Mid-range road bike suggestions

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bismarck23
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Mid-range road bike suggestions

Post by bismarck23 »

I have a 17 year old road bike that I bought used and put many miles on. I used to ride more, but having kids slowed that down a lot. I'd like to get back into it, and just bought a kid trailer. My current bike is a Trek 5000, carbon frame, Ultegra/105 components, 3x9 drivetrain, aluminum wheels with rim brakes, and I like it a lot.

My biggest reason for wanting to replacement it is that I live in a hilly area, and especially towing one or both kids up and down hills, I'd like the extra reliability and stopping power that comes from disc brakes. Otherwise, I'd be looking for something similar: carbon frame and fork, Ultegra/105-level components (although I'd consider another manufacturer besides Shimano). I understand that triples basically aren't made anymore, but if I got a compact crank (50/34) with either a 30 or 34 tooth rear cassette, the lowest gear would be equal or lower than what I have with my triple now. Otherwise, I'm looking for a mid-range bike that could be raced, but I don't want to pay hundreds of dollars to shave grams off the components (I won't say how many pounds heavier I am now than when I ran/biked a lot). I'm kinda an old-school guy and don't feel like I need electronic shifting, but could be persuaded if it were really valuable and the cost were reasonable. The telemetry/power meter stuff seems interesting and could help keep me motivated to ride despite a busy schedule, but I would't want to pay a fortune for it. I'm happy to buy used if it's more economical. Any suggestions on good manufacturers and/or what features to look for?
bloom2708
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Re: Mid-range road bike suggestions

Post by bloom2708 »

If pulling kids in a bike trailer, you aren't talking about a road racing bike.

Most bike manufacturers make a "cross" or gravel bike with disc brakes. They look like a road bike but the tires are usually bigger and they have disc brakes.

If this is more of an all purpose bike, maybe a Surly Disc Long Haul Trucker would fit the bill. This is not a light bike, but it is a joy to ride.

https://surlybikes.com/bikes/disc_trucker

Salsa Warroad Carbon might fit the bill.

Salsa Journeyer is another bike in that class. Stormchaser, Warbird, Cuttthroat are other Salsa models in that similar class.

If you get a model in mind, you can look used. I always look for mis-priced used bikes on Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. I picked up a non-disc Surly Long Haul Trucker for $400 on Craigslist a few years back. Dad was selling for his kid. Mis-priced it by about $800. More rare these days, but there are still value buys if you are patient.

Years back I had a Lemond Poprad Disc. That was a gem of a cross bike. Put many thousand miles. Should not have sold it. But requirements change.

Good luck on your search.
Silversides
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Re: Mid-range road bike suggestions

Post by Silversides »

Second the Surly LHT enthusiastically.

I’ve done everything with mine (cantilever brake version) from loaded touring to kid hauling and now year-round work commuting in the northeast. It’s 12 years old and doing great. I don’t think I’ll ever find a reason to part with this bike.
livesoft
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Re: Mid-range road bike suggestions

Post by livesoft »

It sure reads like your current bike is absolutely perfect for what you intend to do.
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Topic Author
bismarck23
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Re: Mid-range road bike suggestions

Post by bismarck23 »

bloom2708 wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 2:46 pm If pulling kids in a bike trailer, you aren't talking about a road racing bike.

Most bike manufacturers make a "cross" or gravel bike with disc brakes. They look like a road bike but the tires are usually bigger and they have disc brakes.

If this is more of an all purpose bike, maybe a Surly Disc Long Haul Trucker would fit the bill. This is not a light bike, but it is a joy to ride.

https://surlybikes.com/bikes/disc_trucker

Salsa Warroad Carbon might fit the bill.

Salsa Journeyer is another bike in that class. Stormchaser, Warbird, Cuttthroat are other Salsa models in that similar class.

If you get a model in mind, you can look used. I always look for mis-priced used bikes on Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. I picked up a non-disc Surly Long Haul Trucker for $400 on Craigslist a few years back. Dad was selling for his kid. Mis-priced it by about $800. More rare these days, but there are still value buys if you are patient.

