Best road bike under $1000?
Frank G. Sikes
What's your opinion on the best road/touring bike under $1000? I'm
considering the Trek 1220, but am open to other suggestions. Need touring
style bike w/ triple chainwheel for climbing steep hills.
Thanks for any advice.
FGS
Ken Rose
In article <01bc3f8d$05901ac0$4ac7...@FrankG.Sikes>, "Frank G. Sikes"
Frank,
I have the Trek 1220 and I like it a lot, but thats not what I'm
going to advise you to buy. Most bikes in a given price range
have similar components & quality; the key differentiator, then,
is your local bike shop. A bike from maker A that is well-fitted
to you, set up correctly, and maintained correctly is a better
buy than one from maker B from a store with a surly staff and
no interest in taking the time to set you up and answer your
questions. My advice would be to visit your local shops, and
buy a bike from one of the ones that will provide you with
good service (and of course, if they sell Trek, so much the better!)
-- Ken
--
____________________________________________________________________
Ken Rose (ke...@engr.sgi.com)
The Usual Disclaimer: Any opinions expressed above are mine alone,
not those of Silicon Graphics
Thomas H. Kunich
In article <01bc3f8d$05901ac0$4ac7...@FrankG.Sikes>,
Frank G. Sikes <fsi...@napanet.net> wrote:
>What's your opinion on the best road/touring bike under $1000? I'm
>considering the Trek 1220, but am open to other suggestions. Need touring
>style bike w/ triple chainwheel for climbing steep hills.
THere is no "best" bike. Look around and buy what you like. Trying
to make comparisons of things that are compromises at best is a lost
time generator.
Alex Wetmore
Do you mean touring style bike because you plan on carrying gear in
panniers, or touring style because you want a triple crankset?
The Trek 1220 seems like a good example of the latter, but not of the
former. Its got pretty short chainstays and all. If you want to do
touring take a look at the Trek 520. If you want something cheaper check
out the Novara Randonee (its about $600, carried by your local REI). The
Trek frame is nicer (hand-built vs. made in Taiwan) but otherwise they have
fairly similar components (the notable differences are that the Trek has
STX-RC hubs which have better seals then the RSX hubs on the Randonee).
If all that you want is a triple crank there are a number of options...get
the one that fits you the best. Most triple equiped bikes in that price
range are going to be RSX or a mix of RSX and RX100 (or 105SC) parts.
I personally have a Trek 520 and think its great. Its got a great frame
for hauling stuff (good for touring and commuting purposes) enough
clearance for large tires and fenders, and works well. I commute on mine
pretty much every day (except for when its sunny like today, then I get out
my Klein Performance...the sun doesn't come out too often here in Seattle
though).
alex
Frank G. Sikes <fsi...@napanet.net> wrote in article
<01bc3f8d$05901ac0$4ac7...@FrankG.Sikes>...
> What's your opinion on the best road/touring bike under $1000? I'm
> considering the Trek 1220, but am open to other suggestions. Need touring
> style bike w/ triple chainwheel for climbing steep hills.
>
Kent Nichols
In article <01bc3f8d$05901ac0$4ac7...@FrankG.Sikes>,
Frank G. Sikes <fsi...@napanet.net> wrote:
>What's your opinion on the best road/touring bike under $1000? I'm
>considering the Trek 1220, but am open to other suggestions. Need touring
>style bike w/ triple chainwheel for climbing steep hills.
>
>Thanks for any advice.
>FGS
I was seriously considering the 1220, but I ultimately chose the
Bianchi Eros. The Eros has Campy components with 8 in the back, the
1220 has Shimano and a 7 cassette. The Eros also has a better
geometry for me (I am a tall individual), and is made from steel.
They are both good bikes, but before you buy the 1220, take an Eros
out for a test ride.
-K
--
Kent Nichols | gri...@ecst.csuchico.edu | Media Monster
J. Neale
A really nice sport-tourer is the Bianchi
Eros. A friend of mine got one last year.
All-italian, including Dediccai (sp?) steel tubing,
Campy Mirage components. A very sweet
ride. Last year, about $900 in bike shops.
Frank G. Sikes <fsi...@napanet.net> wrote in article
<01bc3f8d$05901ac0$4ac7...@FrankG.Sikes>...
Fornavn Efternavn
Frank G. Sikes <fsi...@napanet.net> skrev i artiklen
<01bc3f8d$05901ac0$4ac7...@FrankG.Sikes>...
