Road Cycling - Down to 2 bikes...need help deciding...

Hey guys,
I went out and tried out the following bikes:
Cannondale R600
Cannondale R800
Trek 1500
Trek 2100
Trek 2200
Specialized Allez Elite
Specialized Roubaix

I've narrowed it down to the Trek 2100 ($1299 no tax during sale) and Specialized Allez Elite ($999+ tax). I really liked both of the bikes. The Trek felt as though it had directional stability and a tad heavier. The Specialized felt twitchy...oversteer so to speak, but it was light so i guess good acceleration. Trek has a better frame so to speak and a mishmash of components (tiagra/105/ultegra) with the rear deraileur being ultegra. The Specialized is all 105 components.

The thing that separated the Trek shop from the LBS was fitting. I'm originally from the ski industry and know how important boot fitting is (extremely). Trek is supposed to really dial in the bike you purchase by swapping out handlebar stays, angle of the seat, etc. It seemed like the LBS would do fitting, but on a much more rudimentary level.

$300 is a huge difference for me at this point...i heard that the manager might be willing to play with the price on a cash purchase @ Trek. If you were in my shoes, what would you chose?

Thanks :)

MelloBoy

I'd choose to ride them again. And if after that I still couldn't decide, I'd go with the cheaper one. Why spend more for something if it doesn't make a difference?

55/Rad
'04 Lemond Tete de Course
'03 Trek 5500
'02 Lemond Poprad
'98 lemond Maillot jaune

If I werent such a sissy on parting with that much cash, I would have already bought a 2100. I rode one this wednesday and fell in love. Such a nice smooth bike.

Keep in mind I'm a noob and I'm basing this smoothness judgement on a comparo ride with a Felt F60.

I do think If I get a bike, it will be a 2100 though. :)

The thing that separated the Trek shop from the LBS was fitting. I'm originally from the ski industry and know how important boot fitting is (extremely). Trek is supposed to really dial in the bike you purchase by swapping out handlebar stays, angle of the seat, etc. It seemed like the LBS would do fitting, but on a much more rudimentary level.

It's the LBS that is selling you the bike that is really doing the swapping of components to make the fit right. Unless of course you are buying it from Trek direct?

Hmm....tough choice, I'd probably lean towards the Specialized myself, but I do favor that brand. I hear you on the twitchy steering...but you get used to it.

I'd choose to ride them again. And if after that I still couldn't decide, I'd go with the cheaper one. Why spend more for something if it doesn't make a difference?


The R800 is the best bike in the bunch and will provide you with longer satisfaction, but other than that I would completely agree with this point!

I took a look at both bikes on the web. I might be missing something, but it seems that the 2100 is a carbon frame bike and the Specialized is aluminum. That's a heck 'uva lot bigger issue than Tiagra vs. 105. Neither are long life frames, but my choice would be the carbon over aluminum.

The R800 is the best bike in the bunch and will provide you with longer satisfaction, but other than that I would completely agree with this point!

I have been looking at a lot of the same bikes. Can you elaborate on why the R800 is the best bike?

Another look at the frame geometry differences between the two bikes for a 56cm size (considered medium) shows that the Trek has slightly sharper head and seat angles.
Trek head angle 73.8 and seat angle at 73.5. The Specialized head angle is 73.5 and the seat is 73.3. This would cause one to think that the Trek might be a little more twitchy (might not be noticable). But, you thought the Specialized was a quicker steering frame. The wheel base difference between the two bikes is actually quite large. The Trek's is 994mm and the Specialized is at 986mm. That is probably more than enough to cause the perception of quicker steering with the Specialized.

I took a look at both bikes on the web. I might be missing something, but it seems that the 2100 is a carbon frame bike and the Specialized is aluminum. That's a heck 'uva lot bigger issue than Tiagra vs. 105. Neither are long life frames, but my choice would be the carbon over aluminum.
Don - the Trek is 9000 series aluminum with OCLV carbon fork and rear seat stays. The '04 Allez Elite has a carbon fork only.

