eccc whippet Posted October 8, 2015 Posted October 8, 2015 Buying a bicycle...a rather interesting venture...from my own experience...upgrading my mtb it was a rather interesting challenge...you can see by the threads on this forum...it boils down to a majority vote...giant wins hands down on this forum...is the anthem the right bike...well you will never know...sales are so good that bicycle shops dont need to allow people proper test rides...here in Durban for example you lucky to get a spin up the side alley...as one bike shop owner indicated to me...people are throwing so much money at bicycle shops that they cant keep up with sales...until the bike craze swings and sales drop...chances are you just gona have to buy what you "think" is the right bike. I am considering upgrading my road bike...quite honestly there is no ways on this planet that i am going to throw another R25 000+ at a bike shop without testing various bikes...so it looks like i will be riding the treksta9 for a while still I have been looking but all the carbon bikes look nice...they all have similar components...and they all have good reviews...which one will feel right...i will just have to wait until the bike craze dies off or import the components and build a bike. what are your thoughts...do you buy a bike because... someone tells you that is a good bike?of the majority vote?your mates tell you it is a leka bike? you research bikes and find the bike with the best components at the cheapest price?you ride a mates bike?price is right?the shop sales person tells you its the right bike for you?etc...etc...etc
Veebee Posted October 8, 2015 Posted October 8, 2015 the advice I got, buy the 1 you want and be happy. don't get something that you will have doubts about after a few km. Which shops are you dealing with and what do you have in mind ? For R25k, most new bikes will be equipped with 105, but I guess if you wait another 4-6 weeks you should be able to fetch a 2015 bike with Ultegra.
eccc whippet Posted October 8, 2015 Author Posted October 8, 2015 I have no idea which road bike I want yet...with the mtb it was between the scott and the giant...the scott salesman helped me choose the bike the bike i bought...but with the road bike..it is not gona be that simple. At the moment i only ride the mtb once a month...the rest of the time i spend on the road bike...i have a R2k road bike and a R30k mtb..seems a bit silly...it should be the other way round...all my gear is also setup for off road. i dont have a budget yet because i am not sure which is gona be the right bike...from what i have looked at so far...chances are i am gona need to spend between R30k and R50k..including road bike shoes and another assos bib....chance are i could find a second hand bike for a fraction of the cost of a new bike...the problem is the warranty on the frame...the way i understand it...giant for example...new frames have a lifetime warranty if you are first owner but once the bike is sold the warranty falls away. something else i am gona put a lot more focus into before I outlay the money...is the correct size bike...i am between a medium and large frame...getting to old to be a race snake...as the saddle manufacturer would refer to me as a bull. the other thing to consider is backup service...warranty claims...etc....this is something you need to take note of when buying a new bike...they seem to break a lot easy than the older bikes...I hammered my revel and it just kept going...the anthem is only a couple months old it has already been in for repairs...the bike shop fixed it under warranty.
Rocket-Boy Posted October 8, 2015 Posted October 8, 2015 Road bikes arent nearly as cut and dried as mountain bikes for me, there is less to them in terms of pedalling efficiency etc. Any of the good brands in roadbike will be fine as long as you get the right size. Warranty can be a thing but its less of a problem to me, I prefer second hand based on the value you get. Maybe chat to a bikeshop that can do a proper fit to see what size will suit you best and take it from there? *editForgot to mention, dont get hung up on weight of the roadie, you are probably in the buffalo class so getting a light bike isnt going to make a difference!105 will serve you just as well as ultegra.
Brickleberry Posted October 8, 2015 Posted October 8, 2015 I love giant and I ride a TCR advanced SL, but I have to say when I was looking, the Specialized dealer at Cedar was more than willing to get me on a bike for the weekend to test out. Could be worth trying them out.
Dubber Posted October 8, 2015 Posted October 8, 2015 My thoughts: There is a tipping point were price vs value for money drops off. For example a R20k bike will get you x bike. Spending R40k on a different bike does not mean you are going to get double the bike you got for R20k. Yes, the R40k bike will be better, but a portion of the increase will be going towards the name brand, not the bike. If you are happy to pay the extra cash for the name brand, so be it. If you are unsure of what you want bike you want, do the following: find a bike that you think is what you are after. Then find the same bike second hand. It will very likely be significantly less in price. To cover your warranty concerns, insure the bike comprehensively. You now have a bike that you like mentally, haven't paid top wack for it and it is covered for damage. Ride it! A lot! If it works for you, either keep it or sell it. You won't loose as much depreciation on a 2nd hand bike. Then you can buy the equivalent new bike or start the process again. You'll loose a bit, but a lot less than buying new and finding it's a lemon :-)
Pure Savage Posted October 8, 2015 Posted October 8, 2015 Be done with it: https://www.bikehub.co.za/classifieds/158611-giant-tcr-advance-ultegra-11spd/
madbradd Posted October 8, 2015 Posted October 8, 2015 Something you mentioned that I think is also important..... not gonna be a racing snake. So yes the propel/venge/madone types look awesome, but might be worth looking at the defy/Roubaix/domane type of bikes. Just a thought since I've never ridden an "endurance" road bike before so not sure what they're like... again not being able to test the bikes is the issue there, but they make those bikes for a reason.... and I don't think that reason is only for the pro's to have a bike for the cobbles.
eccc whippet Posted October 9, 2015 Author Posted October 9, 2015 Thanks...starting to think a bike build might be the way to go...that way i build exactly what i want and if it isnt... i just change whatever it is i dont like...lucky i am not in a rush.
