I like to Ride my Bicycle...

[UFO]

Originally Posted by skiiipi

Now here is MY question for you road experts
I am on the market for a road bike as well, and I'm narrowed down my choices to the Ventura Race last years...my price would be same as a customers $1150-20% with team assist coupon....or I can get a GT Series 3 (highest end that GT has avaliable for staff) for ~$450ish.....the series 3 has Carbon fork and full Tiagra groupo....so $450 vs $920...now is the 105 component and the Carbon seat stay still "worth it"....can't decide...
And how much would I be able to sell the full groupo on the series 3 for brand new? Cause my other option is to buy the series 3, sell all the tiagra stuff and get all 105s or Ultegras parts at cost...

Even if you have access to parts at cost, it isn't worthwhile because OEM parts bundled with complete bikes are discounted very heavily. You probably won't be able to recover much cost selling your entry level parts even if they are brand new.

Now I'm not too sure about road bikes, but for mountain bikes at least, the consensus is to buy the best frame you can and as long as the parts and components are serviceable, they are useable. Parts like cassettes, derailleurs, cranksets are expendable parts as they are subject to wear and tear with regular use. When the Sora/Tiagra stuff wears out from use, then you can upgrade to the better 105/Ult level gear. Things like frame and fork do not wear out with that level of regularity and form the foundation of your ride. Unless the parts upgrade is huge and the price is ridiculously too good to pass up, I wouldn't put as large a premium on the parts spec.

In your situation, I personally would stick with the GT even though it has the lesser frame. It's half the price, less bells and whistles of course, but you have to consider if you will even stay in the sport long term or want to upgrade after a year or two. In either case, a used bike you got on a pro-deal will be easier to sell at closer to the price you actually paid as opposed to the Jamis where anybody has access to that pricing. $500 doesn't get you much for a road bike even in the used market but $900 opens many more options up, so you shouldn't have too much trouble selling the GT in the future if you so choose.

[wingies]

^^good post, informative. Btw why do the bikes at sportchek not have pedals on them? Are they installed when u buy them or do u need to purchase separately? also can u take the bikes out for test ride?

[bcrdukes]

Most bikes don't come with pedals by default. They don't because every bike has its application and with that comes its pedals. You can purchase different pedals for road and mountain bikes respectively and people have different preference with brands (i.e. Shimano, Look, Crank Brothers etc.) It's all about preference.

I don't know about SportCheck but I would assume they would let you take the bike for a test ride pending you leave your credit card and drivers license with them. They would probably put on some generic platform pedals.

[UFO]

I'd wager that all bikes at Sportchek will come with pedals. They probably leave them off so its easier for them to stack bikes tightly side to side without pedals getting hung up on its neighbouring bike's pedal. That's my assumption anyways. When I worked at Sport Chek I was never told not to install pedals but that was many years ago

[-lincolnboi-]

Originally Posted by UFO

I'd wager that all bikes at Sportchek will come with pedals. They probably leave them off so its easier for them to stack bikes tightly side to side without pedals getting hung up on its neighbouring bike's pedal. That's my assumption anyways. When I worked at Sport Chek I was never told not to install pedals but that was many years ago

That was my assumption too

[skiiipi]

Originally Posted by UFO

I'd wager that all bikes at Sportchek will come with pedals. They probably leave them off so its easier for them to stack bikes tightly side to side without pedals getting hung up on its neighbouring bike's pedal. That's my assumption anyways. When I worked at Sport Chek I was never told not to install pedals but that was many years ago

All of our higher end road and XC bikes do not come with pedals.
For the exact reason someone mentioned above, most riders buying $1000+ bikes will likely want to be able to pick their own style pedals. Platform, clipless, different brands etc.

[skiiipi]

Originally Posted by UFO

Even if you have access to parts at cost, it isn't worthwhile because OEM parts bundled with complete bikes are discounted very heavily. You probably won't be able to recover much cost selling your entry level parts even if they are brand new.

Now I'm not too sure about road bikes, but for mountain bikes at least, the consensus is to buy the best frame you can and as long as the parts and components are serviceable, they are useable. Parts like cassettes, derailleurs, cranksets are expendable parts as they are subject to wear and tear with regular use. When the Sora/Tiagra stuff wears out from use, then you can upgrade to the better 105/Ult level gear. Things like frame and fork do not wear out with that level of regularity and form the foundation of your ride. Unless the parts upgrade is huge and the price is ridiculously too good to pass up, I wouldn't put as large a premium on the parts spec.

