# Help me choose between two low end Road bikes...



## sport7 (Jan 10, 2010)

My Giant Hi-ten steel frame 80's bike is a bit too small; so these two bikes seem to be better in a few ways. Not too worried about weight, but comfort and durability would be nice.

The two bikes:

http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...e_xi_steel.htm 2011 Motobecane Mirage with the comfort and durability of a CroMoly frame or

http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...y/avenue_c.htm 2011 Gravity Avenue C with Sora 3400 Rear Derailleur

I am tending toward the Mirage as it has the CroMoly frame and may provide better comfort over the aluminum Gravity with CrMo fork. Again weight is not an issue and the shifter on the down tube is not my fave but should be durable and simple to maintain.

Most of my family bikes are older and fairly used, and i enjoy maintaining them my self, so turning a wrench is a plus in this instance. thanks.


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## martinrjensen (Sep 23, 2007)

I suggest the Mirage


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## sport7 (Jan 10, 2010)

martinrjensen said:


> I suggest the Mirage


thanks, that's the way i have been leaning. Only downside is the down tube shifters, but that can be changed in time. 

The CroMo frame is attractive too, but maybe i am too stuck on the supposed comfort of steel. i had an aluminum frame decades ago before the internet and no one was concerned about such issues. It was exciting to me at the time because of the low weight and the price was right. 

Weight isn't much of an issue now, i am not a racer but need to stay in shape.


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## PlatyPius (Feb 1, 2009)

Definitely the Mirage. Ride is like it is, then later add some STI/Microshift shifters for $200 or so and have an even better bike.


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## sport7 (Jan 10, 2010)

PlatyPius said:


> Definitely the Mirage. Ride is like it is, then later add some STI/Microshift shifters for $200 or so and have an even better bike.


thanks Platy. The down tube shifters can grow on me though, especially reading about those shifters on the higher end bikes that have plastic parts in them. One thread on those shifters claimed they had to spend $500 on a new set because a plastic part broke in a crash. 

A compliment on your posts at the forum BTW, very entertaining reading your stuff, especially because you seem to know what your talking about. 

A bike i like a whole lot better is this one, but it is available only in 58cm leaving me only one inch of top tube clearance for my inseam...

http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/mercier/galaxy.htm 2010 Mercier Galaxy

The frame is Reynolds 520 (always have wanted a Reynolds frame) and a few Sora components.


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## Doggity (Mar 10, 2006)

Look at the Jamis Satellite Sport too. Don't know what your spending limit is, but mine went out the door for 6 clams. It's got a Sora rear derailleur, and 2300 STI shifters. That ain't saying much...the Sora's fine, but I ended up putting Shimano's 8 speed bar end shifters ($56.00 from JensenUSA) on the bike after a year, because to me low end STI ain't so great.If you like the ride of steel, you'll love this bike.


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## sport7 (Jan 10, 2010)

Doggity said:


> Look at the Jamis Satellite Sport too. Don't know what your spending limit is, but mine went out the door for 6 clams. It's got a Sora rear derailleur, and 2300 STI shifters. That ain't saying much...the Sora's fine, but I ended up putting Shimano's 8 speed bar end shifters ($56.00 from JensenUSA) on the bike after a year, because to me low end STI ain't so great.If you like the ride of steel, you'll love this bike.


i wish those bar end shifters came on more bikes, much more simple to maintain and they won't let you down on the road. Almost picked up a new Trek 520 this winter that was cut price; sweet little steel touring frame and bar end shifters.

Down tube shifters are a love/hate. Tough like your bar ends but not too convenient. i may end up with the fixie mentality of why shift at all.  

My brother warned me about 'brifters', very difficult to overhaul.


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## PlatyPius (Feb 1, 2009)

sport7 said:


> i wish those bar end shifters came on more bikes, much more simple to maintain and they won't let you down on the road. Almost picked up a new Trek 520 this winter that was cut price; sweet little steel touring frame and bar end shifters.
> 
> Down tube shifters are a love/hate. Tough like your bar ends but not too convenient. i may end up with the fixie mentality of why shift at all.
> *
> My brother warned me about 'brifters', very difficult to overhaul.*


Actually, if we're talking about Shimano, they're IMPOSSIBLE to overhaul. Campy and SRAM can be fixed; not Shimano.

