Bike question-tri to road costs

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2004-10-14 11:55 PM

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Champion
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Subject: Bike question-tri to road costs
I'm going to get a new bike. I have found a Cannondale that rides well and fits me.

But I'm considering getting a softride bike and found one on ebay that is my size. Softrides can be set up with different seat angles given the beam technology...so it can be either a tri geometry or road geometry. Since I have a bad back and am 40+ in test riding bikes road bikes feel much better to me.

My question for all you experts...the ebay bike is set up as tri bike, how much would it cost to switch it over to road geometry? I need to get everything to make the switch to a road style bike...handlebar, stem, new brakes levers, and shifters...anything else? I don't know much about bike parts and all that is involved. I need your advice and help.

I'm trying to decide if it worth pursing buying this one on ebay. The bike is within 1.5 hours so I could see it & maybe ride it before the auction ends. How cool is that?!!

Thanks,
Kathy

2004-10-15 8:37 AM
in reply to: #72591

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Champion
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Subject: RE: Bike question-tri to road costs
It depends on how high-end you want to get with your components. I'll assume that the bike has a Shimano drivetain, so you have a range of options. I don't have a dollar figure in my head, You could look up the prices of individual components on the Performance www.performancebike.com or Nashbar www.nashbar.com  websites to get a general idea of what things cost. You shouldn't need to replace the brakes, just the levers . Since you have the barcon shifters, you CAN run them as bar-end shifters a la old-school touring or cyclocross bike. that way you'll just have to buy brake levers and bar/stem. That set-up should work just fine and you'll save the expense of buying an STI set-up which is the costly part. I'll bet you could bring it in for around 200 dollars or less if you aren't worried about weight
2004-10-15 8:51 AM
in reply to: #72591

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Champion
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Subject: RE: Bike question-tri to road costs
Retrofitting any vehicle for a purpose other than what it was intended for is costly, time consuming and, at best, you will wind up with a vehicle that is marginal.  Save yourself time, money and much aggravation and buy a road bike if you want a road bike. 
2004-10-15 9:36 AM
in reply to: #72644

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Subject: RE: Bike question-tri to road costs
Agree with Mach. If you want a road bike, then buy a road bike. RLYSI's estimate of $200 seems low, a decent set of road handlebars will cost you more than half that.
2004-10-15 11:18 AM
in reply to: #72591

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Champion
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Subject: Sticking to my guns

Firat of all, Kathy buy the one that fits best.

Second, Bear and Mach, I'll admit that I have no first hand knowledge of Softrides, but their literature touts their adjustable geometry by changing the angle of the beam and moving the saddle, thus road and tri fit from the same frame (with suspension thrown in as a bonus?????). All that would seem to be involved is a little wrenching.

I am basing my costs on the lowball deals you can get from Nashbar on clearance bars and stems, or house-brand stuff from Preformance. It's not hard to find functional (albeit heavy) bars and stems for 30-40 bucks each, I've seen brake lever sets for 49.99 if my memory serves. That's all she needs to make the conversion. She can use the existing shifters. Now, if she wants to spring for some bling-blingier carbon and whatnot bits-o-goodness then , Katie-bar-the-door on cost.

(edit) unless one of the bikes is red...then buy the red one because everyone knows red bikes are the fastest ;-)



Edited by ride_like_u_stole_it 2004-10-15 11:20 AM
2004-10-15 11:43 AM
in reply to: #72691

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Subject: RE: Sticking to my guns

Bull shoot! Everyone know titanium bikes are fastest because they don't have/need that heavy layer of paint..

I guess I just assume that no one would want to put cast-iron parts on a bike they're racing on. Your basic advice is sound, though, make yourself a parts list and price it out through the discount etailers. Unless you plan on doing the wrenching yourself, add a labor component. Not so sure how eager the LBS would be to work on an ebay bike.

2004-10-15 11:35 PM
in reply to: #72591

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Subject: RE: Bike question-tri to road costs
Thanks for the advice.

I rode a softride today at the LBS. I really liked it...the bumps on the road are much kinder to my body and my back.

The LBS got the beam/frame/fork from the sales rep who used it as a sample. Word is they got a great deal. They built up the bike with mostly 105 components. They don't know how much it will be though...owner is out of town until Monday. They said it would be a good price...but that is subjective.

I spoke to softride about the different models they offered and you can set this one up either tri or road geometry...so it is just changing the front end stuff.

The ebay bike may be $700 cheaper so if I put $200-250 into it plus some labor, it is still way cheaper. I missed getting a softride bike the exact model I want on ebay new for half price..it was a '03...darn. I do worry a bit about getting service at the LBS if I didn't buy it from them.

Thanks,
Kathy
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