In your situation, I personally would stick with the GT even though it has the lesser frame. It's half the price, less bells and whistles of course, but you have to consider if you will even stay in the sport long term or want to upgrade after a year or two. In either case, a used bike you got on a pro-deal will be easier to sell at closer to the price you actually paid as opposed to the Jamis where anybody has access to that pricing. $500 doesn't get you much for a road bike even in the used market but $900 opens many more options up, so you shouldn't have too much trouble selling the GT in the future if you so choose.

Thanks for the post
Will thank you when I get back home to a computer.
I'm leaning more towards GT too....too cheap to spend the extra $500+ for a better bike.

[bcrdukes]

I don't want to rain on your parade but GT is, unfortunately, not a very well known/popular brand.

I know because my co-worker is trying to get rid of one of his GT road bikes, well below market price. No bites.

Some food for thought.

[skiiipi]

Originally Posted by bcrdukes

I don't want to rain on your parade but GT is, unfortunately, not a very well known/popular brand.

I know because my co-worker is trying to get rid of one of his GT road bikes, well below market price. No bites.

Some food for thought.

Yea fully aware GT is not as well known for road as they are for mountain....but Jamis's staff pricing sucks....
and I'd rather ride a brand that my store carries..so GT or Jamis....unless we manage to pick up cannondale...but thats not suppose to be another 3-4 years.

[dat_steve]

just picked up a cannondale carbon supersix with 105/ultegra!
letting go of my c'dale synapse because it's slightly too big. excited to take this thing out - what a difference!

pics to follow when i get it adjusted

[Senna4ever]

^^^ Nice, where did you get it?

[dat_steve]

off pinkbike, some good deals coming up lately

[wingies]

sweeet! cant wait for pics, how much you pay for it? If you dont mind me asking

[bcrdukes]

I saw the ad on PinkBike! Good find!

[dat_steve]

no pics of the new rig just yet, but here's the one that i'm putting up for sale now (posted on cl and pinkbike, mention rs for rs deal)



put back stock stem as the chode stem is now on the fixie lol

[bcrdukes]

^
I may know of a possible buyer. Could you PM me with details of your bike and/or ad, please?

Edit: Oops. Found your ad. Said person needs a 51/52. Sorry!

[dat_steve]

darn! I mean I rode comfortably with the set up in the picture. I guess I have a long-ish torso so i didn't feel stretched out up top (shorter stem helped). My main beef was that my inseam is ~30in and i had like 5mm of standover height, and the extended headtube meant i couldn't get as low as i'd like. That said, this thing is a cruising/climbing champ ideal for someone 5'8-10.

[GREddie]

Wow I just saw the post on Pink Bike. Sweet bike!
I just picked up a 2011 Cannondale Caad10 105 not too long ago and its amazing.
My pedals and shoes just came and I can't wait to try them out.

bcr, we gotta go ride this weekend.

[bcrdukes]

You're too hardcore man. I ain't riding with you anymore.

[dat_steve]

Originally Posted by GREddie

Wow I just saw the post on Pink Bike. Sweet bike!
I just picked up a 2011 Cannondale Caad10 105 not too long ago and its amazing.
My pedals and shoes just came and I can't wait to try them out.

bcr, we gotta go ride this weekend.

i want/wanted a caad sooo bad, i was close to pulling the trigger when i saw the ad for my Six. couldn't resist the carbon

what do you guys cruise at on average for a solo ride? i'm afraid to ride with anyone here since i'm probably a lot slower lol
going down the iona stretch can keep 25-28 comfy with a headwind, coming back with the tailwind i've gotten up to 35+ cruising

[bcrdukes]

Fastest on my Scott hybrid is 34km/h but in all honesty, I'm anywhere from 20 - 30km/h. I should lower my handle bars as I'm a bit too high up right now.

I don't want to ride with GREddie anymore. That guy is too fast.

[Senna4ever]

LoL....I just cruise the Seawall at around 15km/h....

[dat_steve]

i rock the seawall at full speed constantly yelling YOUR LEFT! to chicks on beach cruisers and stare them down as i roll past.

[GREddie]

haha bcr lies. I get passed by hipsters in their rolled up skinny jeans riding their fixies.

pK, good call on the carbon, such a sexy bike... so jealous

[LP700-4]

Just hit 55.6 KM/H yesterday coming down cambie lol on a mountain bike with mountain tires too! Passed a guy in the bike lane who just gave me a wtf look.

Whats your guys top speeds?