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Trek Bicycle Fans - Please Help
- Thread starter puma1552
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If you're planning long rides, you should definately be looking at road bikes. If you're in the over 40 crowd like me, you might want to put away some money for a Roubaix. If not, the Allez is fine. The Roubaix is a little more relaxed and a smoother ride for us old guys. In my youth I rode some 20,000 miles on an Allez and the geometry is largely unchanged, it was the perfect bike for me at the time. Another note for your decision process, when I commute it's 15 miles each way and a bunch of hills. The Hybrid is a little rough and its about the limit I want to go on it. I can ride the Roubaix all day. Drop bars give you more hand positions and that important on a long ride.
People do drop that kind of money on a Hybrid and if I lived in a place that was relatively flat i might get suckered into a carbon frame knowing anything you buy complete will have component swaps at some point, but I'd still question my sanity as there is no need for an Ultegra or even 105 equipped Hybrid. The biggest difference is how they do in the hills. A road bike places you in a better aerodynamic position going down hill and on the climbs your hands are closer together and perpendicular to the bike. While the hybrid has a wider bar, the leverage advantage in a climb is with the road bike. The hybrid puts your hands about 100mm further apart. For me at least this has always been uncomfortable, but everyone is different.
In either event, if you're dropping $2k on a bike, neither is low end and you're definitely getting a solid bike. I know people are riding around on $10k bikes, and I laugh because it's such a waste of money for anyone who isn't racing professionally it's not even funny. I mean some of these people are taking out a second on their house to ride those things once a month and they can't keep up with me on my Hybrid. As for what you get when you buy, once you get to Shimano 105 or SRAM rival the incremental benefits move from functionality to bling.
One last thing to consider is that this sounds like your first "real" bike so to speak. As you improve, you'll start to tinker. Anything you get on the bike at purchase is subject to your inevitable desire to upgrade. It's the nature of the beast. If you get crazy serious the desire for a build from the ground up may come into play at which point you're looking at frames and components and how you'll buy it piece by piece until you can put it together. It's like crack and most riders suffer from it.
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Ouch. Have fun on the build. One of life's greatest enjoyments.
The van incident left me with nerve damage.
I am unable to ride mountain bikes now only road bike due to this damage.
Accident was side on. Van pulled out side entrance and hit me side on almost.
I am unable to ride mountain bikes now only road bike due to this damage.
Accident was side on. Van pulled out side entrance and hit me side on almost.
great post, thanks for the insight. i am worried about spending $500-$700 on a bike only to end up wanting to upgrade everything - I'm much more the type who likes to buy one and done, especially since as you say, you're really buying into a frame/geometry, so all the money in the world won't make a cheap frame into a great bike. i also am an engineer by trade, and a car guy, so i appreciate good engineering and good performance, so it's only natural i can appreciate higher end bikes. like i said the sirrus sport i rode didnt feel that good compared to the base sirrus, but like you said something might have been not right on the off the shelf sport i rode. either way, i didnt come away really loving either bike, both did feel fairly harsh to me. hard to part with $600-$700 on something i dont really love.
i might start looking at road bikes as well, those roubaix are very nice looking bikes. also im 32, but feel physically worn out like im about 50 years old most days, for whatever thats worth.
i think i might start socking a bit more cash away, and continue researching in the meantime. maybe a road bike is the better choice for my goals, i run 7 miles a day 3x a week so i anticipate easily at least triple that distance on a bike ride, if not far beyond that.
If you're feeling physically worn out I'd go for the Roubaix. It is such a nice ride I can't even tell you. Better on your legs than running too. I can't run anymore period. It's a sad state of affairs on that front. I do a ride every morning or night and in the evenings I'll stop at the pool and swim a few laps. Then I'll out 30 miles or so early Saturday or take in some local ride. It was tough when I started out again. I'd been off the bike for some time after being a health nut. I started smoking (don't make that mistake), got married, had kids and got fat. Took me six months just to get to a point where I felt like I could ride every day again. I was a mess. I still have some minor back problems but most of that went away when I got back to 180. I was up around 240 at one point which didn't look big on a 6'4" dude, but it sure as hell felt like it.
