Recommendations wanted on the better road bikes in $5k range

[TexasStout]

What size you looking for? Ive got a couple sworks Im probably going to be moving.

-Chris

54-55 cm

 

[TexasStout]

For Colorado? Get an e-motor assisted road bike. Unless you are a really good athlete and can produce serious power to weight the ebike will let you enjoy the terrain much much more.

Harumph!

<-- Check the profile pic.

Back in 2019, when I was pedaling my way up to Maroon Bells, several youngsters came whizzing by up the climb on e-bikes. I just shook my head. Yes, I can see it would be a fun way to sightsee, but not any challenge or exercise. Maybe when I turn 80, I'll get me an e-bike.

 

[chris_the_wrench]

54-55 cm

Ah, mine are too big. 58. Good luck.

I've worked on quite a few Canyons over the years. They are a good bike. I wouldn't worry too much about proprietary parts with them versus other brands, most/all brands are doing that these days.

If you don't feel the need for, or have, a LBS near you they are a solid option. BUT that being said, from the service side of the bike world, if someone walks in with a Canyon and blown up Reynolds wheel, I'm not going to drop everything and they aren't going to jump to the top of the list like a customer who has purchased a bike from the shop. During these times of parts shortages, that can come into play.

Good luck
-Chris

 

[martyg]

As others has said.... Inventory will be tight. Really tight.

Essentially, brand won't matter. Bike brands are very much marketing companies. The exception are the big three. Specialized, for example has about 60 engineers working for them. Virtually all frames are made from Giant produced pre preg. About 4 - 6 factories produce all carbon frames. Then, of course, two major brands produce all components, with Shimano trouncing all others. Find the

Unless you are svelte, as in 135 pounds and 6' tall, I'd rock arrow. You really won't realize the light weigh bnenefits if you carry a bit more fat, muscle or bone density.

Arrow on the other hand... Once you get to about 20mph the difference is profound.

Of course, with bikes like the SL7 Tarmac you don't have to choose arrow or light weight.

Find the shop that you like. Buy a bike from them. If you are in the Front Range, ring Todd Carver at Retul. Do the right thing, on the front end. Do it once. Do it right.

 

[martyg]

Harumph!

<-- Check the profile pic.

Back in 2019, when I was pedaling my way up to Maroon Bells, several youngsters came whizzing by up the climb on e-bikes. I just shook my head. Yes, I can see it would be a fun way to sightsee, but not any challenge or exercise. Maybe when I turn 80, I'll get me an e-bike.

Don't agree with that at all. I'd love an e-mtn bike on days when I have a 4 - 6 hour overdisance day at low intensity, but want to ride a high alpine loop with lots of climbing instead of looping the valley.

We also have a local 3X Olympian. 16X national champion. Winner of the Leadville 100. Sea Otter. Breck Epic. et al. He commutes on an e-bike.

 

[scott43]

Essentially, brand won't matter. Bike brands are very much marketing companies. The exception are the big three. Specialized, for example has about 60 engineers working for them. Virtually all frames are made from Giant produced pre preg. About 4 - 6 factories produce all carbon frames. Then, of course, two major brands produce all components, with Shimano trouncing all others.

Annddd...the industry secret is out!

Find the shop that you like. Buy a bike from them. If you are in the Front Range, ring Todd Carver at Retul. Do the right thing, on the front end. Do it once. Do it right.

Shop assistance and fit are the most important things. Touch points on the bike..comfy bars, seat, pedals and levers..correct fit for the rider..most people would never know what frame is beneath them if they had a blindfold on if these things are all set correctly for the rider.

 

[Ron]

For Colorado? Get an e-motor assisted road bike. Unless you are a really good athlete and can produce serious power to weight the ebike will let you enjoy the terrain much much more.

I'm going to pretend you didnt post this! .

 

[Rudi Riet]

Yup: only a handful of factories doing most of the mass-market carbon manufacturing. Giant builds for more than just them. ADK Composite Technology builds for a ton of brands, including Look, Fuji, and many more.

Supply chain issues aren't just in the frames. Components are back-ordered at both the OEM and retail levels, especially in the mid-range stuff like Ultegra/GRX800, SRAM Force, and Campagnolo Potenza and Chorus.

Definitely start with a comprehensive fit session. Retul is one fit method, and there are plenty of others that are equally valid and may work better for you. Ask around for the top bike fitters in your area and get that fit dialed. You can then shop by frame geometry.

In terms of bang-for-the-buck, there's some logic to going with a big brand like Giant, Trek, Specialized, or Cannondale. They have better buying power for the frames and components and thus can often get you "more bike" for less cash outlay. That said, they also have a ton of proprietary stuff littered about their lineups that make true customization for fit and preferences more of a challenge.

Canyon is great but you need to be sure the geometry fits you because they are almost 100 percent proprietary stuff these days with stems, handlebars, and seatposts.

Sleeper brands like Scott, Jamis, Bianchi (yup - in the U.S. they're a bit of a sleeper), Willier, BMC, Pinarello, et al offer a lot of upside and may have better model selection right now. I'd steer clear of Cervelo right now as they've had a streak of tolerance issues over the past few years that have many folks concerned (though it seems their new Aspero gravel bike has overcome many of the issues).

