Road Cycling - 270LBS Rider Bike decisions...

I'm so happy I found this board!

Here is my problem... I weighed in at a whopping 320lbs (a lot of fat with a ton of muscle from Amatuer powerlifting about a decade ago) when I bought my Trek 4500 MTB about this time last year... I had capped my budget at $500 because, I wasn't sure how I would take to Cycling...Well the BUG bit me! Shortly after Buying the Trek I had realized that I should have DEFINITELY spent more and purchased a better bike. I also found myself enjoying the road a lot more than the trails, so now I want to move on to performance road. I want to purchase a bike that I won't have to upgrade as my Skill and Ability get better, at least for a few years. I know I have a passion for riding so I want to purchase once. I lost 50lbs over the last year on my MTB but, that's not what I'm buying for... I want to go fast and for long durations on local club rides and to push my physical limits and see how far I can take this new love.

After doing some research online and at LBS' I am definitely leaning toward Campy components, which really limits my options... I was thinking of buying the '05 Cannondale R900 which comes equipped with the Voloce group... well most of it anyway. My budget is about $1800. All the LBS' I talked to recommend that I purchase a complete bike rather than build up a frameset. Would the C'dale R900 with Caad 8 frame hold up with a 270lbs guy with extremely strong legs? What other bikes would you recommend?

Are the Campy Veloce components compatable with Centaur and Chorus when I get upgrade lust?

i dont really know but what i do know i that i just built up a r900 and it looks sweet! with the campy groupo and all. looks great! take a look at the spoke niples on the wheel, they are HUGE!

I would suggest that you take a relatively serious test ride on every imaginable type of frame.
I did the similar thing in that I bought a hybrid to ride on to lose weight(40 lb goal) and within a month I realised that I had made a mistake. I went back to my LBS and LUCKILY they gave me a full refund on the bike..but since they were going the extra mile I bought my road bike there. It was late in the season, so the offerings in my size were limited so I got an aluminum frame without ever riding steel, carbon or Ti. As I get farther into my training, I am getting upgrade-itis.

What is your inseam? 44 in? You might have to go custom to get a bike to fit you. I would think about 180 cranks also.

I'm 5'10" short legs and long torso My inseam is only 31 inches I used a few different online fit Calcs and I have yet to see a production frame with the top tube length that they recommend.

What road bike did you purchase?

The frame should be okay but I would pay close attention to the wheels. You might want to consider having the bikeshop swap out those low spoke count wheels for beefier ones. If I were you, I'd be looking at 36 spoke with triple-cross lacing and box-section rims. I know this will be heavier but you'll thank yourself for not having to retrue (or worse... rebuild) them so often. Ask your LBS what they'd recommend for heavy duty wheels.

a couple velocity deep v rims will really help you out. I doubt stock wheels will last you very long.

I am running areo rims (bontrager) and I am having no problem with them. The rim is very strong and should take the extra 35 pounds over me( Of course that is an expensive option). There are alot of cheeper wheels out there that are also strong that you can look into. BTW how tall are you? I am 6'6 and I need a 63 cm frame.

Good Luck

BTW I love cannondales...

The frame should be okay but I would pay close attention to the wheels. You might want to consider having the bikeshop swap out those low spoke count wheels for beefier ones. If I were you, I'd be looking at 36 spoke with triple-cross lacing and box-section rims. I know this will be heavier but you'll thank yourself for not having to retrue (or worse... rebuild) them so often. Ask your LBS what they'd recommend for heavy duty wheels.

