Road bike indecision= annoying

I would probably have gotten the Cannondale by now if it were not for the triple crank. I am concerned about that given the local hills. My hybrid is a triple and it is tough going up them.

For $1500 you should be able to get a CAAD 10 w/105.  Might want to add that to the list.  That was actually my first choice a year ago except...bad fit.  At the end of the day, find the bike that fits you best.  Even a super deal on a bike that does not fit you is a bad choice.

Good luch.

Love it on paper, great rep- but I assumed it wouldn't be enough of a 'comfort fit' for longer rides of a couple of hours.

You may be right.  That was what a LOT of people recommended for me but I just wasn't comfortable on it.  Like I said, fit first.

That was my first plan- they are proving really hard to come by in my area. Not many LBSs carry anything used and other local online resources aren't panning out. I have been looking for months, don't want to lose the summer waiting for the right one to come along, hence buying new now.

Yeah....that's a bummer.  What size are you looking for?

I got a Z85 last year and it was a great choice, i love the bike and how it handles on climbs! Nothing bad to say about it.

Good luck with your choice.

Any reason you wouldn't include the Trek 2.1 in this mix?  Alum frame and carbon fork/stays, with 105 components.  Should be no problem finding one under $1500... and Trek dealers always have a spring/early summer sale that I believe is going on now.

I have a 2009 2.1 and love it.  Of all the models I tried (and I hit all the players in your list), the Trek was far and away my favorite.  To each his/her own, of course... but I would include that model in your options.

(ETA - and it should be available with EITHER a compact or Triple crank setup, depending on what you want)

You have to pay close attention to the crank sizes and cassett options because alot of the times the the variety low gear options are at a cost of loseing high gears = super sucky for flater terrain.

I'm in the upstate NY adirondack region and I tested a triple thinking I'll need it for around here since I'm a beginner as well, but I hated it. Way too many really low gears I never used, and there weren't enough gears for flats (or going down hill).

I'm so much happier riding a compact as it has the appropriate gearing choices for my abilities. I also think its a better choice because it gives me room to grow with the bike as I become a better rider and my fitness improves.

I have a Jamis Ventura Race that I use for Sprint races as well as the MS City to Shore ride (100 miles).

http://www.myjamis.com/SSP%20Applications/JamisBikes/MyJamis/consumer/bike.html?year=2013&model=Ventura%20Race&cat_grp=road_6

I'm just a shade under 5'10" and use a 56 frame and find it to be a comfortable bike. As for hills, your hills may be a higher grade than around Philly, but I haven't found myself needing anything beyond what came with the bike.

Just my .02

Good luck with your search.

junr

How many have you ridden?

Have you had a bike fit?

Which shop do you like the most?

Do any of the shops offer better deals? (club member discount, or sales or free tune ups, ect)

What size are you looking for and where are you located?  I have a used Scott Speedster S20 that I'm thinking of selling.  It's a 2009 model (barely ridden) that recently had a frame replaced under warranty due to cracked headtube.

I've ridden all except the Scott and BH. I have ridden the Trek 2.1 as well, someone above mentioned that bike. I did like it, I have a Trek hybrid and just felt like getting another brand.

I haven't had a bike fit to any particular bike, no. My plan is find the bike I want, and have the guy fitting me tell me what size to get.

No great deals going on at any of the shops unfortunately. REI sells Cannondale so the member rewards are about 10% which isn't bad.

I really like the Defy. I test rode one when buying my current road bike and it just sort of disappears beneath you. If you're out for comfort for the long haul, it's a great choice. The geometry on it is stellar for distance riding IMO. A compact crank with an 12-28 is a pretty nice set up, if you're planning on racing it, it's plenty of bike for that too.

I went for the TCR instead, but I wanted something primarily for racing and a more aggressive fit. That said, when I'm out for an epic 100 mile+ day in the saddle, I'd be lying if I said I didn't wish I had a Defy.