Definitely get your order in early. These bikes are definitely moving in the more road bike centered areas of the country. For example, here in the DC area the pickings are slim for anything mid-range or lower, and some of the top-end stuff is limited by component shortages.

As far as used carbon is concerned: caveat emptor. The Pro's Closet does a comprehensive evaluation of everything they sell, but buying from a private party you run the risk of picking up a damaged frame (even if the damage isn't obvious).

Good luck!

 

[princo]

@TexasStout. To put it in perspective, just did a quick search, and it appears there's a single "In Stock" Specialized Tarmac SL7 Expert Ultegra Di2 54cm (Bike Source ) in the whole front range. The next closest one is in Utah. So when you see something that fits and you like, move quick. Good luck with the search!

 

[Ron]

I will say that the Trek Emonda frame does ride quite differently than most others! Its built for climbing and the energy transmission is felt in the pedal stroke. Im not saying its going to make you a podium climber but I do love the feel of the bike (h2 geo) and its handling even on the down, its very stable and smooth. If you are going to do a lot of climbing, weight becomes more important but many uber light bikes have terrible aero qualities so be aware of the "lighter is always faster" thing, it isn't true. For the mountains in CO (CO also has some very flat regions) you need a bike that has a combination of traits. My bike is 16# but I ride with wider tires (28F/30R) on Enve AR 4.5 wheels, Enve aero stem and bars Essentially, its setup to maximize both climbing and aero. I run AXS with a 11-33 rear. My speeds vary widely based on rolling or climbing, with very little flat riding so dont buy a bike solely based on one quality.

 

[Tony S]

Edit: Somehow managed to post on a very stale copy of the thread. Apologies for any overlap.

I went through this a year ago. My budget was lower but target bike was the same, so I was looking at used and ended up with a private sale on eBay. (Not my first bike purchase on eBay.) I did have a good idea of the size I needed.

The experience was a win in the end, but it did reinforce what others are saying about the advantages of buying local if possible. If you buy a bike sight unseen from a remote seller, plan on it being a bit of a project. Times three if it's used. If you're not a confident mechanic and fit tweaker I'd definitely go local so that the shop can "own" your satisfaction to some degree.

 

[scott43]

And if you feel lucky..here's a draw for a nice Canyon road bike... I have no affiliation to the school!

Canyon Bike Raffle — SAU Cycling — SAU Cycling

Canyon Bike Raffle — SAU Cycling

www.saintaugcycling.com

 

[JShort]

My mountain bike (my first and only bike bought new) is Orbea - they are a Co-op that makes all their frames in Spain. They're having supply issues like everyone else rn, but it's a company I'm happy to recommend. That being said, I raced on a pretty low-spec'd BMC Teammachine for a season and that's been the best handling road bike I've ever ridden. Better than my old Argon18, Cervelo, Tarmac and CAAD10.

 

[cantunamunch]

I was a Zeus guy, until they got rolled into Orbea. And I still have the wool shorts to prove it

 

[scott43]

I was a Zeus guy, until they got rolled into Orbea. And I still have the wool shorts to prove it

Zeus..I remember those..worked on one or two...EXOTIC!

 

[snwbrdr]

The cheapest Specialized turbo Creo in carbon fiiber is $6500....

can't LBS' order bikes for you?

I personally rather go lower in groupset with a 105 or Rival, and then spend the leftover money on better (and lighter) wheels.

 

[Tom K.]

LBS was the tipping point with my choice.

Agree. Choose a good LBS first, then choose a brand they carry.

But in today's market, you may have to diverge from this utopian approach!

 

[Tony Storaro]

Maybe when I turn 80, I'll get me an e-bike.

That right here is THE spirit!

 

[Tom K.]

Don't agree with that at all. I'd love an e-mtn bike on days when I have a 4 - 6 hour overdisance day at low intensity, but want to ride a high alpine loop with lots of climbing instead of looping the valley.

Yes! This is what will put an e-mtb in my bike shop. I want to do mellow (recovery?) rides that are actually interesting.

 

[Delicious]

54-55 cm

Sounds like you have the OG SystemSix. Maybe THE best bike Cannondale has ever produced. Marketing nightmare, but fantastic execution. You ride that bike in the 54cm size? The Cannondale's of that era were quite "square", meaning that the stack height matched the frame size. You NEED to figure out what the MAXIMUM stack height you can tolerate is. If you are looking for a 54-55cm frame with a 54-55cm stack, you will be able to eliminate a massive portion of the current market from you list/search. If you want a 54-55cm frame with a 57-58cm stack, well, you're in luck.

I understand that you have been riding bikes for 30 years, I believe you said? Bicycle geometry has changed so much in the last 15 years. There's no such thing as a "54" or "55" cm frame anymore. You have to look at other numbers. You have to figure out what is important to you. Where are you unable/unwilling to compromise your fit?

The questions you need to ask yourself are:
1. Are you a standing climber? Sometimes? 50/50? Only when you're dying?
2. Cadence, high or low?
3. Does bike handling matter to you? Are you a nifty descender?

If you can provide some feedback, I can help you learn to parse the current geometry charts to find what makes the most sense. BTW, it took me 3-4 years to find my current bike. I simply had some things that I was unwilling to compromise on. I could have found my bike at any bike shop in 2005. Your SystemSix is going to be a tough act to follow.