I need a bike.
March 30, 2024 8:48 AM Subscribe
Looking for suggestions on websites that have unbiased/non-sponsored (?) reviews of road bikes.
I know people need to make their nut but i am just not that internet savvy to know the difference between somewhat independent site to blatant sponsorship site, if any of that makes any sense.
Also, if anyone personally has any suggestions on road bikes/brands that you would recommend, please do. Looking to swap out a rather old (15year) middle of the road Diamond back for something new. Assume I am pretty average, want for endurance, and not wanting to break the bank. I don't clip in and can easily just throw the helmet on with jeans and a t-shirt and burn 50-60 miles. I guess my price range would be $1500 max (?). I am not a researcher and don't really care about components (carbon frames versus aluminum, etc). I liken this to walking into a good wine shop and saying I have friends coming over for good indian take out and i need two bottles of red and two of white, mid-range and getting out of there. in 5 minutes :) Thank you!
I know people need to make their nut but i am just not that internet savvy to know the difference between somewhat independent site to blatant sponsorship site, if any of that makes any sense.
Also, if anyone personally has any suggestions on road bikes/brands that you would recommend, please do. Looking to swap out a rather old (15year) middle of the road Diamond back for something new. Assume I am pretty average, want for endurance, and not wanting to break the bank. I don't clip in and can easily just throw the helmet on with jeans and a t-shirt and burn 50-60 miles. I guess my price range would be $1500 max (?). I am not a researcher and don't really care about components (carbon frames versus aluminum, etc). I liken this to walking into a good wine shop and saying I have friends coming over for good indian take out and i need two bottles of red and two of white, mid-range and getting out of there. in 5 minutes :) Thank you!
I've had multiple wonderful bike-buying experiences (in three different cities) by going into a local bike shop, test-riding bikes in my price range, and picking whichever one I liked the best. In one case, the shop was able to order a larger frame than they had in stock and put together a bike (at no extra cost to me) that was just like the floor model but more my size. (I'm a tall woman and not every shop carries women's frames in my size. The whole idea of a "women's frame" seems to be going out of style anyway but I really wanted a step-through).
I bought a Trek bike last year and it's the one I came into the shop hoping to buy but it really was the test ride that sold me on it. I HATE salespeople but I've felt like every bike shop I've bought a bike from was staffed by people who were passionate about bikes and the sport and weren't just trying to sell me something ASAP.
This is a long way of saying - try your local bike shop, if you can. There's no amount of research that can compare with trying it in person, and you'll want to build a small relationship with the shop anyway unless you plan on doing all your own repairs. Good luck!
posted by paris moon at 9:14 AM on March 30 [1 favorite]
I bought a Trek bike last year and it's the one I came into the shop hoping to buy but it really was the test ride that sold me on it. I HATE salespeople but I've felt like every bike shop I've bought a bike from was staffed by people who were passionate about bikes and the sport and weren't just trying to sell me something ASAP.
This is a long way of saying - try your local bike shop, if you can. There's no amount of research that can compare with trying it in person, and you'll want to build a small relationship with the shop anyway unless you plan on doing all your own repairs. Good luck!
posted by paris moon at 9:14 AM on March 30 [1 favorite]
I’ve found reviews for bikes to be pretty useless compared to going to your LBS and riding a few. The experience varies so much from body to body.
Anything from Giant, Jamis, Specialized, Surly, or Kona is going to be a good bike. Deciding whether you want a steel or aluminum frame is the first step. The Kona Rove or Dew might be a good one for you.
posted by Just the one swan, actually at 9:27 AM on March 30 [1 favorite]
Anything from Giant, Jamis, Specialized, Surly, or Kona is going to be a good bike. Deciding whether you want a steel or aluminum frame is the first step. The Kona Rove or Dew might be a good one for you.
posted by Just the one swan, actually at 9:27 AM on March 30 [1 favorite]
Echoing that the best way to figure this out to is test ride bikes in your price range and a little below. Ideally, at a friendly no pressure place. You'll want to ask around to figure out what shops accessible to you are the right fit for you. Here in North America, it's a great time to have a decent selection to choose from. Most shops have their summer orders in and should have a decent assortment built up and ready to try.
