road bike

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This (the Hub) is a good place to start your search but at the end of the day understand most people here are just going to say "I ride a Bianchi - never had a problem", "I ride a Cervelo - great bike", "I ride a Cannondale very comfortable", "I ride a Trek - so did LA so it must be good", I ride...........whatever",...........understand, this is NOT advice, this is just re-enforcing a buying principle or decision,....... usually their own.!

 

Spending R25.000.00 on a bike based on what somebody else rides, is ludicrous - if you do that you deserve to be parted from your money with a poor buying decision.

 

Take a few days and look at various options, then get an informed opinion on the componants and the frame, and thats not the salesman pitch of "I have been riding on XYZ componants / frames for years now and never had a problem"........... research the web, theres lots of info there, ask at the shop about fit, discuss the kind of riding you will do, could you later upgrade cheaply, do you need a Dura Ace gear set when you will only be riding on Sundays with mates and two races a year, the bikes handeling - a pure race bike has rather "skittish" handeling, is it suitable to train on daily, race ready light rims are not great at staying the distance on pot holed training roads, perhaps you have a medical condition like a spinal injury or a joint problem, all of these things will (or indeed should) influence your decision.

 

Remember at the end of the day - YOU and only YOU will be stuck riding the bike, not your buddy, not the salesman and certainly nobody here, make sure the bike you buy SUITS YOU - by all means listen to suggestions and advice, but the final decision is yours and yours alone.

 

Make it wisely and you will be happy, make it based on somebody elses opinion and you may be sorely dissapointed.

 

Have Fun.