Road Cycling - Best road bike???

Trek, Jamis, Giant, or Cannondale?:fight: :fight:

This is a very personal opinion, we could debate on this forever. Personaly my favorite is Colnago C40, or the Merlin Cielo.

Out of those brands i could not really say, Giant and Jamis are good bikes and give you a good bang for your buck.

All personal.. it would be like comparing adidas, nike and puma.. its all personal

Originally posted by Kev
Personaly my favorite is Colnago C40, or the Merlin Cielo.

At one point I was staring at images of both the Cielo and the Ottrott... I think I shorted my keyboard out from the drool.

I am sincerely considering buying a 2003 Jamis Eclipse. From everything that I have read, this is an awesome bike. Any differences in opinions ou there??

I am live in Japan right now so I will not be able to test ride one until June when I return to the US for a couple of weeks. I am anxious to ride the steel w/carbon stays combination. Has anyone riden one of the new Eclipses??

LeMond because I own one, Colnago C40 because I desire one.

There is no such thing as "the best" bicycle; only "what's best for you". The trick is doing enough research and riding enough bicycles to figure out what IS best for you.

What's best for me are the road bikes and tandems that Glenn Erickson builds one at a time up in Seattle, WA. Who? Exactly. Somebody that most folks have never heard of.

How about a Landshark? There's another really cool ride you can add to your list which seems awfully limited given how many builders there are to choose from. When I last put together a links page for bicycle builders in '00 I know I missed a lot of them but here is at least a partial list: http://home.att.net/~thetandemlink/commerciallinks.html#anchor86064

My "favorite" builders all make their homes in the US and sell their bikes under the following brand names: Erickson, Dean, Bushnell, Calfee, Serotta, Rivendell, Moots, Seven & Steelman. Only one of these is the "best" for me, but if money were no object I've have one of each. Well, OK. I also have a Dean. Of the four you listed, I'd add a Trek 5900 to the list... but not before the others.

Just some food for thought.

Cannondales are the coolest out of the group you mentioned. But there is no one best bike...You have to weigh in fit, price, parts, LBS, company, needs.....

Originally posted by livngood
What's best for me are the road bikes and tandems that Glenn Erickson builds one at a time up in Seattle, WA. Who? Exactly. Somebody that most folks have never heard of.

I've heard of him and his lugged steel frames are some of the most beautiful out there. The lugs are works of art.

I'd imagine the lightest bike w/ the best wheel/tire technology.

Originally posted by headliner
Trek, Jamis, Giant, or Cannondale?:fight: :fight:
What a shame, you didn't mention Specialized. :(

FONDRIEST!!!!

Hehe only kidding, I saw a surweeeeeeet all carbon bianchi the other day. Made me drool something chronic. I love my cannondale, but to be honest there are so many bikes I like, and there is no way to say which is the best. Each to their own, but me I'd have one of every kind :)

best bike? The one that fits!

favourite brands?
Litespeed
Cannondale
Bianchi
Time
Trek
Principia
Boreas
oh stuff it I like all bikes

The best road bike? What all previous posts say. Apart from fit, design, build quality, etc., the best one is your next one.

Klien Q race becuase I just build one..

out of the 4 you mentioned, trek's project one bikes are the sweetest, i think.

The best road bike is the one that you can scrape all of the decals off of the frame and still be happy with the ride.

I like the Specialized Allez Comp because of the paint job.

Originally posted by Arsbars
All personal.. it would be like comparing adidas, nike and puma.. its all personal

Of course Adidas is the best!!! ;) :D

Cinelli, coolest paint jobs!

I have been riding a Trek 5200 for the past 2 years in a very hilly area. Great bike, always in awe when I get on. But, there a bunch of great bikes, just like cars...

Headliner, it may help to make this question more specific. For example, if I only had $1500 to spend I'd probably get a Lemond Buenos Aires 2003. If I had $10,000 to spend then I'd probably end up with a Pinarello. :D

Steve

Originally posted by pets_or_meat
LeMond because I own one, Colnago C40 because I desire one.

hmm... quite a difference there... I would probably choose a colnago if money was no object. The colnago Master. It is so freaking good looking, and the paint is amazing in person.

Best "value" road bike ..... not to mention that it looks pretty damn hot! This is not mine, but I am going to get one exactly like this pretty soon.

http://gallery.consumerreview.com/roadbike/gallery/pictures/TCR1.jpg

i wanted to be under a 1000.. i was told the ocr1 was the best bang for the buck

2003 TCR2 is $1300, new (no pedals), but you can pick the last year model (the yellow one above) for only $999, new (with pedals), if you can find one. They are totally the same. The only difference is the color.

i'll ask my lbs if they got one

what are the advantages of the tcr2 over the ocr1?

I really like My Klein Q.P. Wonder how I would have liked a LItespeed.

what are the advantages of the tcr2 over the ocr1?

tcr is a better class frame than ocr.
tcr2 has carbon stem - ocr quill stem is too flexible
tcr2 - carbon aero seat post
ocr saddle is PAINFUL to me
the trans Am saddle in tcr is beautiful and very comfortable.

LBS here recommends tcr2 over ocr1.

check out the giant website to see the differences. It would cost you a lot more to upgrade the parts than the cost difference in ocr1 vs tcr2.

IMHO whatever bike you buy make a deal with your lbs to try out a few different saddles. I just went through 3 saddles in 18 months.

I know they don't have the name but I love my Raleigh R-700.

My Specialized Sirrus.

Best I could afford at the time. :)

Still loving it a month later....