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Re: I want a bike that can do everything. And that I can afford. [jjstains] [ In reply to ]
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Buy used. You don't need the latest/greatest. A 5 y/o bike at $2k will be way better that anything you can buy new at that price. People fall out of love for the racing all the time...
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Re: I want a bike that can do everything. And that I can afford. [giorgitd] [ In reply to ]
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But WHAT bike, new or used, can be my n=1 bike?
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Re: I want a bike that can do everything. And that I can afford. [jjstains] [ In reply to ]
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Yes, that Ribble is a good suggestion.

29 years and counting
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Re: I want a bike that can do everything. And that I can afford. [TheStroBro] [ In reply to ]
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Fair enough. There's plenty of people who don't even blink at those numbers. I'm not one of them, probably won't ever will be. I was in the industry for about a year a little bit ago and rode and sold some bikes equal to and above that- blew my mind every time, and still does
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Re: I want a bike that can do everything. And that I can afford. [jjstains] [ In reply to ]
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2020 Domane SL4/SL5
Last edited by: rijndael: Sep 16, 19 4:23
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Re: I want a bike that can do everything. And that I can afford. [jjstains] [ In reply to ]
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The Topstone is a seriously good option. No proprietary bits, gobs of tire clearance, and good geometry. My wife is running one right now with 2, soon to be 3 sets of wheels and doesn't feel like she's missing anything. I know it's missing the aero frame features, but that is a small fraction of the aero drag of the whole system. Focus on getting a good set of bars/ wheels and you'll be good.
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Re: I want a bike that can do everything. And that I can afford. [jjstains] [ In reply to ]
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Whenever a thread comes around like this I always comment I like my bikesdirect bikes. Affordable but with a minor cost and that is in some parts. Crappy saddle, OEM stem, seatpost, handlebars etc. But for the most part best bang for your buck. I have noticed that they tend to go on the lower end of brakes compared to the other components. So with that being said you need to know exactly what you are looking for.

Best bikes, no, but very good option if your on a tight budget.
Last edited by: AndysStrongAle: Sep 16, 19 6:15
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Re: I want a bike that can do everything. And that I can afford. [giorgitd] [ In reply to ]
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Let's assume you have a budget of about $2000. With patience you should be able to find a very capable gravel or cross bike for less than a $1000. A double crankset would seem to be a bit more versatile. Next begin purchasing tires, wheels and stems to suit your needs.

Are you thinking about..:
-Rugged gravel and trails? Get a set of 650b wheels with the biggest semi-knobbed tires you can fit and maybe swap your stem with something shorter and taller.
-Fast road rides? 25 to 30mm slick tires and a lower longer stem. Perhaps a set of 30mm deep aluminum wheels.
-Triathlon? Add clip on aero bars to the above.
-Cross or Gravel? Run it like you bought it or add another set of tires.

We've used a Giant TCX ALU; Kona JAKE and a Jake The Snake; 2 different Redline Conquests; Diamondback Haanjo; and Chinese carbon bikes this way.

Have fun.
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Re: I want a bike that can do everything. And that I can afford. [jjstains] [ In reply to ]
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Take a look at the NS Rag+. Big tire clearance (up to 2.2” 650b!) but racy geometry and pretty affordable.
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Re: I want a bike that can do everything. And that I can afford. [jjstains] [ In reply to ]
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Personally, I'd rather own several "task specific" bikes that do their intended job very well than one bike that attempts to do everything, and only partially succeeds. It's the difference in a full toolbox and a Swiss Army Knife.

Given the $2000 budget mentioned early in the thread, if you're patient and buy used, you could probably find a very nice road bike, tri bike, and MTB with money left over for tweaks and upgrades. This is especially true if you're willing to work with older technology...9 or 10 speed vs 11 or 12 speed, rim brakes instead of disc brakes, even good aluminum instead of carbon fiber. Unless you're at the very top end of the sport, the performance difference is basically non-existent.

My first tri bike was an early Cervelo P2K with Hed Alps wheels, full Dura Ace 9-speed group, and a wired Powertap for $300. My first MTB was an older Cannondale f400 with 26" wheels for $100, and my first road bike was an aluminum Felt (I forget the model) with full 105/Ultegra components for $250. Deals are all over, especially as people upgrade to more gears, disc brakes, and carbon fiber...and cycling is definitely a sport where frequent upgrades are the norm, rather than the exception for many folks. With Winter approaching, demand shrinks and prices drop, too.
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Re: I want a bike that can do everything. And that I can afford. [jjstains] [ In reply to ]
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For your price range avoid carbon frames. You will get a much better overall package by sticking with a premium alloy frame than a budget carbon option. I would specifically avoid carbon offerings from discount brands as the frames are no better than cheaper premium alloy frames.