Black and red. Sport model with the 105. The only thing I'm not a fan of is the press fit bottom bracket, but that's becoming the norm in that price range. I like to do my own work and I won't touch a press fit because you can damage the frame. When I have to replace it I'll take it in and eat the $50 bucks, but it's better than me banging on the frame and screwing up the alignment to get the thing out:
http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/bottom-bracket-service-bb90-bb86-bb92-gxp-press-fit
http://www.bikemag.com/gear/bottom-...gs-answer-press-fit-woes/#mkWxcLzg8z2DA2lV.97
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thats a nice ride...i kinda feel like in my prelim research, at the $2k+ pricetag it should have a 105 or better groupset like that one - seeing a lot of tiagra drivetrains approaching $2k which seems iffy from what little i know so far
EDIT: is there any way to tell if the bike has a press fit bracket from the site? doesnt look like it...maybe thats just the industry wide standard below a very high price point?
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The new Tiagra is a pretty fine component set. It's all trickle down and even Sora is rock solid. I'd buy a Tiagra 4700 setup and not think twice about it. Its probably better than the 105 which will probably get an upgrade next year. This years big upgrades come to Sora and Tiagra. Today's Tiagra is better than Ultegra from a decade ago. Even this years Sora might be better the tech has advanced that much.
If it has a press fit, Specialized puts in the the crank description. Another tell tale is Shimano components and FSA cranks because Simano cranks don't work with BB30 without adapters. The base SL4 with Tiagra 4700 doesn't have it. The rest pretty much have it. Hindsight on the bottom bracket I probably would have picked up the base SL4 because I'm always tinkering with the bike. You don't usually mess with the bottom bracket so it's not a big deal, it's more a preference.
And there you go...the road bike. A much better choice over a hybrid...you will want one once you really start riding and then you'll look back and exclaim that you should have bought one to begin with. I have yet to meet a person who enjoyed riding a lot that stayed with a hybrid.
As far as drop bars, a proper fit will ensure proper comfort. A drop bar will actually give more hand positions than a straight bar on a hybrid.
Buy once cry once. Although, once you get into it, you'll get into N+1
im thinking im going to stick to the original plan and get a lower end hybrid, then down the road if i like it get a $2k-$3k road bike to complement it. i think i can justify two different bikes to serve two different purposes.
anyway, specialized updated the sirrus with all the 2017s on their site. it looks like a lot of component changes in the base sirrus and a $20 price drop, while the sirrus sport is a seriously compelling option, but at $750 which is no small jump over the base sirrus. the sport looks to have gained a lot of upgrades, and it might be worth the extra $250?
anyway, specialized updated the sirrus with all the 2017s on their site. it looks like a lot of component changes in the base sirrus and a $20 price drop, while the sirrus sport is a seriously compelling option, but at $750 which is no small jump over the base sirrus. the sport looks to have gained a lot of upgrades, and it might be worth the extra $250?
Check out your local craigslist for used bikes. They are plentiful and usually being unloaded by those with the most noble of intentions thinking they can stick with the program just like a membership at their local gyms at the beginning of the year
So I think I've decided to start out with a hybrid, and then if I stick with it get a really nice road bike and keep the hybrid for general goofing off.
That said, can you weigh in on the following two bikes?
Bike 1 is a 2016 Elite, MSRPs for $810 but Specialized just reduced the price to $690:
https://www.specialized.com/us/en/bikes/fitness/sirrus-elite/106384
I test rode this one tonight and it rode really well - really a nice bike. Met my expectations of how a bike should ride at this price point.
