[fightnut]

Ok, another "which bike" question.

I'm looking to get my first road bike. I'm more of a mountain biker, but want to get into a little road riding just to open up my riding options. Not looking to race, more of a casual cyclist.

My budget is $800. I'm currently looking at 2 bikes that both fall in my price range and would like to hear what you guys think of these choices. Does one stand out more then the other to you more experienced guys?

1. 2009 Fuji Roubaix. Currently on sale for $749 at store.
Claimed weight is about 23lbs. Only 18 speed.
I'd be buying it from the store, so they'd set it up, and could take it there for free adjustments or if I had any problems (but they are 30 minutes away, and I'm not crazy about them).

2. 2009 Scott Speedster S40. Claimed weight is about 20lbs. Has 27gears (I kinda like this, because I am a bit out of shape and struggle with endurance and hills, so I like the idea of having more gear options). This would be mail order, so I'd be responsible for final assembly and future adjustments (unless I wanna pay a shop). But I'm kinda ok with this, as I do adjustments on my mtn bike.

I want to add that I'm about 210lbs currently (hoping to lose 20 or so). Not sure how much that matters. The Fuji does have carbon seat stays, and the Scott does have a carbon seat post.

Thoughts, comments? Thanks in advance.

Looking to make a decision soon, before they sell out (both are '09 leftovers).

 

[rickm]

I would like to say out front that our shop is a Scott dealer. However we are not the Scott dealer that you plan on purchasing the bike from according to your link, so we have nothing to gain by chiming in here other than just giving some useful information.

I have looked closely at the Fuji and of course the Scott. At this price point many of the bikes are very similar in the components they offer and the difference really comes down to the frame. The Scott frame is what makes it a better choice. The frame has a lot of technology built into it that I wont try to explain or bore you with but the bottom line is this is what makes it lighter without sacrificing durability, and a lighter bike is just going to be ridden more and be more fun. Hydroformed alloy tubing is part of what makes it lighter and stronger.

In the industry there are 3 tiers of bikes being sold. Tier 1 is bikes being sold at dept stores like walmart and target, tier 2 is bikes being sold at sporting goods and outdoor stores like dicks and academy. Tier 3 is bikes being sold at dedicated bike shops. Tier 3 is usually the best quality bikes and support, tier 1 is the least quality and support. Scott is sold almost exclusively at at Tier 3 stores, while Fuji is mostly known as a Tier 2 brand.

Hope that helps.

 

[sixate]

I would ride each bike before you decide. What feels better is more important than price. I would never buy a bike without riding it, but I may be alone on this one.

With that being said I bought an 09 Fuji Roubaix last year, and it didn't weigh anywhere near 23lbs when I brought it home. Mine (61cm frame) weighed 20lbs 8oz with heavy platform pedals. Right now it's 17lbs 14oz. I weigh a little more than you, and I found the wheels to be flexy, and basically useless for me, but I guess I'm a bit of a masher. If you don't hammer hard you might not have an issue. Overall, it's been a great bike for me, but I would urge you to get on some bikes, don't limit yourself to only 2 choices, and don't buy anything without riding it.

 

[wilsoni91]

I bought a 09 Roubaix RC and love it. It helped that I got it $1000.00 off the orignal price

:-D

 

[fightnut]

sixate, thanks for the feedback on the Fuji. I thought that 23lb quote seemed high.
My current road bike is an '89 steel Schwinn and it weighs 27lbs. I knew there had to be more then a 4lb difference when I lifted the Fuji at the store.

I test rode the Fuji in a 56cm. I'm kinda thinking a 58cm would fit me better, but they didn't have one at that store (they'd have to transfer one from another store).
I'm 5' 10" with a 32" inseam by the way.

With that said, the Fuji felt like I was a bit more leaned over then on my old Schwinn. Not sure if it's because it was only a 56cm, or if that's just the geometry of that model (more race inspired maybe?).

From what I've read, the Scott Speedsters are suppose to have a bit "less aggressive" riding position (quoted from Bicycle mag). The head tube is a good bit longer, which to me would translate into a more upright position (Yes? No?).

