Road Cycling - Bike testing

I have been searching through these forums quite abit lately and have read alot of great information. I am getting ready to buy a road bike here in the next few days and have narrowed my choices down to 4 bikes. I have tested each out and each bike was really quite comfortable to me. All have nice components and a similar price. So, I am sort of at the dilemma point. Which bike to choose. Here are my final choices.

Trek 1500
Bianchi Eros
Giant OCR1
Cannondale R600

Is there anything else I should really be looking at other than comfort and components? I am having a heck of a time deciding between the 4 of them. I would really appreciate any comments and advice you guys have. Is there a build quality issue with any of the above referenced bikes? Anything standout about them that would sway you one way or the other if they all rode and fit well? Thanks for your help.

Ryan

i would look at these 3 things:

1. wheelset
2. the shop from where these bikes are
3. warranty on the frame

id personally go with bianchi for the 631 steel frame and italian name and components

Second on what Redfooj wrote. All things being equal, start looking at trivial stuff like which one LOOKS better to you.

55/Rad

I love the Bianchi in Celeste.

My LBS has a brand new Eros (must be a 2003) that has begging to be purchased for the last year or so. They've brought the price down to under $900 and I bet they would take $750 for it. It's a 53 and I'd be happy to send you their info if you're interested.

-mark

I have been searching through these forums quite abit lately and have read alot of great information. I am getting ready to buy a road bike here in the next few days and have narrowed my choices down to 4 bikes. I have tested each out and each bike was really quite comfortable to me. All have nice components and a similar price. So, I am sort of at the dilemma point. Which bike to choose. Here are my final choices.

Trek 1500
Bianchi Eros
Giant OCR1
Cannondale R600


Bianchi Eros stands out as the lone steel bike and the lone Campy bike (and thus wins the snob factor hands down ;) )
The Trek has a mix of 105, Tiagra and Ultegra -- higher level than the OCR1 which is straight Tiagra I believe. Cannondale is 105 and Tiagra.
The Cannondale and the Trek have schnazy low spoke wheels, the Giant and the Bianchi come with (possible more stable) more standard spoke count wheels.
The Giant is the lone compact geometry.

How about this, do you prefer TMobile, USPS, Saeco or Alessio? ;)

cannondale all da way

I'd take the R600 but swap the wheels for some ultegra/open pros. I think the stock wheels are ugly.

Geneman you have a PM regarding the Bianchi you mentioned. Just so happens that 53 is my size in Bianchi.

Phatman and PriO, why do you suggest the R600 over the others. By the way the R600 in question has all ultegra rather than the 105. It was a freak bike that the shop got in and they are selling for the same price as the R600 with the 105 setup. Does this change anyone's opinion? I actually was leaning towards the R600 because of the ultegra components for the same price.

I have sort of narrowed it to the Bianchi and the Cannondale R600 I think. I keep thinking about the Trek, but it felt a little slower to me than the R600 and Bianchi, even though it was just as comfortable to me. I think I have ruled out the OCR1.

Thanks for all your responses.

Well my opinion is bias because I have a R600, with 105 components. :)
But with Ultegra components, id definetly go for it

Geneman you have a PM regarding the Bianchi you mentioned. Just so happens that 53 is my size in Bianchi.

Phatman and PriO, why do you suggest the R600 over the others. By the way the R600 in question has all ultegra rather than the 105. It was a freak bike that the shop got in and they are selling for the same price as the R600 with the 105 setup. Does this change anyone's opinion? I actually was leaning towards the R600 because of the ultegra components for the same price.

I have sort of narrowed it to the Bianchi and the Cannondale R600 I think. I keep thinking about the Trek, but it felt a little slower to me than the R600 and Bianchi, even though it was just as comfortable to me. I think I have ruled out the OCR1.

Thanks for all your responses.

Forgot to mention ... check out roadbikereview.com for comments concerning the Bianchi. Generally people like it and think it's a good value but think that it may be a bit on the heavy side.

Hmmmm an R600 with full ultegra ... sounds good to me. The caad5 frame is a keeper.

-mark

Second on what Redfooj wrote. All things being equal, start looking at trivial stuff like which one LOOKS better to you.

55/Rad

Well, given the fact that the bicycle manufacturing business is highly competitive, at a certain price point, bikes by various manufacturers will be pretty comparable. Some bikes might put more into the frame then the components or have a better wheel set at the expense of something else but even so..

Also, we are talking about enjoyment here. A friend of mine used to say that the MOST important thing about a bike is the COLOR. :D

If I was going strictly on color I would probably go with the Bianchi, you can't beat the Celeste. The R600 looks good though with a nice candy red clear coat. But, I really don't care about the color much. My LBS sold the Bianchi I test rode, so if I want to get one, I am going to have to drive up to South Bend which is about 3 hour drive or else order one from another shop and have it shipped to me. The R600 with Ultegra is still at my LBS, so that may actually be my determining factor.

Well, I went ahead and bought the Cannondale R600 with the Ultegra components. I decided that I liked the bike and it was really comfortable, so go ahead and get it. Thanks for everyone's comments and suggestions, they were much appreciated.

Ryan

have fun putting some miles on the c'dale

good choice!

now pics!!

good choice!

now pics!!

Here it is. http://www.nissaninfiniticlub.net/photopost/data/500/7566P7140037-med.JPG

Cannondale R600 with Look A5.1 Pedals.

Is that an Ultegra crankset? Doesn't look like one.

I was mistaken earlier. The only Ultegra component on the bike is the rear derailer. When they were manufacturing the bike they ran out of 105 rear derailers and used Ultegra instead. The crankset is TruVativ Elita I believe.

Oh ok. You had said earlier that the R600 was all Ultegra.

Doesn't the standard R600 have 105/tiagra mixed components?

Doesn't the standard R600 have 105/tiagra mixed components?

Yeah. I have everything the standard R600 has except for the rear derailer which is Ultegra instead of 105.

You'll have to let us know how you like it...I was looking at an R800 the other day, but then started going down the R1000-2000 route...the 2000 is calling me big time.

I dunno, I like Trek, Specialized, Giant, etc...but that Cannondale just has something about it. ;)