I agree with Khuon. For a heavy rider, wheels are a major issue. Also seatposts, stems and handlebars should be sufficiently sturdy. A guy I know broke his seatpost during a ride and.... well it was ugly. 40+ stiches on his inner thigh. For wheels you might consider a set of Mavic Open Pros with a full spoke count and (if you insist on Campy) Centaur hubs.( According to Peter White the internal parts of all Campy hubs are the same so no sense in shelling out more dough than you have to)

incipit-
that's awesome that you got the roadie bug - and i wouldn't worry: a budget of $1800 is pretty much perfect - lots of flexibility there.

i'd agree to look at getting wheels with more spokes than normal - i have a friend almost exactly your size and he ended up getting a an offbrand steel road frame (not avail in your size anymore i'm afraid): http://bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/legacypro.htm

i really don't think shimano vs. campy is something you need to decide this early as a way to limit your options. the fit of the bike is the most important thing, followed by it's overall value (the price considering what time of frame/wheels/components it has). it is inconvenient that you're a clyde, but on the bright side being 5'10" still leaves you with a lot of frames to try out. i would guess that as big as you are you'd probably want to start with 54cm frames. this is an incredibly common size, which is good. so go to as many LBS's as you can and ride pretty much any 54cm or whatever you end up feeling is are the closest sizes. even riding cheaper or super high-end bikes can be educational. take notes on frame material, wheelsets, component groups and prices.

if it were me, i'd get a steel frame. i did an extended test ride of a R600 and found it to be a bit harsh - i ended up buying a lesser-known italian steel frame from gvhbikes that is not quite as responsive as i'd like but makes me feel _way less beat up after longer rides.

gvhbikes has an incredibly sexy Pegoretti Palosanto w/Shimano Ultegra 9spd for $2095 in their special deals section. a bit more than you wanted to spend, but you could get him to lace up some spokier wheels and you'd do really well.

but i'm getting ahead of myself - you need to ride some bikes. see if you can take extended test rides of the ones that are your front runners. it's hard to tell from a tiny loop in a parking lot how a frame is really gonna feel. try to find a hill and get out of the saddle and mash up it.

good luck!

I agree with Boze. Why limit yourself to your potential bike by requiring Campy gears? I've ridding Campy and Shimano equipt bikes and not once did I prefer one bike over the other because of the components. Let's face it, both Campy and Shimano make great products, so let the bike drive your purchase and not the company that makes the gears. Now, how crisp (and light) you want your gears to work is based on which level of components you want on your bike. This is true for both companies.

Also, you said you've done research and are leaning toward Campy, but have you test ridden a bike with gears made from both companies? If you haven't, you really should, but make sure it's a fair comparision. Don't test ride a bike with Campy Record and Shimano Sora and say that Shimano gears sucks. It wouldn't a fair comparision. I'm not pro Shimano or Campy, just don't want you to be misguided and limit yourself.

BTW, welcome the sport! :)

Take a look at the steel Jamis bikes from Quest on up, maybe Fuji Roubaix Pro. Even with upgraded wheels and a Thomson seatpost, you can get an Ultegra level bike for under $1500. For a few extra $, the 04 Fuji Pro is a 10 speed Dura Ace level alum bike with a Thomson seatpost and Ritchey Deep V pro rims. 18 lbs. Not my favorite frame material, but you could someday replace the frame if you thought it was necessary. The components on this bike are wicked. I saw it on sale for about $2000, but it was at Performance and you get 10% back in store credit, so $1800.

Performance Bike shops, if they are near you, let you finance your bike for free if you pay it off in a year or less. Some other shops do similar.

I have an 03 Quest. Love it.

I think that you want steel. Why don't you look at the Bianchi Veloce? Reynolds 631 tubing and full Campagnolo Veloce group for around $1400.

Alternately, the new LeMond Sarthe is made of TrueTemper OSX Platinum steel tubing with full Veloce for the same price.

It is largely dependent on your build/proportions/flexibility, but I imagine the Bianchi would likely suit you better. Both are very nice bikes, though.

I am 215lbs and have a R800 which came with the same wheels as the new R900. I felt uncomfortable with the wheels, everything felt loose. I switched to Open Pros, 32 spoke, and am very happy. The CAAD 7 is a very light, delicate frame. Its a little thicker than tinfoil and seems strong but you have to be careful with it. Rick

I am also 6' with a short inseam and have a 58cm frame which they measure c-c, my trek size is 60cm which is measured c-t.

I'm 5'10" short legs and long torso My inseam is only 31 inches I used a few different online fit Calcs and I have yet to see a production frame with the top tube length that they recommend.