Years back I had a Lemond Poprad Disc. That was a gem of a cross bike. Put many thousand miles. Should not have sold it. But requirements change.

Good luck on your search.
Thanks. Why do you say no road bike? Don't you think I could pull a trailer with my current bike?
bloom2708
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Re: Mid-range road bike suggestions

Post by bloom2708 »

bismarck23 wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 3:14 pm Thanks. Why do you say no road bike? Don't you think I could pull a trailer with my current bike?
I'm sure you can pull a kids trailer with a $10k, 12lb awesome road bike. I am not sure that is the optimal use case.

Kind of like having a toolbox with just different sized hammers. :D

Usually road bike and bike trailer don't go in the same general purpose category.

But, maybe I missed the point of your post. Sorry.
dcabler
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Re: Mid-range road bike suggestions

Post by dcabler »

Might want to check bikesdirect.com - they have a full line of bikes with just about every type imaginable & very reasonably priced.

Purchased a carbon road bike from them last August and have been very pleased with it. No issues whatsoever and I put between 100-200 miles on it a week. Some minor assembly required or you can pay a local bike shop to do it for a nominal fee. I had a couple of minor questions during the assembly process and they responded within an hour or two.

Cheers
cbs2002
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Re: Mid-range road bike suggestions

Post by cbs2002 »

Not sure what you mean by "mid-range" and you said you want carbon. Jamis Renegade is made in carbon, 631 steel or aluminum. Me, I'd opt for the steel version but the lower of the 2 carbon versions is about $3K I think. It's marketed as a gravel/tour bike so it has larger wheel clearance and a double chainring. It's a nice ride. Lots of similar bikes out there, I've had positive experience with Jamis steel frames.
Topic Author
bismarck23
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Re: Mid-range road bike suggestions

Post by bismarck23 »

bloom2708 wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 3:20 pm
bismarck23 wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 3:14 pm Thanks. Why do you say no road bike? Don't you think I could pull a trailer with my current bike?
I'm sure you can pull a kids trailer with a $10k, 12lb awesome road bike. I am not sure that is the optimal use case.

Kind of like having a toolbox with just different sized hammers. :D

Usually road bike and bike trailer don't go in the same general purpose category.

But, maybe I missed the point of your post. Sorry.
I should have been more clear. While I would like to tow my kids around sometimes, I'd also like to be able to unhitch the trailer and maybe ride with a cycling club. I used to ride (on my current bike) with a group that would go 50-75+ miles at an average speed around 22-23 mph. I was the slowest guy in the group and they took it a bit easy when I was with them. These guys would do the Ragbrai every year and usually finish close to the front. I'm nowhere near the level of fitness I was then (and even at my best I could do maybe 65 miles max at 21-22 mph in a group), but if I'm going to get a new bike I'd like to have the capability to ride like that again. I'm definitely not looking to spend $10k, but maybe a $3k bike would be a nice upgrade from my current one, minus what I could get for selling it ($500-$1k?).

One other potential issue is would a road bike be able to handle the structural loads of towing a trailer? At one point I saw Trek was making their high-end frames in a low-weight configuration that maybe had a max rider weight of 165 lb? I wouldn't try to tow a trailer with that, but I would assume any non-racing frame should have a high enough weight capacity to handle it. Most bikes I've seen have a weight limit of 275 lb. I'm 190 lb (hoping to lower that.....), trailer plus both kids is 80 lb, which is still within the limit. And, it's conservative because the trailer supports most of its own weight, and the loads go through the rear hub which is a sturdy part of the bike.

Not saying my thinking here is perfect but hopefully that gives the context to what I'm looking for.
getthatmarshmallow
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Re: Mid-range road bike suggestions

Post by getthatmarshmallow »

Anything from a major brand with an aluminum frame, carbon fork, and Tiagra (2 x10) or better will serve. Carbon frame if you want to jump a price point. The biggest differences you'll notice is that most road bikes can fit wider tires now as disc brakes have become more common. With a 50/34 and 11-32 cassette you can probably climb up walls.

