I need to let this discussion motivate me to get on the road bike. 15 years ago I was doing 3k miles per year of recreational riding, then fell out of the habit. There's a nice 531 steel custom frame with 8-speed Campy Record components (Delta brakes rock) in the garage. Unfortunately, I've managed about 200 miles total in the last 5 years. Working for a living sucks...

 

yes it does.

but absent a winning lottery ticket or a rich uncle...
and I've tried to explain to my kid, there are no Hilton's in the family tree.


get out there and ride. it's at least the right time of year.

as a teenager and in my twenties, i rode tons.
then came kids and work and riding stopped.

then i got fat and riding got really hard.
and now it's hard to do.

trust me it is easier to stay in shape then get in shape.

 

AMEN

 

Jeff, just take a look at a $305 set of pedals:
These are just pedals...no bike attached.
And here's a $1300 frame:

$400 handle bars (on sale!):
$200 rims (no spokes of hubs)

 

I'll stick with my huffy.

 

Oh, and Jeff, any decent road bike doesn't even come with pedals, because they know people go with whatever specific style they like. But you gotta buy something else just to be able to ride it.

 

These found their way to my dream last night. If only I had a job

~$1,400 (at least they came w/ spokes )

 

Are these bikes like mountain bikes and you can take them anywhwere or are they paved roads only?

 

Al, some of the pictures in your thread look like instruments one might find in a gynecologist's office. The handle bars look like the stirrups that women put their feet into to hold them spread eagle. That pedal (as you call it ) looks like something to thump the body while listening for sounds or the head of the ultra sound machine.

I guess making sure it *looks* expensive is just as important as functioning well. They must study from the Mugen handbook of parts sales.

Ch. 1: Even if it does not function worth the price point, make it look cool and put a fancy name to it. People will buy it!!!

 

Paved roads only, hence called road bike.

They have cross/hybrid type, but as in cars, you can't have best of both worlds. More like compromises of both worlds.