Can someone help me pick a road bike?

kage · 08-07-2003, 08:17 PM

So after many years away from cycling, I'm thinking about getting back into it. I want to get back in shape, and my knees and shins can't handle running. I always used to bike a lot, but slacked after college (common story). I switched to mountain bikes because I was doing a fair bit of trail riding, and it was easier to find a bike to fit me. I have tremendously short legs for my height. I am 5'6", and my inseam (to the floor) is only 28". My girlfriend is 5'1" and has the same inseam. (she steals my pants!)

Anyway, it looks like I finally found a bike to fit me. Giant (I used to own a Giant mountain bike) now makes road bike frames with a sloped top bar (much like a mountain bike). Their small frame is still a bit too tall (I have zero clearance, and you're supposed to have an inch), but it's liveable, and the top bar isn't so short that I feel cramped.

I have been looking at the OCR 3 (the entry level bike at US $600) but I don't like the shifters on it, because you can't shift from the down position. The next one up is the OCR 2 (US $820).

Now to the dilemma: the model year is just about to switch over, and of course next year's models offer better stuff for about the same money. Here are the choices:

2003 OCR 3: $550
Straight CrMo fork, 24 speed Sora gearset, 1" threaded headset
2003 OCR 2: $750
Straight CrMo fork, 27 speed Tiagra set, 1" threaded headset, Mavic rims

2004 OCR 3: $600
Curved aluminum fork, 27 speed Sora gearset, 1 1/8" threadless headset
2004 OCR 2: $850
Curved composite fork, 27 speed Tiagra gearset, 1 1/8" threadless headset, XCR rims

So which one should I go for? Money is not the major object, but I don't want to overbuy. My riding skills aren't anything to write home about at this point, and I won't be racing or anything. Opinions or alternatives are appreciated.

Full_Clip · 08-07-2003, 08:22 PM

Sorry, can't really help you with a road bike purchase.

Full_Clip owns a Jeep Wrangler mountain bike.

kage · 08-07-2003, 09:00 PM

Not that anyone cares, but this decision has been made. I jumped on an EBay auction for a 2002 OCR 2 and got it for $560.

JayhawkRS · 08-07-2003, 09:23 PM

Nice. Glad you found something! I can relate with the sizing issue. I'm inseam challenged and spent quite a while looking for something in a 48cm that looked like it'd fit. Unfortunately what I picked out wasn't available anywhere to test ride so I had to order it on faith. We measured my 15 year old custom frame and compared it to the Cannondale CAAD7 I was looking at and it looked good so I went for it.

I am absolutely smitten with it. I've had it just over a month and I've put on 700 miles.

It's got Campagnolo Record 10 speed with Ksyrium wheels, Cinelli Solido/Solida bar and stem. Weighted in at 16 lbs. 7 ozs.

My new baby:

gtguy · 08-07-2003, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by kage
Not that anyone cares, but this decision has been made. I jumped on an EBay auction for a 2002 OCR 2 and got it for $560.

D-oh! Sorry that I came to this late. I would have told you to go with option two, because of the 1 1/8" steerer. 1" steerers are going the way of the dodo bird, which means that you run into difficulties with stem selection if you have a 1" steerer.

There are shim kits that come with stems, but personally, I'm not a shim kind of guy.

Sounds like a good deal on the OCR, however. Good luck.

Kevin

DrD · 08-07-2003, 10:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by JayhawkRS
It's got Campagnolo Record 10 speed with Ksyrium wheels, Cinelli Solida/Solida bar and stem. Weighted in at 16 lbs. 7 ozs.

Nice ride!

A little short in stature, though! At least that keeps them light! (I have a '99 63cm Litespeed Ultimate which comes in at 19.5lbs as I have it set up right now...)

scaryfastskier · 08-07-2003, 11:05 PM

whats the standard inseam vs. height?

JayhawkRS · 08-07-2003, 11:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DrD

Nice ride!