> What's your opinion on the best road/touring bike under $1000? I'm
> considering the Trek 1220, but am open to other suggestions. Need touring
> style bike w/ triple chainwheel for climbing steep hills.
>
> Thanks for any advice.
> FGS
>
> Hello Frank !
I tried to send an e-mail directly to you, but it just didn't work out
right. The reason for me writing is that I'm planning to cross US on bike
this summer, and your question is therefore also highly relevant to me.
If you could forward any answers to Denmark (where I'm at) I would be very
grateful.
Rasmus Justesen e-mail: k936...@db.dk
W. Thomas Manders
In <01bc40e8$f0656b20$b290...@dbi-3.db.dk> "Fornavn Efternavn"
<k9x...@db.dk> writes:
>
>
>
>Frank G. Sikes <fsi...@napanet.net> skrev i artiklen
><01bc3f8d$05901ac0$4ac7...@FrankG.Sikes>...
Does anyone have an opinion abou;t using a cross bike for touring?
Several people have recommended that I look at such an option and would
like some input on those who may have tried this type bike for touring.
TIA
Tom
email: wmanders @ix.netcom.com
Adam Parks
In article <01bc3f8d$05901ac0$4ac7...@FrankG.Sikes>, "Frank G. Sikes"
<fsi...@napanet.net> wrote:
> What's your opinion on the best road/touring bike under $1000? I'm
> considering the Trek 1220, but am open to other suggestions. Need touring
> style bike w/ triple chainwheel for climbing steep hills.
>
> Thanks for any advice.
> FGS
If your so inclined the best road bike for under $1000 is the one you
build yourself. I've built numerous bikes and they are much better than
any bike I'd buy at the bike shop. True U may not be able to build a 14 lb
road bike or a 22 lb mountain bike but weight is not really the issue its
rolling resistence and wheel weight that are. Just go to your local used
bike shop or swap meet and get a good old steel or cro-mo frame Niskiki,
Puch, Univega, Some schwinn are all good "old" bike bets especially if
their cro-mo. make sure and keep the frame as light as possible but before
frame weight you should consider the extreme importance of wheel weight.
Just try and pick out the best components U can find and soon enough
you'll have a road bike that you'll love and cherish not just enjoy. And
plus you can do it all for much, much less than $1000.
Donada'gohvi,
Adam
-It is better to die on your feet than live on your knees-
-Adam Parks St...@flash.net (512)4529313-
Hansolo758
Hello Frank:
You'll no doubt get as many answers as there are people who respond to
your enquiry. If you want to carry touring loads,then a Trek 520, Fuji
touring series, Bianchi San Remo or Bianchi Volpe are probably your best
bets under $1000. The Trek is just about $1000 MSRP or maybe a little
over.
If you want a triple crank bike and don't necessarily want load-carrying
capacity, then check out a recent issue of Bicycle Guide magazine (I
believe Nov. or Dec. 96) which reviewed several triple-crank bikes. I
would myself put in votes for Schwinn Supersport (Shimano RX-100 gruppo),
Fuji Roubaix (Shimano 105 gruppo) and Bianchi Eros (Campy Mirage gruppo),
all of which offer slightly better componentry than the usual Shimano RSX
components you'll get in triple-crank bikes at this price point. Neither
the Schwinn nor the Fuji were reviewed in that issue of Bicycle Guide (the
Bianchi was) but the Schwinn did get a brief review in the most recent
issue, the "Buyer's Guide".
There are many, many Shimano RSX-equipped bikes at this price point, too
many to speak of individually. The first Bicycle Guide issue which I wrote
above does look at bikes from Trek, Specialized, Diamondback and
Cannondale in your price range with Shimano RSX gruppos. There are others
of course from Fuji, Bianchi, and other manufacturers that didn't get the
press but which are as capable. Which one of these is better depends not
on the marque but on what your local bike shop sells and on whether you
like steel or aluminum. Good luck with your choice.
Raj
Mark Hornblower
instead of buying a bike off the floor, why not see what you can put
together? most bike shops have some new '94 and '93 and older frames in
the basement or in storage that they would LOVE to move out the door.
talk to them about what kind of riding you want to do, and see what kind
of a mix of frame material and and components you can get them to build up
in your price range.
this method gives you the advantage of being able to skimp a bit on
hardware in return for a better frame (remember - you can upgrade bolt-on
stuff a lot more easily that you can upgrade your tubes), and it lets you
get to know your bike shop staff, always a bonus.
this is all imho, of course. ymmv.
--
--
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