You can add bar end shifters to the bike you were looking at pretty inexpensively.


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## sport7 (Jan 10, 2010)

PlatyPius said:


> Actually, if we're talking about Shimano, they're IMPOSSIBLE to overhaul. Campy and SRAM can be fixed; not Shimano.
> 
> You can add bar end shifters to the bike you were looking at pretty inexpensively.



Yep, bad choice of words. Should have said adjusted or something else.

Let me explain: my brother is a bike nut who is partially responsible for getting me back into this sport after decades of couch potatoism. His friend had a high end kind of bike, multi thousand$ but the shifters were never really working to good. Took him hours to take the thing apart and get it right; don't think i have that skill. 

If Campy and SRAM can be fixed makes me wonder why Shimano is such a big dog out there in the bike world. My guess is the bean counters are hoping to cash in on something. Someday i would luv to have a Campy equipped bike and add to that and old Schwinn Paramount. As a kid the Paramount was as good as it got...guess it still is. :thumbsup:


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## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

Get the Motobecane.


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## Elfstone (Jun 27, 2006)

Get the one that fits you the best and looks the best to you.

Peace


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## sport7 (Jan 10, 2010)

Mr. Versatile said:


> Get the Motobecane.


Any particular reason to get the Motobecane?


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## PlatyPius (Feb 1, 2009)

sport7 said:


> His friend had a high end kind of bike, multi thousand$ but the shifters were never really working to good. Took him hours to take the thing apart and get it right...


To be honest, that just sounds like a case of having a crappy mechanic. STI/Ergo/DoubleTap isn't difficult to adjust at all. Under normal circumstances, it doesn't need adjusted very often, either.

I'm old, fat, and lazy. I like my shifters right there in my hand so I can shift to an easier gear once the road changes from flat to a 1/2% grade.


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## sport7 (Jan 10, 2010)

PlatyPius said:


> To be honest, that just sounds like a case of having a crappy mechanic. STI/Ergo/DoubleTap isn't difficult to adjust at all. Under normal circumstances, it doesn't need adjusted very often, either.
> 
> I'm old, fat, and lazy. I like my shifters right there in my hand so I can shift to an easier gear once the road changes from flat to a 1/2% grade.


As memory serves, his friend had a high end bike but the shifters were performing rather poorly. He took the thing completely apart to get to the bottom of the problem and then reassembled, after which it worked properly for the first time in its life. His opinion was that the internal mechanism is quite complex and difficult to deal with. If it was a matter of adjusting, he could have done that blind folded.

i am getting old too and can be lazy, but not fat yet, the bike won't let me. Down tube shifters don't appeal much. If i was going to go real cheap, stem tube shifting would be just fine. Some would gag at such a thought, but i started out with stem shifters and very few problems; quite convenient too. The best i can say about down tube shifting is it is a classic and probably durable.


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

sport7 said:


> As memory serves, his friend had a high end bike but the shifters were performing rather poorly. He took the thing completely apart to get to the bottom of the problem and then reassembled, after which it worked properly for the first time in its life.


Consider that this amazing operation may have had nothing to do at all with making the shifting work properly. For example, just re-seating a shoddily installed shift cable would have had the same result.

You're way overthinking all this in my view. Brake shifters are much tougher and reliable than you believe they are. Perhaps you don't see the major advantages clearly, such as being able to shift safely with both hands on the bar, and being able to shift while pedaling out of the saddle up a steep hill.


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## T0mi (Mar 2, 2011)

sport7 said:


> My Giant Hi-ten steel frame 80's bike is a bit too small; so these two bikes seem to be better in a few ways. Not too worried about weight, but comfort and durability would be nice.
> 
> The two bikes:
> 
> ...


