 wheels - very entry level road bike wheels
    700x28c tyres - a bit fatter than road tyres will increase comfort without out slowing you down too much

    concerns:
    lifespan doesn't have a good reputation on here - you might want to do a search for a deal/comment about a mis-specced hybrid.
    17" frame means you had better be shorter than 6 foot!

    IF you like getting you hands dirty, there are some great deals on 2nd hand bikes (i.e. eBay) but YMMV

  • kthraa on 30/01/2013 - 15:03

    Thanks for the quick reply kingsville, if that's the case, i have checked out a few sizing charts online and they all say different things, I'm roughly 182cms~ tall, so in that case what size of frame should i be heading for? Also then, what about Reid bikes? I've heard good and bad things about them so not sure what to believe.

  • kingsville on 30/01/2013 - 15:20

    I'm a 182cm male and ride 20" frames. Mind you, I'm a bit out of proportion (long legs and short torso).

    19" is probably a better fit for you than 17".

    If you are in Melbourne, Reid has a store near Queen Vic markets.
    Not that the 2013 Reid Osprey is a lot crapper than the bike you looked at on eBay… the shimano pecking order goes:
    2300
    sora
    tiagra
    105…

  • bargaino on 31/01/2013 - 12:22

    Some good advice kingsville.

    One obvious thing to note is that this lacks drop-bars.
    If you are riding fast (e.g. on a cycleway or good road) or into a headwind, sitting up high will really slow you down, and long rides with bent elbows are no fun. Aero-bars could fix that, and many people find them more comfortable than drops. Other people use neither and just ride slow :)

    700x28c tyres - a bit fatter than road tyres will increase comfort without out slowing you down too much

    Not so long ago, road bikes had 32mm tyres. The bigger the smoother. Fork flex is utterly insignificant compared to tyres - the carbon fork thing is an urban legend.

    • kingsville on 31/01/2013 - 14:03

      I find a lot of people getting back on bikes (especially to commute) prefer flat bars for the perspective they get on traffic. But I agree, drop bars let you get out of the wind. My supercommuter has drop bars, disc brakes and 32mm tyres.

      [We can agree to disagree about forks. I would swear that an aluminium fork passes through a lot more of the shocks than carbon. However, fatter tyres ARE a much cheap way to dampen the bumps and vibrations]

      • bargaino on 31/01/2013 - 15:35

        Aluminium forks?! You mean the big ones with shocks down the middle on a mountain bike?
        I never heard of alum forks on a road bike. Don't alloy bikes have steel forks?

        Your carbon forks may well flex a bit more, but you can make steel flex too if you want.
        Sheldon Brown is usually the best source on anything technical.

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