giantbiker

Well, I think I'm gonna take the plunge. I have been riding a 1997 Cannondale SilkRoad R900 w/ Full Shimano 600 Ultegra Gruppo and Spinergy Spox wheels. I have denied the temptation to road test new bikes for quite some time but now that I have had a freehub bearing failure, and I anticipate the long delay that seems so common with getting parts from Spinergy, I have begun shopping. It didn't take more than one ride for me to recognize the incredible advances in technology since I bought my Cannondale. I am looking closely at the Wilier Izoard with a full Ultegra gruppo. I also road tested a Campy bike and I really like the operation and the servicibility of the Campy stuff, but I sure can't complain about the Ultegra. I was shocked to find that the Centaur gruppo would cost $1,300 more than the same bike equipped with Ultegra, which blew it out of my budget. I have done a fair amount of research about what is available today, but the choices are overwhelming. I have read nothing but positive reviews about Wilier, and I already ride a Shimano equipped bike so I have no doubts that I will like the upgrade to the new Ultegra. The bottom line...I have to make a decision knowing that if the bike I ride feels good to me and it is made by a quality manufacturer, I will have no regrets with my decision. Sometimes when there are so many choices it can be so overwhelming, but in this case since there are so many quality choices out there I know that I just need to choose a quality vehicle, I am just going to make a decision and be happy with it and not look back. So, I think that I will ride it one more time and compare it with the Mortirolo (one step down) and take the plunge. Now the only decision is...Blue or Red? Thanks for listening to me gab, and thanks for your thoughts.

BananaTugger

Get a real Izoard.

shabbasuraj

2nd one

cuski

You're shopping in the wrong place:

Ultegra 2008 - $569
Centaur 2008 - $832.

nodnarb757

Jealous.

Quijibo187

hmm... I'd pass on that one based on frame weight alone
8kg? must be a typo.

giantbiker

Can you elaborate, Nobnard? I was shocked at the difference ($3,099 for Ultegra equipped and $4,400 for Centaur equipped). I asked the sales manager to double check his sheet to make sure he was correct. He was looking at his MSRP sheet for each one and I saw it right there, he was right. I thought it made no sense why the price would be so much different. Are there different package levels of the build kits? Could it be a basice Ultegra group and a premier Centaur group? Is there such a thing? I will talk with him more about it, but I think I need more information/ammo to be able to know what I am talking about.

cuski

Are you sure it was Centaur and not Chorus?

rivethead

Red. Enjoy!

giantbiker

I'm quite sure it was Centaur, as that is the gruppo that is offered as the option to Ultegra. However, I've been known to be wrong even when I'm sure, so I will verify that when I talk to the dealer again tomorrow.

giantbiker

I like red, too, but it turns out they don't have any more in stock and they don't know if they will be getting any more reds on their recent order. The prices are going up $350 for the next model year, so I may wind up with blue. Life could be worse, I can live with blue.

vic32amg

I think i have an Izoard in stock. I believe it's the red. I am sure I can beat any ones price if you are interested. It's a very nice bike. and extremely smooth. I believe the one I have is DURA ACE Tho but I might have Centaur in stock and can build it if needed. feel free to PM me if interested.

Soil_Sampler

vic,thought you were in palm desert,ca.

vic32amg

I am in both. but lately I have been in Mesa. Warehouse is in Palm Desert.

il professore

I love my Wilier Gladio...alum/carbon.

ezee

Really? In that case, it should be very useful for "weight-training on a bike" / uphill workouts!

Directly from your link:

Wilier Izoard
Specifications:

- Frame Weight: 8.0 kg
- Frame: Easton Scandium GX2 carbon
- Fork: Fiandre EWP integrata
- Fork: Weight: 380 grams
- Sizes: S-M-L-XL-XXL
- Sloping Sizes: 50-52-53-54-55-56-57-58-60

Original: $2800

emcb1230

Blue

round-the-bend

Depends which Centaur cranks you have. They come in aluminium or carbon. I have alu on my red Izoard.

BananaTugger

You guys can apply for the Data Entry position and have at it.