Want a Road Bike with Straight Handlebars..

fatboypee

Hi,

I 'was' hell-bent on getting a road bike.I had picked it out and everything (Canyon Roadlite 6.0), just a question of finances. And then I got to thinking, I cycle a Trek 7.5fx, I love it, love the position of it, everything, but I want something lighter and quicker (hence the road bike) but I don't want dropped handlebars. For the amount I'd race / Triathlon (twice a year at best) I don't want to compromise..

So any suggestions on essentially, a road bike with flat bars? I looked at the Giant Rapid but its not a road bike..

Any out there ?

Thanks

Fbp.

BostonB

fatboypee wrote: »

... I looked at the Giant Rapid but its not a road bike.....

Other than the bars, levers what about the Rapid is not a Road bike?

Lumen

A race bike will be probably not be faster than your Trek if you put flat bars on it.

funkyjebus

What you want is a hybrid, not a road bike.

Have you used drop bars? You'd be compromising if you didn't get the drops. The drops offer comfort in different hand positions which is essential if you plan on doing any longer spins.

So whats your issue with drops?

kenmc

Get the road bike with drops. There's flats on top of the drops too.

Bigus

Drops give you at least three positions , have a look at any body riding drops and most of the time it's like using flat bars and if your on the brakes it's like flat bar position only hands are turned 90 deg and resting on the brake hoods.

fatboypee

Many Thanks for the replies, really appreciate it.

BostonB wrote: »

Other than the bars, levers what about the Rapid is not a Road bike?

Weight and Tyre size 25? Is that standard road bike or is it 23? From my investigations, weight for my size was 10kg+ (lbs info) I'm no expert but from analysis done so far the average weight of a road bike is sub 9kg?

funkyjebus wrote: »

What you want is a hybrid, not a road bike.

Have you used drop bars? You'd be compromising if you didn't get the drops. The drops offer comfort in different hand positions which is essential if you plan on doing any longer spins.

So whats your issue with drops?

I used to cycle an old road bike so well used to the hand positions but I simply prefer the wider grip of a flat bar (have bar ends also that helps), what bothers me is I do a lot of cycling on long roads and on single tracks and a lot of hills, I am used to accessibility of brakes and gears on the Trek. I don't want to have to bent and stretch to brake or change gear. In fact I had a nasty fall last year and that was under full braking, on a road bike with drops I'm pretty sure it would've been worse..

If I can't get near to road bike performance with flats for my budget I'll go with the canyon but I do appreciate what you're all telling me ..

smacl

Was in a very similar position last year. Had a flat bar hybrid, liked the position. Got a drop bar road bike, hated the position. The solution was simply to persevere and get used to the full range of positions that drop bars give you. Being a slow learner, I did this by sticking it on a turbo trainer for the winter, but it took a couple of months to get properly comfortable. Now I use all the available positions, which makes for a faster more comfortable time on longer spins. The speed gain is due more to the aerodynamics of the position than the bike, so your existing position on a flat bar road bike mightn't improve the speed much. Raising the saddle and lowering the bars might help, but if you're going to that trouble, might as well get the drops.

If you're determined to stay with drops, have a look at the Wasp. Me, I'd get the Canyon.

happytramp

If you were to take a standard road bike and replace the drops with a wide flat bar the handling would be very strange indeed. It's more the position of the rider rather than the bars that make it a road bike. You would still be leaning forward lower to the ground but with your arms spread out wide. It would be very hard to control. You could lower the saddle and higher the bars but then there's already bikes out there that do that.

Lumen

You have a perfectly decent flat bar bike. You don't want drop bars. Just keep what you have.

BostonB

[QUOTE=fatboypee;79322834...Weight and Tyre size 25? Is that standard road bike or is it 23? From my investigations, weight for my size was 10kg+ (lbs info) I'm no expert but from analysis done so far the average weight of a road bike is sub 9kg?.....[/QUOTE]

Unless they've changed the frame, the rapid used to use a similar frame as the defy road bike. With similar weights.

Differences from the Defy are subtle. The effective top tube is longer to accommodate a flat bar without compromising the more stretched out reach you want for athletic riding. And clearances are bigger under the frame and fork.

http://m.bikeradar.com/gear/category/bikes/road/product/review-giant-rapid-2-11-44554

http://www.tredz.co.uk/blog/giant-rapid-1-review/

As for weights you can get carbon Hybrids if you so wish.

wersal gummage

the 1 KG difference that you are worried about is not important considering your body will be acting like a sail on the bike.

i had a giant rapid. I bought it in 2010 and it was the '1' version. I bought it for commuting. After about six months I realised I was cycling it all the time at weekends etc so I bought a carbon fibre Ridley with an ultegra group. Once I got used to the drops I hated the flat bars on the Giant.

After about a year on the giant I converted it to drops and it was a far nicer bike to cycle after that. As somebody else has pointed out, aside from bars and shifters, what about a Giant Rapid is not a road bike ?? The canyon roadlite comes with 25mm tyres I think. Again, 23 v 25 is not going to make a huge difference to you. I cycle on 23s myself but there is not a big difference.

I now have a Canyon Roadlite 6 as well. It is a grand bike, but is not any better than the giant would be in my view. I bought it simply because it comes with a full 105 group set at a very good price.

So yeah, I think stick with what you have or buy a road bike!


* EDIT: Yes the Canyon Roadlite 6 comes with 25mm tyres. I know because I just checked the advert I posted on here to sell the wheels and tyres that came with that bike.