eccc whippet Posted October 9, 2015 Author Posted October 9, 2015 Road bikes arent nearly as cut and dried as mountain bikes for me, there is less to them in terms of pedalling efficiency etc. Any of the good brands in roadbike will be fine as long as you get the right size. Warranty can be a thing but its less of a problem to me, I prefer second hand based on the value you get. Maybe chat to a bikeshop that can do a proper fit to see what size will suit you best and take it from there? *editForgot to mention, dont get hung up on weight of the roadie, you are probably in the buffalo class so getting a light bike isnt going to make a difference!105 will serve you just as well as ultegra.lucky its friday so i wont take the buffalo comment to heart I was thinking more the prime bull class would be more suitable...considering the huge expense required to get this fat.
rudi-h Posted October 9, 2015 Posted October 9, 2015 I have no idea which road bike I want yet...with the mtb it was between the scott and the giant...the scott salesman helped me choose the bike the bike i bought...but with the road bike..it is not gona be that simple. At the moment i only ride the mtb once a month...the rest of the time i spend on the road bike...i have a R2k road bike and a R30k mtb..seems a bit silly...it should be the other way round...all my gear is also setup for off road. i dont have a budget yet because i am not sure which is gona be the right bike...from what i have looked at so far...chances are i am gona need to spend between R30k and R50k..including road bike shoes and another assos bib....chance are i could find a second hand bike for a fraction of the cost of a new bike...the problem is the warranty on the frame...the way i understand it...giant for example...new frames have a lifetime warranty if you are first owner but once the bike is sold the warranty falls away. something else i am gona put a lot more focus into before I outlay the money...is the correct size bike...i am between a medium and large frame...getting to old to be a race snake...as the saddle manufacturer would refer to me as a bull. the other thing to consider is backup service...warranty claims...etc....this is something you need to take note of when buying a new bike...they seem to break a lot easy than the older bikes...I hammered my revel and it just kept going...the anthem is only a couple months old it has already been in for repairs...the bike shop fixed it under warranty. i also roll with a cheapy road bike (2006 raleigh RC3000) that I bought way back when for under R4k with pedals and a helmet and also spent a fortune on a MTB not too long ago. does it bother me? absolutely not. A road bike is fast because of its skinny wheels, gearing and geometry, not so much because of the weight, frame material or the componentry. My raleigh has tiagra components (cheaper than 105) and I can say that to this day I have never had a single bad shift. Brakes are good and maintenance is low. Only issue I have is that 9speed cassettes aren't too common anymore, so I guess at some point i'll have to upgrade that. not saying you shouldn't buy a new bike, new bikes are awesome!, but there has been a lot less obvious innovation and improvement with road bikes compared to MTB's in the last 10 years. 10 years ago MTB geometry, wheel size etc. wasn't even close to what it is now and you couldn't buy a dedicated marathon, XC or Enduro bike, a Pike or a dropper post!! but if i would pick, I would pick as follows: 1) Fit - make sure the bike was made for you2) Wheels - don't skimp on those wheels!3) Hotness - make sure you get the drool factor dailed if you're going to spend R30+k4) Not something seriously mainstream... colnago comes to mind
HBO Posted October 9, 2015 Posted October 9, 2015 I am not an expert, but personally I don't believe there is much different between a Spez, Trek, Giant etc. The biggest difference is in the group set and wheels. And then whether it is alu or carbon. But if you are not a racing snake and don't intend to become one, then just buy what you like (what looks cool to you) and ride it. For R 30k you can get a top end second hand bike with nice wheels. And as dubber said, just insure it properly on an all risk basis. I had a trek that was damage recently and bought a S Works Venge on the hub. As I understand, the S-Works is a far better frame than what I had and retail new for double than that of my Trek's replacement, but to be honest there is no difference in the ride comfort. However the Venge is definitely faster and handles better in fast corners and descents. If you eventually do decide to become a racing snake, then don't spend big cash on lighter/ faster components, just drop them kilo's and spend the cash on new, smaller clothes.
Rocket-Boy Posted October 9, 2015 Posted October 9, 2015 lucky its friday so i wont take the buffalo comment to heart I was thinking more the prime bull class would be more suitable...considering the huge expense required to get this fat.Hehe, dont worry Im also in that class so dont see it as insulting For what its worth I built both of my roadies from bits sourced entirely from the classifieds over a period of time. They are both great machines with great specs and it didnt cost an arm and a leg to do so.
Grey Hubs Posted October 9, 2015 Posted October 9, 2015 Key is to find a bike that fits you right! If you can't get this spot on, the rest won't matter. By a good 2nd hand bike that fits and save $$$
eccc whippet Posted October 9, 2015 Author Posted October 9, 2015 Something which seems to pop up a lot in bike talk...wheels. You walk into a shop find what you think is your perfect bike...get all excited and the budget is just right...then the very next thing the salesman blurts...by way the wheels on your dream machine are budget crap wheels and would advise that you spend another R10 000 on a slightly better set. So as we learn...maybe i should start by sourcing a decent wheel set...and fit them to the bike i have at the moment
eccc whippet Posted October 9, 2015 Author Posted October 9, 2015 Things to look at... Find a cheap second hand bike with ok components... source a full carbon frame online... Shop around for a good wheel set... As the components wear upgrade to better... Try seats until you find the right one...then just move it to the new frame...
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