What road bike did you purchase?

Yeah....I know what you mean about the 'cycling bug. I got a nice road bike and am enjoying the heck out of it and am about to purchase a nice mountain bike. :D

I'm 5'10", currently 238 (down 12 lbs. since 12 weeks ago!) but I have long arms & torso, shorter inseam at 30". I'm comfortable on a "traditional" 54cm frame (more specifically a Trek or Cannondale 54cm frame) although a longer stem feels more comfortable, and 56cm just a tad large to stand over but once in riding position is comfortable with the longer frame length for torso and arms. I ended up buying an '04 Lemond Zurich, 55cm which fits me to a "T"; has less standover (because of the frame design) and riding length is perfect, like the 56cm traditional frame.

I'm riding on the stock 700x23 Bontrager tires that came with the bike and haven't had a problem, and the wheels are still true. The Lemond is Carbon/Steel frame.

Good luck in your quest!

The frame should be okay but I would pay close attention to the wheels. You might want to consider having the bikeshop swap out those low spoke count wheels for beefier ones. If I were you, I'd be looking at 36 spoke with triple-cross lacing and box-section rims. I know this will be heavier but you'll thank yourself for not having to retrue (or worse... rebuild) them so often. Ask your LBS what they'd recommend for heavy duty wheels.

This is good advice, mate. The stronger wheels will make life
MUCH easier on the road. 36 or (even better) 40 spoke wheels
on premuim hubs will go a long way towards a very good road
bike. Also look for a lugged STEEL frame of name brand make.
There is a reason all the custom builders build lugged steel
bikes, mate.

After doing some research online and at LBS' I am definitely leaning toward Campy components, which really limits my options... I was thinking of buying the '05 Cannondale R900 which comes equipped with the Voloce group... well most of it anyway. My budget is about $1800. All the LBS' I talked to recommend that I purchase a complete bike rather than build up a frameset. Are the Campy Veloce components compatable with Centaur and Chorus when I get upgrade lust?Admittedly not having personally used newer rim/spoke combos, but knowing others with same/similar wheels, I think you would destroy the wheels on the pictured bike in pretty short order. Especially if you would be riding over any divoted/rough pavement. Upgrade/swap out if budget does not currently allow, but sooner or later invest in some well built wheels that will be able to serve you worry free. I've said this on other threads, but I bought my bike from Wheelsmith when they were still a retail bike shop as well as wheelbuilder and my wheels did not need truing for over 10 years and thousands of miles - and even after that long, truing needed was extremely minor. That's how well a wheelset can be built. Find a guy like Peter White (http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/wheels.asp) who knows what he's doing and just enjoy riding.

As for bikes, what length of top tube were you thinking you needed and how does that compare (length and feeling-wise) to your current bike? Although I don't personally like compact frames, this is where, if budget is an issue, you can go up in size to get a longer TT while not sacrificing standover although position of seat height relative to bars will change as you go up. You might look at some steel/mixed material bikes like Lemonds that have longer top tubes than other brands of similar frame size. If you plan to ride distances and want to do so in comfort, I think you would find aluminum to not dampen road shock as well as steel or mixed material bikes.

Let us know what you work out and welcome to the road! :)

Maybe check out some titanium frames and build up from there. Probably your best bet to build a high quality very durable bike. There are many very inexpensive Ti frames out there right now for under $700.00. Habanero comes to mind and he'll even custom build for you. You can build the rest of the bike at performance. A full Ultegra group is inexpensive there. If you shop around, you can build a great bike for you for your price range, and you won't have to worry about durability.

One thing I'd be cautious with Campy about is cranks. They still use the tapered, squared spindle, and with your size, I'd question how well it will hold up to you.

Just my .02 cents

Well, That is why I'm here also...Doing research. I was leaning toward Campy mainly due to the shifter style... They just clicked with me...no pun intended. I just didn't like the Shimano syle shifters as much as the campy's. I was looking into Bianchi at one LBS but, he said he preferred the C'dale to the veloce but talked a bit about the new model they offer for '05 but for the life of me I can't remember the name. He didn't have any Bianchi's in shop but, he said he could order one for me. A couple of different guys I talked at the LBS to suggested upgrading the wheels as well, They all steered me toward the Mavic Ksyrium Elites but, said it would hike the price up $400... which would place me at the 2k mark.

