Buying that New Sweet Ride

I’ve been toying with buying a new road bike for 2 years now and have finally made the decision to take the plunge. I really thought about why I was dragging my feet and there were two key reasons. First, I kept thinking disc brakes would become more of a standard on road bikes like they are becoming on cross and mountain bikes. You can’t retrofit the frame and wheels. The second and I think most compelling reason is there’s just an overwhelming amount of information to consider. I honestly think buying a car is easier for me than buying a bike.

When it comes to buying a new road bike, yeah it is a lot of money, but there’s just soooo much to consider. Bike technology I know enough to be dangerous, but then at some point all I hear is blah, blah, blah, blah and my eyes roll up into the back of my head. I ride with a lot of gear heads, they talk bikes, bike parts,and bike construction. I pick up bits and pieces of information and they are always willing to educate me. But if I’m being honest here, it isn’t always the most exciting topic. But it is necessary to be educated.  

Oh, I remember the days when buying a bike was easy. You straddled the top tube, if you had 2” of clearance you were good to go. The only other choice was what color? But that was decades ago and you ended up with a pretty new bike that didn’t fit. Today there’s just so much more to consider.

Here are some of the key decision points I took into account as I search for my next sweet ride:

• Production, custom or semi-custom? My current road bike is an Independent Fabrication. It’s a custom frame built to my specs. It is so comfortable because it fits me. I’m not trying to fit to the bike. But that was 8-10 years ago. Could I find a production or semi-custom frame that would work?
  
  
• Frame material? Do I want another steel bike? Or carbon? Or Titanium? For me this is really important. It isn’t so much the weight of the bike, as most higher end bikes are all within a few pounds of each other. And let’s be honest, it’s cheaper and easier to lose 10 pounds off my butt than a few pounds off a bike. The frame material was important to me because I had two vertebras in my neck fused together and lower back issues. So a frame that absorbs road vibration was crucial, which in turns reduces fatigue and increases comfort.
• What type of components? I knew I wanted an 11 speed which is now fast becoming the standard. That’s the cassette on the back wheel. I also knew I wanted to stay with a compact crank (front gearing) like I have on my current road bike. So the big decision was electronic shifters or not? I’m leaning towards electronic shifters and will test ride them this weekend. From what I read and hear from those who use them, it is smoother, faster and less hesitation.
• What type of wheels? Aluminum, carbon, aero? Clinchers or Tubular?  Ugh, this is a black hole for me. I have had to do a lot of reading and asking questions to learn about what to look for in a wheel. The one thing I knew…clinchers. I have no desire to start gluing tires on a rim. I am leaning towards aero wheels which will give me some speed advantage. This is key for my race in August. Also, when working with my salesperson, he made a very valid comment when I was trying to decide which level component (Dura-Ace or Ultegra 11 speed electronic shifters). He said, put the $2000 difference into the wheels instead of upgrading to Dura-Ace. You’ll get more benefit out of it. He was right and it was not something I had considered before.

• Handle bars and stem material? Aluminum or carbon? Interesting information here. It was recommended that I save money and go aluminum on the stem, but spend the extra on carbon handle bars. The reason here is that the handle bars are a touch point and the carbon will help absorb some of the road vibration. Good to know.
  
• Budget. Yep, I need to figure out how much I’m willing to spend. As in any big ticket item, there’s budget creep. But I figure, I’ll have this new bike for at least 10 years, I ride 5000+ miles a season, getting what fits and works for my needs is important. So what if I’m on a Ramen noodle diet for a year…I’ll have a sweet ride!!!

I’ve gone through a lot of pre-work. The bike shop I’m working with has known me for years and knows my riding style. They scanned my current road bike with a computer to get the geometry and try to match it. I was hooked up to a computer to look at fit, body angles, etc. Finally, I’m scheduled to take a 20-30 mile test ride this weekend. This way I can take it out on a bumpy road and see how the frame handles the road vibration. I sure hope Mother Nature holds off on the predicted snow storm so I can safely get out on the road.

It’s exciting to buy a new bike, but it is also stressful. You hope you make the right decision and that it will give you many years and many miles of great rides. There’s nothing like having that awesome bike to ride, especially when you put in a lot of miles. I’ll clue you in on my bike selection once I’ve decided. But I’m finally getting close. Yep, I hear that sucking noise…it’s my wallet.

Enjoy the sweet ride,

Sheri