Any bike riders in here?

I run a lot more than I ride, so someone can correct me if any of this isn't accurate:

You don't need di2. It's just extra headaches and something else to go wrong. It's fancy but totally unnecessary. 105 is excellent and is all 99% of the population will need. Groupsets have benefited from trickle down tech for years so present-day 105 is better than what the pros were racing on 20 years ago.

The endurance models have slightly less "race-y" geometry. They won't have you cramped and tucked as much but don't go in assuming they'll have you sitting upright like pawpaw's Sunday cruiser. It's still a performance bike, just a bit more relaxed.

I have a Canyon ultimate and it's been good. You get a little more bang for your buck since it's direct to consumer but there's something to be said for having a relationship with your local bike shop too. I won't lie, I've felt a little weird going to my local guy and asking him to tune up my Canyon that I definitely didn't buy from him Especially important because once you get yours, you'll want a bike fit. Even more so if you're planning on training for a century

paging crazyLSUstudent

Thanks guys. If 105 will suffice, then that will save some money.

I'm very torn on shopping local vs. something like Canyon. I usually am willing to pay more for local or made in USA but Canyon is a significant savings vs trek (my local shop only deals in trek). A couple hundred bucks is one thing but I want to say it was closer to $1200 difference for a carbon bike with 105.

quote:

---

looked at what most manufactures are calling "endurance" models. Giant Defy, Trek Domane and Cervelo Caledonia

---

Recently went down the “endurance” bike rabbit hole. Tire size and frame material (carbon vs steel) is something to be aware of if you’re just looking for something to be relatively comfy on while going fast-ish.

The Trek Domane’s IsoSpeed decoupler scared me away from it. I read too many reviews where it would break/creak for me to want to spend the money on it.

Regardless of what bike you go with, spend money on a high quality bike fit, even if the “fit” isn’t with your local shop.

Some good responses in this thread already. The brands/models you name are all quality rides. I would add two suggestions. First, get a bike fit. Getting a bike that is not for your size or isn’t set up for your build can steal your joy. Second, new bikes can get stupid expensive in a hurry and there are some awesome used bikes out there. Have fun.

There is a big cycling thread. Here it is: LINK

Here’s my $0.02. And more.

Buy the best you can now because once you get into it, if you go low cost, you’ll want to upgrade.

I bought my last ride off of Buycycle.com and got a helluva a deal on a Specialized Tarmac SL8 Pro. SRAM Force. Look there and shop around. There are deals to be had.

Also, getting in good with your local bike shop is a good idea. I haven’t bought a bike from mine, but I get them to work on mine, fit mine, and I buy some accessories from them. I had them put together my latest purchase when it came in, clean it, tune it, and fit it. The pros there can be a wealth of knowledge and can help get you plugged into group rides and the cycling community.

As for 105 vs. Di2 105: I don’t know. I went from mechanical Shimano Tiagra to SRAM Red ETap to SRAM Force AXS ETap. No Di2 experience. However, the guys I know that have had both prefer SRAM because of battery accessibility and the newer SRAM group sets match the Shimano on shifting smoothness. Having gone from low end mechanical to mid to high electronic, I’ll take the electronic now on my road bikes. But 105 gets high marks on the mechanical end, is fairly light, and you can find it on a lot of good frames from good companies.

That said, my gravel bike build I’m working up may very well be mechanical because of the rigors of distance gravel and because the Campagnolo Ekar 13 speed covers a wide gear range.

As far as bike models, unless you’re focusing solely on endurance, find one that has a little speed built in. Not full on aero, but a Canyon Ultimate, Cervelo R5 or Soloist, Specialized SL8 Tarmac (or SL7), Trek Emonda, or Cannondale SuperSix Evo. The last one had some killer deals recently. But look for the 2024 model. The Cervelo Soloist is a great looking, less expensive bike with speed chops.

Also like the poster above said: get fitted and find a good saddle. I recommend one with a generous cutout. And don’t buy bad bike shorts and jerseys. Look at Neopro. If you want to ride distance, you’ll want to be comfortable.

And don’t expect to get great at it fast. Depending on your level of fitness, it is said to take 2-3 years to really get your cycling legs under you. I’m on month 7, and I’m in about B group shape.

You really need an indoor trainer also to get the reps you need to get better. They can also be found cheap. Get a chest strap heart rate monitor, a power meter on your bike, and a bike computer (Garmon, Wahoo, Hammerhead) also. That’s the best way to gauge your progress. And to not get lost when you get dropped as a newb.

I picked up cycling for an additional element of fitness and as you can tell, I really like it. It is pretty competitive in my area, and group rides on Saturday morning beat getting drunk on the golf course and ruining a whole day.

ETA: this was overkill.