Buying first (proper) bike - suggestions/input please for a road bike.

spalpeen · 23-07-2023 09:51AM #1

I decided a road bike would be best. I currently have a folding bike but it's only good for short journeys and is painfully slow. I will be doing short to medium distance rides and also planning to use it on a trainer. My use case is fitness but also for pleasure when the weather is nice and if I get good, someday i would consider a triathlon/duathalon.

I was thinking about the merida scultura 400 rim brakes due to the below

- fast but not crazy aero

- compatible with triathlon in case i want that

- rim brakes as I don't plan on cycling much if it rains

- reasonable price

- aluminium frame, carbon out of my budget

- but has carbon fork and seatpost

What do you guys think?

gn3dr · 23-07-2023 10:07AM

Just Googled it there - nice looking bike - at least it doesn't have dropped seat stays like other Meridas. Looks like it has Shimano 105 so that's good.

Rim brakes on aluminium rims work fine in the rain too by the way 😁

Squidgy Black · 23-07-2023 10:07AM

Are you looking to use the bike to work, or just cash?

If it’s cash I’d definitely look at the used market, you should be able to get some cracking bikes for the equivalent of the Merida (1500 quid), you should easily get something with a full carbon frameset and ultegra group set as opposed to aluminium and 105.

New, your options are going to be fairly limited if you want to stick with rim brake as there’s not many on the market everything’s disc. You could try find somewhere with last years Specialized Allez Elite in stock

spalpeen · 23-07-2023 02:17PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120885691#Comment_120885691

thanks, this is very good to know

spalpeen · 23-07-2023 02:19PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120885692#Comment_120885692

Cash. Actually that's a good point, would you recommend facebook marketplace or somewhere else? I don't really know where to look.

Only problem is that as a novice I'm not very good at looking at second hand bikes, guess I will have to try it out

Johnners1878 · 23-07-2023 02:41PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120885691#Comment_120885691

What's the objection to dropped seat stays gn3dr? A principle that bikes should have the traditional double-diamond frame, an aesthetic dislike, or something else? I haven't ridden a dropped bike, but they don't offend me in any way....

Squidgy Black · 23-07-2023 03:41PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120886669#Comment_120886669

Adverts.ie or DoneDeal are probably your best options in terms of used

gn3dr · 23-07-2023 05:05PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120886669#Comment_120886669

While there are some OK deals out there for 2nd hand if you are a novice then don't underestimate the advantage to knowing what you are getting when buying new. I'd be very slow to buy a 2nd hand carbon frame. Not to mention that looking at some 2nd hand stuff for sale there is a lot of bikes badly maintained out there.

gn3dr · 23-07-2023 05:12PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120886785#Comment_120886785

Maybe going off topic but I think they look shite and from an engineering point of view they don't add up. I'm not stuck in the traditional double diamond frame aesthetic - in fact my preferred frame shape is the Giant TCR above all other shapes.

The whole thing about dropped stays adding compliance for comfort is BS. Most of the compliance comes from the longer seat post. Peak Torque did an OK video on YouTube about it a while back showing the stresses in the frame vs seat post using CAD / FEA.

While it's only a bike if you look at any other type of tubed structure that I can think of you won't see a tube joined to another tube part way along it's length. The joints always tend to be at tube ends for strength. (look at a rally car roll cage for example)

spalpeen · 23-07-2023 07:31PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120887482#Comment_120887482

what would be the particular concern witha. 2nd hand carbon frame? Yes, you are right, the shops attracted me initially because of the guidance they gave

gn3dr · 23-07-2023 09:17PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120888078#Comment_120888078

Previous crashes or abuse including people over torquing bolts. Carbon won't really show dents or weaknesses and tends to fail catastrophically.