How are the Litespeed framesets? I've seen a lot of deals online with litespeed frames, kind of cheap for full Ultegra I thought... my problem is out of the five shops I've been to all of them are filled with C'dale, Trek & Giant but not much else... Being a newbie I have no Idea about the other manufacturers out there that make a quality frameset.

...A couple of different guys I talked at the LBS to suggested upgrading the wheels as well, They all steered me toward the Mavic Ksyrium Elites but, said it would hike the price up $400... which would place me at the 2k mark.

How are the Litespeed framesets? I've seen a lot of deals online with litespeed frames, kind of cheap for full Ultegra I thought... my problem is out of the five shops I've been to all of them are filled with C'dale, Trek & Giant but not much else... Being a newbie I have no Idea about the other manufacturers out there that make a quality frameset.Frankly, at your size saving weight in the wheels shouldn't be your first priority. Ksyriums are going to maximize the strong/light balance at a premium price, but you need strong more than light. Maximizing strength using good/high quality rims/hubs/spokes and lacing techniques should be first, shaving weight secondary. Start eliminating major options, like whether you care if the frame is compact or traditional, then consider frame materials and ride quality factors. Lateral stiffness will be a big one for you, but you don't want the stiffness to be vertical as well. This is why steel would generally be better than aluminum. I don't honestly know how mixed material bikes (steel or aluminum and carbon) would hold up under someone of your size, so probably better to go all steel or the right ti. Your determination to go Campy will limit your off the shelf choices, but you can always build up a frame at a higher cost - yeah, some will say you can do it piecemeal going the clearance/ebay route, but that would take more experience and familiarity with the market than you have right now. Trek stores will have Lemonds, but I'm sure if you look around you can find places that sell Bianchi, Litespeeds, Specialized, etc. Decide what kind of riding you'll do. Do you live in a hilly area? Flat? Going to work up to hard training rides? Going to stay recreational/fast recreational? Those kinds of things will determine what you should be looking for.

Good luck.

A couple of different guys I talked at the LBS to suggested upgrading the wheels as well, They all steered me toward the Mavic Ksyrium Elites but, said it would hike the price up $400... which would place me at the 2k mark.

I ride Ksyriums and have found them to be truly tough performance wheels which are pretty light. They're not the lightest but for their strength they're pretty impressive in the grand scheme of things. That said, I'm still not sure that I would recommend them for you. I still think heavy-duty touring wheels are the way to go in this situation because I'm pretty sure you can get stronger wheels custom built for you than Ksyriums without such a price premium.

You can get your Campy, I'd just suggest getting an ISIS type crank instead of a Campy crank. Less chance of you ripping apart the spindle. Campy Centaur is good quality for the buck. I agree with the steel frame suggestion, but would probably still lean towards the titanium. Litespeed is obviously a good framebuilder. A Habanero or a TST are much less expensive and of really good quality. I just bought a 56 cm TST frame for $500.00. That's a really good price for a quality Titanium frame. I hear a lot of people rave about the Habaneros. I've always rode Italian steel before and really liked my last Olmo frameset. There are tons of frames out there. It's impossible to list 'em all, and say which is better than another.

I think by the time you beefed up any bike you'd get at an LBS, you'd be better off building one of your own, to your specs.

steelrider, khuon and glevii are all correct.

a habañero would be an excellent choice in a value ti frame to build up. and going with steel over a straight alum frame like the cDale would also make sense.

i feel your pain about only finding run-of-the-mill Trek, Giant and Cannondale at your LBSs. none of them make steel bikes anymore so it's like we're all asking you to do the impossible. call around though - if you can find someplace with _some kind of steel and ti bikes in your size then go ride them and just make a note of the size that fit you best. then you can order online if you want or stay with the LBS if you find something at the right price that works.

one other thing - my friend who's your size complained of feeling like he was leaning on his hands too much until he had his stem flipped so the rise was up. a little change like that can change your impression of a bike so make sure to get a skilled salesperson who can set the bike up correctly. some folks are of the opinion that once somebody does this for you it means you should buy the bike there even if it isn't the best price, but i disagree.

you gotta find some bikes other than those by the big three and get some sizes you like and prices they offered and we'll go from there.

