High, new to the forum and have been reading a lot latley here. I have been riding quite abit teh last couple years mainly to loose weight and get my fat but in better shape. I'm finding that teh more I ride the more I enjoy it. My problem is that my bike is an 18 year old Centurion (less than $300 when it was new). It's not always the most comfortable obviously and definately not very fast. I mostly ride alone but have been doing more rides with people and finding it much more fun. The problem is I can't keep up with them at all and just really want a new bike. What is meant by aggressive geometry? Can someone kind of point me in a direction of a couple bikes to start looking at. I only ride 8-12 miles each night but have started doing more 25 mile rides and really enjoy it. I stumbled on a 2007 madone 5.2 brand new for $2000. Way more than I want to spend but at teh same time it seems like an incredible deal. Would this bike fit my needs? I have also heard a lot about teh Allez.

Thanks for the guidances

D

That's quite a leap (from what you have to a Madonne).

Bike technology has progressed a lot in the past almost 20 years.

How tall are you? How much do you weigh? How old? These are all considerations.

You've given some clue about your immediate goals, and this is good (and your goals are shared by many of us, btw). Do you aspire to do a century (100-mile ride) by next summer? If so, that makes a difference in what you buy.

Some of the key issues (in no particular order):


local bike shop (LBS) support, for fit, maintenance, repair, advice, etc.
frame material (carbon, aluminum, mix, steel, ti)
component group
race or comfort geometry
type of terrain (hilly? flat?) and length of rides
budget
lone rider or group rider


Rather than spend $2000 on a Madonne, I'd rather see you spend $1,200 on a much, much better/faster/more competent bike than you have now, and use the extra $800 for component upgrades down the line, or for a bike trip to California, North Carolina, or Spain.

Bicycling Magazine has tons of reviews in various categories. They have a website as well. This website has detailed reviews once you narrow things down.

Some of the better bikes in recent reviews: Schwinn Fastback; Trek 1000, 1200, and 1500 (try to get an end-of-season discount); Jamis Quest (steel), any recent Cannondale with decent components and wheels. Good luck

drewmcg,

Thanks for the responce. Yes, I'm asking a lot and looking at a big jump in bikes. Of course with regards to what I ride now a bike from walmart may be a big upgrade. Let me see if I can answer some of your questions:

I'm 6' (short legs and long trunk, inseam is 32")
At this time I weigh 197lbs and shooting for 190. I was 216 in November.
I'm 41 I ride a trainer through winter.

The lbs has the new bike I mentioned and support is there. They put me on a few bikes and said I needed a 56cm bike.

I like the light weight of carbon but am mostly looking for something that rides comfortable and is faster than what I currently have.

The Madone has a full Ultegra set and I think I would really like to stay at that level but honestly don't know if that is needed. A 105 group may be fine, I just don't know. Ignerance I guess.

Comfort is more important to me but can I still get speed with comfort?

The erea I mostly ride is slightly hilly but I am able to get on flat rides too.

I can come up with the $2000 but obviously would rather spend $500 for the same quality (not going to hapopen I know). This will more than likely be my last bike for another 15-20 years so I would like to get teh right bike now if that is possible. My ability may never exceed that of a $1200 bike.

90% of my rides are ridden alone but I am getting into riding with a partner or small group. Much more fun and keeps it more interesting.

My normal rides are 8-12 miles. I have been doing more 25 mile rides and plan on a 50 over labor day. I deffinately plan on a century next summer at this time. Not a race just 100 miles regardless how long it takes. Just want to be able to say I did it and can do it.

Hope this helps, thanks for the advice.

Comfort is more important to me but can I still get speed with comfort?

This is called the "Go fast, Go long" category. Models that have been recommended to me have been the Specialized Roubaix (UGLY paint scheme, though), Cannondale Synapse, and Trek Pilot.

I'm sure there are many others out there, too.

I'd like to hear other's opinions as well, since it's what I'm looking to buy sometime over the next year.

The worst part about cycling is that sooner or later, 1 bike is just not enough.

I already have a 1997 Bianchi CDI, and am learning that I'll need 1 bike for commuting, the other for recreational riding. The commuting bike will get the rack, the more flat-resistant (but heavier) tires, wheels less likely to break a spoke (but again, heavier).

From what you've said, I would probably not recommend the Madonne--UNLESS, it makes you so excited about the bike that you're confident it will cause you to ride it 4 times as much (or more) than any other bike you're considering. In that case, it would be money well spent.

Congratulations, btw, on the impressive weight loss, and associated health improvements.

At 41, you're still young for a road rider. As you increase your mileage/training, your body has the abiltiy to improve in strength and even flexibilty over the next several years. (I'm 50, btw). Now that you're south of 200lbs, there are very, very few modern components that will not work for you durabilty-wise.

While it may seem like a lot of miles to you, the rides you're describing are not all that long for many road bikers. And bikes are improving at a sufficiently rapid pace that in 5 or 6 years, the amount of bike that you can get for $1500 will be much more than today--just like what you can get for that price today far exceeds what you could 5 years ago. More example, Trek has just introduced the 2006 Madone, with a fairly radically different design (so the '07 will be cleared out relatively cheap over the next 6 mos.) Even two years ago, Shimano 105 groupo was significanlty less desireable than Ultegra (9 spd vs. 10 spd); but in 2006 and 2007, Shimano has substantially upgraded 105 to where the difference is much less.

Somebody on this site would be able to tell you, but, excluding wheels, the 105 groupo is probably only a pound or two heavier than ultegra. Compare that to the weight you hope to lose on your body.

My advice: Get the best frame you can, with 105 (shimano) or veloce (campy) or better groupo for $1200; make sure they size you right not just in frame size but also stem length and angle; upgrade to a great seat (e.g., Specialized Toupe); consider upgrading the seatpost (e.g., Specialized Pave); consider upgrading the wheels (e.g., Neuvation.com), and ride the heck out of the thing for the next 2-3 years, and see where you are. If, as I hope, you're riding over 100 miles a week and in the fast group rides at that point, reward yourself by buying even more bike (for less) at that point.

per cyclenews.com, the 2007 105 gruopo is barely over 1 pound heavier tha Dura Ace (including hubs).

Thanks for the advice. I'm going out today to a couple local shops and ride a few. Ther is a trek dealer as wel as a Jamis and Fuji dealer. I think ther may be a Specialized around as well. I need shoes anyway since I am riding in running shoes. It sounds like no matter what I get in teh over $1000 catagory I will be getting a bike infinately better than what I already have. I think I should probably focus on comfort at this point then.

Thanks again, I finally feel like I an getting steared in teh direction that best suits me instead of toward what the shop has to move out the door. I'll keep posted what happens.

This is called the "Go fast, Go long" category. Models that have been recommended to me have been the Specialized Roubaix (UGLY paint scheme, though), Cannondale Synapse, and Trek Pilot.

Those will keep you comfy over longer rides.

If you want the Madone and it fits your body, get it. At about 17 or a bit more, it light enough and well built enough to last you for years unless you get bike envy.