Long Distance Competition/Ultracycling, Randonneuring and Endurance Cycling - Advice getting a new bike.

I have $1000-1500 to spend on a bike. Was thinking whether I should buy ready-made bike or custom built ? If custom built, what components, frame should I get ?

Appreciate your time and advice.

Hard to beat the Surly LHT Complete.

I have $1000-1500 to spend on a bike. Was thinking whether I should buy ready-made bike or custom built ? If custom built, what components, frame should I get ?

Appreciate your time and advice.

Holmes that is not much $ to even be thinking about custom anything....by the best bike you can find that your favorite shop has on sale....a good full 105 groupo can be had for that maybe some ultegra if the frame is not fancy

a surly LHT, the cross check, and the Volpe are all in that price range, all great bikes from what i've heard. a custom bike is going to cost 3 times that.

For that kind of money:

Buy a used bike!

Seriously

Hard to beat the Surly LHT Complete.

This is my suggestion too.

Surly makes good bikes for the money and I love mine. The Cross Check is also good but needs some gear adjustments.

used is good if you can find something decent.

if you're doing light touring and/or randonneuring, i recommend the surly pacer - i just got one and like it a ton. it's got pretty good clearance for fenders too. (it was "custom built" in the sense i picked out all the parts). frame is $400 i think.

also check out soma, gunnar, and salsa frames, i hear they are good too.

You can get into a Surly LHT for the upper end of your budget -- though word has it there will be a price hike and some component downgrades for '09.

The Surly is not a light frame, but it's "sturdy". Custom would be at least twice the price of the Surly.