One Bike shop I visited which also seemed to be the best helping and most knowledgable of the ones I had been to is Carl Hart Bicycles (http://carlhart.com/site/intro.cfm) They carry Aegis, Bianchi, Cervelo, Colnago, Fuji, Felt, Klien, LeMond and a host of other companies along with the other run of the mill brands I discussed earlier... Only problem I saw was that they want top dollar for everything. I won't be be purchasing anything until right after the holidays, so I will pay them a visit and concentrate on the off brands... one thing though, the last time I was there they didn't have much in stock as far as the other brands go... only a few High Dollar models here and there. Nothing in competition with the models we were discussing.

One thing you may want to consider is to hold off on the road bike (or at least get an inexpensive used one) until you loose another 50 pounds or so. I think that what people find comfortable when they are big is very different than what they find comfortable after loosing a lot of weight.

If you are hard to fit, try a custom frame builder. It is possible to put together a custom TIG-welded bike for a reasonable amount of money. A custom frame would be the ultimate reward for loosing more weight.

Another 50lbs I will be REALLY lean... I have a lot of muscle on my frame.

I would think that the only thing that would change much is my flexability... My limbs, torso. shoulder width and inseem would remain the same so, wouldn't bike dimension recommendations be the same or EXTREMELY similar? I would really just be able to upgrade to a lighter wheelset, but at 220 I think I would still require a pretty durable wheel...no?

http://www.redroseimports.com/rri_olmo_b7_s.html

http://www.redroseimports.com/rri_olmo_b6_s.html

I love Olmo. I'd lean toward the Criterium frame. It's inexpensive, has the oversized downtube, and will take everything you can give it. Good solid steel frame and fork.

The group is the easy part, Campy Centaur, or Shimano Ultegra wouldn't break the bank. There are some key areas you want to make sure you focus on to get the strongest bike possible. Get a Phil Wood bottom bracket, a Chris King headset, and some Mavic Open Pro 36 hole rims with solid 14 gauge spokes. Get a solid oversized aluminum stem and handlebar combo. Stay away from a carbon seatpost. Go that route and you'd have a very durable, punishable bike. It wouldn't qualify as a weight weenie (it wouldn't be heavy by any means, either), but it would handle you, and could be done for a good price.

You're weight isn't what I'm concerned about as much as the power you can actually generate. I just have this vision of torqued out handlbars, snapped spindles, crushed bottom bracket bearings, and wheels bowing with every pedal stroke. I don't think anybody could really argue with my suggestions for those areas.

I love Olmo. I'd lean toward the Criterium frame.I do agree with almost all of your post, except the crit frame part. Looked at the link and it didn't list any geometry/specs for the frame. However, if it is truly a crit frame, it might be a bit too twitchy for the average rider. This is what I meant when I said that incipit should be very clear about what his objectives are as a rider and the attendant ride qualities that will help him maximize his comfort and fun - no matter what those objectives are.

Good luck.

I question any frame with 270lbs strapped to it having the ability to be "twitchy". You could be right though. He definitely needs strong though. I'm more trying to convince him that he can probably do better by building to his needs, than trying to sway him to a particular product. Everything is totally up to him, except the Phil Wood bottom bracket and the Chris King headset. I think those would be necessary. Phil Wood especially if he's set on Campy.

I swung by this local bike shop and they had a Bianchi Veloce trade in that had about two weeks worth or riding on it that they said I could walk away with for 1k or perhaps lower if I come in during the week and disuss it with the owner. I was REALLY tempted to take it home today but I didn't like the color at all... it was their signature color...blah! This shop doesn't sell many Road bikes and they don't have much selection but their prices seem very good.