I personally like Trek's 300 series frames so the Checkpoint ALR or Crockett ALR are good possibilities. Specialised E5 frames are also excellent and they make the Diverge E5 in several build options. Cannondale has been making some of the best allow frames for years but for whatever reason they don't make the Topstone or CADDX out of their premium C1 alloy. This is reflected in the price of the bikes but means you aren't getting a frame that competes with carbon frames the same way the CAAD 13 does.

The other advantage of premium alloy frames is that they carry fewer risks when buying on the used market. With the total sales volumes of Specialised and Trek you stand a good chance of being able to find a lightly used bike in your size in your local market. That will leave you cash for the spare wheels and any other modifications.
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Re: I want a bike that can do everything. And that I can afford. [jjstains] [ In reply to ]
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It's a trick question. The answer is two bikes. Buy someone's used rim brake aero bike. Buy someone's used cyclocross bike, if it's mostly dry where you ride, you can even get away with cantilever brakes. No wheel or tire swaps and less taking a bike on/off the trainer.
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Re: I want a bike that can do everything. And that I can afford. [Chan] [ In reply to ]
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Chan wrote:
I got one for you. You may have to wait for it to arrive. It's a UK bike brand. Considering it for my next do-it-all.

And starts at $1600.https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/ribble-cgr-sl/
[/url]

That's an interesting option.

What's the story on Ribble frames? Are they open mold with paint or something more?
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Re: I want a bike that can do everything. And that I can afford. [svennn] [ In reply to ]
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svennn wrote:
Chan wrote:
I got one for you. You may have to wait for it to arrive. It's a UK bike brand. Considering it for my next do-it-all.

And starts at $1600.https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/ribble-cgr-sl/
[/url]

That's an interesting option.

What's the story on Ribble frames? Are they open mold with paint or something more?

Honestly not sure. My guess is that they're just a lower tier brand with no pro your sponsorship and direct to consumer pricing.

I found their about page and they're supposed to be designed in house. Additionally they were acquired in 2015 by a company called True Capital.
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Re: I want a bike that can do everything. And that I can afford. [Cup] [ In reply to ]
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I have and love a 3T exploro but it’s pricey. That said, several local racers seem to be having success with an open mold frame highly similar to the exploro that can be found on eBay. You could put together a budget do it all rig with that frame.
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Re: I want a bike that can do everything. And that I can afford. [jjstains] [ In reply to ]
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jjstains wrote:
RE Exploro- that's exactly the problem. It's exactly what I want (or think I want) but outside my price range. They keep bringing it down, so maybe in 5 years I can reasonably afford it.

The Toughroad has come up as an option and looks appealing- thanks for the recommendation

Ummmm, just an observation from a dad of 2 older kids ~ your little tyke isn't suddenly gonna get a whole lot cheaper. And that's if you're 'smart' enough to just quit at 1...

But really, this is the best answer:

pknight wrote:
It's a trick question. The answer is two bikes. Buy someone's used rim brake aero bike. Buy someone's used cyclocross bike, if it's mostly dry where you ride, you can even get away with cantilever brakes. No wheel or tire swaps and less taking a bike on/off the trainer.
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Re: I want a bike that can do everything. And that I can afford. [jjstains] [ In reply to ]
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Fuji Jari ticks a lot of your boxes

I found my gravel bike used on Craig’s List, but before that I was going to pull the trigger on the Jari
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Re: I want a bike that can do everything. And that I can afford. [SBRinSD] [ In reply to ]
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I would look for a nice used carbon cyclocross bike with cantilever brakes, such as a Trek Boone or Specialized Crux. I would not worry about having an aerodynamic frame. It it not going to happen in your price range and will not make much difference. I won a club practice race on my specialized tri cross with a set of road wheels and tires. It was aero enough to stay away for two miles after I attacked on the last hill.

Cantilever brakes with alloy rims will work fine everywhere, even on a muddy cross course. Disc brakes are better, but sticking with cantilever allows you to get a nice, light carbon frame from the guy who upgraded to discs and bunch of used wheel options for cheap. A set of wheels with 19 to 21 mm internal width should run any tire needed for road, cross, or gravel that will fit on the bike. You should also be able to find some reasonably aerodynamic wheels for a fair price (Mavic Cosmics, Hed Jets, alloy track Zipp 404s).

Cantilever brakes are also much easier to deal with than disc brakes when changing wheels. Sometimes I can eliminate the disc rubbing the pad on the first try when I change wheels. Sometimes I am still messing with it 20 minutes later.
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Re: I want a bike that can do everything. And that I can afford. [jjstains] [ In reply to ]
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The answer is Crux
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