I have spent over a week researching bikes and I have narrowed my choice down to:
- X-Lab AD8 – https://xds.co/products/ad8
- X-Lab AD9 – https://xds.co/products/ad9
- Canyon Endurace CFR Di2 – Canyon Endurace CFR Di2
I'm leaning towards the AD8 and AD9 because of the value, but the Canyon is there because the X-Lab bikes have a 220 lb weight limit and I hover around 210-215. I don't intend on putting on weight, but being so close to the max seems like maybe I should consider the third option.
I have looked at other bike brands and there are plenty that I like that are not direct to consumer, but there is just seems to be more value in these brands for less and ultimately saving money is ideal. Also to note, there are shops about and hour away from me that sell and service X-Lab bikes.
Experience wise, I wouldn't label myself a Cyclist. I've been riding a road bike for over a decade (I own two, a fixed gear and a Cannondale Synapse) so I have experience, but never really took it serious beyond just cycling for fun and endurance. My goals haven't really changed, but I do want to get more serious with tracking my progress and meeting more aggressive fitness goals.
What I'm mostly looking for in a bike is endurance training and speed which is why I'm leaning towards Aero frames. I don't plan on entering any races but I also don't want to say never. Anyways, I do feel like the AD8 is the best option for me, but my main concern is that I will want to upgrade again and will regret not getting the AD9 for the higher-end specs.
by SplitComfortable9341
6 Comments
“Saving money is ideal” $5,000 -$10,000 options. If you’re rich and want to ride something cool do what you want. I would not say that any of these bikes are a good value for your use case.
These are really aggressive geometry. 99% of people really should be on more relaxed geometry. Before dropping that amount of money I would get a bike fit and have the fitter give you recommendations based on your fit. Bike that fits you best might be none of these
I would get an entry level specialized crux 5 or the canyon because they have better resell value if you don’t end up liking the bike. You won’t be able to sell the xlab bike IMO. The only difference between the entry level and higher end models is weight and since your a heavy rider losing grams on the bike doesn’t make a big difference.
For bikes, depending on where you are located, and what’s available, I would go for brands like Giant or Merida, since they are the OEM of many of the other brands, and they can offer a lot of bike for the money, along with lifetime warranties on their frames. Since I have more knowledge into Giant bikes (I own 2, both Giant) than Merida, The Propel is basically the bee’s knees, but the current generation of the TCR Advanced Pro/SL is absolutely excellent. If you want to go for a more endurance feel, then there’s the Defy family. All of those 3 model families have a decent range in terms of both prices and specs, so you should be able to find something to fit you.
Honestly those weight limits probably have a significant margin of error so I wouldn’t worry about it unless you’re way over.
“which knockoff should I pay a ton of money for” naww I ain’t here for this.
That said, spending more than $5K on a bike without getting a fit first is a really bad move