The Madone 2.1 is the only one that has an aluminum frame. Consequently, it's the only one that's not 3k smackers. I'm sure an all-carbon fiber bike would be an incredible ride, but I'll need to move up a tax bracket or two before I consider buying one.
And I love the paint so much! The 2015 model went white, which looks fantastic in the shop but I'm sure looks like ass unless you wash it daily. I'm really considering replacing my front light just because it clashes with the paint...
0
ButtersA glass of some milksRegistered Userregular
I wouldn't recommend a carbon fiber bike body to anyone that can't afford to replace it because that shit does NOT take impacting well.
I wouldn't recommend a carbon fiber bike body to anyone that can't afford to replace it because that shit does NOT take impacting well.
Pfft! Just don't crash, n00b.
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Jacques L'HommeBAH! He was a rank amateur compared to, DR. COLOSSUS!Registered Userregular
Hey, bike tread, could some o' y'all recommend a good bike for the very purpose mentioned in the OP? I haven't had a bike since I totaled my last one back in high school, and I really miss biking, but now that getting a bike means buying a bike, and buying a bike means decision anxiety, I'm basically paralyzed every time I go to the bike shop. Also, the people at the bike shop feel like car salesmen to me, making me even more uncomfortable with making a purchase. I'd be eternally grateful for any advice or recomendations!
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Donovan PuppyfuckerA dagger in the dark isworth a thousand swords in the morningRegistered Userregular
Hey, bike tread, could some o' y'all recommend a good bike for the very purpose mentioned in the OP? I haven't had a bike since I totaled my last one back in high school, and I really miss biking, but now that getting a bike means buying a bike, and buying a bike means decision anxiety, I'm basically paralyzed every time I go to the bike shop. Also, the people at the bike shop feel like car salesmen to me, making me even more uncomfortable with making a purchase. I'd be eternally grateful for any advice or recomendations!
If you want to commute on a bike you need to be comfortable, and the bike needs to be reliable and fairly light.
Hybrids are good for this, especially if you want to also use the bike to run errands, because it's not an easy task to fit racks to a track bike...
The fact that they won't give an as-configured weight is interesting.
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ButtersA glass of some milksRegistered Userregular
Some bike shop owners can be like that and if one comes off to you in a way that makes you uncomfortable just leave. Nothing they have on their shelves can't be found somewhere else. You aren't going to miss out on the deal of the century.
Companies like Trek, GIANT, and Specialized are a lot like car dealers. The manufacturers have a very rigid product line that the bike dealers are required to adhere to especially Trek. Trek bikes are set up by Trek in the box and all the shop does is piece them together and put the MSRP on them. There's no customization which may sound boring but no confusion on what is being sold. I went with Trek because I felt like I understood exactly what I was getting and got a bike with the components I wanted at the price range I was looking for. Was really intrigued by some other models of some other brands but didn't feel comfortable pulling the trigger when making a decision out of a catalog. My local Trek shop had every model in every size right there for me to try out.
There are other less rigid brands that don't place such demands on their sellers like Jamis, Rocky Mountain, and Raleigh but some of them require a bit more research to know exactly what you are paying for. I found Trek's structure to be very linear. They have multiple models at each bike type and three tiers for each model. The frame at each model gets a little more complex and a little nicer as you go up in price and each tier has a little better components.
Best advice I think I can give (if you go to a shop like what I described) is to test ride at multiple different price ranges and get a feel for the differences. Mess with the shifters, the brakes, lean into the suspension a bit (if it has it of course) and don't be too shy. If the shop owner or sales staff makes you uncomfortable go find another shop. I got a really crappy pitch from a guy at a Felt dealer that flat out said any mountain bike under a $1000 was a waste of money and wouldn't last. My brother and I walked out promptly and made fun of him for the next several days.
ButtersA glass of some milksRegistered Userregular
And when deciding on a bike type remember that the tires and suspensions on hybrids are still for the road. If you plan on doing any kind of off road biking you want a mountain bike not a hybrid.
Some bike shop owners can be like that and if one comes off to you in a way that makes you uncomfortable just leave. Nothing they have on their shelves can't be found somewhere else. You aren't going to miss out on the deal of the century.
