Co-op Cycles - ARD 1.2 Bike

I've only had this bike for 3 or 4 weeks now, but it's been an outstanding bike so far. I don't ride because I want to race, or use this as my only source of cardio. I mainly just ride this bike to work and for short, casual exercise rides. So in reality, it might be overkill for me. But as soon as I felt how light it is, how fast it is, and how smooth the shifting is I was sold. I was a little worried about how forward my riding position would be on this bike, since I'm mainly using it for casual urban riding. But the guys at REI Anchorage swapped out the stem that comes on it, for something with much more angle on it. I'm 6'2", 230lbs. and I can comfortably ride this bike (it's an XL) for hours on end. I've put about 50 miles on this guy so far and it's been an absolute blast, can't recommend enough!

Great bike for the price point and for what it does. Was disappointed because the description says it can take up to 700x35c knobby tires. I bought continental 700x35c cyclocross tires and the front fork did not have clearance for them to spin freely. Wish the description on this bike was changed to say that not all 35c tires will fit.

I've been going back and forth between many bikes from several manufacturers and eventually was down to deciding between the Co-op ARD 1.1 and Co-op ARD 1.2 (this bike) and went in to test the both hoping that the ARD 1.1 would satisfy me and save a couple hundred dollars. After the test ride I thought about it for a few days and just couldn't get out of my head how great the ARD 1.2 felt relative to the 1.1 (both great bikes) but the 1.2 just seemed like next level quality. Fast forward 4 months and I couldn't be happier with my choice. I'm relatively new to daily biking but this bike has made it an absolute pleasure. I haven't had any issues with components and have had a great experience on a wide variety of trails including dirt, limestone, and paved. I'd definitely encourage anyone deciding between this and the ARD 1.1 to get out and test them both and decide for yourself if you were as impressed as I was.

Now that I have put over 500 miles on my ARD 1.2 bike, I can say definitively that there are two standard features that I consider VERY uncomfortable. One is the handlebars. When I drop down to ride in an aero-friendly position I cannot get comfortable. It feels like my hands are constantly slipping off the ends of the bars. I have given up that position altogether by adding aero-bars. Secondly, the seat! It was not made for comfort nor for extended rides! Gonna have to change it out... or face those "you know what" side effects.

I bought this bike 10 months ago as my first “real” bike (and first with drop-bars), and I have been nothing but happy with the purchase. I wanted a bike that was accessible enough for my stop-and-go 14 mile commute to and from work, tough enough to take off the tarmac, and fast enough to open up 50-100k routes; this bike has been just about perfect for all of it.

Been enjoying the ride although exclusively on pavement with the stock 28s thus far, and looking forward to seating some wider tires (32s?) for some adventures on dirt. My last road bike was a 1987 Lotus with shifters on the downtube and a biopace chainring ;-P ...Still works, but the ARD 1.2 provides a welcome ergonomic and technologic upgrade. Fitted mine with a Specialized Power saddle and Shimano ES600 pedals, so the long rides are smooth and comfortable. No need to spend more for a super fun ride!!

Great bike. I've been commuting on it for 6 months now, and the disc brakes and higher-quality components are worth every penny. Runs easily over rough pavement and packed dirt, even with the stock tires. Well done REI! One note - the front fork is a bit unique in terms of size and fender mounting options. It takes a bit of creative trimming and bending to fit one on there. Racks and fenders fit easily on the back.

Decent bike. Not great but adequate.

I am not a big fan of high end bikes. I believe that your strength and endurance will determine the speed and distance you are going. Being said that this bike fits the bill of budget bike with 105 groupset. There is no other bike in comparison exists out there with similar setup. The bike handles great for long distance asphalt and some short compact gravel distances with tires it comes with. It’s a full five stars for me. I spent some money getting a professional bike fitting at Landry’s in Boston area, and they did an awesome job! The bike folks at REI Framingham are not at all up to the mark with information. Buyers do their own due diligence. I am 5’9” and bought medium, which is on edge of one size up to large size. Getting large size would have been an aggressive riding geometry for my height. Happy riding.

I've been an avid bike rider for 20 years and have worked in bike shops as a salesman. Most bikes in the same price range offer variations on the same components, so what you are often getting at any given price point is that manufacturer's bike frame and geometry. This bike is an endurance geometry, good for your lower back and for long distance riding on a variety of surfaces. We are told that carbon fiber is the lightest and steel is often the most comfortable because of it's shock-absorbing properties, but the latter with a weight penalty. My only concern with this bike was the aluminum frame, which, historically, are lightweight but harsh on rough surfaces. Well, like Cannondale's advances in aluminum frame comfort, the ARD 1.2 has a very light and comfortable aluminum frame, augmented by 28c tires (thicker than the usual 23 or 25 road tires) and carbon fiber fork. I bought this bike sight unseen through the website and LOVED it immediately. It's VERY quick, handles like a sports car, very comfortable over rough surfaces, and the riding position was nearly perfect for me at 6'2" (I bought the XL frame). Don't expect that the aluminum frame is going to be exactly as soft as carbon, titanium or steel (it's not), but at this price point, it's an amazing bike. I do wish the front crank was 105, but a minor complaint. This bike is a real value at full price (and you get 10% back in dividend), even more so if you can get it on sale. It's ready to go as is, though most people will want to upgrade the saddle to something that has a split in the middle...

I bought this bike four months ago and could not be happier! This is the current model of an REI bike I got four years ago. This model adds disk brakes, wider tires and additional clearance for even wider tires. I have ridden hundreds of miles already. To get ready for a ride on a crushed limestone trail, I changed the stock 28mm tires to 35mm Continental Urban tires, which handled the trail with ease and provided so much of an even smoother ride, I have left them on. Just completed my longest single road ride yet (64 miles) and the bike handled it beautifully. I highly recommend this bike!

I just ordered the ARD 1.2 for the pure joy the test ride reminded me of a Saab 900 turbo! Next step is to swap out the tires for something that will navigate rail trails without losing too much smooth surface efficiency. #Rei employee; There are mythical tales from the ETE of such a hybrid. What tire/tube combination do you recommend?

Love. Love. Love this bike. Been shopping for nearly two years till I saw this bike in Sante Fe. When the sale came in San Diego, that was the final push I needed. Feel like I could climb a vertical wall in the lowest gear and DO roar down the hills in the top. Disk breaks are great, the 28mm tires are smooth and shifting is seamless.

After a lot of comparison shopping I bought this bike. The components were better than similar price point bikes. So once I worked through the big brand name bikes, this was a practical choice and REI is reliable business. Price value carried the day for the COOP bike!

Fantastically equipped bike with great ergodynamics for distance rides... Completed Santa Fe half century on mine and it performed brilliantly. Highly recommend this bike to anyone beginner or advanced riders alike

Coming from a Trek, i was not sure about the Co-Op brand and quality. This bike has surpassed all of my needs, i spend hours on the saddle with ease, great looks and handling as well. I am a fan of this product!

I planned on purchasing this bike as it has a Shimano 105 group and disc brakes on it... compared other similar bikes by other manufacturers, it is less expensive. But, the 'deal killer' was the 'through axle'. Both my wife and my car have nice fork mount roof racks on them. Because this bike has a front through axle, it will not mount to a fork mount rack.

This bike is a really good value based on all the others that I looked at and test rode. Equally as good or better than much more expensive bikes.

I took this for a test ride and loved it. So I bought it. Nine thumbs up.

This is my first road bike and I settled on this one because I love disk brakes and the Shimano 105 drivetrain.