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Roadie
After weeks of research and trying to decide which to go with, I took the plunge today and bought this bike. It was between this and a Cannondale, which I was interested in due to brand loyalty from my mountain bike. Ultimatley I had to go with this - the Specialized Tarmac Elite.
The good thing about buying during the off season is that I got a better deal than had I purchased in the spring, the bad thing is I have to wait for it to warm up to get any good rides in...I can't wait.
2 comments:
Nice lookin' bike, Sarge. Is that strictly a road bike or is it one of those that can handle a small amount of off road action. It's odd. I thought a mountain bike would be more utilitarian than a road bike; Now I'm having second thoughts about that considering how tough off-roading has been for me.
I think you're referring to what's called a cyclocross bike. From a distance, cross and road bikes look very similar - both have fixed front forks and drop handlebars. The main differences are in the brakes and tires. While the tires are still relatively thin, they have tread on them and the brakes are similar to mtn bike brakes to better accomdate mud and muck. Overall, cross bikes are built a little sturdier to withstand a variety of terrains, but not near as heavy duty as a mountain bike.
I considered getting a cyclocross bike due to their versatility. You can put a set of slick tires on them and have a decent road bike, and they allow for the occasional jaunt off road so long as the trail is fairly tame - perfect for Little Blue or Stocksdale, however Landahl may be too much. They're also good for commuting and general tooling around as many are set up to later accept fenders and racks.
If I didn't already have a good mountain bike, I may have gone with a cross bike. But since I do, I decided road only for the new one and I'll use the C'dale for the other stuff.
Cyclocross racing is actually fairly prevalent in KC - national championships are being held here next weekend.
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