One big difference between the 2 is the Trek is classic style and the Allez is a compact.

IMO, the Trek has the nicer component mix and the rear carbon seat stays, which add up to the price difference. The prices you quoted ($1300/$1000) are only slightly less than MSRP and I'd have to believe there are better deals coming in the near future with the '05's looming.

55/Rad

The 1500 is recreational and the 2100 and 2200 are performance and not much difference so if its trek,go for the 2100 unless you have the money,then get the 2300. Isnt it red?

Thanks for the response guys.
If I go with the Trek, I would be buying from Trek direct. Trek is doing a no-tax special until the end of TdF, so i guess you can think of the bike being $1199 vs $999. The '03 R800 is on closeout and no longer available in my size at my LBS. The guy at the LBS kept pushing that the Allez had better components than the 2100. I know Ultegra > 105 which is the rear deraileur on the 2100, but i don't know much about the bontrager line in general....

it's a little bit more, but i think i'm leaning towards the 2100 right now.

melloboy

I think that you've already worn out the logical side of your brain trying to make this decision. Now I think that it's time to let your artistic side have it's way. A year or so from now you will have forgotten about the difference in price but you'll still be riding the bike. Make sure that the bike that you'll be riding is the one that you really want.

I think that you've already worn out the logical side of your brain trying to make this decision. Now I think that it's time to let your artistic side have it's way. A year or so from now you will have forgotten about the difference in price but you'll still be riding the bike. Make sure that the bike that you'll be riding is the one that you really want.

Absolutely 100% agree with this statement! Which bike looks better to you?

55/Rad

Thanks for the response guys.
If I go with the Trek, I would be buying from Trek direct. Trek is doing a no-tax special until the end of TdF, so i guess you can think of the bike being $1199 vs $999. The '03 R800 is on closeout and no longer available in my size at my LBS. The guy at the LBS kept pushing that the Allez had better components than the 2100. I know Ultegra > 105 which is the rear deraileur on the 2100, but i don't know much about the bontrager line in general....

it's a little bit more, but i think i'm leaning towards the 2100 right now.

melloboy

I'm curious...how are you buying from Trek directly? I would enjoy a no-tax deal on a 2100.

I'm curious...how are you buying from Trek directly? I would enjoy a no-tax deal on a 2100.

we have 2 Trek stores in San Diego. One in Kearny Mesa, the other in La Mesa. They also sell Lemmond, Gary Fisher, and Klein I believe. I'm not sure if it's a franchise or not...


anyhoo, i think i'll be going with the 2100. I like their style

MelloBoy

well,
after consider what retro grouch said, I believe I would be happier on the trek a year from now, and also happier building on that frame so my final decision will be the trek 2100 :) thanks for all the opinions guys. i'll be going into Trek on saturday to place my order :)

melloboy

should have test rode a Bianchi :D

Hey MelloBoy. I was in your EXACT situation a few months ago. I rode the:

Cannondale
R600
R800
R1000

Trek
2100
2200
2300

Specialized
Allez
Roubaix


I finally decided on either the Cannondale R1000 or the Trek 2300. I chose the Trek because the fit was better, and the feel was better too. In my opinion, I would go with the Trek because the frame is really nice. It is the same as the 2300, just with different components. If you ever wanted to upgrade, you have the choice because the frame is already there. The wheels are also better on the Trek, and it comes with pedals already which could knock 80-100 bucks off due to the Specialized not coming with pedals. Ride them both again, and then make your decision. Good luck.

Doesnt the CD come with Elites?

what will be a good price on an '04 Trek 2100, 2200, or 2300 when the summer is ending and the '04s are supposed to get cleared out?

an LBS near me had one in my size but i'm confused now because i thought it was full Ultegra for $1400 or so, but i also remembered it being the silver one - not blue or red.

thx (don't mean to hijack but since MelloBoy already decided..)

what will be a good price on an '04 Trek 2100, 2200, or 2300 when the summer is ending and the '04s are supposed to get cleared out?

an LBS near me had one in my size but i'm confused now because i thought it was full Ultegra for $1400 or so, but i also remembered it being the silver one - not blue or red.

thx (don't mean to hijack but since MelloBoy already decided..)

