Replacement wheels needed STAT - sticker shock and decision quandry

Healthy Living Physical Activity
1

A spill resulting from a very short stop Sunday finally did in the Lotus Excelle '81 mixte (entry-level road bike) that’s been my main bike since uni.

For the moment I’m stuck on Frank’s PoS Murray Vibe (looks like it’s supposed to be an offroaded-up version of Ye Old Five-Speed Commuter Bike) that he bought at Target a couple years ago and barely rode (less than 10 miles) – obviously unsafe for me (frame too large, wheels cannot be trued, brakes really soft… and I’ve forgotten how to ride without clips and straps).

Based on my skill and usage, upgrading/trading in the Excelle would have been a waste of money – but now it’s a necessity.

My immediate thought would be to replace it with another entry-level road bike – I need the light weight (have to be able to carry it up and down stairs) and I’m used to riding dropped handlebars, clips and straps (not serious enough for cleats).

However, given the road conditions in this area (a number of roads need paving, nearby urban areas, and I sometimes need to travel short distances along a US highway with lots of gravel in the shoulder), I’m wondering if I shouldn’t be considering something more along the lines of a hybrid or “comfort” design. These appear to be a couple hundred dollars less than the road bikes (excepting a couple of models on clearance), but I’m afraid they will be difficult to maneuver into and out of a small apartment (weight aside, the Murray is difficult maneuvering within the building), I don’t like riding upright and without clips and straps, and since my previous upright (a 1977 Ross 3-speed woman’s commuter) did not have a fraction of the performance of the Excelle, I’m skeptical of upright/comfort/casual designs.

My expected usage of the bike is (1) commuting and errands (mostly odd-and-end grocery shopping; purchases must fit in daypack or in removable handlebar or seat pack – I don’t want to add the weight of a rack, etc.) and (2) fitness/fun/feeling the road beneath me and the wind washing over me.

Other than price, my two concerns with a road bike are (1) today’s tires are slimmer (23-25mm) than the ones on the Excelle (1.125") and (2) I’m not sure a road bike will handle well in winter (though I may be “snowbirding”, anyway (peripheral circulation issues in cold weather).

Until I manage to get another job, getting two bikes is out of the question.

Thoughts? Anything else I may have overlooked?

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I think if you are looking at a new hybrid, like the Trek 7300WSD, it will be significantly lighter than your 1981road bike. Certainly you’d have to get used to the position change and lack of drops, but you could always add roadbars to a hybrid bike, (or hybrid wheels to a road bike.)

I guess the question I would have is are you considering new bikes, or looking for used ones?

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Does feeling the road beneath you include the jolts from cracks and crevices? :wink:

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What I’ve seen so far suggests that new bikes are more likely to come in appropriate frame sizes. Or maybe it’s just “newer than I’m used to”. (The reason I have a mixte is that the typical (men’s/youth) 19" frame of that time – when I could find one, as most “men’s styles” started at 21" – had too high a standover for my inseam.) What I’m looking for is “now”, which also tends to favor buying new.

The Excelle, fully loaded, is something like 27 lb (it came with alloy wheels and handlebar); the Ross it all but replaced was more like 35-40 lb base weight. I’m seeing a variety of weights being bandied around for the sort of road models I’ve been finding on sale (Specialized Dolce, Trek 1.2 WSD), suggesting that despite the aluminum frames (and in some cases, carbon forks), they may be no lighter than that Lotus. Are the hybrids in the same weight class?

Re: changing up the bars and wheels: I’d be a bit concerned about making those sorts of changes. Bicycle frame geometries are specifically designed for the OEM style of handlebar, and the fork and the rear-wheel stays are not designed for significantly thicker wheels than the OEM equipment. (The Mech E’s in my dorm were avid cyclists, to the point of designing and building their own then-bleeding-edge aluminum frames. I learned young eg.)

