# Upgrading from Walmart to first road bike



## Spilph (Jul 12, 2014)

Hello everybody! I'm kind of stuck at the moment deciding on what to do, I've been commuting to work (only 10 miles round trip) and doing random rides between 15-20 miles on off days on a cheap Walmart hybrid that cost me about $100. I really enjoy it and I'm ready to make a bigger commitment and get something I can do more with. The commute to work is on a dedicated bike path that I get on two blocks from home and off one block from work. I've visited a couple LBS and it looks like as far as entry level go I can afford a Specialized Allez ($880) or a Giant Defy ($940). Both fit well, my old bike was too big as I'm only 5'4 it was hard to find anything, but the biggest question comes in the form of a work discount on Diamondbacks up to 60%. That would leave a Diamondback Century 1 ($400), Century 2 ($568), Century 3 Carbon ($943) or Century 4 ($1128). I can set it up to go and get the bike fit before I buy it but it would require a trip before hand so I haven't been able to yet. For such a small commute and probably only half centuries at most unless I have a lot of extra time wold some be too much bike? I don't know enough about components or anything to know what most of that means. Any help would be greatly appreciated, thank you!


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## CliffordK (Jun 6, 2014)

Why are you getting 60% off of Diamondback? Is the brand part of your work? Would they frown on you showing up with an off-brand bike? Or, does everybody at work ride the same bikes, and you want to be the "black sheep"?

I'm not sure I'd recommend jumping to a Full Carbon bike for commuting. However, the Diamondback Century 2 looks nice, with an aluminum frame, and the 10 speed Shimano 105 group.


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## Mr645 (Jun 14, 2013)

FWIW, a LBS had the Century 1 in sale for $499 and it was a big seller. People seemed very happy with the bike for the price. I see them once in a while on group rides and they get the job done


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

As long as you have the sizing/ fit issue covered, for $168 more I'd suggest the Century 2. The upgraded drivetrain (105 - 10 speed, versus 2300 - 8 speed) alone is easily worth the difference in price, IMO.

Above that price point in the DB line the specs shift more to "nice to have" than need for most recreational riders.


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

I went with the brand I have a line on when I got a shiny new mountain bike. My discount's not as good as yours, but when there's a pretty big discount available, you have to ask yourself if the other brand's entries in each pricepoint are 60% better.


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## Spilph (Jul 12, 2014)

Thanks for all the replies! It's sounding like the century 2 is the best option. I work at a Sports Authority so we get a direct vendor discount, the store only sells lower end Diamondbacks but we can get any of their products up to 60% off. There are only a couple other people who regularly commute to work and only one serious cyclist who rides a Fuji so the brand itself is irrelivent, I was just looking for the best deal for the use with maybe some future application to advance if I get more into cycling.


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## CliffordK (Jun 6, 2014)

You are getting good deals on the Carbon bikes too, so you might consider them if you think you'll get more active in the riding later, but I'm not sure they're really necessary. The weight difference will probably only be a pound or two.. Unfortunately Diamondback doesn't provide a weight rating. The Century 5 comes with the 11 speed Ultegra group which some people might consider as important. If your discount is likely to continue into the future, you can always upgrade, and may not even loose much on selling a well cared for used bike.

You may also consider the Century Disc, or Century Sport Disc. I'm not convinced disc brakes make a huge difference, but some people think they are much better, especially for commuting in the rain and foul weather. Grime and grit can also be hard on the brake surface on the rims. It is easier to replace a disc than a rim. But, I've heard disc pads are expensive.


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

I like disc brakes on a commuter. They're much more tolerant of wet roads, more so if they're also dirty, like in the city. And, I've worn out the brake tracks on a few rims. That can be a pretty big expense.

A road bike that fits you well is something you can keep using as long as you keep riding. Reviews of Shimano's lowest-end group, Claris, are pretty positive but at the very bottom of the market, you usually get inadequately sealed hubs, which can back you into replacing your wheels early, and often a pretty bad crank from some other brand, though how problematic that is is pretty variable.

