[laughter95]

@hozn 92040 wrote:

That settles it; you need two bikes!

you’re right, i do. i need a trash bike that costs $100 or less so that i can just go around w/it in sneakers and hang panniers on it and let it get rained on w/out a care (maybe a little care), throw it on a bike rack, whatever.

and then this super fun full carbon couple-thousand sport bike that i’ll have to be ultra careful of crashing, scratching, getting stolen, etc…

somewhere between this madness is the truth.

hoping to check out that 2013 synapse that’s listed in classifieds on here this weekend:cool:

[laughter95]

@hozn 91902 wrote:

Looking at this list, the Supersix Evo is fairly different geometry-wise from, e.g., the Jamis Ventura. It’s not surprising that the Supersix felt a lot faster, it is setup more aggressive — shorter head tube, longer chain stays, has a steeper head-tube angle. And probably very different stack and reach numbers; I didn’t calculate it for the Jamis. If you want to look at something similar from Jamis, maybe consider the Xenith? That is within a few mm of the stack/reach of the Supersix and should feel even snappier — has an even steeper HTA, equally short chainstays, more fork rake. IMO it looks better too. (http://www.myjamis.com/SSP%20Applications/JamisBikes/MyJamis/consumer/bike.html?year=2014&model=Xenith%20Comp&cat_grp=road_1) It is more expensive; the comp model linked there is 105, though, so probably around the same pricepoint as the Supersix 5 (?). Might want to talk to Bikinetic about what the OTD pricing might look like for a Xenith if you’re gravitating toward a race geometry frame.

Neither the Supersix or the Xenith seem particularly practical as a commuter. E.g. no rack/fender mounts and I’m guessing you’d max out at 25c or maybe-28c-on-narrow-rims tires. But they both sound like fun bikes and there’s nothing wrong with driving a sports car to work!

Personally, if I were buying a bike from a shop, I’d pay more for the renowned customer service of Bikenetic. I think the folks at Freshbikes (I have only been to Arlington location) are very competent, but I have certainly had some condescending experiences talking to their mechanics, so there’s something to that reputation they’ve earned for being snobs/elitist.

Questions:What is HTA? Fork rake? (something to do w/the angle of the fork, as per google search…) I’ll take a look at the Xenith.

and RE impracticality as a commuter: would a Thule Pack ‘n Pedalwork?

FreshBikes knocked 15% off the SS Evo 6 and gave me the impression that they were doing me a huge favor, or that I was ripping them off. I walked out to reconsider my options. Then I checked w/the area’s C-dale dealers, and another would discount the same 15%. We’re in the last month of the 2014 models, and it’s the last month of summer, after all.

Bike sales is interesting. Shops hardly profit from bikes, mostly from service and gear, it appears. And a buyer can save 30-50% when buying a bike that is just a year old. Of course, buyer beware. But that first year depreciation is steep.

[laughter95]

@TwoWheelsDC 91827 wrote:

1. I haven’t ridden the Bianchi, but I have ridden a few Supersixes and have always been impressed. Personally, I’d rule out the Bianchi on aesthetics alone (Dickie just had a heart attack)…I don’t care for their graphics and I really dislike curved top tubes, but that’s just me.

I totally agree w/you on the curved top tubes…

I unexpectedly discovered that the look ends up being actually somewhat important. Cervelo’s red/black motif makes you look fast just while standing… 😎

Thanks for the tip on FreshBikes.

[laughter95]

Thanks so much to everyone for so many helpful responses, insight, and route recommendations!

I finished my first day of having real test drives of road bikes, ever. Pete at Bikenetics was very helpful. He set me up with several:
1. A 54″ Kona Jake w/Tiagra
2. 49″ Kona Jake w/Tiagra
3. 54″ Kona Jake the Snake w/Tiagra
4. 51″ Jamis Ventura w/105(?)
5. 53″ Bianchi Vertigo w/105

All of the above were 2014 models, except for item 5, the Bianchi. Realized that the best fit for me is 50″ or 51″.

As expected, whatever lighter, more racing-oriented, was more fun, responsive, lively, and preferred. The Kona Jake + Carbon Fork (=Jake the Snake) was more responsive than the Kona Jake. The Jamis Ventura was appealing because it was about half the cost ($1150) vs. the Bianchi Vertigo, an all-carbon frame, which was $1900. I didn’t get to properly assess the Bianchi since it wasn’t the best size and my sit bones were quite sore at that point.