If that's true about the riding position, then that, combined with the extra gears, I'm sorta leaning towards the Scott.
Biggest downside is that I don't think I can find one locally to try.

Keep the input coming, but keep in mind, $800 is the MOST I can spend. So it's either that, or just keep my Schwinn, there is no option of "spend a few hundred more and get ___".

 

[dan711]

I test rode both of the bikes in question along with many others. I ended up with the Fuji. Hard to beat that bike for $750. Mine is a 58cm and weighed in on an accurate scale at
20lbs 5oz w/pedals. BTW I don't believe Fuji is sold in tier 2 stores. I did not see them sold in Dick's or Academy. However i did see Scott sold here:

http://www.sunandski.com/Scott_Speedster_S40_Road_Bike_09_p/7721063930910.htm

Not bashing Scott-just pointing out a fact.

 

[fightnut]

I test rode both of the bikes in question along with many others. I ended up with the Fuji. Hard to beat that bike for $750. Mine is a 58cm and weighed in on an accurate scale at
20lbs 5oz w/pedals.

Dan, since you test rode both, I'd definitely like to hear more from you. What sold you on the Fuji over the Scott? Do you find what I said in my last post (about the riding positions) to be true, or no?
Also, how tall are you? Inseam? Thanks in advance.

 

[terbennett]

In all honesty, the Speedster does not have a better frame than the Roubaix. They both are made in Taiwan. The Speedster is not one of the higher end Euro- made Scotts. The name is why they demand more for the dollar. Tiers? Fujis are also sold at Tier 3 shops. I know of four of them here in So. Cal. Sorry for the bitterness, but snobbery doesn't help a newb pick the right bike. Try both and by the one that fits you the best. If some snobbery is intended, the Fuji IMO would be the better buy. A double crank set on the Fuji vs. a triple on the Speedster? To the OP, you don't need a triple even if you are out of shape. The right rear cassette on a double will do you nearly as well. I like triples but you can save some weight and get more accurate shifting with a double. Either way, you can't go wrong with either bike. Just make sure you like the position once you're fitted.

 

[dan711]

Dan, since you test rode both, I'd definitely like to hear more from you. What sold you on the Fuji over the Scott? Do you find what I said in my last post (about the riding positions) to be true, or no?
Also, how tall are you? Inseam? Thanks in advance.

I'm 6'2" with a 34" inseam. I rode the 58 and 60cm. I could have gone with the 60cm but felt like I had more control on the 58cm. Maybe it was just the fact that one store had the 58cm and another store had the 60cm, so I was unable to ride them back to back.

I liked both bikes and felt equally comfortable on both. The salesman seemed more knowledgeable at the Fuji dealer (Performance Bike) and I liked the red color of the Fuji more. I've only had the Roubaix a short time. I changed out the tires to (700 x 25 Conti 4000) and changed the bartape to Fizik gel. I love the way it rides.

 

[PJ352]

I suggest you take a step back from the bikes and focus on fit, because it's THE most important aspect of this purchase.

I agree with the poster that said that (paraphrasing) it's unwise to purchase a bike that hasn't been ridden. I would add that without a fairly extensive knowledge of geometry and your sizing requirements, it's best to work with a reputable LBS and experienced fitter. The brand/ model simply won't matter if the bike doesn't fit well, because you won't ride it.

If for whatever reason you can't work with a LBS, assuming your Schwinn fits well, you could take some measurements and compare them to the geo of the bikes of interest. If there were any areas of uncertainty, you could post here and ask for assistance. IMO this process is a distant second to working with a fitter, but if you're careful it's workable, and may open up some other possibilities that might be better choices than either the Fuji or Scott.

 

[fightnut]

PJ352, I appreciate the input. The problem with buying at most local shops is that they are so expensive, I'd end up with a lot less bike for my $800.

Performance always has great deals, just not so great staff (their idea of fitting someone is to say "you're about my height, and I ride a 56, so you should be fine on a 56 too").

After looking more closely where the hoods are on my Schwinn, I see that they are higher up on the bars, closer to me. I think that was the only real issue with the Fuji I test road, they are further down on the bars, sorta stretching me out to reach them (not a lot, just enough to feel different to me).