I've been meaning to demo a carbon road bike now that I have a fancy race bike for cross-country mountain biking. But my aluminum cyclocross bike with a steel fork was fine for all my road wants once I put some better brakes and "my" handle bars on it. Tektro or Shimano sidepull brakes should be adequate long-term, maybe with a pad replacement. Road disc brakes aren't a product I know as well, but I do have Avid BB7 road discs on one bike, and they do the job nicely.


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

I should add that wearing out brake tracks was something I thought only happened on The Internet until I moved to Seattle. It really depends on how much riding in the rain one does.


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## CliffordK (Jun 6, 2014)

AndrwSwitch said:


> I should add that wearing out brake tracks was something I thought only happened on The Internet until I moved to Seattle. It really depends on how much riding in the rain one does.


When I was doing heavy commuting over a good sized hill, I managed to wear through the sides of a set of rims. I don't know if any of my parts were ever new, but after that, I started paying close attention to the condition of the sides of the rims before mounting, as swapping them is a big pain. I also tried to get gentler brake pads, although perhaps the issue was as much rain and grime as the pads.


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## theo_milla (Feb 15, 2013)

I seem to find myself in the same predicament as the OP. I have put over 1000 miles on a "slightly modified" $160 Schwinn mountain bike from Target in about 18 months. Already I've had to replace the cassette and crankset. I've also worn through the original knobby style tires and replaced them with slightly thinner, smoother tires. The pedals I have replaced with a decent set of clip-in style pedals and a decent pair of Cannondale shoes.

I now have a budget of about $900 and have been kicking around the idea of buying a nicer, used rig or a low-level entry setup. The Specialized Secteur Compact, Seen here: Specialized Bicycle Components, has been my top pick, but still needs a test ride.

I have also been thinking of buying an older used bike and rebuilding/updating it quite a bit. I don't know how much I would have to invest into this, but I have found a decent starting point, I think. Schwinn World Traveler 10-speed road bike It looks to have been decently cared for and should handle my demands, weekend warrior and somewhat frequent mass rides, pretty easily. Anyone have any experience or input on rebuilding/updating an older ride?

Any input would be greatly appreciated!


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## CliffordK (Jun 6, 2014)

theo_milla said:


> I have also been thinking of buying an older used bike and rebuilding/updating it quite a bit. I don't know how much I would have to invest into this, but I have found a decent starting point, I think. Schwinn World Traveler 10-speed road bike It looks to have been decently cared for and should handle my demands, weekend warrior and somewhat frequent mass rides, pretty easily. Anyone have any experience or input on rebuilding/updating an older ride?


*NEGATIVE* on the Schwinn

Ok, so they make good beater bikes. But most of the classic Schwinns were heavy monstrosities. That one has cheap one piece cranks. It probably has the large bottom bracket required for the one-piece cranks. The derailleur hanger was integrated with the steel derailleur. Steel Rims. Cheap seat. Cheap brakes. Probably non-removable integrated steel kickstand.

You could spend a thousand dollars upgrading it, but in the end, you'd have a cheap Schwinn.

If you're looking for a good used bike. Look for:

alloy cotterless cranks with alloy chain rings. 
alloy seat post 
brake levers without those bars going across the top. 
Aluminum rims, preferably 700c, with generally narrow tires. 
Some kind of alloy pedals. 
Rear deraileur hanger should be integrated into the frame, rather than part of the derailleur. 
Alloy rear derailleur & mostly alloy front derailleur. 
No chain guards between the cluster and spokes. 
Probably no chain guards on the cranks. 
Columbus or Reynolds tubing.
Avoid pressed steel dropouts.
Quick releases on the wheels are always a good sign. 
The weight for a good classic steel bike should be somewhere around 25 lbs. 

You may change a few parts hear and there to make it more commuting friendly, and may add fenders. But, that will give a general idea of some things to look for on Craigslist.