Companies like Trek, GIANT, and Specialized are a lot like car dealers. The manufacturers have a very rigid product line that the bike dealers are required to adhere to especially Trek. Trek bikes are set up by Trek in the box and all the shop does is piece them together and put the MSRP on them. There's no customization which may sound boring but no confusion on what is being sold. I went with Trek because I felt like I understood exactly what I was getting and got a bike with the components I wanted at the price range I was looking for. Was really intrigued by some other models of some other brands but didn't feel comfortable pulling the trigger when making a decision out of a catalog. My local Trek shop had every model in every size right there for me to try out.
There are other less rigid brands that don't place such demands on their sellers like Jamis, Rocky Mountain, and Raleigh but some of them require a bit more research to know exactly what you are paying for. I found Trek's structure to be very linear. They have multiple models at each bike type and three tiers for each model. The frame at each model gets a little more complex and a little nicer as you go up in price and each tier has a little better components.
Best advice I think I can give (if you go to a shop like what I described) is to test ride at multiple different price ranges and get a feel for the differences. Mess with the shifters, the brakes, lean into the suspension a bit (if it has it of course) and don't be too shy. If the shop owner or sales staff makes you uncomfortable go find another shop. I got a really crappy pitch from a guy at a Felt dealer that flat out said any mountain bike under a $1000 was a waste of money and wouldn't last. My brother and I walked out promptly and made fun of him for the next several days.
Keep in mind also that generally the bigger the brand, the better the componentry you get at the same price levels. Ventana certainly don't sell the same number of mountain bikes as Giant do, so when they call up SRAM and order a crate of cranksets, they don't get the same component price as when Giant does the same, but instead of ordering a crate, they order a sea container full...
+1
Blake TDo you have enemies then?Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.Registered Userregular
Hey, bike tread, could some o' y'all recommend a good bike for the very purpose mentioned in the OP? I haven't had a bike since I totaled my last one back in high school, and I really miss biking, but now that getting a bike means buying a bike, and buying a bike means decision anxiety, I'm basically paralyzed every time I go to the bike shop. Also, the people at the bike shop feel like car salesmen to me, making me even more uncomfortable with making a purchase. I'd be eternally grateful for any advice or recomendations!
How do you want to ride your bike? Do you want to stay on paths or offered?
Do you want to just take it less than 2kms down to the shops or go for hikes?
Jacques L'HommeBAH! He was a rank amateur compared to, DR. COLOSSUS!Registered Userregular
Right now I'm looking to be able to ride to and from work, shops, and the general in between of a mid-sized city. We also have a decent system of bike paths connecting us to the various towns, cities, and suburbs surrounding us that I'd like to use for exercise and personal enjoyment.
Also, thank you all. This is getting me super exited to get on a bike again!
I wouldn't recommend a carbon fiber bike body to anyone that can't afford to replace it because that shit does NOT take impacting well.
Slightly related informal survey: has anyone actually had a modern (heavily formed, butted, etc.) road frame repaired successfully?
I know that aluminum has been (economically) impossible for over a decade, but the two guys I know who used to repair light steel frames have largely given up that job, too. The one that I've talked to about it says that when the tubing became so thin and frames so cheap, fit-up became such a time suck that no one can afford repairs outside the vintage market (where value is way above replacement cost). I know of one successful titanium road frame repair (Seven represent!), but outside that everyone I know who has taken a serious crash has ended up having to scrap a frame that would've been, when I was a kid, repairable. I'm wondering if that's just skewed labor costs in my local market.
One of the regulars on my Wednesday social ride moved into the neighborhood right across the street from me. Now to convince them that they, too, should be a crazy person and go ride ALL THE PLACES with me! :P
Right now I'm looking to be able to ride to and from work, shops, and the general in between of a mid-sized city. We also have a decent system of bike paths connecting us to the various towns, cities, and suburbs surrounding us that I'd like to use for exercise and personal enjoyment.
Also, thank you all. This is getting me super exited to get on a bike again!
I'd definitely also be looking for something similar, 90% biking on roads but I would like to be able to go on a well worn hiking trail. Are hybrid tires not sturdy enough? Is there a decent bike to be had for under 600?
Right now I'm looking to be able to ride to and from work, shops, and the general in between of a mid-sized city. We also have a decent system of bike paths connecting us to the various towns, cities, and suburbs surrounding us that I'd like to use for exercise and personal enjoyment.
Also, thank you all. This is getting me super exited to get on a bike again!