The good:
-Great frame (flat bar road bike frame in E5 aluminum with smooth welds)
-Internal cable routing
-Looks great (brushed finish, decals are more of a fluorescent red)
-Very light, wants to go fast
-Carbon fork with Zertz insertz
-Good ride quality
The bad:
-At this price point I'd really like disc brakes on a hybrid since it's an everyday kind of bike so never know when you'll get caught in wet weather
-Not thrilled with a triple crankset, too many gears, too much fuss, more likely to drop chain? I know the obvious answer is just don't use the granny gear, but yea...I'd rather have a double for my flat landscape... just simpler and easier
-Not sure how I feel about the narrower tires and overall flat bar road bikeness of it? This is kind of odd, but maybe I want my hybrid to be more hybridy and less road bikeish? Thinking to down the road if I do get a road bike I don't want there to be toooo much overlap/redundancy?
Bike 2 is a 2017 Sport, which looks fantastic at $750 - looks like a real sweet spot for price and components. Not in shops yet so haven't ridden:
https://www.specialized.com/us/en/bikes/fitness/sirrus-sport/115229
The good:
-Hydraulic disk brakes
-9 speed double crankset
-Looks great in charcoal
-Carbon fork (don't know about Zertz yet, description says yes but picture doesn't show them)
-More traditional hybridy with wider (albeit heavier) tires
The bad:
-The only real unknown on this and really the only possible detractor is microSHIFT shift levers and front derailer??? I've scoured the internet only to find mixed reviews if not slightly leaning negatively, but most of what I find is 4-6 years old
-No internal cable routing but the cables are routed under the down tube so as long as they aren't along the top tube where I pick the bike up it doesn't really matter tbh
-If you want to get real technical the frame isn't as good as the elite (A1 aluminum and not like a road bike), but only in comparison to the Elite
I realize when you buy a bike you're really buying into a frame, but I have zero plans to upgrade any components so I want something I like out of the box as a complete package.
What do you see as the pros/cons of each bike and in particular what are your thoughts on the microSHIFT stuff? Which bike would you choose?
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Just my .02, but the discs won't make much of a difference in weather at that level. Pads work just as well, disks are just a big hype right now. Also, internal cabling is nice, but also hard to repair on your own if something goes wrong. At that level, you are really talking purely recreational so either choice will work well for you.
You can't really compare a hybrid type bike to road bike standards. Focus on how you intend to use it and if a hybrid doesn't fit that bill then I would suggest you save some money and get the bike you want. If you choose poorly, it will just sit in the garage and collect dust.
You can't really compare a hybrid type bike to road bike standards. Focus on how you intend to use it and if a hybrid doesn't fit that bill then I would suggest you save some money and get the bike you want. If you choose poorly, it will just sit in the garage and collect dust.
I've never struggled this hard with a decision.
There are things I like a lot about every bike I've looked at but also things I'm not crazy about. Then again I'm getting caught up in specs - I have a friend who's into bowling and you should see that guy look at bowling ball catalogs, next thing you know he's sold himself up to an $800 ball ffs until he just has to put down the catalog and walk away...
I can probably get over a lack of discs, but I'm just not sure about the triple crank. I remember dropping the chain on my last crappy bike I had 15 years ago which had a triple and it just never felt that reliable. It's really the only thing about the Elite that I'm iffy on, and it's kind of a big thing since it's the thing I would be using the most. I guess I am also iffy on how much abuse the 30 mm tires can take? The Sport has 32 mm tires but they look about 2x as wide, never thought 2 mm would make such a difference in the looks - am I going to have to worry about popping them just going on and off sidewalk bumps wherever a road crosses my path? Am I going to have to be as careful as a road bike (remember, not wanting to swap out any components from what I buy)?
I'm also finding this to be kind of a hard time of year to buy a bike - selection of '16s is really drying up in terms of both color and size (especially since I'm a small) but the '17s are just slowly trickling in and by the time there is full stock it will be the end of the season. Also the Elite I tested had a scratch on it (I know I know) so I'd have to source another one. The shop did say I could order the '17 Sport (they are in the warehouse locally and could have them in a couple days) and if I didn't want it and wanted the Elite or something else that would be no problem.
