[M_Six]

I'm contemplating a grocery-getter bike for the spring. I don't want a full on cargo bike, but maybe an e-MTB with a rack or a dedicated fat tire e-bike. We like fresh produce, so I'm at the grocery store several days a week. It's a bit under 3 miles away, so any easy bike trip. Still, it'll be a ~$2k+ investment, so it requires some serious forethought.

[chassis]

Originally Posted by M_Six

I'm contemplating a grocery-getter bike for the spring. I don't want a full on cargo bike, but maybe an e-MTB with a rack or a dedicated fat tire e-bike. We like fresh produce, so I'm at the grocery store several days a week. It's a bit under 3 miles away, so any easy bike trip. Still, it'll be a ~$2k+ investment, so it requires some serious forethought.

What 2 or 3 suggestions do you have for an entry level road bike?

I like hydraulic disc brakes. Don’t want a carbon frame. Use case is paved bike paths, a small amount of gravel, non-competitive “fun” races.

[M_Six]

Originally Posted by chassis

What 2 or 3 suggestions do you have for an entry level road bike?

I like hydraulic disc brakes. Don’t want a carbon frame. Use case is paved bike paths, a small amount of gravel, non-competitive “fun” races.

Look at gravel bikes. They work great on the road, have a relaxed geometry, and can be aluminum. I had two sets of wheels/tires for my former gravel bike. One knobby set for trails and one less aggressive set for the road. But you can get dual purpose tires that work well on and off road. They also come with attachment points for bags and baskets. Generally they're less pricey than dedicated road bikes. Most bikes come with hydraulic disc brakes these days. But check closely anyway to make sure they're hydraulic and not cabled.

Here's an example from Trek. Note that it's a One-By or 1x bike. Single gear up front. The rear gear set has a wider range than normal road bikes.

https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/b.../49944/5332746

[JeffinOregon]

Originally Posted by chassis

What 2 or 3 suggestions do you have for an entry level road bike?

I like hydraulic disc brakes. Don’t want a carbon frame. Use case is paved bike paths, a small amount of gravel, non-competitive “fun” races.

What’s your budget?

[chassis]

Originally Posted by JeffinOregon

What’s your budget?

Entry level!

[chassis]

Thanks M_Six and JeffinOregon .

What is the general performance/quality/price comparison between Trek, Specialized and Cannondale? I am not a brand zealot and I am not "competitive" in cycling. I simply want a bike that works well and will last for a while. 500 miles per year, approximately.

What are the pros/cons on a 1x vs a 2x drivetrain?

What is the story with wide handlebars? I don't like the looks of them. To me it seems like a solution looking for a problem and a reason to sell somebody something new. Am I wrong? I don't care about the latest cool thing, I want a bike that works well and is reasonably well built.

[M_Six]

Originally Posted by chassis

Thanks M_Six and JeffinOregon .

What is the general performance/quality/price comparison between Trek, Specialized and Cannondale? I am not a brand zealot and I am not "competitive" in cycling. I simply want a bike that works well and will last for a while. 500 miles per year, approximately.

What are the pros/cons on a 1x vs a 2x drivetrain?

What is the story with wide handlebars? I don't like the looks of them. To me it seems like a solution looking for a problem and a reason to sell somebody something new. Am I wrong? I don't care about the latest cool thing, I want a bike that works well and is reasonably well built.

Around here Trek is pretty much the only brand available as we only have one local bike shop. There are bike shops further away that sell other brands, but that becomes a hassle if your bike needs work. Otherwise, deciding between Trek, Cannondale, and Specialized is like deciding which car brand to buy. It depends on a lot of different factors and personal taste. Price and quality wise I think they're all in the same ballpark.

Handlebar width should be about the same as the inner shoulder width. IOW, the distance between the inside edge of your shoulder sockets (not the outside of your shoulders). Your arms should be straight out from the shoulders at 90 degrees from your body when on the hoods. A good bike shop will have equipment to do a proper bike fit, which is well worth the cost. Get your bike set up properly for your size and riding style. It'll save you a lot of grief. Also, expect to spend some time initially finding a saddle that works for you. Road bike saddles are usually harder than other bike saddles and really need to fit your "sitz bones." Again, a good bike shop should be able to help you with that. Some bike shops will let you try different saddles for a few days until you find one you like. Amazon is also good for that since you can return the saddle if it doesn't work. Padded riding shorts are also important for saddle comfort. You can find padded shorts that can be worn under regular shorts or other pants, but generally dedicated riding shorts or bib shorts are preferable. Although at 500 miles/yr, it might not matter. I ride 500 miles/month, so I'm in the saddle a lot.

The choice of 1x or 2x depends on how much hill climbing you do. If you'll be riding in an area with some long or steep hills, you probably want a 2x. But if you ride mostly flat terrain, a 1x will be fine and simplifies maintenance. My Trek Domane+, which has pedal assist, is a 2x and I bet I've used the small ring on the front maybe 2 or 3 times in 3 years of riding it. My other Trek, which is a Trek Domane SL7, is not pedal assist and if I ride that one near my house where there are hills, I use the small ring for climbing the big hill behind my house. I can't make it up that hill without the small front ring.

Does your current bike not have two chainrings in front?

[chassis]

Originally Posted by M_Six

Around here Trek is pretty much the only brand available as we only have one local bike shop. There are bike shops further away that sell other brands, but that becomes a hassle if your bike needs work. Otherwise, deciding between Trek, Cannondale, and Specialized is like deciding which car brand to buy. It depends on a lot of different factors and personal taste. Price and quality wise I think they're all in the same ballpark.

