Dont know what kind of road bike I should get, need advice.?

Question

I'm a guy who weighs about 220 lbs, and Ive bought mountain bikes all my life and have used them to ride on roads, mountains, and just normal rides to the store. I want to buy a road bike though, for two reasons, 1) I live in a really hilly city(Santa Cruz,Ca) and I cannot take the hills with my mountain bike and 2) the majority of my riding is on roads, so I want a road bike now.

Since Im a total noob to road bikes, is there anything I should look for? Im willing to spend $700, tops on a road bike, do you think I can get a good bike for this much?

Answer 1

For that money, you can't get a *great* road bike buying new, but it should get you something pretty decent used if you're willing to shop a bit.  

Your weight isn't a problem, but you might want to get a sturdy set of wheels if your roads are rough or if you really torque the cranks hard.   Any seatpost should carry you fine.  

Buying new, take a look a the entry level Trek bikes.....and also look at the Diamondback and Motobecane models.  

Keep in mind that although a road bike is lighter overall, it may not help you to conquer the hills any better than you can on a mountain bike.   Mountain bikes nearly always have gearing that is lower than anything you'll find on a road bike, so you *should* be able to motor up them just fine.   A road bike is more zippy and efficient, but they don't necessarily get you up hills any better.   You can alter your mountain bike cockpit a little and/or switch to slick tires....those may help.  

Hope this helps you out some....good luck!    :o)

Answer 2

You seem to imply that road or mountain are the only 2 possibilities. There are also hybrid and comfort bikes, or commuters and city bikes, etc. that are somewhat in between the 2. I use a hybrid in the city and I quite enjoy it. Road bikes are not as comfy and mountain bikes are too heavy.

Answer 3

"Which is a better bike, a Trek or a Specialized?

Or Cannondale or Orbea or Scott or Schwinn or Cervelo. We're asked "Which brand is better?" almost daily. While each brand has its diehard fans, we can't answer the question. It's not because of any political reason, but because it's not the right question to ask--you're buying a bicycle, not a brand. .."

Bike Buying Tips: Buyer Be Wise;...Here we answer 10 of the most common queries to help you find the right bike.

By Bicycling Staff

http://www.bicycling.com/article/0,6610,...

Bicycling & Mountain Bike reviews  

http://www.bicycling.com/gear/channel/0,...

Answer 4

I don't think you could get a decent road bike for $700 unless you bought a used one.  That may be a good idea for you since you are just getting into road-biking.  You'll need to go to a bike store to find out what size bike you need, but then you can go looking and should be able to get a decent bike for under $700.  

Try ebay, pink bike and maybe kijiji.  Good luck.