I'd definitely also be looking for something similar, 90% biking on roads but I would like to be able to go on a well worn hiking trail. Are hybrid tires not sturdy enough? Is there a decent bike to be had for under 600?
I just got the bike in the OP for $500 of our worthless Canadian dollars, and I was looking for exactly the sort of stuff you're describing. I'm far from a bike expert at this point, but from my research beforehand and chats with the folks at the bike shop a hybrid's tires should be fine for hiking/biking trails - mine actually came with a guide to the best trails in the province, most of which are crusher dust/fine gravel trails.
I've ridden over roots and gravel and lumps and whatnot on this with no real trouble; traction in mud is the biggest issue, but it's sturdy enough as long as I don't try and do big dropoffs or anything:
(counter-example: . My one of these got stolen and I am still mad about it)
But seriously, $600 should get you something pretty nice no matter what. Your best bet is probably to go to bike shops until you find one where they treat you nicely, and see what they recommend. You probably want flat bars, thin-ish tyres that are more smooth than not, most likely not suspension. Fenders and pannier racks are very nice but can potentially be fitted later as long as the bike has the right mounting spots.
What would be considered a decent number of spokes?
How heavy are you?
In general, the old traditional 32-spoke 3-cross lacing makes for a practically-indestructible wheel. You're going to break rims before you'll break spokes. (This is not entirely true, but you get the idea.)
You can progress pretty far down the spoke count and still have very strong wheels. Well, assuming 1. the wheels are well-built with good parts, 2. you don't ignore any loose spokes that might show up, 3. you aren't a 270 lb running back, and 4. you aren't bombing the bike off of culverts. My main road bike runs 20-spoke front (radially laced) and 24-spoke rear (asymmetric 16 two-cross / 8 radial) and I will take it over 5" curbs and such without concern (at low speeds and minding that the bike and I weigh 160 lbs together). Normal trail use here is certainly easier on it than that.
Wait, why isn't the thread called "Bicycle Thread is On Your Left"?
+2
UnbrokenEvaHIGH ON THE WIREBUT I WON'T TRIP ITRegistered Userregular
Because Queen lyrics
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Blake TDo you have enemies then?Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.Registered Userregular
Septus, the only real advantages hybrids have is that they look ugly enough that no one wants to steal them, well that and a vertical riding position.
They have mildly better off road abilities than road bikes, weigh as much if not more than mountain bikes and don't go as fast as road bikes. The only reason I would buy one is so I can have a cheap, crappy looking bike to leave at the front of the shops that no one wants.
If you can pick one up significantly cheaper than other bikes that would maybe be reason to buy one.
What would be considered a decent number of spokes?
How heavy are you?
In general, the old traditional 32-spoke 3-cross lacing makes for a practically-indestructible wheel. You're going to break rims before you'll break spokes. (This is not entirely true, but you get the idea.)
You can progress pretty far down the spoke count and still have very strong wheels. Well, assuming 1. the wheels are well-built with good parts, 2. you don't ignore any loose spokes that might show up, 3. you aren't a 270 lb running back, and 4. you aren't bombing the bike off of culverts. My main road bike runs 20-spoke front (radially laced) and 24-spoke rear (asymmetric 16 two-cross / 8 radial) and I will take it over 5" curbs and such without concern (at low speeds and minding that the bike and I weigh 160 lbs together). Normal trail use here is certainly easier on it than that.
Right now I'm looking to be able to ride to and from work, shops, and the general in between of a mid-sized city. We also have a decent system of bike paths connecting us to the various towns, cities, and suburbs surrounding us that I'd like to use for exercise and personal enjoyment.
Also, thank you all. This is getting me super exited to get on a bike again!
I'd definitely also be looking for something similar, 90% biking on roads but I would like to be able to go on a well worn hiking trail. Are hybrid tires not sturdy enough? Is there a decent bike to be had for under 600?
I just got the bike in the OP for $500 of our worthless Canadian dollars, and I was looking for exactly the sort of stuff you're describing. I'm far from a bike expert at this point, but from my research beforehand and chats with the folks at the bike shop a hybrid's tires should be fine for hiking/biking trails - mine actually came with a guide to the best trails in the province, most of which are crusher dust/fine gravel trails.
I'm not sure I agree. Hybrids are still primarily road bikes. The little bit larger tires (and front suspension if you're spending enough) are designed for a more comfortable ride on streets not for off-road trails. Dirt and fine gravel they can manage but it's going to wear on the tires and components a bit harder. If you want to do mountain bike things you really should get a mountain bike not a hybrid.
