Buying a bike is both fun and a total pain in the butt. There are so many things to consider and so many options it can be quite overwhelming. I tested an endless amount of bikes for countless hours, but in the end, it was well worth it, because I love my new bike! I don't know how long this love will last since we will soon be spending way too much time together, but for now I'm infatuated with Emma. She's good looking, fierce, strong and ready to tackle Raleigh and Louisville with me!
During my search for my new bike, I spent a lot of time in bike stores and on the road, but I also spent a lot of time researching bikes online so I wanted to share my experience with you and hopefully provide some guidance for someone looking to buy their first or second bike.
First, decide when you're going to use the bike. Will you be commuting, riding trails, doing road races, triathlons or a combination? Do you already own another bike or will this be your only bike?
Originally I considered getting a road bike with aero bars. I wanted to stick to a road bike because I was scared I couldn't handle the shifting on a tri bike. In the end, I decided that fear was not a good enough reason to avoid a tri bike. Just as I had previously been scared of clipping in, it was going to take practice for me to get comfortable with the gears on a triathlon bike. Our intensive training program would give me more than enough practice and I already own a road bike, so I decided to buy Emma.
Triathlon bicycles can get mighty pricey, but if you're like me and have a limited bike budget, don't despair, there are some great entry-level bicycles available (Checkout the Triathlete's
2013 Buyer's Guide). Emma is on that list and is a
Quintana Roo Dulce with an affordable price tag which becomes even more affordable if you find a previous year's model like I did. Many times models don't change very much from year to year, so buying a 2012 or 2013 in 2014 is just going to give you a nice discount. Many bicycles, like the
Shiv are also available in a wide range of prices depending on the components on the bike. The components are definitely important and I recommend that you always compare how much bike you will get for the value. Pablo for example found a great entry-level
Felt B16 with Ultegra components for only a little more than the B16 with 105s. If that all sounds like a foreign language to you,
Choose My Bicycle has a great hierarchy list for both
Shimano and
SRAM components.
Components however are not the only thing to consider. The reality is that if you are aiming for an entry-level triathlon bike you'll probably end up with 105s, ultegras or SRAM's equivalent. Much more important is how the bike feels. You can read reviews telling you about the road feel, stiffness and ride quality, but the best way to know what the bike feel like is to ride it. Test bikes, many many bikes. I tried a wide range of road and tri bikes, even trying a few above my price range, just so I could get an idea of what they feel like. Of course the bike won't be an exact fit until after you get a bike fit, but it can still give you a good idea and you should try to ride the bike for a decent amount of time, especially once you start narrowing down your search (I rode Emma for 15-30 minutes the first time, then did an hour and fifteen minute ride right before purchasing her).
During your test ride focus on how the bike feels on the road, aka how does the bicycle's interaction with the road impact you. Is it smooth, is it bumpy and what feels the most comfortable to you? While you'd think we'd all like the smooth ride the best, you'd be surprised how differently the same bike can feel to each of us.
Another thing to consider is maneuverability and how the bike responds to you. Does it shift easily, how does it feel when you climb, how does it feel when you make turns or speed up? I had never really considered how different the various bikes could and would feel, but once I'd tested a few I started to notice pretty significant differences in how easily I could maneuver each bike.
Lastly, think about comfort. Whatever distance you will be doing, you will most likely be spending a good amount of time on your bike, so comfort is very important. Consider
the saddle and seat adjustability, the bend of the
aero bar extensions, the padding of the elbow pads and the handlebar stem adjustability. The Dulce for example has the adjustable ski-bend (also known as J-bend)
Profile Design T3+ aero bars, which I preferred over the S-bend, and a high-quality split-nose
Adamo saddle, which I thought was super comfortable.
While many parts of the bike are customizable, some things are fixed so make sure to keep that in mind. The
Cervelo P2 for example has great road feel, but the aero bars were too narrow for me to ride comfortably and their limited adjustability meant I had to take the P2 off my list. That said, remember that each of us are looking for something different, so don't take the P2 off your list just because I did, because it might be perfect for you.
Once you've narrowed down your bike preferences, consider these two additional things...I know you really shouldn't buy a bike for it's looks, but you will be spending a lot of time with your bike, so it's a nice perk if you like what the bike looks like (obviously from my cheesy smile in this picture, I love my newly purchased black and pink bike). You also want to make sure you like the store you are purchasing from. While Craigslist and Ebay are definitely options, buying from a local store is a good idea if you will be riding a lot. Many stores offer discounts on parts and accessories and some include free annual tune-ups with your bike purchase. You'll definitely be seeing them again in the future, so it's a nice plus if you get along with them.
In the end, enjoy the journey. Like I said, it can be a pain in the butt, but it's really fun and who doesn't like bringing home a new toy to play with! :-)