The 04' 2100 is supposed to be silver. I dont think it's full Ultegra though.

The 04' 2100 is supposed to be silver. I dont think it's full Ultegra though.
2100 has:
105 shifters
Tiagra front deraileur
Ultegra rear deraileur
Bontrager Race crankset

2200 has all ultegra except front deraileur which is 105

2300 is all ultegra including cassette

melloboy

And its red,right?

Personnel bias here, I won't buy Specialized products, except in special cases, due to their unethical businesses practices in the past. Specifically, a few years ago they acquired the rights to trek.com and had the page forwarded over to their own Specialized site. That's pure BS in my opinion! Another thing, a friend of mine designed some rear suspension mountain bikes (even had his design patented) only to have Specialized sue him two different times. In both cases Specialized lost but it cost my friend a ton of money to defend his design. Word was that Specialized was suing lots of small companies to intimidate them into paying royalties to Specialized for allowing them to use an articulated linkage rear suspension, to which Specialized held patents for. I'm not an expert in Patent law but the case seemed fairly clear in the case of my friend at least. In both cases Specialized acted within the laws of the time, unfortunately, there aren't laws for ethics.

Get a Trek.


Ed

I would (IMHO) go with the Specialized Allez Elite.

With the Trek you're overpaying for their R&D, advertising and Brand (and carbon seat stays and such), but you're not getting as good components.

The Allez Elite is as good a bike or better, but it's cheaper because it's made in Taiwan (the Trek might be too actually).


Hey guys,
I went out and tried out the following bikes:
Cannondale R600
Cannondale R800
Trek 1500
Trek 2100
Trek 2200
Specialized Allez Elite
Specialized Roubaix

I've narrowed it down to the Trek 2100 ($1299 no tax during sale) and Specialized Allez Elite ($999+ tax). I really liked both of the bikes. The Trek felt as though it had directional stability and a tad heavier. The Specialized felt twitchy...oversteer so to speak, but it was light so i guess good acceleration. Trek has a better frame so to speak and a mishmash of components (tiagra/105/ultegra) with the rear deraileur being ultegra. The Specialized is all 105 components.

The thing that separated the Trek shop from the LBS was fitting. I'm originally from the ski industry and know how important boot fitting is (extremely). Trek is supposed to really dial in the bike you purchase by swapping out handlebar stays, angle of the seat, etc. It seemed like the LBS would do fitting, but on a much more rudimentary level.

$300 is a huge difference for me at this point...i heard that the manager might be willing to play with the price on a cash purchase @ Trek. If you were in my shoes, what would you chose?

Thanks :)

MelloBoy

If your not a tall one,the Allez might be better for the geometry.

welp,
went to buy the bike today and found out that the 2100 in 50cm frames are sold out in the Kearny Mesa store (the one near me) and the La Mesa store (the one further from me) as well as their warehouses. I was a bit disappointed, but as I had cash, i was able to get a better deal than I was expecting on the 2200 plus I got 3 free tubes, a seat post pack, road bike pump, and a plethora of other trinkets and stuff. I had to wait a little as they were having the TdF sale, but all in all, aside from being down a little more than I was expecting, I am extremely happy with the purchase as well as the store. I wish I had another $800 or so lying around to buy the 5200 (i think) painted in a cow pattern with the crank area painted pink :)

Anyways, I didn't have shoes yet, so they did some adjustments on the sizing for my daily shoes and said that they would do a comprehensive adjustment and fitting once i decide on my shoes. I highly recommend the Trek SD store in Kearny Mesa. :)

melloboy

SD a great place to ride and they have a crap load of lbs. I go for vacations but next time i will bring my bike,maybe.