# Raleigh Revenio 1.0 for a first road bike?



## sbob

I've been riding a Trek mountain bike for a few years now, and I want to upgrade to my first road bike. REI is having a sale now, and I have a $350 gift card I won a while ago I still need to spend. I was wondering if the Raleigh Revenio 1.0 (can't link it...) is decent for the price, or if I'm cheaping out and should get something else. I could only find a few comments on the Revenio line on the internets, and not much more on Raleigh in general, so I'm a bit hesitant. I also am considering the Scott Metrix 30, which they didn't have in store, but is a cheaper hybrid with components that seem as good (maybe better?).

Some background: I typically ride once a week, 20-35 mile trips, which I want to bump to 30-40 and be able to hit 50 by the end of the year. I don't go very fast, partially due to not trying to and partially lacking the physical ability, but I do want to step it up a bit (can't do 50 miles if it takes 5 hours) and I figure a road bike should add a couple mph.

I tried out the Raleigh in store and I'm honestly not sure what to think because it was my first time on a road bike and I could only take it out on a couple streets behind the store. The drop bars felt weird and the ride was jarring compared to my Trek, but I'm wondering if that's just something you get used to on any road bike. I tried a couple hybrids that felt more comfortable, but like I said I want to go 50 miles and from what I've read that's road bike territory.

I know the groupset is nothing special, but one thing I realized is that, living in a city that's pretty much flat, I hardly ever shift gears anyway, so how much should that really matter? Alternatively, I could save the gift card (honestly it would take me a few years to spend that much at REI) and go used, but I'm not knowledgeable enough about bikes to confidently buy one used (and don't have a car to look at all the bikes suburbanites are selling).

Should I get it and just start riding, get something else, or go somewhere else entirely? Thanks for any input.


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## PJ352

First off, kudos to you for an informative post that helps us help you.

As much as I think hybrids have their place, in this instance and given that you have an eye towards extending your rides, I think you're already stretching the limits of what a hybrid can do. That said, I'd focus on a drop bar bike.

The Raleigh Revenio has decent specs for its intended market which (given your terrain) I think will suite you fine, and it offers geometry that'll keep the ride interesting without the twitchy steering some drop bar bikes possess. This, of course, is subjective on my part, so you'll need to test ride the bike (out on the roads) to assess fit/ feel, ride and handling.

IME the 'weird' road riding position and 'jarring' ride are very common comments made by noobs, but as saddle time builds most acclimate to both in fairly short order. And you can experiment with tire size/ pressures to soften the ride a bit. Also, the fit on the test ride bike probably wasn't dialed in prior to the ride, so a standard fitting should improve your position on the bike. 

Re: buying used, if you don't feel confident or comfortable doing so, don't. It's a viable option for those who either know and understand bike mechanics/ fit or take the steps necessary to safeguard their interests, but many new riders want what we call value added services that LBS's (and buying new) offer. They'll include sizing/ fit assistance, a warranty, post purchase services like tune ups/ tweaks to fit and discounts on accessories. Overall, a reputable shop will be a valuable resource to you.

If you have some time or a way to get to other LBS's, I don't think it ever hurts to branch out and expose yourself to other offerings. But if circumstances dictate that's not possible and the Raleigh fits your well, I don't think you'll regret the purchase. 

Here's a link to the Raleigh:
Raleigh Bicycles Revenio 1.0


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## seacoaster

I have both a hybrid and a road bike, and can offer the following opinions (and take them as such). On longer rides, the drop bars are more comfortable than flat bars, as you have a number of different riding positions. Personally, once I get much over 20 - 25 miles at a stretch, the hybrid starts to get a little uncomfortable.

You might want to consider having the shop swap out the 23 mm tires for something wider, like 25 mm. You can run the 25's at a lower pressure than the 23's, which will give you a better ride. My shop did this for the price difference between the tires. There isn't a performance penalty for riding with the wider tires.

If you're riding in a city, you might want to give some thought to your pedals. I have clipless on the road bike and platforms on the hybrid. Clipless can be a nuisance if you have to make a lot of stops, and IMO don't really offer that much of a performance benefit for the recreational rider. Stiff soled shoes, however, do make a lot of difference on longer rides.

The road bike should be a bit faster than the hybrid, but a lot will depend upon the bikes in question, not to mention the engine (you!). For me, it's not any more than 2 mph.


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## Jay Strongbow

sbob said:


> I tried out the Raleigh in store and I'm honestly not sure what to think because it was my first time on a road bike and I could only take it out on a couple streets behind the store. The drop bars felt weird and *the ride was jarring compared to my Trek, but I'm wondering if that's just something you get used to on any road bike*. I tried a couple hybrids that felt more comfortable, but like I said I want to go 50 miles and from what I've read that's road bike territory.


Chances are that difference has nothing to do with the bikes themself but the tires. I'm guessing your hybrid has 30ish MM tires probably at lower pressure and the roadie 23mm probably pumped up pretty high.