I'm gonna try to find a Scott dealer in my area to test a Speedster S40, and then I'll make a decision and post back at some point.

Thanks to all for the input so far.

 

[PJ352]

PJ352, I appreciate the input. The problem with buying at most local shops is that they are so expensive, I'd end up with a lot less bike for my $800.

Performance always has great deals, just not so great staff (their idea of fitting someone is to say "you're about my height, and I ride a 56, so you should be fine on a 56 too").

After looking more closely where the hoods are on my Schwinn, I see that they are higher up on the bars, closer to me. I think that was the only real issue with the Fuji I test road, they are further down on the bars, sorta stretching me out to reach them (not a lot, just enough to feel different to me).

I'm gonna try to find a Scott dealer in my area to test a Speedster S40, and then I'll make a decision and post back at some point.

Thanks to all for the input so far.

With all due respect, if your priority is simply getting the most bike for your money, consider going the online route and check out Bikes Direct or similar. Their $700 bikes blow away both the Fuji and Scott in specs.

I think the opposite, and your comment about Performance Bikes methods of fit is noteworthy. Fit trumps gear, because if you guess wrong on fit, you won't ride the bike. No matter the specs.

 

[dan711]

After looking more closely where the hoods are on my Schwinn, I see that they are higher up on the bars, closer to me. I think that was the only real issue with the Fuji I test road, they are further down on the bars, sorta stretching me out to reach them (not a lot, just enough to feel different to me).


Thanks to all for the input so far.

You can adjust the handle bars and/or hoods up slightly to avoid the stretching and it will not affect performance of the bike.

 

[terbennett]

With all due respect, if your priority is simply getting the most bike for your money, consider going the online route and check out Bikes Direct or similar. Their $700 bikes blow away both the Fuji and Scott in specs.

I think the opposite, and your comment about Performance Bikes methods of fit is noteworthy. Fit trumps gear, because if you guess wrong on fit, you won't ride the bike. No matter the specs.

In all due respects, it all depends on the Performance you go to. I've encountered that same response at a few of them when friends wanted to look. However, several of the Performance shops I went to actually took the time to set a few of my friends up. They had them test ride the bikes after each adjustment and made adjustments accordingly. It's not as common as it should be and it's not a pro fit, but some of their sales staff are pretty bike savvy and can get you set up the right way on a bike.

 

[PJ352]

In all due respects, it all depends on the Performance you go to. I've encountered that same response at a few of them when friends wanted to look. However, several of the Performance shops I went to actually took the time to set a few of my friends up. They had them test ride the bikes after each adjustment and made adjustments accordingly. It's not as common as it should be and it's not a pro fit, but some of their sales staff are pretty bike savvy and can get you set up the right way on a bike.

Somewhat off topic, but for clarification...

I may not have been clear in my remarks on Performance. It wasn't my intention to generally pan them for their ineptness at fitting. We have none in my area, so I wouldn't know their track record. I was simply bringing up a point the OP made regarding that particular shop he visited, because in a way it pointed up the importance of fit and working with a reputable LBS (no matter the name).

FWIW, I was not promoting the idea of going the online route, either. Just making a point that if, first and foremost, someone's criteria is the best gear for the money, it's debatable whether Performance or Jenson can beat BD. Most BD buyers don't hold framesets in high regard, so the name on the downtube doesn't matter.

 

[js1221]

I have a Scott S30 and my wife rides a Fuji Roubaix, albeit a Pro model. Both bikes cost about the same, although with the Fuji we got about $200 in Performance points so that helped. Component wise the bikes are about the same; the Fuji has a better RD (Ultegra vs 105) and the Scott had a better crank set (IMO). I prefer my compact crank over a triple on the road bike but I am in average shape and have a good selection of hills where I ride. Frame wise, I do not see a whole lot of difference in quality and both bikes weigh about the same, however my bike is a 56 and my wife's is a 49 so that is a factor. Oh, and I am 5'11 with a 34" inseam so I think a 58 would be a bit large for you. As everyone else has said though, fit is the important thing so try to ride each bike if you can and see which one fits best, I think both are good bikes for the money. BTW, REI also sells Scott bikes as does Sun & Ski Sports.