Hi all,
New to road biking and looking to get my first bike. I have been practically living on Facebook marketplace for the past three weeks and I found these three bikes that have piqued my interest. I really don’t want to spend more than $600.
I’m not entirely sure of my intended use yet, but I used to be a very high level track and field sprinter and I love to go fast/compete, but for now, I don’t want to get ahead of myself with expectations, I’m just itching to take it to my local park and some pavement trails around my area and just ride.
I’m curious about what y’all think about each of these bikes and if their price points are good. I’m one of those people that researches to death and it makes decisions a lot harder because I get so indecisive.
2006? Specialized Allez – $375 (1st pic)
2017 Trek Domane ALR 3 – $500 (2nd pic)
2012 Specialized Allez Comp Apex – $600 (3rd pic)
by Wj400m
2 Comments
EDIT: Also found this Specialized Allez Elite for $250.
https://imgur.com/a/oI0SF1d
This may not be the most popular answer, but I’m going with the newer Allez. The old allez is OLD. The domane is a good bike, but more relaxed in it’s position and handling. The 2012 Allez will offer a more racy fit, geared toward athletes and competition. Apex is a pain to get shifting right, especially up front. If you get it, I’d recommend learning to set up the front derailleur yourself, IME most shops don’t know how to do it right. 600 is kind of a lot for a bike that old, see if they’ll come down a bit.
The Domane would be a good second option and maybe leave some budget for a helmet, shoes, etc.
I had my first bike for about a year, I got it for $600 on craigslist. After a year, I rode some stuff at a local shop and knew I wanted something better and I suspect you’ll do about the same.
How are you doing on sizing? I see some different sized bikes in these pics, making sure you get the right size is probably the most important thing.