Handlebar width should be about the same as the inner shoulder width. IOW, the distance between the inside edge of your shoulder sockets (not the outside of your shoulders). Your arms should be straight out from the shoulders at 90 degrees from your body when on the hoods. A good bike shop will have equipment to do a proper bike fit, which is well worth the cost. Get your bike set up properly for your size and riding style. It'll save you a lot of grief. Also, expect to spend some time initially finding a saddle that works for you. Road bike saddles are usually harder than other bike saddles and really need to fit your "sitz bones." Again, a good bike shop should be able to help you with that. Some bike shops will let you try different saddles for a few days until you find one you like. Amazon is also good for that since you can return the saddle if it doesn't work. Padded riding shorts are also important for saddle comfort. You can find padded shorts that can be worn under regular shorts or other pants, but generally dedicated riding shorts or bib shorts are preferable. Although at 500 miles/yr, it might not matter. I ride 500 miles/month, so I'm in the saddle a lot.

The choice of 1x or 2x depends on how much hill climbing you do. If you'll be riding in an area with some long or steep hills, you probably want a 2x. But if you ride mostly flat terrain, a 1x will be fine and simplifies maintenance. My Trek Domane+, which has pedal assist, is a 2x and I bet I've used the small ring on the front maybe 2 or 3 times in 3 years of riding it. My other Trek, which is a Trek Domane SL7, is not pedal assist and if I ride that one near my house where there are hills, I use the small ring for climbing the big hill behind my house. I can't make it up that hill without the small front ring.

Does your current bike not have two chainrings in front?

I have a 3x9 geartrain on my 16 yr old Cannondale SL3 aluminum frame with hydraulic discs. It has been a great bike, I have no complaints and there is nothing causing me to want to leave it. I have wanted a drop bar taller geared bike for a while which is why I am looking.

We have a Trek shop or two, a couple of Specialized shops and curiously I don’t know where a Cannondale shop is without searching.

Thanks for your insights.

[JeffinOregon]

Originally Posted by chassis

I have a 3x9 geartrain on my 16 yr old Cannondale SL3 aluminum frame with hydraulic discs. It has been a great bike, I have no complaints and there is nothing causing me to want to leave it. I have wanted a drop bar taller geared bike for a while which is why I am looking.

We have a Trek shop or two, a couple of Specialized shops and curiously I don’t know where a Cannondale shop is without searching.

Thanks for your insights.

Gearing-

The main advantage of a 1x system for the user is simplicity. There is less to adjust and less to fail. For the manufacturer, the removal of a shifter, cabling, derailleur, and more complex crank set is a financial advantage in terms of material as well as setup and adjustment costs.

For the user, you have larger steps between gears and (typically) a smaller overall gear range.

Manufacturers-

Trek, Cannondale, and Specialized are part sourcers. They manufacturer literally nothing. In some cases, the parts are collected and assembled in an actual corporate environment. For most lower cost models, the assembly also occurs at some Far East location.

In numerous cases, one of the above manufacturer’s models frames are made by Giant, or one of Giant’s second/third level subcontractors.

Manufacturer performance profiles -

Particularly at the entry to mid performance level, there is virtually no functional or performance advantage for any “standard” manufacturer. A higher level Trek will be inherently better than a lower level whatever maker’s model for instance.

There are a few companies that do effectively break that cost/performance ratio. One is Giant, another is Canyon. Personally, I’d recommend anything from either of the above vs. the big 3. The only significant potential downside to them, with the possible exception of Giant, is the lack of dealer support. Your bike will require adjustment and replacement parts. If you expect the dealer to accomplish these functions, seeking out the best local shop is a key aspect of your purchase.

Bike type and cost-

If you expect to ride with groups, either on the road or gravel riding, an entry level model will pretty much make that both very difficult and potentially dangerous. If you’re only riding alone, or with someone with similar expectations, gravel bikes work well on the road.

[M_Six]

25 chilly miles today for 126 on the week. Warmer weather in store for next week, but we're running out of riding weather here.

[freakystyly]

RE: bike shopping... Black Friday deals are coming up soon! And there may be older model bikes to be had. Definitely set a budget because pricing can get out of hand between model tiers.

As mentioned, pricing jumps are typically due to component sets on the bike. There's 5-6 different tiers in the Shimano "roadie" brand alone. Then there's MTB and gravel specific tiers too.

[Vulpe]

De-rusting after taking a few weeks off due to trip to Korea and Japan.

Got another PR climbing back home somehow.

Anyway, this ride broke 1000 miles on this bike!

[M_Six]

New Bike Day

First ride on the Marlin+. My new grocery getter. It's an e-MTB, but I figure I'll be riding on roads only, so it fits in this thread.

[chassis]

Nice ride! I like the luggage.

[M_Six]

Originally Posted by chassis

Nice ride! I like the luggage.

Thanks. The panniers are quite large. They should work out fine for groceries.

[M_Six]

Freakish sunny and warm day here today. Hovering around 60F. I took the new grocery getter out for a 20 mile spin that included some gravelly roads I've always avoided with my road bikes. More of the same weather on tap for a few days, so I'll get more riding in.

[M_Six]

Not as nice weather-wise as yesterday, but I still got out for 18 miles.

[M_Six]

15 miles today. Foggy and damp. Not the nice day we were hoping for, but still good enough for riding. Just 16 more miles to hit my 5800 mile goal for the year.

[M_Six]

16 miles today on the grocery getter. That gets me to my 5800 mile goal for the year.

[M_Six]

Last outdoor ride of 2025. Winter returns tonight in a big way. Love this new bike.

[Vulpe]

Last of the year, after a month off man I'm blasted I can't even climb home. Super muddy cause it's been raining the past couple weeks and the dirt running onto the path.

Usually I just do a wipe down but I'll have to do an actual wash.

[M_Six]

Got out for a ride yesterday as we're experiencing a nice January thaw here in IL. Hoping to get out again today.