I picked up a secondhand Specialized Diverge (105) this season and I'm treating it like a somewhat beefy road bike and having a blast.

That said, if the bike trailer is a priority for you, one challenge is that many new bikes have thru-axles, which make traditional trailer attachments a challenge (if not impossible.) But --- the answer to "new bike?" is always 'yes', so why not keep the Trek as the kid hauler and get yourself something you really want to ride? Unless you're riding in the wet the stopping power isn't that much different between rim and disc.
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bismarck23
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Re: Mid-range road bike suggestions

Post by bismarck23 »

livesoft wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 3:12 pm It sure reads like your current bike is absolutely perfect for what you intend to do.
Fair point. It does most of what I need. My biggest concern is the brakes. I live at the top of a 200 ft hill, and there are no ways down that aren't steep. I thought disc brakes would be a big nice-to-have, if maybe not absolutely necessary. I could put on some new pads and give it a try with my current one, before investing in a new one.
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orcycle
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Re: Mid-range road bike suggestions

Post by orcycle »

My Canyon Endurace served as my all-purpose bike for a few years, able to road ride vigorously and also manage most gravel riding especially once I went tubeless. Then I bought a dedicated gravel bike (and extra sets of wheels for both!). :-)

You might also consider an ebike for the towing (I bought a fairly cheap one and it’s great for running errands and not sweating), and either keep your current bike or get a nicer one with disc brakes, etc.
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bismarck23
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Re: Mid-range road bike suggestions

Post by bismarck23 »

getthatmarshmallow wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 4:02 pm Anything from a major brand with an aluminum frame, carbon fork, and Tiagra (2 x10) or better will serve. Carbon frame if you want to jump a price point. The biggest differences you'll notice is that most road bikes can fit wider tires now as disc brakes have become more common. With a 50/34 and 11-32 cassette you can probably climb up walls.

I picked up a secondhand Specialized Diverge (105) this season and I'm treating it like a somewhat beefy road bike and having a blast.

That said, if the bike trailer is a priority for you, one challenge is that many new bikes have thru-axles, which make traditional trailer attachments a challenge (if not impossible.) But --- the answer to "new bike?" is always 'yes', so why not keep the Trek as the kid hauler and get yourself something you really want to ride? Unless you're riding in the wet the stopping power isn't that much different between rim and disc.
The trailer (picking it up today) comes with an adapter to mount to a 12mm thru-axle, so I think I should be good either way. The Trek has 5mm skewers and it can mount to those as well.

When I bought my current bike, I was living in a state with lousy rough roads, and I sprung for the carbon frame, not for the weight savings, but for the damping compared to metal. I like it a lot, and although roads are better in my area now I think it would be hard to downgrade to aluminum. I tend to keep my equipment for a long time (bike was built in 2005 and I bought it used in 2009, still riding it) so I think carbon makes sense.

Y'all are convincing me it may be best to stay with my current bike for now. With two kids there is no way I'll get to ride any bike as much as I used to. Here's an idea: hitch the trailer with 50 pounds of ballast to my current bike and try a couple descents down the least-steep way down from my house, and see how the rim brakes handle it. If the brakes/wheels don't overheat, then just keep the current bike and wait til the kids are older, when I can get a new nicer bike and ride it more often, maybe with a club.
mtn biker
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Re: Mid-range road bike suggestions

Post by mtn biker »

Any good quality road bike with disc breaks will work well to tow a trailer, you don't need a heavy steel surly, as great as those bikes are. I would be just fine pulling a trailer with my Trek Domane, it's carbon, light, excellent disc breaks, and I ride with the fast guys on the Tuesday night rides. It's very comfortable to ride, which matters a lot, I don't need to get beat up and getting beat up does NOT make you faster, just sore.