I did sit on an Allez for size (not the E5, a more expensive one), I liked the feel of the drop bars and narrow handlebars, felt natural. But again, size and colors are virtually non-existent right now, and still think I should start on a hybrid. If I get an Allez, I will *definitely* want to upgrade later but if I get a hybrid and then a higher end road bike, I will keep the hybrid and not feel like I spent extra money (the money lost trading up the Allez).
There are things I like a lot about every bike I've looked at but also things I'm not crazy about. Then again I'm getting caught up in specs - I have a friend who's into bowling and you should see that guy look at bowling ball catalogs, next thing you know he's sold himself up to an $800 ball ffs until he just has to put down the catalog and walk away...
I can probably get over a lack of discs, but I'm just not sure about the triple crank. I remember dropping the chain on my last crappy bike I had 15 years ago which had a triple and it just never felt that reliable. It's really the only thing about the Elite that I'm iffy on, and it's kind of a big thing since it's the thing I would be using the most. I guess I am also iffy on how much abuse the 30 mm tires can take? The Sport has 32 mm tires but they look about 2x as wide, never thought 2 mm would make such a difference in the looks - am I going to have to worry about popping them just going on and off sidewalk bumps wherever a road crosses my path? Am I going to have to be as careful as a road bike (remember, not wanting to swap out any components from what I buy)?
I'm also finding this to be kind of a hard time of year to buy a bike - selection of '16s is really drying up in terms of both color and size (especially since I'm a small) but the '17s are just slowly trickling in and by the time there is full stock it will be the end of the season. Also the Elite I tested had a scratch on it (I know I know) so I'd have to source another one. The shop did say I could order the '17 Sport (they are in the warehouse locally and could have them in a couple days) and if I didn't want it and wanted the Elite or something else that would be no problem.
I did sit on an Allez for size (not the E5, a more expensive one), I liked the feel of the drop bars and narrow handlebars, felt natural. But again, size and colors are virtually non-existent right now, and still think I should start on a hybrid. If I get an Allez, I will *definitely* want to upgrade later but if I get a hybrid and then a higher end road bike, I will keep the hybrid and not feel like I spent extra money (the money lost trading up the Allez).
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You dropped your chain on your old crappy bike because it was a crappy bike with crappy components...plus you were 15 years younger. Chain drops are not an issue with triple crank sets, that is usually a component adjustment/user issue. And no, road bikes are not that dainty and neither are the tires. Check this out:
Your "feelings" for the future of your bike riding are irrational and a season will pass and you will find yourself looking at 2018. Get a bike now, ride now! As you learn and ride more, your desire for upgraded components will diminish, you will, however may want more bikes. Nah, I lied, you will want both! But by that time, your decision making skills on bikes will be far more focused, because you will now have established what you want or not on the bike.
There used to be a saying in the road riding community HTFU and ride!
Your "feelings" for the future of your bike riding are irrational and a season will pass and you will find yourself looking at 2018. Get a bike now, ride now! As you learn and ride more, your desire for upgraded components will diminish, you will, however may want more bikes. Nah, I lied, you will want both! But by that time, your decision making skills on bikes will be far more focused, because you will now have established what you want or not on the bike.
There used to be a saying in the road riding community HTFU and ride!
There are 9 bikes in my house right now. The wife and I have mountain, road, touring and cyclocross as well as one hybrid for guests. For a long time I was chasing grams (yes grams because that is what you are losing) by upgrading but to be honest, I can push my $1600 Aluminum Madone as fast as my $3200 Domane 4.5 carbon frame bike. Why? Because it is more about the engine (you) to be honest. There is little difference in shifting between 105 and ultegra and many will tell you that today's 105 was yesterdays ultegra. The point? Unless you are racing those grams really don't mean a darn thing. It is easy to get caught in the "I need the latest and greatest" but none of that will do you a bit of good if you are dropped by someone riding a 1980's steel framed bike that weighs 3 times what yours does.
So, as BernyMac said, get a bike and go ride. If you decide that road is what you want to do then you can get one as you really start to gain interest in the sport.
