I can pick up a 2003 Sabre in very very good condition for about $1200. As I am fully satisfied with my tri bike my interest in it would be to replace my old road bike with the Sabre. It currently has 9-speed ultegra which I could keep (just add the road bars and shifters) or I could upgrade it with my campy chorus from the other ride.
My question for you geometry-knowledged folks is - can I transform the Sabre (at what 78 degrees) into a comfortable road bike? Is it feasible to do this or do I just look for a great deal on a new/used road bike?
A regular set-back seat post will get you slack enough, maybe. I raced a Softride for years, and settled into a comfortable position, and later, after I’d stopped racing, I measured the angles and such, and found that I’d been riding at 77 degrees. Never felt unstable, never felt like I was puttng a lot of weight on my arms. So I guess it would depend on your particular weight distribution, but I think it’s doable.
I’m not a techie, that’s why I need to ask you guys these questions. I just get on 'em and hammer… leave everything else to everyone else.
So let me ask you, what did you go to from the softy and why (and when)? Someone told me Softride is going under or something like that so I am worried at some point I will have to abandon it.
Is what I am hearing true? I know, this is probably worth it’s own post (maybe already been posted - will have to check the archives)
I have heard Softride is looking for a buyer, and they have currently suspended manufacturing. They still have parts on hand and are able to supply pieces, but no new bikes right now. Little birdies have said there are parties intersted in buying, but agreements have not been reached yet.
Rundru has the business end right as far as I know.
I still have both the road Softrides (and one track/single speed). I’d used one of them for experimenting with position for my tri set-up (when I made my “re-entry” into the sport), and found that I was maxing out the front-end geometry. So when I looked for a new frame, it turned out to not be a Softride. I have absolutely nothing against them, and had I found a Softride that (a) had the geometry I was looking for and (b) fit my budget (the only things I found wer custom, and I was going through a divorce at the time), I would have snatched it up in a minute.
I bought an OLD cusom ti QR from Andrew on the ST classifieds. The geometry was just the ticket i was looking for. So it’s not a beam bike, but it’s comfy, ultra stable, and a rocket on the road.