Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Upgrade?

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jmfdone
06-25-07, 03:16 PM
Hi, I was hoping for some advice. I currently own a Felt F80 that I bought four years or so ago. I ride fairly frequently (3 - 6 times a week). I am 6 feet 225. I am thinking of upgrading but before I do so was curious about a couple of things. Any advice / thoughts will be much appreciated:

First, and this may seem like a dumb question, will I notice a big difference if I buy a "better" (read more expensive) bike? (My local store (International Cycle in Boston) suggested the Lemond chambery. The guy at the store thought I would notice a big difference (partial carbon frame better components etc)).

Second, do any of you guys have any other specific suggestions for a bike? I am willing to spend around $1500 or so.

Any thoughts would be much appreciated.

Thanks

themickeyd
06-25-07, 03:34 PM
Buying my first nice bike was a real eye opener. I aways bought the wally world type bikes and would ride them till the broke. But that was never long and then I started having to fix them. And about that time I would get fed up with fixing them that I would give up. Then I went to a bike shop that would talk to Clydes and they got me on my first Cannondale. I still got it, still ride it, 15 years later.

But wow, you want to upgrade from a bike that I would like to upgrade to! When I look at buying bikes in that range, they are trying to lose weight over the next bike. The first thing I see are 24 spoke wheels, they gotta go.

What is it that makes you want to upgrade? Is there something wrong with the Felt? It sounds like you have been riding it for a while and that's a good sign when it's under a clyde.
fifthcircle
06-25-07, 05:15 PM
I am getting my first road bike on Thursday. I rode at least 8 different bikes before I decided on what I wanted. I am getting a Lemond Buenos Aires leftover from 2006. If the price wasn't soooo incredible, I would be looking at the Tourmalet. If I had more money, I would be getting the new Versailles! That new MIN/MAX carbon frame is just amazing. It is stiff and light. I couldn't believe how great it felt compared to the others I had rode.

So my advice would be, go and ride some that are in your price range. If one of them feels like heaven, go ahead and get it. I respect the people that can be happy with what they have and ride, ride, ride. I am not that way. I need new stuff all the time. It doesn't have to be the best stuff, but it needs to excite me.

I am the same way with motorcycles and cars and hats and shoes. I think it was because of too much Mtv in high school ;)