I thanked Pete and Mike and left with really positive impressions of the store. I hoped that the bike that I would eventually buy would be from this shop.

I decided to check out FreshBikes in Merrifield. It was less than half an hour from their closing, so Alex had a 2014 Cannondale Supersix Evo 6 in size 50″ ready for me right as I walked in. I hopped on, and upon the first pedal, I felt good. It was truly an exciting ride. Felt really responsive, the sizing was quite comfortable, and I enjoyed its easy handling. It costs $1,900. A shop in Delaware (Wooden Wheels) offers the same for $1,650, no tax. I’m hoping that FreshBikes could offer an OTD price match of $1,650 so I can get LBS post-purchase support. And I’m also considering whether it’s worth the $200 upgrade to purchase the Supersix Evo 5 instead since it won 2014 Bike of the Year by Cycling Plus. A comparison of the models w/the components can be found here.

I appreciate that the Supersix Evo can be expanded from commuting to racing. I usually get obsessed with things and like to pursue it deeply (e.g. hiking will be culminating in a future PCT thru-hike).

And as for componentry, I don’t think I care about it as much. I can feel that the 105 is smoother than the Tiagra. I found myself fiddling with the shifters more on the Tiagra than the 105. I think I’ll be fine with the 105. Haven’t tried the Ultegra.

Questions:
1. Could anyone comment on a comparison of the Bianchi Vertigo with the Cannondale Supersix Evo 5/6?
2. Would I be alright purchasing from FreshBikes? Bikenetics seemed to be a lot more inviting, personal, trustworthy. Yelpers report that FreshBikes pricing is expensive. And the FreshBikes Arlington location feedback is abysmal. Bikenetic has a full five stars, no negative remarks anywhere.

I’m also thinking of whether I should just take the more economical option, the Jamis, which I thought worked out quite alright. And this whole carbon vs aluminum… well I guess I’m really the only person that can answer that question. But any additional insight will always be carefully considered.

Thanks again. I do hope to make it to one of these bikearlington meetups once I have my own bike.

[laughter95]

@consularrider 91226 wrote:

Since you’re in Annandale, I’ll second the recommendation to hit Bikenetic and talk with Jan and Pete (dirt) about your thoughts, budget, and experience. I’ve used several of the local bike shops in the Arlington area and have generally had good service from each, but I’ve settled on Bikenetic because of its location (access from W&OD and distance from my home) and the attention they give to me (I’m a crappy mechanic, so I prefer to have someone who knows what they are doing do reall work on my bikes). While it’s a small shop, Bikenetic has a good selection of hybrids and cross bikes that can take racks and panniers. One thing I think you should avoid is getting a bike with suspension. If you are going to ride on the road and paved trails, all the suspension does is add weight with little to no benefit (my two cents and remember you only get what you paid for it).

I have three bikes I rotate on my commute depending on the weather and my mood, a steel frame road bike, an aluminium hybrid, and an old steel rigid mountain bike. After seven years of doing a daily all season commute in this area, if I was going to have only one bike, I’d lean toward the Kona Rove, Raleigh Roper, or Raleigh Tamland. These are steel framed (yeah, I’m a Luddite) with disc brakes, and can take wider tires, racks, and fenders.

Thanks a lot! I will hit up Bikenetic and look into those bike models.

[laughter95]

@KLizotte 91203 wrote:

Clovis at FreshBikes in Clarendon comes highly recommended as does the Bikenetic folks.
I only have “one do it all” bike (Cannondale Synapse 105) and that has worked out well most of the time.

Also, how secure is your work bike parking? If you are going to be locking it up on the street you will want something cheapish. If you have indoor secure parking, you can certainly spend more without worrying too much about theft. Theft is a real issue around here unfortunately.

Lastly, Pete (known on the forum as Dirt) works at Bikenetic (I believe part-time) and knows everything there is to know about bikes. He was born on a bicycle. If you can make an appointment with him, you will be in good hands.

Thanks for your post. I’ll meet with Pete and Clovis. I’ll look for the Cannondale Synapse 105… certainly all the praise for the carbon version of this must be an indication that the alloy version could be nice as well. A commuter that could also be used for fun/freedom in the area would be greatly appreciated. Any thoughts on the Ultegra ($2,170) vs the 105 ($1,570)? I’ll have to test drive both of them. Just curious of your insight on them. Pretty big price jump between components…

[Author]

Posts