Also, here are the Velominati rules, number 5 is what he was talking about.
http://www.velominati.com/the-rules/
So, as BernyMac said, get a bike and go ride. If you decide that road is what you want to do then you can get one as you really start to gain interest in the sport.
Also, here are the Velominati rules, number 5 is what he was talking about.
http://www.velominati.com/the-rules/
stopped by the bike shop again (different shop) on the way home from work.
tried sirrus base disc, sirrus elite for the second time, and an allez sport since they had no base allezs left.
base disc was alright, nothing special.
elite this time didnt seem nearly as good as the other night - i was getting rubbing/cross chaining on the middle chainring up front and smallest two cogs out back which i didnt expect, and even a little bit when on the big chain and smallest cog (highest gear) - this derailer/cage definitely needed adjustment which kind of ruined it. probably didnt help it was breezy out and i was wearing jeans and a sweater either. i was hoping to have the same experience as the other night which was very favorable.
then went to the dark side and tried an allez sport, i just wanted to see how the drops/brifters/handling were. i didnt have a problem with any of these, liked the hand position options, but at times found it wouldve been nice to sit up a little bit more upright when coasting just for a second or two without letting go of the handlebars, but really no big deal - i could do a road bike. but the bike itself seemed just ok, and this was $200 more than the one id buy so i dont know how different this one is from the one id buy. i kind of expected it to be like an elite on steroids.
so did i solve anything or get closer to making a decision? nope, just more confused.
it also seems like the wrong time of year to buy - '16 selection is seriously limited especially in my size, and '17s aren't trickling in and nobody knows when they're gonna show but it sounds like whenever they do show up it will be too late in the season. i do know that the '17s are filling up in the local warehouse, they just arent being distributed to stores until the '16s are depleted or unless someone orders one - they said they can get the '17 sport the next day with a deposit and if i dont like it i can apply the deposit to another bike but if i dont absolutely love anything else and dont love the sport im kind of in a tough spot.
i dont know why im having such a hard time, for $500-$800 it shouldn't be hard to really like something, i mean these arent wallys world bikes. maybe ill just stash cash and ride a '17 sport whenever they show up in september or october and sit on it over winter and go from there and see what kind of buying oower i have then and how i feel at that time
tried sirrus base disc, sirrus elite for the second time, and an allez sport since they had no base allezs left.
base disc was alright, nothing special.
elite this time didnt seem nearly as good as the other night - i was getting rubbing/cross chaining on the middle chainring up front and smallest two cogs out back which i didnt expect, and even a little bit when on the big chain and smallest cog (highest gear) - this derailer/cage definitely needed adjustment which kind of ruined it. probably didnt help it was breezy out and i was wearing jeans and a sweater either. i was hoping to have the same experience as the other night which was very favorable.
then went to the dark side and tried an allez sport, i just wanted to see how the drops/brifters/handling were. i didnt have a problem with any of these, liked the hand position options, but at times found it wouldve been nice to sit up a little bit more upright when coasting just for a second or two without letting go of the handlebars, but really no big deal - i could do a road bike. but the bike itself seemed just ok, and this was $200 more than the one id buy so i dont know how different this one is from the one id buy. i kind of expected it to be like an elite on steroids.
so did i solve anything or get closer to making a decision? nope, just more confused.
it also seems like the wrong time of year to buy - '16 selection is seriously limited especially in my size, and '17s aren't trickling in and nobody knows when they're gonna show but it sounds like whenever they do show up it will be too late in the season. i do know that the '17s are filling up in the local warehouse, they just arent being distributed to stores until the '16s are depleted or unless someone orders one - they said they can get the '17 sport the next day with a deposit and if i dont like it i can apply the deposit to another bike but if i dont absolutely love anything else and dont love the sport im kind of in a tough spot.
i dont know why im having such a hard time, for $500-$800 it shouldn't be hard to really like something, i mean these arent wallys world bikes. maybe ill just stash cash and ride a '17 sport whenever they show up in september or october and sit on it over winter and go from there and see what kind of buying oower i have then and how i feel at that time
Bikes cycle like cars. It is getting towards the end of the season, but you will start to see the 2017s coming out. As for the rubbing, the derailure can be adjusted to eliminate that except at the far end of the spectrum. Being in the big ring and shifting to the biggest cog is called cross chaining and not something you really should do if you can avoid it as it bends the chain at an abnormal angle.