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## theo_milla (Feb 15, 2013)

Thanks for the input on that one. Also had my eye on this Peugeot, 27 inch PEUGEOT RB. Looks to have a three piece crankset. But "Carbolite" tubing? Also rear derailleur hanger is integrated into the derailleur?


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## CliffordK (Jun 6, 2014)

theo_milla said:


> Thanks for the input on that one. Also had my eye on this Peugeot, 27 inch PEUGEOT RB. Looks to have a three piece crankset. But "Carbolite" tubing? Also rear derailleur hanger is integrated into the derailleur?


For cheaper than the Schwinn, that is a much better bike. It certainly isn't an elite class road bike, but it would make a solid commuter. Notes indicate that Carbolite was a fairly low end tubing.

That frame is pretty small. How tall are you?

27" tires are a bit out of style. You can still get tires, but your upgrade options will be limited. You probably won't be able to swap 700c for 27" wheels.


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## theo_milla (Feb 15, 2013)

I'm about 5' 10". That's bad news on the wheel front.


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## CliffordK (Jun 6, 2014)

I'm also 5'10. I've ridden a bike that was that size, or so.  It isn't optimal, but it will work. I'd choose a frame slightly larger if possible.

As far as the wheels, I wouldn't say it is bad news. 27" was very common 20 or 30 years ago. Those rims are a bit wider than many road bike rims today, but still would make solid commuter rims. Tires are still available.

Notes I'm seeing are that the 27" is slightly larger than 700c, so the 700c would probably fit, but you may run into problems with the brake callipers being too short. You'd probably just have to try it out.

I wouldn't plan on spending great sums of money to upgrade a $75 bike.

If you choose clipless pedals, they can be used on many different bikes.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

CliffordK said:


> Notes I'm seeing are that the 27" is slightly larger than 700c, so the 700c would probably fit, but you may run into problems with the brake callipers being too short. You'd probably just have to try it out.


700c wheels are ~8mm's shorter in diameter than 27" (622mm versus 630mm BSD). Measuring from axle to braking surface splits the difference to ~4mm's. There's generally enough room to play with pad positioning to make the change work, but it's sometimes necessary to file down the caliper slots to better position the pads.

But this points up the problems encountered with older bikes. That being, parts compatibility, or lack thereof. With bikes of this era, I'd stay with one for one (or like) replacements, done on an as needed basis. 

OP, with your budget, I suggest visiting some LBS's, discussing your budget, intended uses, getting sized/ fitted and riding a few bikes. Shop for reputable shops along with shopping for bikes. Ideally, you'll find your favorite bike at your favorite shop.

Advantages of buying new (versus era or vintage) are many. You'll have some assurance that fit will be right, have a mechanically sound bike that is upgradable over time and a warranty. And it may just end up being cheaper over the long term.


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## CliffordK (Jun 6, 2014)

PJ352 said:


> 700c wheels are ~14mm's larger in diameter than 27". Measuring from axle to braking surface splits the difference to ~7mm's.


Ok,
I just measured one.
27" --> Rim outer diameter 25 1/4 to 25 3/8"
700c --> Rim outer diameter 24 7/8"

So, the 27" wheel is about 1/2" bigger in diameter, or 1/4" larger at the braking surface.

So, if the brakes have a remaining 1/4" vertical adjustment, it should work.

Still, I would be cautious with spending a lot of money to "upgrade" a $100 bike. Nor would I buy one with the intention to just do massive upgrades unless I had a very specific goal.


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

I've had a couple, and sworn off buying bikes that old. Give me early- to mid-90s for an inexpensive bike. Minimum 8-speed cassette. The wheels and drivetrain match the standards on contemporary bikes, and I'd have to go out of my way to get a weird bottom bracket.

If I restrict myself to the early 2000s (and later,) the headset standard matches current bikes.

For $900, this should be pretty easy. So if the purpose of the bike is to ride it, that would be my suggestion.

There are some beautiful older bikes out there. But I wear and damage my bikes when I ride them week after week. The easier it is to find parts, the better.


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