UnbrokenEvaHIGH ON THE WIREBUT I WON'T TRIP ITRegistered Userregular
so I just went for my first recreational ride rather than my 4km/2.5mi daily commutes. Didn't have any particular destination in mind, just thought I'd bike down to the trails along a canal here and wander about
I ended up finding the end of those trails, at the far end of the lake the canals connect to, and then around the lake and home, for a total of about 20km/12mi, and I feel fantastic
I wouldn't recommend a carbon fiber bike body to anyone that can't afford to replace it because that shit does NOT take impacting well.
Don't listen to this. Modern carbon bikes are incredibly strong. I've been on carbon mountain and road bikes almost a decade and have seen zero failures. They can happen, but it takes serious impact and a lack of mindfulness of such post-crash.
Septus, the only real advantages hybrids have is that they look ugly enough that no one wants to steal them, well that and a vertical riding position.
They have mildly better off road abilities than road bikes, weigh as much if not more than mountain bikes and don't go as fast as road bikes. The only reason I would buy one is so I can have a cheap, crappy looking bike to leave at the front of the shops that no one wants.
If you can pick one up significantly cheaper than other bikes that would maybe be reason to buy one.
I thought about this, and until I do start a real biking habit, I wanted to have a low upfront cost(I totally wasn't thinking about the $100 plus cost of accessories), so I went with a Giant Escape 3 for $350, hopefully that wasn't an awful decision. We also just decided to get my wife a cheap Raleigh 8 speed cruiser since she'll be going no more than a couple of miles from our home.
Took yesterday off work and enjoyed a nice end of summer 45 miles in the sun with a stop for a pint of beer. Was very pleasant indeed.
I need to do a full service on my main bike and I need to appropriate one of the 3D printers and work and sort a out a rear light mount for my spare bike.
Also want to buy a mountain bike soon but need to find some money for that.
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ButtersA glass of some milksRegistered Userregular
Mountain bikes are where it's at. I don't miss traffic at all!
Posts
And I love the paint so much! The 2015 model went white, which looks fantastic in the shop but I'm sure looks like ass unless you wash it daily. I'm really considering replacing my front light just because it clashes with the paint...
Pfft! Just don't crash, n00b.
If you want to commute on a bike you need to be comfortable, and the bike needs to be reliable and fairly light.
Hybrids are good for this, especially if you want to also use the bike to run errands, because it's not an easy task to fit racks to a track bike...
For just commuting I'd recommend this: http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-us/bikes/model/defy.5/22177/83959/
For errands as well, I'd go for this: http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-us/bikes/model/toughroad.slr.2/22192/84013/ (hydraulic disc brakes on a bike make a huge difference, to me at least)
Companies like Trek, GIANT, and Specialized are a lot like car dealers. The manufacturers have a very rigid product line that the bike dealers are required to adhere to especially Trek. Trek bikes are set up by Trek in the box and all the shop does is piece them together and put the MSRP on them. There's no customization which may sound boring but no confusion on what is being sold. I went with Trek because I felt like I understood exactly what I was getting and got a bike with the components I wanted at the price range I was looking for. Was really intrigued by some other models of some other brands but didn't feel comfortable pulling the trigger when making a decision out of a catalog. My local Trek shop had every model in every size right there for me to try out.
There are other less rigid brands that don't place such demands on their sellers like Jamis, Rocky Mountain, and Raleigh but some of them require a bit more research to know exactly what you are paying for. I found Trek's structure to be very linear. They have multiple models at each bike type and three tiers for each model. The frame at each model gets a little more complex and a little nicer as you go up in price and each tier has a little better components.
Best advice I think I can give (if you go to a shop like what I described) is to test ride at multiple different price ranges and get a feel for the differences. Mess with the shifters, the brakes, lean into the suspension a bit (if it has it of course) and don't be too shy. If the shop owner or sales staff makes you uncomfortable go find another shop. I got a really crappy pitch from a guy at a Felt dealer that flat out said any mountain bike under a $1000 was a waste of money and wouldn't last. My brother and I walked out promptly and made fun of him for the next several days.
That is because different size bikes of the same model weigh different amounts.