Although the Veloce seemd quite a bit heavier than the trek 1500 for the same price but new.

I question any frame with 270lbs strapped to it having the ability to be "twitchy". You could be right though. He definitely needs strong though. I'm more trying to convince him that he can probably do better by building to his needs, than trying to sway him to a particular product. Everything is totally up to him, except the Phil Wood bottom bracket and the Chris King headset. I think those would be necessary. Phil Wood especially if he's set on Campy.

when I got my racing bike in a trade I was 270 and that sucker was still twitchy. it took me months to be able to look over my shoulder before I stopped wobbling when I did it (G) or maybe it was because I lost the weight.

I swung by this local bike shop and they had a Bianchi Veloce trade in that had about two weeks worth or riding on it that they said I could walk away with for 1k or perhaps lower if I come in during the week and disuss it with the owner. I was REALLY tempted to take it home today but I didn't like the color at all... it was their signature color...blah! This shop doesn't sell many Road bikes and they don't have much selection but their prices seem very good.

Although the Veloce seemd quite a bit heavier than the trek 1500 for the same price but new.

What?? You don't like Celeste Green?? Come on!!! Actually I don't like it either. That's a fairly good deal on that bike, though. How does it ride, and how does it fit? I'd still change some things out, like the bottom bracket, and the handlebars and stem (for oversized). The aluminum frame is still questionable though. Just don't know how it will hold up to you. Both the Trek and the Bianchi use a carbon fork, but at least have alloy steerers. That's a huge concern. There's been some discussion here as to how the different carbon forks hold up to increased weight and stress. Nothing's been proven, but it is something to think about. I'd steer toward a chromoly steerer if you go with a carbon fork. At the minimum, you should get an alloy steerer and shy away from a full carbon fork.

I'd also still have some sturdier wheels laced up for you.

Sorry if I've gotten a little overbearing in all my suggestions. :D

The Veloce is a steel frame,no? I'm 90% sure it is... I could be wrong though but it sure felt/looked it. It was quite a bit heavier than the Trek 1500 they had there. It also didn't have the Vento's but it had 32 spoke Mavic CXP 22's...I'm thinking that it might be a 2003 model...Solid Celeste Green with a couple tribal decals...

A friend of mine just gave me an old 12speed Fuji Lugged steel bike for free... I didn't get to check it out yet because, it was really late last night that got home with it. He said it was a really decent ride back in the day... a cursory look over makes me think early 80's because, none of the components say anything but fuji and it has downtube shifters. I thought hey this would probably make a nice trainer/beater... I'm still purchasing new... But I have time...winter is Looooooooong in New York......

That Fuji will be great to get an idea of what you need for a good fitting bike. Ride it and note things like, do you feel too stretched out, or are you too upright, etc.

The '04 and '05 model Veloces are aluminum. I couldn't find if 2003 Veloces were steel or aluminum. 2002's are steel. So it may very well be a steel frame. If it's heavier it probably is. That wouldn't be a bad deal for that bike. Just that color does suck, and couldn't bring myself to spend money on it, no matter how good the deal was. There are Bianchi fans having heart attacks right now at that last comment. Remember though, it's not the only deal out there. Play around with that Fuji.

I just rode the Fuji Royale today and logged about 15miles on it...It has a really LOW set of bars... a bit lower than most I sat on or rode... and the saddle HAS TO GO! The Saddle is this bulky BELL Gell seat...way to much meat to share space with the boys, if you get me. I also have to spend some time adjusting everything to find the perfect fit... the standover height is a bit too tall as well, but the TT length is pretty good.

Someone asked about the Litespeed ti bikes-Frienze, especially the 04 models are a great choice-the ride is plush and the Ultegra does hold up well. That's what I am riding for now, and I am in the 260+ range (for now). The 04s have a better group than the 05s and you can find them for less money. You might want to look at the mavic krysirium elites with the steel bladed spokes. FYI-the Cdale will hold your weight, but you might find the ride a little on the stiff side. I would like to add go octalink or isis for the crankset though-the square ones will loosen far to often with your weight-the octalink I have on my litespeed and on my foes stays nice and tight.

