bhdavis1978

Yeah, I thought the fuji was an amazing bike too, and a hell of a deal. The $2k is an option, if my wife allows it to be. My parents are really happy that I've found a sport that I'm really interested in, and they've said they're willing to consider this a graduation present for my PhD, which is nice. My wife probably won't like that, and will probably have an issue with buying a second bike in less than two months. She won't understand what a new road bike can do, that my other bike can't (and to a certain extent, she has a point), and I think she'll just have some internal resistance to it that she probably doesn't even understand herself. But then again, she'll have the same resistance to a $1200 bike, so that's not really a big difference.

I would counter any of the arguments she might make by saying- I've lost 15-20 lbs in 6 months, and that's the most weight I've lost in 3 years (I'm 220, and I was 235-240 back in March), I'd point out that it's making me healthier (I'm not asking for a new computer or console to play games on), that it's basically a durable good- other than tune ups, it'll basically be as useful to me the day I bring it home from the store, as it will five years later. Many of my friends (and many of her friend's husbands and boyfriends) have blown more than that amount of money on a weekend in Vegas, and I'd never do that- I don't even have the interest. But who knows if it'll work. I"m not even sure it's worth trying- but sometimes it's fun to dream, no?


No, I haven't actually. That's a good suggestion. One of the stores I went to today had one (where I tried the Trek 2.3), but when I asked about other similar bikes, they sort of seemed disinterested. I don't know why- but that kind of turned me off. Maybe it's cause I test rode a 520 they had three months ago, called back to ask a few questions about it, but never pulled the trigger on it (I don't like bar end shifters- it's just weird).

I think the CAAD9-5 is a really good value, actually- I just think the Specialized Allez Elite is a slightly better value. I wouldn't go to the CAAD9-4, at least not at MSRP, cause at that point I'm too close to the price of a reasonable carbon bike.

And at the same time, I probably am an idiot, which probably precludes me from getting a CAAD9, because that would just weaken BF's argument.

It was the Talon Road 105- definitely not that bike. The Talon at the LBS was also on at a really good price, actually. They were asking $1700 for it, but I'd also be buying from a store I've purchased three other bikes from (my first bike- a comfort bike, my wife's bike, and my current commuter), so I could probably get them to throw some more stuff in- and I like that store. In this case, the savings wouldn't be worth losing good support from that LBS. But in general, I think BikesDirect.com has really good prices.

The only used bike I'm considering is one a really good friend of mine from grad school built up himself, for his brother, and he said has more than 500 kilometers on it, but well less than 1000. I'm not sure what the possible risks here might be- are you just concerned about the fit? The geometry of the frame he's selling is nearly identical to the Allez Elite I tried out, so that doesn't overly concern me.

I was surprised too. I went to two Specialized dealers- neither had them.