Product Details
- Brand: Iron Horse
Features
- High-quality road bike with semi-compact road frame and carbon fork
- Shimano Tiagra gear system with precision indexing for quick shifting
- Tektro road brakes, alloy handlebars, and clipless pedals
- Selle Italia x2 saddle with adjustable seatpost; Vittoria Zaffiro tires
- Weighs only 22.3 pounds; Shimano Tiagra front and rear derailleurs
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Product Description
Road bikes--also known as racing bikes--are designed to go as fast as possible, and this one is no exception. The Triumph 5.0 from Iron Horse features a lightweight, semi-compact road frame with a 1-1/8-inch integrated head tube that will increase acceleration and minimize vibrations in the seat. This bike also offers a carbon fork with alloy steerer, designed to provide excellent aerodynamics, quick handling, and a smooth ride. The frame also features alloy hubs, Tektro road brakes, and Shimano componentry. A Shimano Tiagra gear system operates with precision indexing to help make molehills out of mountains.
Specifications:
- Frame: Semi-compact road frame with 1-1/8" integrated headtube
- Fork: Carbon with alloy steerer
- Handlebar: Alloy, 31.8mm
- Stem: Alloy
- Headset: Integrated alloy
- BB: Sealed cartridge
- Crank: FSA CK-400TTT
- Rings: 52/39/30t steel
- Pedals: Crank brothers smarty clipless
- Chain: KMC Z-9200
- Saddle: Selle Italia x2
- Seatpost: Alloy micro adjust
- Front Hub: Alloy qr, 32h
- Rear Hub: Alloy qr, 32h
- Front Derailleur: Shimano Tiagra, 31.8mm clamp
- Rear Derailleur: Shimano Tiagra
- Shifter: Shimano Tiagra
- Cassette: Shimano hg-50 12/23t, 8speed
- Brakes: Tektro Road, r356
- Brake lever: Shimano Tiagra
- Rim: WTB Freedom fr-01
- Spoke: 14g stainless
- Tires: Vittoria Zaffiro, 700x25c
- Weight: 22.3 pounds (10.0 kg)
Amazon.com Bicycle Buying Guide
Finding the Right Bike
To really enjoy cycling, it's important to find a bicycle that works for you. Here are some things to keep in mind when you're in the market for a new bike:
The Right Ride
In general, bikes are broken down into three major categories:
- Road and Racing Bikes--As a general rule, road and racing are built for speed and longer distances on paved surfaces. Thinner tires, lightweight 29-inch (700c) wheels and drop bars that allow for a more aerodynamic position are the norm. Most road bikes, regardless of price, offer many gears for tackling both hilly and flat terrain.
- Mountain Bikes--With their larger tires, hill-friendly gearing and upright position, mountain bikes are very popular for all types of riding, both on pavement and off. Mountain bikes that are designed specifically for rugged trail use typically feature a suspension fork. Some may have rear suspension, as well. A quick change of the tires on any mountain bike--even one that you use regularly on trails--adds to its versatility and makes it a worthy street machine.
- Comfort/Cruiser Bikes--For tooling around on bike paths, light trails, or for cruising a quiet beach-side lane, comfort/cruiser bikes are the ticket. With a super-relaxed riding position, padded seats, and limited or no gearing, these bikes are made for enjoying the scenery and having fun with the family.
The Right Price
A bike's price boils down to three essentials: frame materials, bike weight, and component quality and durability.
- Entry-level--You'll find a wide range of comfort and cruiser bikes in this category, as well as some lower-end mountain bikes and road bikes. Most will have steel frames and components that are designed to last for several years with frequent use.
- Mid-range--Bikes in this range may feature a lighter aluminum frame with mid-range components that keep performing after miles of use. If you're looking for a quality bike that is relatively lightweight and will stand up to abuse, this is the "sweet spot." Most serious commuter and touring bikes fall into this category, as do mid-range mountain bikes with a decent front suspension.
- High-end--Racers and serious enthusiasts who expect lightweight, high-performance components will want to stick to this category. For road bikes, exotic frame materials (carbon fiber, titanium) and ultra-lightweight components can add thousands to the price tag. Mountain bikes in this class often feature advanced front and rear suspension technology, as well as components designed to handle lots of rugged trail action.
The Right Size
Fit is crucial for comfort, control, and proper power and endurance on a bike. Here are some basic bike fit tips:
- Stand-over Height--To find out if a bike's overall height fits your body, measure your inseam. Next, determine how much clearance you'll need between your crotch and the top tube of the bike. For a mountain bike, you'll want three to five inches of clearance. A road bike should offer between one and two inches of clearance, while a commuter bike should have two to four inches. Compare the stand-over height for a given bike to your measurements (inseam + clearance) to determine the right bike height.
- Top Tube Length--You can measure your torso to get a good estimate of proper top tube length. First, make a fist and extend your arm. Measure from the center of your fist to the end of your collarbone (the part that intersects your shoulder). Next, measure your torso by placing a book against your crotch with the spine facing up. Measure from the spine to the bottom of your throat (the spot between your collarbones). Finally, add the two measurements (arm length + torso length), divide the number in half and subtract six inches. This is your approximate top tube length. Compare this number to a bike's posted top tube length. You can allow for about two inches longer or shorter, as most bikes can be adjusted via stem length/height and saddle fore/aft position to make fine adjustments to the fit.
