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Permalink Reply by Tominator on November 19, 2014 at 12:02pm

That's a good price. Rival is good stuff. I like Performance for new bikes. I think their sale prices are amazing.

I would look around used but that bike is a good deal. Yes, discs will be better in wet weather. Rival is nice stuff as well.

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Permalink Reply by OLB 0.1 on November 19, 2014 at 12:23pm

I like my cross bike because it is more practical than a road bike. I have it set up with wider tires, fenders, and a rear rack. The extra cross top brake levers are also a plus for riding upright in traffic. There are some entry level touring bikes that also have these same advantages.

I don't know anything about buying from Performance, newer cross bikes, or disc brakes, but I do know I like the Rival drivetrain on my bike. You should shop around some of the local shops also. Some are trying to move older inventory and have nice discounts that might compete with what you have above.

Johnny Sprockets has a sale every winter (January?) over one weekend with some great bargains. There is also a winter bike swap at Harper College that has a section where bike shops sell some of their older inventory. You might get lucky there. I bought my cross bike used at this swap a couple of years ago.

Good luck!

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Permalink Reply by daWillinChi on November 20, 2014 at 3:09am

Johnny Sprockets is having a 10-30% off sale this weekend. Kozy's sale starts today until 11/26. But that price from Performance is a great price, too!

The $ you save from points, I hope you buy a couple of good locks if you're going to use it for commuting.

OLB 0.1 said:

I like my cross bike because it is more practical than a road bike. I have it set up with wider tires, fenders, and a rear rack. The extra cross top brake levers are also a plus for riding upright in traffic. There are some entry level touring bikes that also have these same advantages.

I don't know anything about buying from Performance, newer cross bikes, or disc brakes, but I do know I like the Rival drivetrain on my bike. You should shop around some of the local shops also. Some are trying to move older inventory and have nice discounts that might compete with what you have above.

Johnny Sprockets has a sale every winter (January?) over one weekend with some great bargains. There is also a winter bike swap at Harper College that has a section where bike shops sell some of their older inventory. You might get lucky there. I bought my cross bike used at this swap a couple of years ago.

Good luck!

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Permalink Reply by Alex Z on November 20, 2014 at 3:19am

"Since moving here, seems like there's more road stuff to do up here than MTB rides."

 

To say the least! :D

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Permalink Reply by Mitch Johnson on November 20, 2014 at 4:00am

Been looking into this for a while.  Seems like for a grand or so, no one else can touch that groupo... similar specialized and such are 1200-1400 with tiagra and sora... Intrigued by the cross check, but I've heard that's super heavy.  I already got enough 30+ pound bikes... 

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Permalink Reply by Jared Ray on November 20, 2014 at 4:42am

I have a Kona Rove steel cross bike and a light carbon road bike. On most days, I ride the heavier steel cross bike because its stable, still plenty fast, and it can handle rain or other elements a lot better. A cross bike is definitely the way to go in this city. In the summer you can put 700x28s on for fast longer rides and in the fall/winter you can ride 700x35 or larger to handle snow, rain, etc. Not to mention you can ride some of the gravel trails around CHicagoland! 

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Permalink Reply by Duppie on November 21, 2014 at 3:21am

That looks like a nice bike, and if you feel it's right for you, go for it.

Having said that, don't get hung up on the model name on the derailleur. All major bikes manufacturers use the same OEM components, so they all are looking at the same cost structure. The only way to get the price down is to skimp on other parts. So, when looking at the bike, think about the following: Is a a complete group, or just the derailleur and levers? What about the other, less visible components commonly found in a group: brakes, cassettes, hubs, etc? What about the wheels? Are they of a quality you'd expect in a $1200 bike?

And like JustWill said, other bikeshops are having their end of season sales, so you might be able to find good deals otherwise.

Good luck with getting a new bike! Having bought too many new bikes in recent years, I understand it can be an exciting time.

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