Look for a bike that feels great now, not one you try to talk yourself into "getting a good deal." Any bike from a reputable bike shop will be reliable enough. I'm a little more wary of bikes sold at big sporting good stores.
posted by advicepig at 12:16 PM on March 30
Look for a bike that feels great now, not one you try to talk yourself into "getting a good deal." Any bike from a reputable bike shop will be reliable enough. I'm a little more wary of bikes sold at big sporting good stores.
posted by advicepig at 12:16 PM on March 30
Think of this more akin to buying running shoes than shopping for an appliance. It's not about reviews -- every bike in your independent local bike shop is going to be from a reputable manufacturer -- but about how it fits and feels for you.
Skip the big box stores and online reviews, and go to your local bike shop, and ride at least two but preferably three or four bikes in the size they recommend for you.
This is a good time to buy a bike. Manufacturers built up supply during the pandemic bike boom but bike sales have slowed in the past year or two, so they have an oversupply, and they want to get new models on the floor. There are some sales on 2022 and 2023 models.
And please do buy from your local bike shop, not online. You should be able to find some good options in your price range. The difference between now and last time you bought is that there are now gravel bikes, which are even a bit more comfortable for some folks than traditional road bikes, though they look like road bikes but with slightly fatter tires.
If you want to read up before you go in, here's Bicycling Magazine's round up, including a category of bikes under $1500.
posted by bluedaisy at 12:26 PM on March 30 [1 favorite]
Skip the big box stores and online reviews, and go to your local bike shop, and ride at least two but preferably three or four bikes in the size they recommend for you.
This is a good time to buy a bike. Manufacturers built up supply during the pandemic bike boom but bike sales have slowed in the past year or two, so they have an oversupply, and they want to get new models on the floor. There are some sales on 2022 and 2023 models.
And please do buy from your local bike shop, not online. You should be able to find some good options in your price range. The difference between now and last time you bought is that there are now gravel bikes, which are even a bit more comfortable for some folks than traditional road bikes, though they look like road bikes but with slightly fatter tires.
If you want to read up before you go in, here's Bicycling Magazine's round up, including a category of bikes under $1500.
posted by bluedaisy at 12:26 PM on March 30 [1 favorite]
Just to throw this in there, the ability to get "unsponsored" reviews of bikes is pretty much impossible. The Escape Collective wrote about this recently. I would take pretty much *any* publication's buying guide or alleged "best of" with at least a few grains of salt--and that includes the above mentioned list from Bicycling. (Escape Collective does not take advertising dollars.)
The good news is, there are so many good bikes to buy! I sell bikes for a living (but I do not think of myself as a "salesperson") and there are a lot of choices for you. Any major manufacturer is going to have a bike in your price point. A gravel bike or an endurance geometry road bike sounds like it would be the preferred category for you. For starters, I'd have you look at a Cannondale Topstone or a Trek Checkpoint. In general I recommend bikes with 105 or Ultegra groupsets, hydraulic disc brakes, either aluminum or carbon frames for best overall riding experience. Rim brakes are a dying category, and as somebody who's been around bikes for a long time, I think hydraulic disc is a far superior braking system. YMMV.
$1500 might be a bit of a stretch for a bike with anything better than Sora or mechanical disc brakes, but you could always look at used bikes. There are so many bikes for sale! Best of luck. Feel free to DM me with questions!
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 2:54 PM on March 30 [2 favorites]
The good news is, there are so many good bikes to buy! I sell bikes for a living (but I do not think of myself as a "salesperson") and there are a lot of choices for you. Any major manufacturer is going to have a bike in your price point. A gravel bike or an endurance geometry road bike sounds like it would be the preferred category for you. For starters, I'd have you look at a Cannondale Topstone or a Trek Checkpoint. In general I recommend bikes with 105 or Ultegra groupsets, hydraulic disc brakes, either aluminum or carbon frames for best overall riding experience. Rim brakes are a dying category, and as somebody who's been around bikes for a long time, I think hydraulic disc is a far superior braking system. YMMV.
$1500 might be a bit of a stretch for a bike with anything better than Sora or mechanical disc brakes, but you could always look at used bikes. There are so many bikes for sale! Best of luck. Feel free to DM me with questions!
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 2:54 PM on March 30 [2 favorites]
I and so many other folks have literally been around significant chunks of the world on mechanical disk brakes. I feel like it’s just part and parcel of how hard it is to not get oversold on bikes nowadays. Are you bombing down single track? Anyway, I agree that there are many good bikes out there right now. My wife and I both ride Salsas and we’ve convinced friends to buy the same bikes. A steel touring (or gravel) bike with mechanical disk brakes is an awesome choice for so many people right now. Aluminum would be fine as well.
