Road Bike

jpmarchewka

Thinking about buying a road bike...mostly for fun/non-serious training such as century rides with friends.  Do you have any suggestions on a road bike that doesn't break the bank that is still quality (open to buying a used bike)?  I currently ride a 54cm Felt Tri Bike.  I assume if I can fit a 54cm Felt Tri Bike that I can fit a 54cm road bike?  Any thoughts on the bike below?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Felt-F5-Roadbike-54cm-Carbon-Fiber-w-800-Ksyrum-Elite-Wheel-Upgrade-/181849759342?hash=item2a57171e6e

Mark Maurer

Hi Jordan, I bought a road bike earlier this year for just that very reason and I ended up with one that wasn't on the radar screen when I started looking. I ride a Felt B16 tribike and went to the LBS where I bought it but they didn't have many Felt road bikes, but they did have Cervelos so I tried a R3 out, but I didn't stop there. I also tried a Giant. Over the next few days I visited a different shop everyday and tried one or two bikes. I narrowed it down to a Cannodale Synapse and the R3. I went back to each shop and took them out for a longer ride. I settled on the R3 because it just felt better to me and the way I ride. The bonus was that it was the previous years model so the owner knocked$500 off the price and that made it $1000 less than the synapse. (The Synapse did have better wheels, but I had a PT wheel and a better front wheel waiting at home so that didn't matter to me.)
I guess the moral of this story is to try out a bunch of bikes and see what speaks to you. I have friends that rave about this or that bike and when I rode them the rear end felt squirrelly or I couldn't climb well or whatever.
That's my $0.02.

John Withrow

Jordan-- That bike will be great for anything you want to do on a road bike. Price also seems very reasonable to me....

http://www.bikeradar.com/us/road/gear/category/bikes/road/product/review-felt-f5-13-46996/