Feel free to PM if you want to chat about it, my kids are grown but I've pulled trailers and raced.
Monsterflockster
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Re: Mid-range road bike suggestions

Post by Monsterflockster »

Keep your bike for the trailer. Get a good "mid-range" bike (that's 5k-ish now days) for you to start getting back into it. You can do it, I have 2 kids, a job, coach 2 sports... Get into a routine and build up slowly!
SmallSaver
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Re: Mid-range road bike suggestions

Post by SmallSaver »

Why not a new wheelset and brakes? Bikes are like ski boots, if you have one that fits you well, is the right geometry, and you like, there's a significant risk to changing unless you put a lot of time and maybe money into the search.

If you want to get something new, measure up your current bike carefully and then the world's your oyster. These days every manufacturer makes a gravel/touring/bikepacking bike, which should be plenty stout for your needs and fun enough for a group ride. It'll all come down to geometry, specs, and details, which it sounds like you know enough about to know what you like. Good steel could be nice due to the generally less-catastrophic failure mode. Only knock on Surleys is every one I've handled has been fairly heavy (and I'm not a weight weenie).
Last edited by SmallSaver on Thu May 19, 2022 5:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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bismarck23
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Re: Mid-range road bike suggestions

Post by bismarck23 »

Monsterflockster wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 4:58 pm Keep your bike for the trailer. Get a good "mid-range" bike (that's 5k-ish now days) for you to start getting back into it. You can do it, I have 2 kids, a job, coach 2 sports... Get into a routine and build up slowly!
Thanks for the encouragement. I remember when I was a teenager (late 90's/2000ish) riding my steel-frame mountain bike on some paved trails, and I struck up a conversation with a guy with a very nice road bike. He came into some money, went to his local bike shop, and asked the owner to build him the nicest custom road bike possible, money-no-object. Can't remember the frame material but it had all Dura-Ace components, titanium bits here and there. It cost him FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS, which was an unfathomable amount of money to spend on a bicycle, and to me in general. How times have changed, in many ways.

No one here has expressed concern about rim brakes slowing down a ~300 pound bike/rider/trailer/kid combo down a steep 200 ft hill. I can try it a few times with jugs of water in the trailer instead of human cargo to limit risk. As long as the brakes work and don't give me a heart attack I have no problem keeping my current bike for a while.
Last edited by bismarck23 on Thu May 19, 2022 5:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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bismarck23
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Re: Mid-range road bike suggestions

Post by bismarck23 »

SmallSaver wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 5:01 pm Why not a new wheelset and brakes? Bikes are like ski boots, if you have one that fits you well, is the right geometry, and you like, there's a significant risk to changing unless you put a lot of time and maybe money into the search.

If you want to get something new, measure up your current bike carefully and then the world's your oyster. These days every manufacturer makes a gravel/touring/bikepacking bike, which should be plenty stout for your needs and fun enough for a group ride. It'll all come down to geometry, specs, and details, which it sounds like you know enough about to know what you like. Good steel could be nice due to the generally less-catastrophic failure mode. Only knock on Surley's is every one I've handled has been fairly heavy and I'm not a weight weenie).
I put nice new aluminum wheels (Easton EA90's) on it sometime around 2013, because the factory Bontrager wheels were starting to crack around the spoke holes. They're still in great shape. No idea the shape the pads are in, but I'm sure a replacement would be cheap. Regardless of wheel quality there's still a heat limit, where the aluminum gets soft, or tires or pads overheat. That's what I'm worried about. But it should be easy enough to test, while risking just my own life and not that of my kids.
hfj
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Re: Mid-range road bike suggestions

Post by hfj »

I'll echo the sentiment that you should at least try what you currently have first. When my two kids were very young, we logged a lot of miles in Burley towed behind a Trek 2200, including a flat 50K charity ride. Worked pretty well but there were a couple of places where the mounting rubbed the frame. We then moved to a hilly area; suddenly I was pulling the kids up/down 300ft between our house and the town area. Honestly I don't remember descents being much of an issue with the rim brakes, but obviously that depends on the grade (try it with something like a loaded cooler first). But climbing while pulling the trailer was definitely a very good leg-busting workout.