Hydro disc brakes like other “advances” will lead to more complicated and expensive maintenance.
I’m just back from Skinny Tire Fest in Moab where there were lots of fun folks having fun on their carbon bikes. But I rode the same stuff on a steel frame with mechanical disc brakes. If you’re not an enthusiast of bikes or spending money I fail to see what all of that shit is going to do for you.
posted by Wood at 5:03 PM on March 30 [1 favorite]
Hydro disc brakes like other “advances” will lead to more complicated and expensive maintenance.
I’m just back from Skinny Tire Fest in Moab where there were lots of fun folks having fun on their carbon bikes. But I rode the same stuff on a steel frame with mechanical disc brakes. If you’re not an enthusiast of bikes or spending money I fail to see what all of that shit is going to do for you.
posted by Wood at 5:03 PM on March 30 [1 favorite]
See if you can find the Specialized Diverge E5 Elite on sale; that’s a bit above the top of your price range (normally $2k but I’ve been hearing they’ve had sales of late) but it delivers a lot of bang for the buck. The regular E5 is also a thing and it’s hundreds less. The Elite has smoother componentry and hydraulic brakes.
Hydro disc brakes like other “advances” will lead to more complicated and expensive maintenance.
I have a mountain bike with cable disc brakes and it’s been fine, but I don’t go bombing down huge drops or anything.
The gravel bike I bought last year has hydraulic disc brakes. I often ride areas with long climbs and fast downhills and the difference is stark. The hydraulic inspires a lot more confidence. I can get a lot of stopping power in a hurry without having to pull the brake levers hard. There’s a lot more range between “just gotta scrub off a little speed” and “oh hell, I need to stop NOW” with a lot less effort with hydraulic.
Go with what works but don’t discount things because they’re more complex. Hydraulic disc brakes have been a thing on bikes now for well over two decades. Any competent bike mechanic can fix them easily.
posted by azpenguin at 6:00 AM on March 31 [1 favorite]
Hydro disc brakes like other “advances” will lead to more complicated and expensive maintenance.
I have a mountain bike with cable disc brakes and it’s been fine, but I don’t go bombing down huge drops or anything.
The gravel bike I bought last year has hydraulic disc brakes. I often ride areas with long climbs and fast downhills and the difference is stark. The hydraulic inspires a lot more confidence. I can get a lot of stopping power in a hurry without having to pull the brake levers hard. There’s a lot more range between “just gotta scrub off a little speed” and “oh hell, I need to stop NOW” with a lot less effort with hydraulic.
Go with what works but don’t discount things because they’re more complex. Hydraulic disc brakes have been a thing on bikes now for well over two decades. Any competent bike mechanic can fix them easily.
posted by azpenguin at 6:00 AM on March 31 [1 favorite]
The only review that matters is "all the big brands are pretty good, and none of them are shipping lemons at the moment". Yes, the online reviews are mostly advertorials. But bikes with the same equipment are mostly the same.
You should know a bit more about bike shops:
One of the reasons to buy from a local bike shop is the ease of handling warranty issues - the pain of dealing with such things from a very faraway retailer or online outlet is intense - and often the shops offer discounts or free service for simple maintenance - you should verify that before buying, as shops do vary on this. (It's not a dealbreaker if they do not offer it. But take note if their maintenance prices are extremely expensive, too, because you may have walked into a roadie shop that is going to raid your wallet every time you're in there)
The single most important thing about picking a bike shop is, you need to be attentive to how they approach your needs.
When they are not busy, tell them exactly what you want. See how they respond. Take note if they engage in aggressive salesmanship tactics upfront. What you are looking for is a shop that either brings out a bike that is what you asked for (even if it's a different brand but a bike with the same equipment) or tells you immediately that they don't have it (out-of-stock, not in your size, etc). They might tell you to check back in when they have a restock. That's fine. It's not okay if they upsell you on a $4,000 bike. It's not good if they start asking if you'd like to try the $6,500 e-bikes. And I'm not a fan of shops that tell you they're out-of-stock, say "sorry" and then have nothing else to tell you, because those shops tend to have enough business on their hands already and they really don't want yours. (You can try again some weeks later, but if you get another cold reception, you now know what the deal is).
