# Which bike to buy: Nishiki Maricopa or Motobecane Mirage Sport



## theanchorman (Sep 7, 2014)

Hello all,

I am new to biking, and i was looking to purchase a road bike for just riding around occasionally for exercise or just going to ride on trails. Im thinking i wont be putting more than 500 miles a year or at max a 1000 on the bike. Therefore, im not looking to spend more than $500. I came to down to selecting either the Nishiki Maricopa or Motobecane Mirage Sport. However im trying to get a opinion of others of which one to select. The Nishiki's bike weight i believe is 19lbs, however the Motobecane Mirage sport bike is around 24lbs but not sure if its better quality wise than the Nishiki. Below are the links to the bikes. Let me know what you guys think or if you have other bikes in mind.

Nishiki Adult Maricopa Road Bike 2014 - Dick's Sporting Goods

Road Bikes | ALUMINUM | MOTOBECANE | MIRAGE SPORT | BikeShopWarehouse.com | One of the questions most asked is _"what would you consider your best value in a road bike_?" This is our answer! 

The new *Motobecane Mirage Sport* is the


----------



## theanchorman (Sep 7, 2014)

Sorry i forgot to mention that if i get the Nishiki road bike, dicks sporting has a free in store assembly by certified technician.


----------



## obed (Jan 12, 2014)

neither. go to a local bike store (dicks is NOT a bike store). Tell them what your cycling expectations are. Have them fit a bike to you...
if you are new to cycling do the things that will help assure you enjoy it.


----------



## theanchorman (Sep 7, 2014)

Okay thanks for the advice. I did get my basic measurement a local bike shop and based on my height and inseam which is 5'9" and 32" i would need a 55cm bike. Nishiki has a 55cm bike, however Motobecane has 54cm and 56cm. But i know some bike shops they measure the tube top, arm length, and more for the perfect fit. I wish these bikes listed all the details of the frame size.


----------



## Alfonsina (Aug 26, 2012)

You should be able to get the moto geo chart easily enough? Bikesdirect usually have that on their site? Have you tried the google machine? You can use comp cyclist's fit calc for a ball park.


----------



## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

theanchorman said:


> Okay thanks for the advice. I did get my basic measurement a local bike shop and based on my height and inseam which is 5'9" and 32" i would need a 55cm bike. Nishiki has a 55cm bike, however Motobecane has 54cm and 56cm. But i know some bike shops they measure the tube top, arm length, and more for the perfect fit. *I wish these bikes listed all the details of the frame size*.


That's the problem. Since frame size varies by manufacturer, it alone tells little about how a bike will fit. 

Geo _numbers_ will tell more, but you'll need to know your reach/ drop requirements, so for a first bike, it's best to invest in a standard fitting at a reputable shop. Note the year, make. model and frame size of the test bike, then compare it's geo numbers to that of bikes of interest. 

This process may cost you ~$50 upfront. but you'll then know your sizing requirements, bettering your odds of finding a well fitting bike.


----------