Within a couple of years they were too big for the trailer and even briefly had a massive bike + trail-a-bike + trailer setup (not really recommended). I've upgraded bikes since then, but still have the 2200 as my commuter.
Last edited by hfj on Thu May 19, 2022 5:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
getthatmarshmallow
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Re: Mid-range road bike suggestions

Post by getthatmarshmallow »

bismarck23 wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 4:52 pm
getthatmarshmallow wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 4:02 pm Anything from a major brand with an aluminum frame, carbon fork, and Tiagra (2 x10) or better will serve. Carbon frame if you want to jump a price point. The biggest differences you'll notice is that most road bikes can fit wider tires now as disc brakes have become more common. With a 50/34 and 11-32 cassette you can probably climb up walls.

I picked up a secondhand Specialized Diverge (105) this season and I'm treating it like a somewhat beefy road bike and having a blast.

That said, if the bike trailer is a priority for you, one challenge is that many new bikes have thru-axles, which make traditional trailer attachments a challenge (if not impossible.) But --- the answer to "new bike?" is always 'yes', so why not keep the Trek as the kid hauler and get yourself something you really want to ride? Unless you're riding in the wet the stopping power isn't that much different between rim and disc.
The trailer (picking it up today) comes with an adapter to mount to a 12mm thru-axle, so I think I should be good either way. The Trek has 5mm skewers and it can mount to those as well.

When I bought my current bike, I was living in a state with lousy rough roads, and I sprung for the carbon frame, not for the weight savings, but for the damping compared to metal. I like it a lot, and although roads are better in my area now I think it would be hard to downgrade to aluminum. I tend to keep my equipment for a long time (bike was built in 2005 and I bought it used in 2009, still riding it) so I think carbon makes sense.

Y'all are convincing me it may be best to stay with my current bike for now. With two kids there is no way I'll get to ride any bike as much as I used to. Here's an idea: hitch the trailer with 50 pounds of ballast to my current bike and try a couple descents down the least-steep way down from my house, and see how the rim brakes handle it. If the brakes/wheels don't overheat, then just keep the current bike and wait til the kids are older, when I can get a new nicer bike and ride it more often, maybe with a club.
Ah, good that you can get an adapter! Marshmallow the Younger is now too big for our trailer so I sold it before I had a thruaxle to deal with.

If you like carbon, get carbon, although personally I find tire width to be more important than frame material for vibrations. I think you'd be fine getting one now or getting back into riding and then splurging once you know what you want.

I doubt you'll have much of a problem with the brakes. I used to haul the mini Marshmallows in the trailer (+85 pound) up/down a 5-6% grade. Mechanical discs, steel bike, kids hollering like R2D2.
chance
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Re: Mid-range road bike suggestions

Post by chance »

Bikes have changed a lot over the past 17 years. Plus I'm sure you have changed too (I think you said you gained some weight).

Here is what I'd recommend. You probably don't want a "road racing" bike anymore. Today's road racing bikes are singularly designed for racing and the lower stack and longer reach may not work so well with an aging less flexible body.

Two new categories of bikes that you should consider are: (1) endurance bikes - essentially your basic road bike but with adjustments to the geometry to make it a little easier to ride (higher stack and shorter reach), plus more focus on a comfortable ride. (2) all-road bikes - quite similar to the endurance bike but with added room for wider tires (around 32-35c, compared to the 28-30c capability of an endurance bike) so you could do some light gravel riding.

Another possibility is a gravel bike. With the advent of disc brakes (which are far superior to rim brakes) you can easily swap out wheels or tires based on the road conditions. A gravel bike is designed to handle up to 40-45c width tires. With a second set of wheels you could have a single bike that would handle everything from gravel and some light trails to pavement.

All of these will have lower (wider) gearing than a road bike. Most endurance and all-road bikes will have 50-34 with 11-34. Gravel bikes will use a sub-compact crankset (48-32 or smaller) or a 1x crankset. If you are going to ride a lot on the road I wouldn't recommend the 1x.

The most important thing is the fit. So it doesn't make sense to recommend any specific bikes/brands as we don't know what your stack/reach requirements are.

