Road bikes for upright style riders

DCbiker

I've had a mountain bike for years and I am looking to get into the road bike market with a budget of about $1,600 USD with some flexibility. If anything under that price range, then great!

The problem is that many of the road bikes I've been looking at is racing style, where you need to lean low while steering. That's not good for me as I have back problems. I've considered cyclocross bikes such as the Felt F95x model, it fits me well but obviously cyclocrosses are much slower than a roadie, correct?

Any brands or specific models I should consider for someone who prefers an upright style with lower back pain as well as under budget?

Thanks in advance

Bobbinogs

Hi there DCbiker.

I have a Spesh Secteur which, with the stem flipped, leaves my back at a nice angle (but certainly not upright). It might also be worth looking at the Cannondale Synapse as that has a fairly relaxed geo. Which ever bike you finally plump for, I also strongly recommend a decent bike fit. I found it amazing how much difference just tweaking the stem made (10mm shorter/longer, etc.).

Not sure about the cyclocross bikes being much slower, more a case of the tyres they usually have being wider/stronger which makes a big difference. Easy to change that. At the end of the day, the fastest bike is the one not left in the garage because it is uncomfortable to ride.

DCbiker

Thank you so much for both suggestions and they were exactly what I was looking for. If anyone out there has additional models/brands I should be looking for, please let me know what they are!

Hoopdriver

A good handlebar to look for if you want to ride a roadbike in a more upright style is the Nitto Noodle. It is a randonneuring style drop bar which is extremely comfortable for a slightly more upright position on a road bike. The slight inward curve on the top of it is very subtle but makes a very big difference comfort wise. I've had some very serious back troubles in the past and I use this bar on both my touring and road bikes - and have ridden for many thousands of pain free miles since my emergency surgery six years ago. They can be a bit hard to find. I see you are pricing your bike in USD so I am guessing you are in the US - try Rivendell Cycles; they sell them. The Nitto Noodle really is good.

DCbiker

Thanks, I will check it out!