Is it even worth me trying bikes before buying?

tc1992

(Wasn't sure whether to put this in this section or the Beginners' section)

The reason i'm asking is because i am looking to buy my first road bike, my current one is a hybrid.
I had a quick go on a decent Bianchi bike a few days ago. The bike rode really well, but the position
was very strange to me, being a lot more stooped over, and felt at the least awkward. The seat was a couple of cm too high, but i don't think it would have made much difference in terms of feeling if it had been precisely set.

I just think it is because i am not used to it at the moment. The thing is it seems that any road bike i try, because of such a difference in position is going to feel awkward at first, so i'm not really in a position to feel the difference in nuances between different bikes . . and can I even begin to make an assessment on comfort?

the other thing that occurred to me is i've heard people say to try sitting on the bikes in the shop. I'm not sure that would be any use (even if i was more experienced with road bikes) because don't you really need to be on the bike for at least an hour or so before you can assess how it is doing for you.

Any thoughts on this? i've got my eye on a Pinnacle Dolomite Five at the moment, but i'm not making a decision for the moment

wishitwasallflat

Yes of course it is unless you don't mind buying a bike you don't like. You need a decent test period - other shops may be good as well but if you contact your nearest Specialized Concept store you can get any Spesh bike for a weeks test. I did that when I bought mine as I was worried I may not be able to ride a road bike due to old injuries and joint problems. I wasn't able to compare brands of course but at least I knew I would like the bike I bought. Having had it for over four years now if I was buying another I would be more confident about what I need but still would never buy one I hadn't ridden for at least a good few hours.

kajjal

I would do some test rides as you may ride a bike and think this is the one for me like I did with my XC mountain bike.

Road bikes can be setup in a variety of positions from head down stretched out to a very upright relaxed position. It is entirely up to you. My road bike only has about an inch of drop from the saddle to the bars where as others on here would have a few inches of drop. That said it does have a lot of reach for a more stretched out ride than most. Have a read up on bike setup guides on the web to give you an idea, as well as KOPS. The key thing is to get the right setup for you.


Roughly speaking the main adjustments are :-

Saddle height
Saddle for / aft position on the rails
Saddle tilt
Bar position via stem and spacers for more / less reach
Bar position via stem and spacers for more / less height

What you are looking for is a position you are comfortable with that does not give you any injuries or strains.

keef66

I bought my first road bike from Epic Cycles for that very reason. They talked me through what kind of riding I'd be doing and which bikes would fit my budget. This quickly confirmed my suspicions that what I wanted was a Racelight Tk (clearance / mountings for proper mudguards / fatter tyres / rack) There then followed a proper fitting session with the bike on a turbo to make sure I was comfortable. Swapped saddles, stems, etc. then a decent test ride (they seemed disappointed I was back after half an hour). The right size / colour frame was then ordered in and built up with my choice of components; picked it up 2 weeks later, and it's still going strong after nearly 7 years.

tc1992

ok, thankyou, i will go and try at least the Pinnacle out, i have booked a ride with
Evans, at least it will give me a chance to visit the velodrome in Manchester.

And i really need to talk with someone else about this

Sounds like a great idea from Specialized giving you a week, that is the sort of thing
that would work for me. Will look into if the Pinnacle is not suited

Is the flatter out position the more comfortable or not?