Wider internal width rims with wider tires offer a huge improvement in comfort, handling, reliability, and longevity with only the smallest performance loss (wider has lower rolling resistance at comparable pressures).

Electronic shifting has proven it's reliability, but adds quite a bit of cost. It's probably the least impactful improvement when compared to disc brakes, wider rims/tires, and new gear ratios. All my bikes are still mechanical.

But with all the changes it can be bewildering. Go talk to people at a few good bike shops, do some test rides, and consider a professional fit. That will help you focus your choices.

Finally, good luck with the supply chain issues. It can be tough to find the right thing without compromising too much right now. Took some friends months to over a year to get the bike they wanted.
SmallSaver
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Re: Mid-range road bike suggestions

Post by SmallSaver »

bismarck23 wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 5:18 pm
SmallSaver wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 5:01 pm Why not a new wheelset and brakes? Bikes are like ski boots, if you have one that fits you well, is the right geometry, and you like, there's a significant risk to changing unless you put a lot of time and maybe money into the search.

If you want to get something new, measure up your current bike carefully and then the world's your oyster. These days every manufacturer makes a gravel/touring/bikepacking bike, which should be plenty stout for your needs and fun enough for a group ride. It'll all come down to geometry, specs, and details, which it sounds like you know enough about to know what you like. Good steel could be nice due to the generally less-catastrophic failure mode. Only knock on Surley's is every one I've handled has been fairly heavy and I'm not a weight weenie).
I put nice new aluminum wheels (Easton EA90's) on it sometime around 2013, because the factory Bontrager wheels were starting to crack around the spoke holes. They're still in great shape. No idea the shape the pads are in, but I'm sure a replacement would be cheap. Regardless of wheel quality there's still a heat limit, where the aluminum gets soft, or tires or pads overheat. That's what I'm worried about. But it should be easy enough to test, while risking just my own life and not that of my kids.
I'm a dummy and forgot you need bosses on the frame for disc brakes. Disregard...
WhyNotUs
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Re: Mid-range road bike suggestions

Post by WhyNotUs »

bismarck23 wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 4:08 pm
livesoft wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 3:12 pm It sure reads like your current bike is absolutely perfect for what you intend to do.
Fair point. It does most of what I need. My biggest concern is the brakes. I live at the top of a 200 ft hill, and there are no ways down that aren't steep. I thought disc brakes would be a big nice-to-have, if maybe not absolutely necessary. I could put on some new pads and give it a try with my current one, before investing in a new one.
I think disc brakes are a big plus for mtn biking as they are less likely to clog with mud and if my wheel goes out of round I can still get home with brakes. For the type of riding that you are doing, I would not assume disc is better. The pads are easier to change on cantilevers and the grab directly to the wheel is a pretty good way to slow down. There is a little more power with the disc brakes when I am flying and need to get to 0 fast but hopefully that is not with kids on board :happy

Given current prices, availability and the fact that you have a bike that fits you and you can ride at those speeds with a group, I'd spend my money on high quality brake pads and ride on.
I own the next hot stock- VTSAX
angelescrest
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Re: Mid-range road bike suggestions

Post by angelescrest »

So if you’re going to ride with those guys, on a compact 50/34 chainring, it seems to me like you’d get dropped going down those steep hills from spinning out. Not sure if a race bike is compatible with a bike that also hauls a trailer uphill on a granny gear. Seems like you should get an old, used mtb with the gearing for that.

As for new road bikes, I second looking at Canyon or getting a used bike. I disagree with the post that midrange is $5k+. Midrange is like $2750-5500. You can easily get 105 or Ultegra for less than that, and if you go with aluminum, which is excellent nowadays, you’ll save even more money. I recently bought a nice new road bike for $3100, with 105 on it. Rides like a dream. Really relate to your post as my now retired road bike is 20 years old. I’d have kept riding it if it weren’t for the fact that the gearing didn’t work for where I moved to.
Last edited by angelescrest on Thu May 19, 2022 7:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Morris
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Re: Mid-range road bike suggestions

Post by Morris »

Silversides wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 3:10 pm Second the Surly LHT enthusiastically.

