Road Cycling - And the Jslopez Bike semi-finals are underway...

So, here I am, making my move from the mountian bike commuter to a a real road machine just in time for my bday next month.

Started off with the big brands Trek, Canondale, Bianchi, Giant... I was basically looking for a bike that called out to me. Trek's obviously came out strong (cause of this guy called Lance). So along with the rest of the universe, I was looking at and probably could afford a 5200.

I've always wanted to be my own person though, so I was looking for the Aston Martin in the sea of BMWs and I find this spanish brand called Orbea. The colors (even from the website) just called to me. I made a side trip on my way home today to go to he local Orbea dealer and I must say.... impressive. Pricewise Aluminum/carbon frame and dura-ace10 parts to $3000? Look? black orange colored frames (unique and yet not flamboyant). The LBS? Small, personalized shop and a sales person not working on commision so he took his time talking to me. Plus you can reconfigure the bike (to Ultegra) to get a better price.

Admittedly a noob to road bikes (or even biking altogether) the fact that the frame was alum/carbon mix scared me (after all trek teaches us that carbon > all). So I decide to go home but pass by the trek store (service not so great but they have the all mighty Trek). What do I find there but a newly assembled 2005 Madone 5.2. I admit, it was a sweet looking bike and with the Madone name I almost bought it on the spot. Upon closer inspection though it seems like a renamed 5200 (with the same decal design). I'm still quite impressed though and will be test riding them both extensively these next few weeks.

5.2 Madone Trek on the One Hand..... Orbea Mitus 1, Liege or Vertex (depending on how best they can configure and price each one) on the other.

Thoughts, recomendations, experiences welcome.

Nothing????

G'day,

Orbea make a very fine carbon frame called the 'orca'. I don't know much about the ALu ones, but the companies reputation is unblemished. If you want something different than the rest, i'm not sure why you would consider the trek. BTW, i saw a photo of Lance Armstrongs very good friend, Robin Williams, buying an Orbea recently. I wonder who he got his advice off?. Makes you wonder what bike Lance would ride if he wasn't being paid to ride a Trek?

cheers,

Hitchy

Great point.

I actually was thinking (dreaming) about the Orca fram set but the complete bike (around $4300) is way out of my pricerange. That bike's configured with Campagnolo Chorus part. If I had ultegra parts put in, would anyone know the price difference?

Hola,

My GF has a Liege w/ 10 sp DA. It's a sweet bike fer sure. Oh, and she commutes every day to work with it. You two will be commuting twins!

This year it seems the availability of the frame model, size, and color you decide on is tenuous at best. Maybe your choice is already in the shop! I hope you have good luck with your Orbea's availability if that's your final decision. She waited 2 months and had to compromise on her first choice.

About that beautiful paint job... it is a wet paint application instead of electrostatic powder coat. Wet scratches very, very easily. Powder coat OTOH is very durable. Other than that, I like their flame design.

For the same money, you've a lot of choices besides Orbea.

Great point.

I actually was thinking (dreaming) about the Orca fram set but the complete bike (around $4300) is way out of my pricerange. That bike's configured with Campagnolo Chorus part. If I had ultegra parts put in, would anyone know the price difference?

Slightly less w/ Ultegra.

Use this as just a guideline

Chorus suggested retail ~ $1050.00
Ultegra suggested retail ~ $559.00

However, its a question of build kits and not just gruppos. The Ulegra build kit might be bundled with a lesser wheel set, bars, seat, seat post, etc. So the advantage of one over the other price wise will take the whole kit into account.

Hope that helps.

Slightly less w/ Ultegra.

Use this as just a guideline

Chorus suggested retail ~ $1050.00
Ultegra suggested retail ~ $559.00

However, its a question of build kits and not just gruppos. The Ulegra build kit might be bundled with a lesser wheel set, bars, seat, seat post, etc. So the advantage of one over the other price wise will take the whole kit into account.

Hope that helps.

Good point again. I'll ask the LBS in a bit. On an invesment perspective, am I being practical investing on the frame an compromising on the rest or shoudl I get the Liege (alum-carbon frame) and just improve on the gruppos?

To recap my above dilemna.

I am on a limited budget of ideally $2500ish usd for my 30th bday gift to myself.

The Orbea Liege fits the bill perfectly - alum-carbon frame, carbon everything else and Ultegra cmponents BUT the Orbea Orca frame (customed with Ultegra parts should be around $3300) is really calling out to me .

My question:
1) Is it a bad idea to compromise on grupos and other parts to get the frameset I want?
2) Does anyone know when the 2005 Orbea models come out, which I'm hoping should be soon
3) Any idea how much of a break I would get and when prices of 2004 would be going down?

Thanks for the insight.