Capable road bike with a more upright position

[burrito]

I'm looking at getting more heavily into road riding and am a little lost in the sea of bikes. I don't need anything special, just capable for general road and perhaps a little gravel on the side. My biggest caveat is that I have a messed up SI joint (the connective tissue between your lower back and hip) and have trouble in the forward riding position traditional to road bikes. The very upright position of my mountain bike is relatively safe, but obviously too upright for road.

I was initially thinking of trying to find something with flat bars on road-ish geometry, but I'm worried those bikes (usually in brands' "urban" or "comfort" categories) aren't really built for long, hilly rides in the Santa Cruz mountains. Is something like a modern Cross bike, perhaps with a shorter than normal stem, more what I should be looking for? I appreciate any help and advice.

[EWG]

Have you looked at a Specialized Roubaix?

[smartyiak]

I'd look at the Canyon Endurace.

https://www.canyon.com/en-us/road/endurace/cf-slx/

https://www.canyon.com/en-us/road/endurace/cf-sl/

Nearly every company has their "endurance" bike. Honestly, it's what most of us should probably be riding anyways. Until recently though, the endurance models were a "lesser" version of their flagship bikes. But they've stepped it up recently and the endurance bikes are largely on par.

My whole point is: everyone has one and most are good. Generally, head tube is a little longer for a more upright position. The wheelbase is a little longer and HTA a little slacker for a more stable ride.

EDIT to add: make sure it's a "gravel" bike with discs that can fit a 30 tire...b/c, otherwise you're not cool and your bike will explode.

[Dee Hubbs]

"Endurance Geometry" road bikes have a taller head tube. Then add fork steerer spacers and positive rise stem. You can easily get your bars as high as your seat level.
There is a ton of adjustment that can be done. The key is starting with a frame with a tall head tube.

[GeezerSteve]

This aint rocket science:
1. Stick with drop bars.
2. Get a stem with lots of rise, e.g., Ritchey 30* or Bontrager 35*. Stack steerer shims to tweak height.
3. Get a shallow drop bar
4. Mount brake levers at top of apex of drop curve

OR

Get a custom frame. I do both

[jamal]

Depends how much off pavement riding you want to do. I do a pretty good amount of it on skinny tires. 28-32 is passable on most surfaces, but if you're spending a lot of time on gravel, especially loose gravel, 38-40mm tires are a lot nicer and give you more grip, stability, and comfort. How much tire fits is kind of the big difference between an "endurance" road and a "gravel" bike. So if you want to spend more time on dirt and gravel roads get something like a kona rove or cannondale topstone or whatever instead of like, a specialized roubaix or cannondale synapse.

[Groomer Gambler]

https://www.rivbike.com/collections/...oducts/roadini

[GeezerSteve]

I like much of what Rivendell does, but what the fuck with the threaded steerers and quill stems?

[ACH]

I like much of what Rivendell does, but what the fuck with the threaded steerers and quill stems?

It fits Grants luddite brand position?

[plugboots]

Ha, yup.

[jacob_dbu]

Check out the Specialized Diverge. I test rode it and felt it was too upright for me - much more so than a Roubaix, but is still very much a road bike.

[burrito]

Thanks for the recommendations. The Canyons are really enticing. I'm going to take a gander at them when I'm down by their showroom in Carlsbad in a few weeks.

[beaterdit]

I got on a Giant Defy last year. Got a shorter stem and flipped it on stacked spacers. Very comfy, and fast feeling bike. This year's fits some bigger tires too.

[rideit]

I got an '18 Defy that will fit 30mm tires. The '19 fits 32mm...but I wish mine fit 38mm.
Oh well.

[GeezerSteve]

It fits Grants luddite brand position?

yeah, that's likely it

[huckbucket]

So many ways to get to the OP's goal. Personally, I'd go Synapse disc. Play with risers, stems, etc until I got it dialed.

[doebedoe]

I like much of what Rivendell does, but what the fuck with the threaded steerers and quill stems?

If you're paying the premium for a Riv you're sold on the whole stick. Stems and threadless look prettier I agree. But they are a PITA to work on, adjust, replace, and lack stiffness of a threadless 1 1/8th steer.

Which is why you admire Grants bikes, then go buy a VO.

[GeezerSteve]

Which is [if] why you admire Grants bikes, then go buy a VO.

Nah. I'll keeping building my own frames.