Regardless of the cause though, what you feel is real so something to consider. You do get used to it to a certain extent but you also develop more riding habits of watching the road and missing the bumps/cracks/holes ect (or I did when I went from big tire hybrid to 23mm road bike).
But it could be that you don't get used to it or the city streets you are talking about are just too crappy to get used to it. 

So, to get to my reason for posting: If you think getting used to it might be a concern make sure the road bike you get can accept bigger (28m or so) tires incase you end up wanting them. Another more minor point is that entry level bikes usually come with really horrible tires. So even if you don't get bigger, better will help a little.

Anyway, with the distance you're looking to put in I think a road bike is the wise choice. I don't know anything about the Raleigh specifically but also from the sounds of it (just guessing) it doesn't sound like you're looking to ride really aggressive so try and not get a road bike with a really short head tube and quick steering. In other words don't get something where you feel too low for comfort and feels tritchy up front. A lot of this has to do with just the stem though. If you feel too low at first it might be a really simple fix of just flipping the stem.


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## wim

sbob said:


> The drop bars felt weird and the ride was jarring compared to my Trek, but I'm wondering if that's just something you get used to on any road bike


Two thoughts: compared to a mountain bike with its large tires run at relatively low pressure, any road bike will feel a bit jarring _at first_. And consider that on test rides, you generally don't know the tire pressure of he bike you're riding. If the shop guy habitually pumps the tires up to maximum for test rides (as some do), any road bike ride would have a jarring ride. If the shop guy doesn't bother to check pressure and lets you ride around on 60 psi, any road bike ride would feel cushy to you.


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## bmach

I bought that bike for my getting back into riding bike. It was fine used it for a couple of 60 mile rides. I did the exact same thing as you REI and their reward points. I still use it now for my trainer mounted bike.


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## sbob

Thanks for the comments everyone, I ended up ordering it. I went back to REI to test-ride some more, and the guy sized me at 52cm (the first time another guy sized me at 54cm, which most manufacturers seem to label a medium, seemed a bit odd since at 5'6 135lbs I've never been a medium in anything ). The 52 was a different brand, but looking at measurements (and the Competitive Cyclist fit calculator) I'm thinking it will fit. Nice thing is that with REI I get a great return policy if it's not working out.

I also made the mistake of trying a $1500 bike (Scott Speedster S20) and it felt so much smoother and faster than the Raleigh. I almost ordered the S30 model instead as a compromise, but realized that with the extra amount I was about to spend I have so many other options outside of REI that I'd feel compelled to explore, and I kind of need the bike sooner than later. (I was also a bit freaked out by stories of carbon fork failure, but that's another story, and I'm a bit paranoid...)


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## wim

sbob said:


> I was also a bit freaked out by stories of carbon fork failure, but that's another story, and I'm a bit paranoid...)


Carbon forks that aren't stupid-light or have a design defect are extremely strong. If you stick to tried-and-true designs and stay away from feather-light stuff, you'll be fine on a carbon fork. The ride of your Revenio 1 would smooth out noticeably by substituting an economical and stout carbon fork for the fork the bike comes with. First thing I'd do after deciding to keep the bike, but that's just me, of course.


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## LAW.S.T

sbob said:


> I've been riding a Trek mountain bike for a few years now, and I want to upgrade to my first road bike. REI is having a sale now, and I have a $350 gift card I won a while ago I still need to spend. I was wondering if the Raleigh Revenio 1.0 (can't link it...) is decent for the price, or if I'm cheaping out and should get something else. I could only find a few comments on the Revenio line on the internets, and not much more on Raleigh in general, so I'm a bit hesitant. I also am considering the Scott Metrix 30, which they didn't have in store, but is a cheaper hybrid with components that seem as good (maybe better?).
> 
> Some background: I typically ride once a week, 20-35 mile trips, which I want to bump to 30-40 and be able to hit 50 by the end of the year. I don't go very fast, partially due to not trying to and partially lacking the physical ability, but I do want to step it up a bit (can't do 50 miles if it takes 5 hours) and I figure a road bike should add a couple mph.
> 
> I tried out the Raleigh in store and I'm honestly not sure what to think because it was my first time on a road bike and I could only take it out on a couple streets behind the store. The drop bars felt weird and the ride was jarring compared to my Trek, but I'm wondering if that's just something you get used to on any road bike. I tried a couple hybrids that felt more comfortable, but like I said I want to go 50 miles and from what I've read that's road bike territory.
> 
> I know the groupset is nothing special, but one thing I realized is that, living in a city that's pretty much flat, I hardly ever shift gears anyway, so how much should that really matter? Alternatively, I could save the gift card (honestly it would take me a few years to spend that much at REI) and go used, but I'm not knowledgeable enough about bikes to confidently buy one used (and don't have a car to look at all the bikes suburbanites are selling).
> 
> Should I get it and just start riding, get something else, or go somewhere else entirely? Thanks for any input.


Try out more bikes, get a "feel" for what you like, its good to compare anyway


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## TwntyOneTwlv

Congrats on your bike! I have a Revenio 2 that I bought a few months ago and I'm loving it. Enjoy!


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