Any tips or questions I should be asking at my LBS(fitting,tune-ups,etc I have no idea)? Any advice is greatly appreciated!
Right now at one of the shops they have a 05 Trek 1500 w/ an Ultrega Rear Derailleur he'd sell me for $899. I wanna try and get him down to $800, will I have any luck? I test rode it and I can't believe the difference in what I was riding before, so much more of the power I'm putting in gets to the tires.
Please, all advice is more than welcome.
1. If you get a triathlon specific geometry (vs. a Road geometry) bike, make sure you get one with 700 C wheels. So when the time comes to buy new tires you will have a hundred to choose from, in all makes, materials, tread patterns, colors and price ranges. If you get a frame designed for 650 C tires, you will not be able to change tire sizes and you will be forever banished to the land of one or two tire choices at the most expensive price point when shopping on line OR at your LBS.
2. When you buy your bike, make sure to buy a good cyclometer with a long cable and a cadence sensor, so you can mount the sensor on your rear wheel, a nice benefit when you cycle in-doors on the trainer and wish to monitor or log your speed and distance.
3. If you buy a "road geometry" bike (ie. longer top tube, shallower seat angle) and are planning on racing triathlons with it, make sure you get some "short" or "adjustable" clip on aero-bars, and not the standard ones, so you won't be stretched out too far, become uncomfortable, and then not use them, a mistake many people make when retro-fitting their road bike for triathlons.
4. Hold OFF on buying any high end road pedals or special drinking / bottlecage mounting systems until you ride the bike long enough to decide what will be the most comfortable in the long run. May want to have the LBS to put some "9 dollar K-mart specials" pedals on your bike for you to use until you make your Shoe /cleat type / road pedal combination choice.
5. Budget for a good trainer, it doesn't have to be a super expensive fluid trainer, you can get good mag trainers for 99 dollars. This is the only way to get the MOST out of your bike investment AND your training time, as it opens many more training windows, during night time, pre-dawn, rainy and stormy days, etc. 3/4 of my riding (for Ironman training) occurs on the trainer, with a floor fan and a good video!
Good Luck !
After visiting most of the bike shops around the area I think I'm going with a road bike as none so far have carried any tri bikes and im looking to cash in on the 05 bikes as the 06s come out. And a tri-bike seems to be out of my price range atm.
What do you think of the offer on the 1500, ever other trek carrying LBS has said $999 and id have to wait till september to get any sort of marginal deal on there 1500s(50-100 bucks). I guess I was expecting more of a break for the old models.
Check out the drivetrain group on this bike. Does it have at LEAST Shimano 105, or better yet, Ultegra?
(Front, rear derailleurs, shifters, brakes). Does it come with a "throw away" seat or wheels / tires, that
are substandard and will be an automatic upgrade or replace after you purchase the bike ? 899 seems
to be about average for that, a deal that you could probably get just about anywhere at this time for that bike.
let them know that, and see if they will upgrade any of the above.
Yeah its the standard Trek 1500 105 component set, with that upgraded rear deralliuer to Ultrega.
[url]http://www2.trekbikes.com/Bikes/Road/Performance_Road/Alpha_Aluminum/150...
I'm gonna try and get the price down to $800 and see if he'll throw in something like a bike comp, bottle/cage, etc.
[QUOTE=jess1]Yeah its the standard Trek 1500 105 component set, with that upgraded rear deralliuer to Ultrega.
[url]http://www2.trekbikes.com/Bikes/Road/Performance_Road/Alpha_Aluminum/150...
I'm gonna try and get the price down to $800 and see if he'll throw in something like a bike comp, bottle/cage, etc.[/QUOTE]
you're getting a pretty good deal already at 900 for the bike, i was quoted at sticker, 1100! from multiple shops...ask them to throw crap in at 900 and take it....i have a feeling they won't go much lower....
The most important advice I can give when purchasing or have yourself fitted for a bike is to call first (if being fitted) and bring him/her a cup of coffee! You will not beleive how much weight that will carry when bargining!
Good Luck