FWIW, I had to take the (expletive deleted) Murray out yesterday; my hands were numb inside of a mile. I haven’t had that issue nearly as bad with the Excelle. And I wear gel-padded gloves. OTOH that could be a relic of the oversized frame.

5

I’m less worried about feeling jolts from cracks and crevices in the road than I am about traffic forcing me to take them at the wrong angle, resulting in spills, catastrophically bent wheels, and possible frame damage. Then again, that could happen with any bike.

Separate but related: I just learned that Specialized is bringing their “Diva Van” to the nearest of my local shops tomorrow afternoon. (This is one of those 'test ride" vans – in this case, specific for women’s models.) I might get a better handle on what will work best if I can test out the different styles and talk to people familiar with the local area.

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I agree with Mike. The TREK7300 is a nice bike. There are more out there to look at like Cannondale’s Quick Feminine as an example. I’m partial to TREK and Cannondale personally.

The upright sitting position may be a good change and a little more comfort. And with a bigger tire, you will have better luck in the snow (if you try to venture out. Just keeping the options open.).

Go to your local bike shop (LBS) or a couple LBS and ride the bikes. Find the one your are comfortable on in your price range, and get it. I tell people g for a new bike to be willing to go a little over budget for comfort. If it’s not comfortable, you won’t like riding it.
Keeps us posted on your new set of wheels!

Moby

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About the 7300: I definitely need to overcome some prejudices. Looking at it on the TREK site, I’m having trouble getting past the “retro clunker” look (rubber-look/non-clip pedals, retro-style seat, and all that chrome!) to the enclosed cabling and versatile gearing.

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Figured I should probably give you some idea what my ride has been, what happened to it, and what I'm stuck riding in the interrim:

The Lotus Excelle

The Lotus sustained the initial frame damage some years ago; the last impact has done away with the clearance between wheel and down tube:

The Other Half's wheels. Shifting is difficult, there are neither clips nor straps, and the upright position was harder on my hands than my own dropped handlebars.

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Funny you should post that photo – it’s the one of their highest-end “Dolce” model, which is the one I’ve been looking at most closely. I got a chance to see it (but not test ride – weather conditions were awful) today. The Specialized rep figured that based on the riding I had been doing, it was the model I’d be most happy with. I also took a look at the Globe (frame way too large, seat horrid, etc.) and got a chance to heft the Vita and the Myka, which were the other two models I might have considered (the Vita is a hybrid, the Myka, a utility-looking mountain bike); both were too heavy and bulky to regularly maneuver into and out of the apartment. One of the other local shops has an '08 Dolce in the right frame size for about half the price of the current model, so right now that’s the one I’m looking at.

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Budget is definitely an issue. I’m actually looking at the entry-level Dolce which has, as you suggest, aluminum frame, carbon fork and seat post. The one shop’s site lists a 2008 left in 44cm (my size) for about $500; the 2009 model lists at $970 (the other local shop is selling it for $900). Given the Excelle cost about $300 28 years ago, $500 seems a not unreasonable price. I’m hoping to be able to pull together the financing by the weekend, and praying that the advertised clearance special/model/item is still there. Though if the old model’s pedals are as flimsy as the current model’s, I’m like as not to swap those out from the get-go.

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From what I’m seeing on the Dolce, the entry levels from both 2008 and 2009 have carbon forks. (The Specialized rep even noted as much when “selling” or “preselling” me the model.) I certainly understand about not buying cheap $4!t – which is why I won’t even consider names like Ross, Huffy, Murray (if I’d been there I’d have never let The Other Half buy that PoS!), etc.

I was definitely impressed by how light the vehicle is, and giving a heft-of-hand on the other two Specialized models/classes I was looking at (the Myka and the Vita), I’m certain they will not serve my needs. I can see a Globe as a possible utility-bike-around-town for major haulage and biking through snow, etc., but right now it’s not what I really want.

Current plans are to head to the shop advertising the '08 tomorrow. Hopefully they will still have the bike, at the advertised price, and I’ll be able to test ride it and (if all goes right) take it home with me.