I’ve done everything with mine (cantilever brake version) from loaded touring to kid hauling and now year-round work commuting in the northeast. It’s 12 years old and doing great. I don’t think I’ll ever find a reason to part with this bike.
The LHT got canceled a few years ago, I’ve had one for over a decade, toured with it, been hit by a SUV with it, still going strong. Best $1200 I ever spent on a bike in 2009 dollars.

I’m kinda coveting a Rivendell Atlantis now which is the bike that allegedly inspired the LHT
RJC
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Re: Mid-range road bike suggestions

Post by RJC »

I have the Trek Domane S5. It's a few years old but does the trick for most situations. Carbon frame, rim brakes, 105 group set, and an endurance stance. Cost is on the lower side for road bikes.

Highly recommend!
gwaveswims
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Re: Mid-range road bike suggestions

Post by gwaveswims »

:wink:
bismarck23 wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 5:14 pm
Monsterflockster wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 4:58 pm Keep your bike for the trailer. Get a good "mid-range" bike (that's 5k-ish now days) for you to start getting back into it. You can do it, I have 2 kids, a job, coach 2 sports... Get into a routine and build up slowly!
Thanks for the encouragement. I remember when I was a teenager (late 90's/2000ish) riding my steel-frame mountain bike on some paved trails, and I struck up a conversation with a guy with a very nice road bike. He came into some money, went to his local bike shop, and asked the owner to build him the nicest custom road bike possible, money-no-object. Can't remember the frame material but it had all Dura-Ace components, titanium bits here and there. It cost him FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS, which was an unfathomable amount of money to spend on a bicycle, and to me in general. How times have changed, in many ways.

No one here has expressed concern about rim brakes slowing down a ~300 pound bike/rider/trailer/kid combo down a steep 200 ft hill. I can try it a few times with jugs of water in the trailer instead of human cargo to limit risk. As long as the brakes work and don't give me a heart attack I have no problem keeping my current bike for a while.
Agree on keeping your current bike. You are NOT going to get a bike as nice as that (carbon, Ultegra/105) for a decent price these days unless you go used. My husband is 6’3” 180# and has pulled out two kids in the Burley on multiple different bikes. On roads, he uses his road rim brake bike and has had zero issues. We also have tons of hills where we live. You should be fine. If you are worried, adjust your breaks and err on the tighter side.

Otherwise, don’t listen to these people saying to give up and get a recreational bike. It sounds like you still have ambitions to get back to riding with the fast(ish) guys. And why shouldn’t you? Our group rides have 60+ year old guys that could kick my ass when I was in my racing prime. If anything, adding a different steed such as a mountain or gravel bike would be your best bet. FWIW though, my husband hates pulling the trailer with his mountain bike.

Good luck!!
Topic Author
bismarck23
Posts: 300
Joined: Sun Oct 31, 2021 5:37 pm

Re: Mid-range road bike suggestions

Post by bismarck23 »

gwaveswims wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 9:01 pm :wink:
bismarck23 wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 5:14 pm
Monsterflockster wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 4:58 pm Keep your bike for the trailer. Get a good "mid-range" bike (that's 5k-ish now days) for you to start getting back into it. You can do it, I have 2 kids, a job, coach 2 sports... Get into a routine and build up slowly!
Thanks for the encouragement. I remember when I was a teenager (late 90's/2000ish) riding my steel-frame mountain bike on some paved trails, and I struck up a conversation with a guy with a very nice road bike. He came into some money, went to his local bike shop, and asked the owner to build him the nicest custom road bike possible, money-no-object. Can't remember the frame material but it had all Dura-Ace components, titanium bits here and there. It cost him FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS, which was an unfathomable amount of money to spend on a bicycle, and to me in general. How times have changed, in many ways.

