Road Cycling - Help me pick a bike ...

I'm looking for a new bike and have narrowed it down to a few choices. ASSUMING I like the ride quality of all of these bikes and that they all fit relatively well (I'm not picky about comfort) which would you choose and why? Prices are a general range from what I've seen/MSRP.

I'm looking for a new bike and have narrowed it down to a few choices. ASSUMING I like the ride quality of all of these bikes and that they all fit relatively well (I'm not picky about comfort) which would you choose and why? Prices are a general range from what I've seen/MSRP.


"I'm no picky about comfort" are you trying to get the lightest bike you can get and kill your body?? It should be all about the comfort. Most bikes in that price range ride about the same. You heard the basics, aluminum is stiffer, steel heavier but not as stiff....etc etc.

You need to go ride those bikes, unless u have the 1+k to drop on something that may kill ur body.

I'd also take a look at Jamis or Felt. There is a lot of value offered for the same money or less than the bikes you listed.

"I'm no picky about comfort" are you trying to get the lightest bike you can get and kill your body?? It should be all about the comfort. Most bikes in that price range ride about the same. You heard the basics, aluminum is stiffer, steel heavier but not as stiff....etc etc.

You need to go ride those bikes, unless u have the 1+k to drop on something that may kill ur body.

I have ridden half of them and they all felt about the same to me on my short ride. I guess I won't be able to tell until I go on that century.

If you have Bianchi on the list, don't forget the Veloce or the Vigorelli. With Veloce, you can get steel or aluminum, steel in the Vigorelli. They both fall within your price range and are great bikes. Have to choose a bike....what a great problem to have! Good luck and test ride EVERYTHING...

Wow lot's for the bianchi ... maybe I should go ride one today.

I have a Vigorelli, and absolutely love it. I was checking out the '04 Giro last week. They had one in the pearl white and black. That's a good looking bike. :D

I have a Vigorelli, and absolutely love it. I was checking out the '04 Giro last week. They had one in the pearl white and black. That's a good looking bike. :D
Oh wow. I didn't know the 04's were out yet. Their website doesn't show those models.

so there's quite a few votes ... anyone care to explain their votes? can be as simple as "I like Trek's" or "It has Ultegra" ...

Personally, I recommend anything from the Bianchi line. Understand that for some reason I cannot bring myself to like Jan Ulrich, but the bikes are on par for anything you can find in there price range. I would also like to second the suggestion of looking at Felt. If aluminum is a material you like, it is really hard to beat Felt's pricing.

i hate treks. i recently took a klein aura out on a test ride and was unimpressed. the litespeed and the bianchi are nicely specced with good, sane geometry. the treks, for example, have an insanely steep 75 degree headtube in every size. the litespeed is 73 degrees, and the bianchi tanges from 71.5 to 73.5, depending on size.

a steep head tube is great if you're racing crits, but it'll make for a twitchy, uncomfortable ride on centuries and cyclosportive-type rides.

my only reservations about the litespeed and the bianchi are:

litespeed -- only five sizes.

bianchi -- i'm not crazy about the wheels.

Oh wow. I didn't know the 04's were out yet. Their website doesn't show those models.


The dealer tells me they are just starting to trickle in. They are suppossed to fully launch '04 after the trade show. That is when they told him the bikes would go up on the website. :)

for some reason I cannot bring myself to like Jan Ulrich...
How can you say that? you have to feel a little bad for the guy...every year that Lance has been back from cancer, Jan has only been able to finish second! And last year when Jan was not in the race, it was a pretty boring race. Okay, it was still the TDF and even a boring TDF is pretty great, but Jan is a great competator and he really made the tour exciting this year! I still remember the final time trial...everyone knew that it was still possible for Jan to close the gap. It was unlikely but it was possible, he had beat Lance in time trials in the past and anything could happen.

If not for Lance, Jan could have been the first 6 time winner of the TDF by now, how can not feel a little bad for the guy? :rolleyes:

btw, I like the kleins, okay, so trek owns them now, but I like the lightweight frame with carbon seatstays. Everyone and their grandmothers have a trek...their nice bikes, but unless you're looking a their 5200s, I think the Kleins are more interesting. But in the end, you need to see what fits you best and you have like the ride.

I didn't think much of the wheels on my wife's Bianchi. My dealer gave me a great deal on a trade up to Mavic OP/Ultegra. Something to consider if you do like the way a Bianchi works for you. You could throw in a coupe extra bucks and upgrade the wheels to something you really want.

Poor Jan Ullrich.....he's the Archie Manning of the cycling world. A great cyclist without the team to support him.