Again, you are putting a lot of though into the purchase of a hybrid.
Again, you are putting a lot of though into the purchase of a hybrid.
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So, just an update - I bought an Elite about an hour ago after a third test ride (this was the third Elite I rode, first one at one shop rode nice but had a scratch, second one needed some serious adjustments, and then this one - cosmetically perfect and mechanically great). As soon as I took it out in the parking lot for a test ride and sat on it it just started to roll on it's own like it really wanted to go and I knew immediately this was the bike. Spent about 15 minutes riding it and testing out all the shifters and brakes and another 5 looking it over for any cosmetic issues. None found, seems perfect.
They are putting on a bottle cage I picked out (the Specialized one that has you take the bottle out from the right side) and doing their once over to make sure everything is dialed in and good to go, then I can go pick it up later this afternoon.
The more I think about it, the more this bike seems like a no brainer at $690 (normally $810). Also the more I think about it, the more I think this is the best choice for me right now - it's a hybrid but it's a quicker hybrid/flat bar road bike so it should keep me happy for quite a while - might even be sufficient enough that it keeps me from spending big money on a road bike, so this might have been a really great decision. Plus it looks awesome/expensive, so I'll want to be out riding it a lot.
The bike also comes with 2 years of free adjustments, 1 free tune up within the first year, and a lifetime warranty on all parts against defects.
They are putting on a bottle cage I picked out (the Specialized one that has you take the bottle out from the right side) and doing their once over to make sure everything is dialed in and good to go, then I can go pick it up later this afternoon.
The more I think about it, the more this bike seems like a no brainer at $690 (normally $810). Also the more I think about it, the more I think this is the best choice for me right now - it's a hybrid but it's a quicker hybrid/flat bar road bike so it should keep me happy for quite a while - might even be sufficient enough that it keeps me from spending big money on a road bike, so this might have been a really great decision. Plus it looks awesome/expensive, so I'll want to be out riding it a lot.
The bike also comes with 2 years of free adjustments, 1 free tune up within the first year, and a lifetime warranty on all parts against defects.
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Yay! I'm glad to hear that you finally bought it. It is a nice bike and should suit you well for what you are wanting to do. Your shifters will need adjusting in about 6 months due to the cables stretching (totally normal) so when it starts to shift a little sloppy, just take it on in to the shop.
Now get out and ride!
Now get out and ride!
Congrats on finally making a choice! When you go pick up the bike, make sure to also buy a Presta valve capable pump (and if needed, ask the shop to teach you about Presta valves.) Also buy a small bottle of chain lube - apply it once per every longer bike ride.
Looking at the components: The brakes and drive train are all mountain bike parts - but that's what makes it a hybrid. If you start riding a lot and get to lusting after drop bars, don't ever think about nor ask about switching this bike to drop bars. Doing so would require changing way too many components.
When you have some time, take a look at the gear teeth on the crankset chainrings and cassette cogs. You'll notice that they aren't all identical. They are not damaged. Instead, this is by design to improve shifting.
Thanks guys, here are a few pics - I still need to get front and rear lights to replace the reflectors, a little computer, and a mini saddle bag to stick flat repair stuff in. So far just have a cage and bottle, I spent enough money today:
EDIT: ashamed to admit I'm glad I got the triple...I weenie'd out to the granny gear twice on my inaugural ride and I was glad I had it, lol. I probably could've gotten by without it if I had to but damn it was easy with it.
EDIT: ashamed to admit I'm glad I got the triple...I weenie'd out to the granny gear twice on my inaugural ride and I was glad I had it, lol. I probably could've gotten by without it if I had to but damn it was easy with it.
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