No one here has expressed concern about rim brakes slowing down a ~300 pound bike/rider/trailer/kid combo down a steep 200 ft hill. I can try it a few times with jugs of water in the trailer instead of human cargo to limit risk. As long as the brakes work and don't give me a heart attack I have no problem keeping my current bike for a while.
Agree on keeping your current bike. You are NOT going to get a bike as nice as that (carbon, Ultegra/105) for a decent price these days unless you go used. My husband is 6’3” 180# and has pulled out two kids in the Burley on multiple different bikes. On roads, he uses his road rim brake bike and has had zero issues. We also have tons of hills where we live. You should be fine. If you are worried, adjust your breaks and err on the tighter side.

Otherwise, don’t listen to these people saying to give up and get a recreational bike. It sounds like you still have ambitions to get back to riding with the fast(ish) guys. And why shouldn’t you? Our group rides have 60+ year old guys that could kick my ass when I was in my racing prime. If anything, adding a different steed such as a mountain or gravel bike would be your best bet. FWIW though, my husband hates pulling the trailer with his mountain bike.

Good luck!!
Thanks, this is helpful. Did a few test rides today with my current bike and the laden trailer, and it went surprisingly well. Going to tune it up and stick with it for a while. If I get in better shape and am able to get back anywhere close to my former good shape I'll consider an upgrade then.
Topic Author
bismarck23
Posts: 300
Joined: Sun Oct 31, 2021 5:37 pm

Re: Mid-range road bike suggestions

Post by bismarck23 »

getthatmarshmallow wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 5:26 pm
bismarck23 wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 4:52 pm
getthatmarshmallow wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 4:02 pm Anything from a major brand with an aluminum frame, carbon fork, and Tiagra (2 x10) or better will serve. Carbon frame if you want to jump a price point. The biggest differences you'll notice is that most road bikes can fit wider tires now as disc brakes have become more common. With a 50/34 and 11-32 cassette you can probably climb up walls.

I picked up a secondhand Specialized Diverge (105) this season and I'm treating it like a somewhat beefy road bike and having a blast.

That said, if the bike trailer is a priority for you, one challenge is that many new bikes have thru-axles, which make traditional trailer attachments a challenge (if not impossible.) But --- the answer to "new bike?" is always 'yes', so why not keep the Trek as the kid hauler and get yourself something you really want to ride? Unless you're riding in the wet the stopping power isn't that much different between rim and disc.
The trailer (picking it up today) comes with an adapter to mount to a 12mm thru-axle, so I think I should be good either way. The Trek has 5mm skewers and it can mount to those as well.

When I bought my current bike, I was living in a state with lousy rough roads, and I sprung for the carbon frame, not for the weight savings, but for the damping compared to metal. I like it a lot, and although roads are better in my area now I think it would be hard to downgrade to aluminum. I tend to keep my equipment for a long time (bike was built in 2005 and I bought it used in 2009, still riding it) so I think carbon makes sense.

Y'all are convincing me it may be best to stay with my current bike for now. With two kids there is no way I'll get to ride any bike as much as I used to. Here's an idea: hitch the trailer with 50 pounds of ballast to my current bike and try a couple descents down the least-steep way down from my house, and see how the rim brakes handle it. If the brakes/wheels don't overheat, then just keep the current bike and wait til the kids are older, when I can get a new nicer bike and ride it more often, maybe with a club.
Ah, good that you can get an adapter! Marshmallow the Younger is now too big for our trailer so I sold it before I had a thruaxle to deal with.

If you like carbon, get carbon, although personally I find tire width to be more important than frame material for vibrations. I think you'd be fine getting one now or getting back into riding and then splurging once you know what you want.

I doubt you'll have much of a problem with the brakes. I used to haul the mini Marshmallows in the trailer (+85 pound) up/down a 5-6% grade. Mechanical discs, steel bike, kids hollering like R2D2.
I was so confused about the marshmallow comments, until I noticed your username, then it became clear.

There are three choices to get out of my neighborhood: a 200 ft descent @ 12% grade, a 150 ft descent @ 15% grade, or a 200 ft descent @ 10%, followed by a 200 ft climb @ 5% and another 200 ft descent @ 10%. No good choices, for biking or running :oops:. But yeah, I did a couple short test rides today and the brakes seem to work fine, so I've decided to stick with the current bike for now.
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