I'm 6'6", 290 lbs - rear wheel is the problem. I shred rear wheels like it's my job. Still haven't found the right one despite all the suggestions. I got the Velocity V, 36 spoke thinking that would do the trick, but popped a spoke this past weekend - thank God for cell phones, although my wife is threatening to leave me stranded next time.. I have had to replace chainrings, put on a headset extension - other than that, no problems.

I'm 6'6", 290 lbs - rear wheel is the problem. I shred rear wheels like it's my job. Still haven't found the right one despite all the suggestions. I got the Velocity V, 36 spoke thinking that would do the trick, but popped a spoke this past weekend - thank God for cell phones, although my wife is threatening to leave me stranded next time.. I have had to replace chainrings, put on a headset extension - other than that, no problems.Yep, that's a lot of mass on a skinny tires and wheels, but you have the wrong person building your wheels. Find out who's building Wheelsmith wheels these days or call a guy like Peter White (http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/wheels.asp), explain your problem, have him build you a set and never worry about it again. Materials are only part of the picture. All other things being equal, who builds your wheels is the most important factor. I say being equal because some have said that if you use low-end components and spokes, it still wouldn't last. No kidding :rolleyes: . However, an inexperienced builder can use the best material and still produce a bad wheel. I'm a firm believer in buying the best possible for the task at hand and not worrying about it. Nothing worse than constantly worrying whether your equipment will hold up/be reliable. Do yourself a favor and get it off the plate.

Good luck. :)

Okay, let's summarize.

Steel Frame
ISIS or Octalink Bottom Bracket (ISIS if you do go Campy)
Superstrong wheelset built by a really experienced wheelsmith
Alloy Stem, Handlebars, and Seatpost

I'm thinking you should lean toward Ultegra, just because it's really good stuff, and can be had for an extremely reasonable price if you do your own build. $380.00 for a full group at Performance minus brake calipers (with 20% coupon). That's just awfully hard to beat.

Keep riding that Fuji, then get the tape measure out. Measure the frame, then go and sit on some other bikes, and measure those. Then take those measurements and start shopping for a frameset that meets your requirements.

i think a steel '03 celeste bianchi is a great choice if it fits ya - leaves a ton of room in the budget to get some solid custom wheels. and what you don't like about celeste will be made up by how in love almost all of the rest of us are with that color.

you can test ride all those high dollar frames at that place you mentioned - it's still a good thing to do so you learn more about fit and the different ride of different frames and materials.

I am also 5'10" with short legs and a long torso. for years i have been moving my seat back and getting a longer stem so my torso would fit. WRONG...WRONG..WRONG! Short legs means your seat probably needs to go FORWARD to get your legs in correct position with cranks. SOLUTION? custom would do it but compact frames can also provide the answer. My ideal fit is a 53cm seat tube and a 56.5 cm top tube. Which is exactly what is provided by the 56cm Specialized Allez. After riding on a beautiful handbuilt (not built for me) reynolds 531 frame for the last 15 years i was shocked to realize how poorly it fit me. picked up the Allez croMo comp last week and I think i'm in love! great fit, everything feels 'right"-the position, my weight distribution, standing on the pedals- everything. That would not be the bike for a guy your size.
Why not talk to Doug Curtis at CurtLo bikes. He can make you a custom super strong frame for about a grand.

Actually, last night I had decided to make a small geometry database of all the different bikes in my price range regardless of it's intended purpose yet still in the road catagory. The Trek Pilot 2.1 almost matches the recommended geometry to the tee... so the next step is to call around for someone that has my size in stock for a test ride. I will still be looking at the other offerings out there from the other makers as well. I just feel that the C'dales and treks are overpriced for 105 equipped bikes. I think anything over 1k is ultegra domain... I'm not ruling out 105 or ultegra and limiting my choices to Campy equipped bikes... I just prefer it to 105 and like the shifter style better than Shimano.