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Presuming everything goes right at the bike shop, the next decision is going to be whether I want to look at the Shimano S324 pedals (clip/clipless hybrid, apparently comes with cleats which should work with my new Specialized Sonoma shoes) or a more basic metal pedal with clip and strap… and presuming I go with the S324, whether I want to worry about installing the cleats straight off, since that seems way more serious than where I feel I’m at … Also, on a commuting/visibility issue, making sure I have the correct reflectors either installed at the store or available to salveage from the Excelle before I leave the store.

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LOL! I bought it yesterday, intended to ride only 1-2 miles to get acquainted with it, went closer to 6 (on the flat). Stayed with the OEM pedals. Was going to get out today in a few, but there's a tornado warning two towns away, so I'm not sure. I'm annoyed at the rubbery toe clips on there, keep missing them to get my free foot in, and the tech put the straps in upside down which is frakking dangerous (but user-correctable). Based on first ride, I may be back up there next week for the S324s as a matter of personal safety.

Click the photo to link to the full-size

Next issue will be figuring out how to quietly stash minimal gear. This is all I can fit into the Specialized "Wedgie" seat pack...

It's nearly impossible to get that small meter case in there, it's a significant demobilization from my StickMe Designs combo wallet/glucometer case, and that's without any tools. But I think that will be the subject of another thread...

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I have a meter mounted to my bike and can test my sugar without getting off my bike. I got the AccuChek Compact Plus. I mounted it to the stem of my bike with black zip ties. The best part is that the strips are inside, precoded and the lancet device is attached to the side of the meter, so literally, I can check my sugar on the fly. I love it. I used to have the meter in my bag as well, and it was a pain to either have to stop often during long rides or try fitting it in my small bag with spare tubes, etc.

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I don’t do jerseys at this point in time: I need my back free to handle a small backpack which carries groceries or other purchases. Although based on what the salesguy said, I may have to forego the purchases and use the pack just to carry my lock :frowning: (I don’t trust anything lighter than a heavy-duty U-lock – dismount front wheel, lock the two rims and the frame together to an immovable object.) On the Excelle, I bungee-corded the lock to the seat rails and the seat tube… suspect this is not a great idea with a carbon seat post.

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Mine has the Timex slip on mount for my Polar F6 on one side and my Cat’s Eye Micro Wireless on the other side. If I could find the right light or mount so put the light on the stem, then maybe. (The bikeshop guy put the Cat’s Eye there which was useless as I couldn’t mount, dismount, set, reset, or read the device from that position. He’s probably going to have three fits from Sunday that I moved it to suit MY needs, since it looks like it could interfere with the secondary brake levers – it doesn’t, I checked before re-mounting it.)

The other issue that pops up is that this is a 44 cm frame, compact construction, women’s design, which means the top tube is not parallel to the ground and the handlebars are not as wide as on, say, a men’s 56 cm frame, so there really is not much room to mount anything.

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I looked at the extender online and fear it might interfere with the secondary brake levers. Getting the bicycle to a vendor to check it out in-person would involve taking it into areas in which I’m not comfortable transporting any bicycle…

I’m getting used to the gears. I think I’m going to talk to the sales/mechanics about the shifter for the chainring; it seems to require either too long a throw, or a double throw, to shift. There should be some way of adjusting it for my short hands.

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Pardon the clutter around -- I'm in the middle of a major thunderstorm and we've had the ceiling in the computer room collapse on us...

The image should give you an idea what’s mounted and how much space it takes up (the left hand gray thing normally supports my Polar F6)

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After Wednesday’s ride in damp weather (kept sliding off the pedals b/c I could not get the rubber clip to stay open long enough/wide enough to get my shoes in), I decided the danger factor was too high and got the M324’s yesterday, got instruction (and time on the trainer at the bike shop). Went out today for about 1/2 hr; confirmed I made the right choice (1) to upgrade and (2) of the M324 as a first-timer’s cleated pedal. Color me one happy camper :slight_smile: