Road Cycling - Which bike would you prefer? Help me decide

I don't know which is a better bike (or better buy).

Klein Q-pro on ebay (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3628223054&category=7298)

Trek 5900 on ebay (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3627451709&category=7298&rd=1)

Which would you get, and please tell me WHY.

Thanks.

Depends on your riding plans. Klein makes a very stiff frame that transmits road roughness very well even with a carbon fork. It would be a good criterium bike or shorter road race bike but a bit too rough for my taste. The 5900 would a little more forgiving and in my opinion more comfortable for longer rides, while giving up little in performance. Retail pricing is in the same ball park. It depends on how the auction turns out as to which bike is the better buy. Trek is better known and may command a higher price. Steve

Addendum: Klein is described as "carbon" in the auction site, this is an error. Only the fork is carbon, rest of frame is Al alloy, welded. Trek of course is all carbon and is their state of the art ("Lance grade") frame. Both frames are at the pinnacle of their respective technologies however. Steve

One is a 56 and one is a 58....Are you sure about the size you need with each of these manufacturers? Both look pretty sweet. I just bought a Trek 5200 a month and a half ago and absolutely love it...The 5900 would be even sweeter! :-) Let us know what you decide.

Teski

Easy,5900 if it fits.

shokhead,

Any reason you choose the 5900? I'm leaning towards the Trek myself, but I really like the wheels on the Klein.

no brainer...go with the Trek..:)
Ryan

r600aero - I just sent you a private message.

Madforce...gotta tell ya ,I rode both but klein was the QproCarbon with the carbon stays rather than aluminum. I felt like I got the smoothness of Trek with the performance of the Klein. I would go with the Klein if it's QproCarbon. You'll be happy either way both were great.

Originally posted by madforce
shokhead,

Any reason you choose the 5900? I'm leaning towards the Trek myself, but I really like the wheels on the Klein.
Wheelset can be replaced.I just read a review on the 5900 and they loved it.Fast and smooth.Thats not a bad wheelset at all on there.Forgot to add that i would'nt buy a used carbon bike because of no warr.If i bought a new carbon bike a big selling point would be the warr coverage.

those xlite wheels on the trek are damn good wheels. i've read more than one review that says they're better than ksyriums. definitely nothing to sneeze at.

you also have to consider that klein ships their carbon to trek to get mitered anyway. if a company defers to another company on a critical aspect of their manufacturing process, i take that as a nod that the latter company is doing it better. just me, but i'd take the trek every day of the week and twice on sundays.

They are two different sized bikes, are you sure either will fit you well?

actually, i think that if one of those bikes fits, the other should fit as well... Kleins have a long effective top tube length for their sizes... i'm just looking at the geometries and they're both 57.2... but i'd definately go with the Trek in this case... but i have a feeling that it's gonna close higher than $2225...

The Trek is being sold by a Cat 1 racer which means in it's 7 months of life has seen lots of hard miles. This is the same bike he rode to 1st place in the Cat1/2 MN rider of the year competition. That's not a bad thing, just something a potential buyer should know.

I'd guess he put between 7 and 10 thousand miles on it in that time but that's just a guess.

He probably maintains it extremely well also. Id ask him if it needs anything. Im sure he'd tell you.

Get a brand new Trek 5200 and get fitted properly for the same money or less. You won't notice the difference. It's all about the engine, and the 5200 is great frame as well. You'll get a great warranty, and the weight difference will be minimal.

Cheers

That sound like a good idea.

karesz3 has the best idea, get the 5200 an get it fitted. I've ridden a 5200 for the last eight years and wouldn't trade it, besides that- if wheels are an issue,for the price diff. 4729.99 for the 5900 vs 2799.99 for the 5200 you can buy a set of Ksyriums and have all the bike you want or need.

I didn't see the component set on the ebay Trek, but wouldn't the recommendation be a 5500 rather than the 5200, Ultegra vs. Dura-Ace.

Umm Trek makes Klein bikes......

Therefore, go with fit and since these are on ebay fit is kind of hard to do.

My conclusion: Niether. Go to the bike shop and do it right. Either one is a great bike, but not on Ebay

Klein's being made by Trek doesn't say anything... the carbon Treks are totally different from the Kleins...

Umm yes it does. It might not mean everything, but it does mean a lot. There are differences between a 5200 and a 5900 just like there is a difference between the Q-pro and a 5900. However, the manufacturing quality is the same because it is the same people making both bikes. Based on what I was reading in the previous posts, it didn't seem like people were aware of that fact.

Specifically this post by pgreene:


you also have to consider that klein ships their carbon to trek to get mitered anyway. if a company defers to another company on a critical aspect of their manufacturing process, i take that as a nod that the latter company is doing it better. just me, but i'd take the trek every day of the week and twice on sundays.

Not much shipping involved to ship from Trek Bicycle Corporation 801 W. Madison Street Waterloo, WI 53594 to Klein Bicycle Corporation 801 W. Madison Street Waterloo, Wisconsin 53594



PS Trek also makes Gary Fisher MTBs and Lemond bikes.

i don't really understand what you're trying to say... if you look at it at quality perspective, the bikes will be very similar... but comparing how a carbon bike rides to how an aluminum bike rides is totally different... from your first post i got the impression that the only thing that mattered is the fit... and then you're saying there is a difference between 5200 and a 5900... and between a Q-Pro and a 5900...

Fit is the most important thing period. People say that aluminum bikes don't hold up as well, but any decent quality frame should last for at least 5 years. That is, if you're not racing hard and avoid crashes. Ultegra and Dura Ace componenets are very close in quality, so go with what you can afford. Second most important thing after the fit is good maintenance. Go to a reputable bike shop and get fitted properly. If you are concerned about durability and ride quality, choose Titanium or Carbon. You can't go wrong with the Trek 5200, but if you have some money burning your pocket, then go for the 5500. Stay away from e-Bay.

Good luck

Originally posted by karesz3
Fit is the most important thing period. People say that aluminum bikes don't hold up as well, but any decent quality frame should last for at least 5 years. That is, if you're not racing hard and avoid crashes. Ultegra and Dura Ace componenets are very close in quality, so go with what you can afford. Second most important thing after the fit is good maintenance. Go to a reputable bike shop and get fitted properly. If you are concerned about durability and ride quality, choose Titanium or Carbon. You can't go wrong with the Trek 5200, but if you have some money burning your pocket, then go for the 5500. Stay away from e-Bay.

Good luck
You mean i'm going to spend $2500 bucks on a CD that might only last 5 years.WOW!I'm glad i got steel that will last,well forever or at the very least,more then 5 years easy.

i agree that fit is the most important, i don't know about you all, but to me, it isn't everything... there's so many factors that went in when i was shopping for the "perfect" bike... of course all those other factors are meaningless if it don't fit...