Why buying a cheap and boring low end road bike if you can buy a great second hand middle range or high end one ? Especially if you enjoy maintaining them yourself.


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## sport7 (Jan 10, 2010)

wim said:


> Consider that this amazing operation may have had nothing to do at all with making the shifting work properly. For example, just re-seating a shoddily installed shift cable would have had the same result.
> 
> You're way overthinking all this in my view. Brake shifters are much tougher and reliable than you believe they are. Perhaps you don't see the major advantages clearly, such as being able to shift safely with both hands on the bar, and being able to shift while pedaling out of the saddle up a steep hill.


He builds his own bikes (recumbent types), don't think a cable problem would have stumped him. 

Agree with you on shifting with hands on the bar, unfortunately these low end bikes sometimes omit these finer features. My intent was to buy a Low end Steel road bike; since very few are practically available, then one has to make the best of it. 

The next steel road bike goes for $600 and then it no longer is a low end steel road bike. http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/windsor/tourist.htm


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

sport7 said:


> He builds his own bikes (recumbent types), don't think a cable problem would have stumped him.


Didn't mean to imply that. Even the best mechanics disassemble and reassemble something only to discover that the problem was caused by something else altogether.


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## sport7 (Jan 10, 2010)

wim said:


> Didn't mean to imply that. Even the best mechanics disassemble and reassemble something only to discover that the problem was caused by something else altogether.


no offense taken. And yes i have tore into something and then realized it was just a minor issue. 

Agree with you on the shifters and part of the reason for this thread. What a pain, a low end steel frame with DT shifters, so this is more of a reality check thread. Maybe aluminum aint so bad, and the low end aluminum bikes do come with Microshift products.

Well in motorcycling, when a forum comes to an impasse, sometimes the best advice is "Shut up and Ride"


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## Elfstone (Jun 27, 2006)

Just get the one that you feel may fit the best and looks the best and don't forget to post photos of your BD bike to share with us folks. 

All the information you need on BD products are on the BD website and RBR search is your friend right on blue band fourth from the right. There has been many threads started on BD bikes and there more info on BD bikes in the Motobecane - Mercier forum.

Peace


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## sport7 (Jan 10, 2010)

Elfstone said:


> Just get the one that you feel may fit the best and looks the best and don't forget to post photos of your BD bike to share with us folks.
> 
> All the information you need on BD products are on the BD website and RBR search is your friend right on blue band fourth from the right. There has been many threads started on BD bikes and there more info on BD bikes in the Motobecane - Mercier forum.
> :


Elf i thought about that one awhile, and it's not really about the information available. And i do wish to remind my dear readers that this is Road Bike Review.......not Road Bike Information. 

Too many times 'information' doesn't really inform, which is why a review and advice from the old pros can help us navigate this glut of information. 
>>>>There has been many threads started on BD bikes and there more info on BD bikes in the Motobecane - Mercier forum.

Very very few threads on low end bikes, in fact most of the BD threads are over the higher end bikes. 

>>>>and don't forget to post photos of your BD bike to share with us folks. 

i have considered that. Again a lot of the higher end photo posts start with the 'box from UPS' and then a peek inside.


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

sport7 said:


> Elf i thought about that one awhile, and it's not really about the information available. And i do wish to remind my dear readers that this is Road Bike Review.......not Road Bike Information..


Hate to repeat what I said earlier, but here goes: you're way overthinking all this. Just get a bike, any bike, and ride it before winter 2011 sets in.


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## Doggity (Mar 10, 2006)

i_ wish those bar end shifters came on more bikes, much more simple to maintain and they won't let you down on the road_ My thinking exactly. Plus they look way cooler, and in friction mode, are way more fun to shift. If you're the kind of rider who needs to shift from the top of the bars while climbing outta the saddle (for me, it is to laugh...), then they're not so keen. But c'mon...most of the time, how often are you going to do that?


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## sport7 (Jan 10, 2010)

Well thanks for the advice; looks like the end of this thread as it has been moved.


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