Keep in mind also that generally the bigger the brand, the better the componentry you get at the same price levels. Ventana certainly don't sell the same number of mountain bikes as Giant do, so when they call up SRAM and order a crate of cranksets, they don't get the same component price as when Giant does the same, but instead of ordering a crate, they order a sea container full...
How do you want to ride your bike? Do you want to stay on paths or offered?
Do you want to just take it less than 2kms down to the shops or go for hikes?
Satans..... hints.....
Also, thank you all. This is getting me super exited to get on a bike again!
I know that aluminum has been (economically) impossible for over a decade, but the two guys I know who used to repair light steel frames have largely given up that job, too. The one that I've talked to about it says that when the tubing became so thin and frames so cheap, fit-up became such a time suck that no one can afford repairs outside the vintage market (where value is way above replacement cost). I know of one successful titanium road frame repair (Seven represent!), but outside that everyone I know who has taken a serious crash has ended up having to scrap a frame that would've been, when I was a kid, repairable. I'm wondering if that's just skewed labor costs in my local market.
My office just made us a shiny new bike rack with a roof and stuff! Neat!
I'd definitely also be looking for something similar, 90% biking on roads but I would like to be able to go on a well worn hiking trail. Are hybrid tires not sturdy enough? Is there a decent bike to be had for under 600?
I just got the bike in the OP for $500 of our worthless Canadian dollars, and I was looking for exactly the sort of stuff you're describing. I'm far from a bike expert at this point, but from my research beforehand and chats with the folks at the bike shop a hybrid's tires should be fine for hiking/biking trails - mine actually came with a guide to the best trails in the province, most of which are crusher dust/fine gravel trails.
This: yes
I've ridden over roots and gravel and lumps and whatnot on this with no real trouble; traction in mud is the biggest issue, but it's sturdy enough as long as I don't try and do big dropoffs or anything:
(counter-example:
In general, the old traditional 32-spoke 3-cross lacing makes for a practically-indestructible wheel. You're going to break rims before you'll break spokes. (This is not entirely true, but you get the idea.)
You can progress pretty far down the spoke count and still have very strong wheels. Well, assuming 1. the wheels are well-built with good parts, 2. you don't ignore any loose spokes that might show up, 3. you aren't a 270 lb running back, and 4. you aren't bombing the bike off of culverts. My main road bike runs 20-spoke front (radially laced) and 24-spoke rear (asymmetric 16 two-cross / 8 radial) and I will take it over 5" curbs and such without concern (at low speeds and minding that the bike and I weigh 160 lbs together). Normal trail use here is certainly easier on it than that.
They have mildly better off road abilities than road bikes, weigh as much if not more than mountain bikes and don't go as fast as road bikes. The only reason I would buy one is so I can have a cheap, crappy looking bike to leave at the front of the shops that no one wants.
If you can pick one up significantly cheaper than other bikes that would maybe be reason to buy one.
Satans..... hints.....
I'm not sure I agree. Hybrids are still primarily road bikes. The little bit larger tires (and front suspension if you're spending enough) are designed for a more comfortable ride on streets not for off-road trails. Dirt and fine gravel they can manage but it's going to wear on the tires and components a bit harder. If you want to do mountain bike things you really should get a mountain bike not a hybrid.
I ended up finding the end of those trails, at the far end of the lake the canals connect to, and then around the lake and home, for a total of about 20km/12mi, and I feel fantastic
Don't listen to this. Modern carbon bikes are incredibly strong. I've been on carbon mountain and road bikes almost a decade and have seen zero failures. They can happen, but it takes serious impact and a lack of mindfulness of such post-crash.
I thought about this, and until I do start a real biking habit, I wanted to have a low upfront cost(I totally wasn't thinking about the $100 plus cost of accessories), so I went with a Giant Escape 3 for $350, hopefully that wasn't an awful decision. We also just decided to get my wife a cheap Raleigh 8 speed cruiser since she'll be going no more than a couple of miles from our home.
The Bad: Flew too close to the sun, picked up my first flat on my celebratory descent
Booooooooooo.
Here is my bike. I am in Bike love with it.
Satans..... hints.....
Back in the fancy days of me having a job I spent a month away from home and got a living away from home allowance.
You are pretty much looking at all of it.
Satans..... hints.....
I need to do a full service on my main bike and I need to appropriate one of the 3D printers and work and sort a out a rear light mount for my spare bike.
Also want to buy a mountain bike soon but need to find some money for that.