- Bikes for Women--Proportionally, women tend to have a shorter torso and longer legs than men. Bike makers design women's bikes that offer a shorter top tube and many comfort/cruiser bikes built for women may also provide more stand-over clearance.
The Right Accessories
When you make a bike purchase, don't forget these crucial add-ons:
- Helmet (this is a must!)
- Seat pack
- Lock
- Hydration pack, or water bottles and bottle cages
- Spare tubes
- Portable bike pump
- Gloves
| Size | Seat Tube (cm) | Head Angle | Seat Angle | Head Tube Length (mm) | Chainstay (mm) | Wheelbase (mm) |
| 47 | 43 | 72° | 76° | 90 | 405 | 976.3 |
| 50 | 46 | 72.5° | 75° | 110 | 405 | 979.3 |
| 52 | 48 | 72.5° | 74.3° | 125 | 405 | 980.8 |
| 54 | 50 | 73° | 74° | 140 | 405 | 983.4 |
| 56 | 52 | 73.°5 | 73.3° | 160 | 405 | 983.4 |
| 58 | 54 | 73.5° | 73° | 175 | 405 | 990.9 |
| 61 | 57 | 74° | 72.3° | 210 | 405 | 1000 |
Customer Reviews
What I expected
This is my first (ever) road bike and while I have friends who are bike people, I decided not to spend the money they were recommending. My goal is to simply ride a bike for exercise, and whether I ride a Mountain bike for 2.5 hours and travel 25 miles or ride a Road bike for 2.5 hours and travel further - doesn't really matter; the determining factor for me is the 2.5 hours.
But I succumbed to the temptation and bought a road bike and after doing all the research online and in the stores that I could - I decided that I wanted the Tiagra shifters as a minimum. This bike suited that and came with pedals as a 'bonus' (not the most expensive add-on component that I need - but it saved a few bucks).
The bike arrived as expected - a small hole in the carton had me worried - but I didn't see any damage from whatever made the hole. I had the bike assembled in less than an hour (didn't even have to try and read the instructions).
I assumed that since both shifting mechansisms were in place when the bike arrived - it would be factory setup / adjusted. How wrong I was... both derailleurs were off - the front being the most frustrating. It seemed to work out of the box when I took off down around the block - but when the first real test came, 20 minutes into the ride and shifting was a challenge - I couldn't get it to shift to the front center ring consistantly.
Back at home - I took the chain out of the front derailleur and figured out the mechanism and associated adjustments (I'm pretty mechanical). With the movement understood and adjusted, I put it all back together and tried it around the block. Again - it worked fine... until my NEXT real ride and once again, 20 minutes into the ride - shifting was inconsistant.
While riding, I made an adjustment to the cable (there is a minor threaded 'length' adjustment on the down-tube) and shifting was again fine. I THINK I'm suffering from cable stretch and I hope (expect?) it to quit as the cables age. If this problem continues - I may have to change the shifting cable.
The other problem that annoyed me was the front wheel had a couple wobbles in it. I took my first ride with the wobble determined not to let it annoy me (heck - it's still basically round - right?), but I couldn't get over it. So - I brought out my spoke tool (AKA crescent wrench), marked the wobbles and adjusted the spokes. I impressed even myself - the wheel trued up perfectly - I can't see the wobbles anymore with MY eyes.
So - bottom line experience... ok (not excellent - but acceptable). Just remember - if you're buying a bike online because it will save money - you can either 'save' that money and do the work yourself or pay a bike shop to do the work - which means you probably didn't save any money. If you're going to hand your work to the bike shop - you should probably buy your bike there - they will be MUCH happier working on something they sold than something they are just working on.
Good Bike to start out with
This was my first road bike and I chose to assemble it myself. It wasn't difficult although I had to learn how to tune the bike (www.bicycletutor.com) before I could ride it comfortably for long distances. No problems in 2.5 weeks, just expect to spend some time tuning it yourself or paying to get a bike shop to tune it for you.
Decent bike, great for the price.
I did a lot of shopping around before deciding to buy this bike. If I had a bigger budget, I would have gone for a better brand with carbon seat stays, but on a tight budget this is by far the best value for the money that you will ever find. Ironhorse isn't top of the line, but it is definitely good enough to do the job for beginner to intermediate riders. The frame is well built, with clean welds and a nice matte finish. Overall a great bike for the novice rider. Here are a few of the pros and cons:
PROS:
- Carbon Fork
- Shimano Tiagra Components with dual-lever shifters
- triple crankset adds weight but is good for climbing hills
-comes with smarty pedals which are a plus
-Vitorria Zaffiro tires are a huge step up from typical stocks
-Rims aren't WTB like the ad says, but the Freedoms are pretty good too
CONS:
- Bar Tape is TERRIBLE!!! Spend $16 and get some decent cork wrap.
- Selle Italia X2 is ok for races, but is terribly uncomfortable for distance training
- 27 speed drivetrain is slightly on the heavy side
- Low stem angle causes handlebars to be positioned a little lower than ideal
But the bottom line is that you can't get a bike with a carbon fork and Tiagra drivetrain for under $600. This bike is an incredible value. Hence the 5 star rating.
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