Maybe being over cautious on my part but when it's all that is between your head / face and the road - a few hundred euro isn't really that much in the grander scheme of things

https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/workshop/workshop-what-to-watch-for-when-buying-a-used-carbon-frame/#:~:text=Pay%20particular%20attention%20to%20the,those%20in%20the%20photos%20above.

spalpeen · 23-07-2023 10:34PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120888492#Comment_120888492

Thanks. I might not have the expertise here yet, which means i should stick to aluminium maybe. And since that's cheaper, I wonder again if I am just better off buying new, even if not using cycle to work scheme. A used aluminium would be very cheap and I'm not likely to know what' s serviceable and what isn't

Mr. Cats · 24-07-2023 07:12AM

There’s some very good value in second hand bikes. Particularly at closer to entry level, many bikes are bought with good intentions to take up cycling, but only used a few times before being offered for sale.

Just as an example, a lightly used example of the bike you mentioned is available here:

https://www.adverts.ie/30861516

If the size matches and it’s local to you, you could save a few quid.

lawrencesummers · 24-07-2023 07:20AM

If your buying 2nd hand which is a good idea and you can haggle the price down then be very careful with size.

A shop will size you properly for a new bike and order it in if needed, but a 2nd hand one can easily be bought in the wrong size.

So maybe get sized in a shop and remember what it was, then look online for similiar size and remember you can spend the money you saved on replacing / upgrading the groupset or pedals if you want

Mr. Cats · 24-07-2023 07:36AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120889166#Comment_120889166

True - also manufactures websites tend to have a lot of info:

https://www.merida-bikes.com/fi-fi/p/service/find-your-frame-size-225.html

lawrencesummers · 24-07-2023 09:43AM

Also, what you save on buying 2nd hand could be used to get a professional bike fit.

You would be amazed how a few adjustments in seat height, angle and position can mean much more comfortable ride position, less pain and a more efficient pedal effort.

nicksnikita · 24-07-2023 06:23PM

+1 for something like the Merida you mentioned.

Trek Domane aluminum is also good value as a starter road bike.

As above, make sure you get the right size

spalpeen · 24-07-2023 08:10PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120889155#Comment_120889155

wow, nice find. very annoying the way you cant message without having an offer accepted. It looks suspiciously cheap at 1/3 of retail price, no?

But your point is taken

spalpeen · 24-07-2023 08:13PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120889166#Comment_120889166

yes, very good point

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120889202#Comment_120889202

thanks for this

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120891366#Comment_120891366

i was looking at the trek emonda but I think some people were saying the groupset, gearing wasn't ideal but can be changed it seems.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120889634#Comment_120889634

i test cycled some bikes the other day and they pointed out i had saddle way too low. even when i went back to stationary bike on gym, having saddle higher helped. so agreed!

DaveyDave · 24-07-2023 08:29PM

If you're over 6ft to fit an XL frame I'm selling a carbon Canyon Endurace with high end rim brake wheels for less than a grand. It would be an excellent bike to have as your first road bike (not to jump in to try sell my own stuff, I just want it to go to a good home!)

spalpeen · 24-07-2023 08:40PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120891796#Comment_120891796

Thanks Dave, I'm somewhere between 5'10 and 5'11 so not ideal unfortuantely, would have been a good one

lawrencesummers · 25-07-2023 07:24AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120891780#Comment_120891780

One of the next important adjustments is the angle of your elbows, you dont want to be over reaching for the handlebars or have your elbows bent to much, it all effects your back and neck posture.

A proper bit fit person will measure and map all of these and getting it right from the start will undoubtedly save on pain / injury

spalpeen · 25-07-2023 09:20AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120892656#Comment_120892656

do bike shops do bike fits, or should i go elsewhere?

magicbastarder · 25-07-2023 09:21AM

unless you've got an oddly proportioned body, i think you should be fine with whatever the manufacturer/bike shop suggests.

lawrencesummers · 26-07-2023 12:29PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120893149#Comment_120893149

It depends how much cycling you intend doing and how you feel after a few cycles, adjust it to what feels right yourself, get some info online and try it out.

From what i see people very often spend money on the wrong thing when seeking improvements.