Some of us longtime bike owners know how (and when) to deal with an aggressive store, but a store like that is never going to be helpful for when you have different needs later on, including service. You're looking at a lot of self-reliance and/or wallet-pumping dealing with a store like that.
That said: there are supply chain problems, bike shops tend not to get all the inventory they ask for, they also tend to have bikes they're desperate to get rid of (leading to used-car-lot tactics), and it can take a long time (months) to get new stock. Some premium bike brands send stock to shops in their network only a couple times a year at most. Inexpensive all-around-useful bikes are in high demand and short supply all the time.
You should know what the big brands are, because they are what you want; they're in the "can't go wrong" category. If a shop only has brands (not models, but the whole brand!) that have zero good reviews out there, you're walking into a trap. A respectable bike shop tends to have at least one of the major brands as their shop brand... TREK, Giant, Specialized, Cannondale, etc. Maybe they have more than one. The main point is, they're going to sell you THEIR brands and none of them are going to order something they don't already carry. That is what you get with bike shops. The good news is, if you wanted a TREK but they have Giant, it's probably fine. Every one of those brands has a bike to fit any need. If they have nothing? Go to the next store.
The value proposition of online stores isn't that they have major brands at lower prices - they tend not to even carry those brands, because they're dealer-centric - but they have off-brands at slightly lower prices. Off-brands often lack quality. Low quality means "the welds on the frame aren't good". Don't bother.
---
The one thing where you may need to make a decision is, "straight handlebars or drop handlebars?" If you aren't riding on drop bars already, you may want to switch to them. Or you may not. They are more comfortable for those 50-60mi rides you like, for most riders. It isn't much of a learning curve. Some riders don't care for them anyway. If you're not convinced, then get a hybrid model bike (it'll be fine) and don't go for mountain bikes with shocks or anything (on pavement, those shocks just absorb energy that could have gone into your ride). Note that "straight bars or drops" is not an option on bike models, it's often what determines the category difference between models (hybrid vs. road).
posted by brianvan at 8:33 AM on March 31
You should know a bit more about bike shops:
One of the reasons to buy from a local bike shop is the ease of handling warranty issues - the pain of dealing with such things from a very faraway retailer or online outlet is intense - and often the shops offer discounts or free service for simple maintenance - you should verify that before buying, as shops do vary on this. (It's not a dealbreaker if they do not offer it. But take note if their maintenance prices are extremely expensive, too, because you may have walked into a roadie shop that is going to raid your wallet every time you're in there)
The single most important thing about picking a bike shop is, you need to be attentive to how they approach your needs.
When they are not busy, tell them exactly what you want. See how they respond. Take note if they engage in aggressive salesmanship tactics upfront. What you are looking for is a shop that either brings out a bike that is what you asked for (even if it's a different brand but a bike with the same equipment) or tells you immediately that they don't have it (out-of-stock, not in your size, etc). They might tell you to check back in when they have a restock. That's fine. It's not okay if they upsell you on a $4,000 bike. It's not good if they start asking if you'd like to try the $6,500 e-bikes. And I'm not a fan of shops that tell you they're out-of-stock, say "sorry" and then have nothing else to tell you, because those shops tend to have enough business on their hands already and they really don't want yours. (You can try again some weeks later, but if you get another cold reception, you now know what the deal is).
Some of us longtime bike owners know how (and when) to deal with an aggressive store, but a store like that is never going to be helpful for when you have different needs later on, including service. You're looking at a lot of self-reliance and/or wallet-pumping dealing with a store like that.
That said: there are supply chain problems, bike shops tend not to get all the inventory they ask for, they also tend to have bikes they're desperate to get rid of (leading to used-car-lot tactics), and it can take a long time (months) to get new stock. Some premium bike brands send stock to shops in their network only a couple times a year at most. Inexpensive all-around-useful bikes are in high demand and short supply all the time.
You should know what the big brands are, because they are what you want; they're in the "can't go wrong" category. If a shop only has brands (not models, but the whole brand!) that have zero good reviews out there, you're walking into a trap. A respectable bike shop tends to have at least one of the major brands as their shop brand... TREK, Giant, Specialized, Cannondale, etc. Maybe they have more than one. The main point is, they're going to sell you THEIR brands and none of them are going to order something they don't already carry. That is what you get with bike shops. The good news is, if you wanted a TREK but they have Giant, it's probably fine. Every one of those brands has a bike to fit any need. If they have nothing? Go to the next store.
