A Pinnacle Evaporite Two (2012) or a Specialized Allez Elite (2009)?
I am completely new to road bikes and fancy getting a secondhand one. I have found these two bikes for sale in my area for the same price and am wondering if someone could please advise me which of the two bikes would be best?
I am looking for a comfortable ride where I can just get my head down and get some miles in to keep fit and have a good day out.
Thank you.
Which bike is better?
Re: Which bike is better?
Riding a bike without mudguards through just one winter (when they salt the roads) can just about wreck it mechanically unless its maintained adequately. So the bike which will work best may be the one which has been better maintained, regardless of what "groupset" was fitted originally.
You also need to consider if the bike will fit you. Believe it or not, different manufacturers can use different ways of measuring bikes, so 2 bikes the same nominal "size" can in reality be quite different sizes. And the gearing can be different as well....I would always go for the lowest gears that you are likely to find on a "road" bike (the ones they sell to the public tend to "copy" the ones the pros use....even the gearing). However, its hard to tell the gearing from a casual look, unless a bike has a triple chainset, this will almost always mean low gears.
You also need to consider if the bike will fit you. Believe it or not, different manufacturers can use different ways of measuring bikes, so 2 bikes the same nominal "size" can in reality be quite different sizes. And the gearing can be different as well....I would always go for the lowest gears that you are likely to find on a "road" bike (the ones they sell to the public tend to "copy" the ones the pros use....even the gearing). However, its hard to tell the gearing from a casual look, unless a bike has a triple chainset, this will almost always mean low gears.
Bike fitting D.I.Y. .....http://wheel-easy.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/bike-set-up-2017a.pdf
Tracks in the Dales etc...http://www.flickr.com/photos/52358536@N06/collections/
Tracks in the Dales etc...http://www.flickr.com/photos/52358536@N06/collections/
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rmurphy195
- Posts: 2199
- Joined: 20 May 2011, 11:23am
- Location: South Birmingham
Re: Which bike is better?
If yu are looking for a comfortable ride, you might want to consider the width of the tyres that can be fitted. I've found an increase from a 28mm tyre to a 32mm "Voyager Hyper",which looks a bit fatter than its nominal size suggests, makes a big difference.
And gears - rule of thumb, I need a bike where at least 2 of the rear sprockets are bigger than the smallest chainwheel!
Mudguards - MUST - and a rack to carry stuff, much better than a rucksack on your back.
And gears - rule of thumb, I need a bike where at least 2 of the rear sprockets are bigger than the smallest chainwheel!
Mudguards - MUST - and a rack to carry stuff, much better than a rucksack on your back.
Brompton, Condor Heritage, creaky joints and thinning white (formerly grey) hair
""You know you're getting old when it's easier to ride a bike than to get on and off it" - quote from observant jogger !
""You know you're getting old when it's easier to ride a bike than to get on and off it" - quote from observant jogger !
Re: Which bike is better?
rmurphy195 wrote:If yu are looking for a comfortable ride, you might want to consider the width of the tyres that can be fitted. I've found an increase from a 28mm tyre to a 32mm "Voyager Hyper",which looks a bit fatter than its nominal size suggests, makes a big difference.
And gears - rule of thumb, I need a bike where at least 2 of the rear sprockets are bigger than the smallest chainwheel!
Mudguards - MUST - and a rack to carry stuff, much better than a rucksack on your back.
And to add that unless you're young and fit and used to folding up your body whilst pedalling for hours on end,don't buy a bike with the tops of the handlebars much below the height of the saddle when it's set at the correct height for you.
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"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
Re: Which bike is better?
If you're serious about getting miles in then get 2 bikes, one with mudguards for wet days and one without for fine days. Oh, and don't clutter a nice road bike up with a rack, just make sure you carry any emergency kit in a small saddle bag.