A little short in stature, though! At least that keeps them light! (I have a '99 63cm Litespeed Ultimate which comes in at 19.5lbs as I have it set up right now...)

63cm? Woah. I'd say you're at least a couple of inches taller than I am!

koolaideprived · 08-08-2003, 12:27 AM

Jayhawk, very nice bike selection. I went with Specialized though, Allez Comp because yours was < > that much out of my pricerange.

Yes, sarcasm is lost on the intarweb

kage · 08-08-2003, 01:25 PM

Nice bike Jayhawk. That bike is so far over my head I get a nosebleed just looking at it.

scaryfastskier: I don't know what the standard proportion is, I just know it's way longer than mine. I have the same torso length as my friend, who is 5'10". Given that I'm asian, we often have short legs, but I'm fairly extreme even for us.

mbiker97 · 08-08-2003, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by JayhawkRS
Nice. Glad you found something! I can relate with the sizing issue. I'm inseam challenged and spent quite a while looking for something in a 48cm that looked like it'd fit. Unfortunately what I picked out wasn't available anywhere to test ride so I had to order it on faith. We measured my 15 year old custom frame and compared it to the Cannondale CAAD7 I was looking at and it looked good so I went for it.

I am absolutely smitten with it. I've had it just over a month and I've put on 700 miles.

It's got Campagnolo Record 10 speed with Ksyrium wheels, Cinelli Solida/Solida bar and stem. Weighted in at 16 lbs. 7 ozs.

My new baby:

Sweet ride!

I have a 1998 Crack'n Fail R1000, Ultegra 9 speed, Cinelli bar, etc... Unfortunately it had an early demise due to my stupidity with a roof rack and a low overhang. It weighed 17.4 and was a 60cm.

gtguy · 08-08-2003, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by koolaideprived
Jayhawk, very nice bike selection. I went with Specialized though, Allez Comp because yours was < > that much out of my pricerange.

The Allez Comp is a nice ride. I have an '03 frame, speced with Shimano 105 (black), Mavic SSC brakes and Ksyrium wheels. It's my commuter bike. I love the compact geometry, and I got the frame (with fork, headset) for $300 shipped to my door. It was pretty hard to pass up at that price.

The weekend/fun bike is a Trek 5900 w/Dura Ace, FSA carbon crank and Ksyriums.

Kevin

JayhawkRS · 08-08-2003, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mbiker97

Sweet ride! I have a 1998 Crack'n Fail R1000, Ultegra 9 speed, Cinelli bar, etc... Unfortunately it had an early demise due to my stupidity with a roof rack and a low overhang. It weighed 17.4 and was a 60cm.

Crack'n Fail? Boy I sure hope not.

Even though I'm well aware of the nature of aluminum and it's propensity to fail given enough time. The old "steel may fail, aluminum will fail" saying.

A friend of mine drove his car with roof rack and bikes attached into a parking garage. Can we say oops. Damaged the rack but his bikes amazingly enough survived.

Sorry to hear that yours didn't.

08-07-2003, 08:17 PM	#1
kage Scooby Newbie Member#: 25101 Join Date: Sep 2002 Chapter/Region: HIIC Location: www.luanainn.com Vehicle: 2002 PSM WRX Wagon 1999 Twilight Blue Miata	Can someone help me pick a road bike? So after many years away from cycling, I'm thinking about getting back into it. I want to get back in shape, and my knees and shins can't handle running. I always used to bike a lot, but slacked after college (common story). I switched to mountain bikes because I was doing a fair bit of trail riding, and it was easier to find a bike to fit me. I have tremendously short legs for my height. I am 5'6", and my inseam (to the floor) is only 28". My girlfriend is 5'1" and has the same inseam. (she steals my pants!) Anyway, it looks like I finally found a bike to fit me. Giant (I used to own a Giant mountain bike) now makes road bike frames with a sloped top bar (much like a mountain bike). Their small frame is still a bit too tall (I have zero clearance, and you're supposed to have an inch), but it's liveable, and the top bar isn't so short that I feel cramped. I have been looking at the OCR 3 (the entry level bike at US $600) but I don't like the shifters on it, because you can't shift from the down position. The next one up is the OCR 2 (US $820). Now to the dilemma: the model year is just about to switch over, and of course next year's models offer better stuff for about the same money. Here are the choices: 2003 OCR 3: $550 Straight CrMo fork, 24 speed Sora gearset, 1" threaded headset 2003 OCR 2: $750 Straight CrMo fork, 27 speed Tiagra set, 1" threaded headset, Mavic rims 2004 OCR 3: $600 Curved aluminum fork, 27 speed Sora gearset, 1 1/8" threadless headset 2004 OCR 2: $850 Curved composite fork, 27 speed Tiagra gearset, 1 1/8" threadless headset, XCR rims So which one should I go for? Money is not the major object, but I don't want to overbuy. My riding skills aren't anything to write home about at this point, and I won't be racing or anything. Opinions or alternatives are appreciated.

08-07-2003, 09:23 PM	#4
JayhawkRS Scooby Newbie Member#: 14050 Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Lawrence, KS Vehicle: 2007 Legacy Spec.B 2004 WRX	Nice. Glad you found something! I can relate with the sizing issue. I'm inseam challenged and spent quite a while looking for something in a 48cm that looked like it'd fit. Unfortunately what I picked out wasn't available anywhere to test ride so I had to order it on faith. We measured my 15 year old custom frame and compared it to the Cannondale CAAD7 I was looking at and it looked good so I went for it. I am absolutely smitten with it. I've had it just over a month and I've put on 700 miles. It's got Campagnolo Record 10 speed with Ksyrium wheels, Cinelli Solido/Solida bar and stem. Weighted in at 16 lbs. 7 ozs. My new baby: Last edited by JayhawkRS; 08-08-2003 at 03:39 PM.

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08-07-2003, 08:22 PM	#2
Full_Clip Scooby Specialist Member#: 22218 Join Date: Jul 2002 Chapter/Region: South East Location: University of Florida	Sorry, can't really help you with a road bike purchase. Full_Clip owns a Jeep Wrangler mountain bike.

08-07-2003, 09:00 PM	#3
kage Scooby Newbie Member#: 25101 Join Date: Sep 2002 Chapter/Region: HIIC Location: www.luanainn.com Vehicle: 2002 PSM WRX Wagon 1999 Twilight Blue Miata	Not that anyone cares, but this decision has been made. I jumped on an EBay auction for a 2002 OCR 2 and got it for $560.

08-07-2003, 11:05 PM	#7
scaryfastskier NASIOC Supporter Member#: 7893 Join Date: Jun 2001 Chapter/Region: International Location: Saint Louis... EI! Vehicle: 1979 GS550 puttputt 2000 Lexus Landcruiser	whats the standard inseam vs. height?

08-08-2003, 12:27 AM	#9
koolaideprived Scooby Newbie Member#: 25936 Join Date: Oct 2002 Chapter/Region: RMIC Location: Waving from the Circus Train Vehicle: 2008 Forester XT WRB	Jayhawk, very nice bike selection. I went with Specialized though, Allez Comp because yours was < > that much out of my pricerange. Yes, sarcasm is lost on the intarweb

08-08-2003, 01:25 PM	#10
kage Scooby Newbie Member#: 25101 Join Date: Sep 2002 Chapter/Region: HIIC Location: www.luanainn.com Vehicle: 2002 PSM WRX Wagon 1999 Twilight Blue Miata	Nice bike Jayhawk. That bike is so far over my head I get a nosebleed just looking at it. scaryfastskier: I don't know what the standard proportion is, I just know it's way longer than mine. I have the same torso length as my friend, who is 5'10". Given that I'm asian, we often have short legs, but I'm fairly extreme even for us.