The value proposition of online stores isn't that they have major brands at lower prices - they tend not to even carry those brands, because they're dealer-centric - but they have off-brands at slightly lower prices. Off-brands often lack quality. Low quality means "the welds on the frame aren't good". Don't bother.
---
The one thing where you may need to make a decision is, "straight handlebars or drop handlebars?" If you aren't riding on drop bars already, you may want to switch to them. Or you may not. They are more comfortable for those 50-60mi rides you like, for most riders. It isn't much of a learning curve. Some riders don't care for them anyway. If you're not convinced, then get a hybrid model bike (it'll be fine) and don't go for mountain bikes with shocks or anything (on pavement, those shocks just absorb energy that could have gone into your ride). Note that "straight bars or drops" is not an option on bike models, it's often what determines the category difference between models (hybrid vs. road).
posted by brianvan at 8:33 AM on March 31
Since you asked specifically for reviews, I can recommend YT channels like Pathless Pedaled or Spindatt - I believe neither of them are paid for their reviews though they are often provided the bike without having to purchase it. They are oriented toward getting out on the bike and its enjoyment rather than having specific performance goals. It also biases them toward "gravel" bikes or whatever the new name is for all-road bikes is, but I think that aligns pretty well to your use case.
I struggle to agree with the above advice to go to a local bike shop (LBS), along the lines of brianvan's comment above. The bike shops are in alignment with the brands they stock and it determines the solutions they can even formulate for you. There are shops out there that have moved beyond roadie-racing or mtn-bike flow downhill, but you have to have done homework to identify them. For me, brand diversity is a good clue. If I only see mass market brands like Specialized and Giant or Jamis and Trek, that is not where I'm going to start. There are a lot of niche brands that have decent distribution - Surly is one, AllCity is another. Kona is a mass market brand where the audience is less focused on racing, Salsa as well. These aren't recommendations for those brands, just that you want to see a mix of types on the roster of an LBS where you go looking for advice.
Lastly, given your planned usage - I would ask about touring bikes. They are built for longer distances and comfort without sacrificing that cyclist-road engagement. You're not going hundreds of miles, but if you're going to be out for more than a couple of hours, it needs to feel good over a longer period.
hope that helps.
posted by SoundInhabitant at 6:04 AM on April 1
I struggle to agree with the above advice to go to a local bike shop (LBS), along the lines of brianvan's comment above. The bike shops are in alignment with the brands they stock and it determines the solutions they can even formulate for you. There are shops out there that have moved beyond roadie-racing or mtn-bike flow downhill, but you have to have done homework to identify them. For me, brand diversity is a good clue. If I only see mass market brands like Specialized and Giant or Jamis and Trek, that is not where I'm going to start. There are a lot of niche brands that have decent distribution - Surly is one, AllCity is another. Kona is a mass market brand where the audience is less focused on racing, Salsa as well. These aren't recommendations for those brands, just that you want to see a mix of types on the roster of an LBS where you go looking for advice.
Lastly, given your planned usage - I would ask about touring bikes. They are built for longer distances and comfort without sacrificing that cyclist-road engagement. You're not going hundreds of miles, but if you're going to be out for more than a couple of hours, it needs to feel good over a longer period.
hope that helps.
posted by SoundInhabitant at 6:04 AM on April 1
One more comment on review - it might help to know why swapping out the old bike feels necessary. Are you having performance issues (e.g. trouble shifting), don't like how your current bike accelerates or feels after 60 miles, or just wanting something new to pound on? if it's the first two, there may be things to do to upgrade your components and improve the ride quality significantly. Much cheaper than have to buy a new frame and wheels as well. many people will tell you even a new paint job can help pull your enthusiasm back into riding an older machine.
posted by SoundInhabitant at 6:11 AM on April 1
posted by SoundInhabitant at 6:11 AM on April 1
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I bought a bike last year and this is literally the approach I used. There's a bike shop in town that has an excellent reputation, so I went in on a slow day, explained my needs and my price range, and then test-rode the bikes they pulled out and bought the one I liked the best. I did this because when I'd previously tried bike shopping, I got complete decision paralysis from reading review articles, which mostly (for me) seemed to keep edging you up and up on price levels since the reviewers are always finding things to nit-pick, and also there are just too many brands and models to consider so it feels overwhelming. I used the bike shop for their curation, basically, to reduce my decision down to just a few choices.
posted by Dip Flash at 9:07 AM on March 30