Sgt_Lobo

I'm going to try to answer everyones questions up front, so please bear with me... I am in the military and am currently deployed in the middle east. When I return I am going to sell my current Trek 2.3 and give myself a post deployment gift of carbon fiber! I am trying to figure out all the bikes I should be looking at that fit my requirements as stated below.

Points of consideration:

1. $3500 - $4500 max – Full specked bike + upgrade wheels (if required) + pedals
2. Bicycle frame geometry should lend itself to:3. Key things I am looking for:Other considerations:
I live in Aurora (just outside of Denver, CO). I weigh ~170 lbs. I probably currently put on about 2k miles a year. I’m looking to up that. My current LBS (which I really like) stocks Trek, Scott, Fuji, Bianchi, Felt, and Raleigh. I will hunt a different shop if I feel I’m getting a better bike out of it. I’d like a bike that is already complete, not one I have to build myself. (How much do LBSs usually charge for a build? I could consider going that route…)

Bikes I am considering just from internet research: Here is my “short list”.

1. Specialized Roubaix SL3 Expert *** -- $3900
2. Specialized Tarmac SL3 Expert -- $3900
3. Bianchi Infinito Ultegra (Black) ** -- $3450
4. Welier Gran Turismo -- $4299 (Camp Chorus 11 Groupo)
5. Trek Madone 6.5 (Project One) -- $4600 (Ultegra Compact)
6. Trek Madone 5.2 -- $3299
7. Scott CR1 Pro -- $3150
8. Cannondale Synapse Carbon 3 Ultegra
9. Giant Defy Advanced 0 -- $4550 (Ultegra Di2)

So, I guess my questions are: After looking at my "requirements", are there any bikes I should add or drop from my current list. And finally, which bikes on or off the list do you think would best suit my needs? I will rack and stack answers and then test ride when I get back in the states. I know it's alot, but thanks in advanced. Reading this forum and thinking about this purchase helps take my mind off of what I'm doing out here!

Juan Foote

Where I have not looked over the specs of all the bikes you have listed...just from a bit of experience with this area. Most of the higher end carbon "weight weenie" bikes are geared with racing in mind. Even with compact cranksets being so popular right now, the cassette on the rear is commonly 11-25 or the like with short cages, oftentimes just for weight savings of a few grams. I had to swap to a Tiagra long cage RD on my Felt in order to accommodate the 12-30 I wanted to use.

With that said, the way that bikes are outfitted in your area may be different, and those bikes may already be spec-ed that way to start with, just a thought. I think if I were buying to be "done" with the bike out of the box I would get the Tarmac SL4 Pro.

10 Wheels

Easy:

https://www.rossettibike.com/bikes/road/vertigo.html

darb85

tarmac. done.

RollCNY

Your LBS carries 5 awesome brands. If you really like them, buy from them, but don't stick to stock wheels. Get the bike and components you want, buy the exact wheels you want, and keep the stock as a spare set.

Munk69

I have a Trek Madone 6.5 and love it. Mine has SRAM Force instead of Ultegra. Best frame I have ever ridden.


Thank you for your service!

fa63

Out of that list, the Giant has Di2 (which I think is amazing, if you haven't tried it yet) and should fit all your needs. Plus if I remember correctly that bike comes stock with Giant's new tubeless wheelset, whose specs look great as well and based on my experience the ride and comfort of tubeless us hard to beat unless you are willing to run tubulars.

Good luck.

dstrong 

Those look nice...but those massive wheel decals would have to go!

and1homer

Great thread, I am in a similar boat - looking to upgrade from my 2009 Giant Defy 1 to a relaxed geometry carbon bike with internal routing mainly for climbing (I also live in Colorado) and gran fondo riding at around the same price range (although I am a little heavier, c. 195 at the moment ). I am actually planning to get a triple up front,

I am personally thinking about something Italian, so I like that your choices including the Willier GT and the Bianchi Infinito. I am looking at them too.

You might also consider a couple of other bikes I am thinking of - the Pinarello FP Quattro and the Colnago CX 3.0. Similar price ranges, great features, all the key requirements (e.g. carbon frame, relaxed geometries, internal cable routing, high-end gruppos) plus really nice styling IMHO (this is one of my priorities too - but probably goes without saying) and good wheelsets (maybe not true top-end, but pretty light).

If you want to find these bikes to try them out, let me know. Looks like good weather in the 303 over the next week - I am planning to do some test rides next weekend so will be calling around the area to see who has the bikes I want to try out.

Also, thanks for your service.

and1homer

That's not necessary - the Denver area has a gajillion bike shops and almost all of them are excellent. No need to restrict the choice based on what one LBS carries.

Good advice on the wheels though. Is what I am planning to do. Or worst case, sell the stock set and use the proceeds to (partially) fund the upgrade.

Adrianinkc

Trek Madone 6 Series. Light, comfortable, and pick anything you want through Project 1.

a1penguin

The Synapse has relaxed geometry. The Supersix is more aggressive. I looked at the Ultegra in a 52 frame today. Weighs 16.1 lbs without pedals. Light as a feather. Tomorrow I'm going to check out a bike store that also has the Synapse and the Trek 5.2. Don't forget to compare apples to apples; compare the weights with the gearing you want. I don't know what the stock gearing on those bikes is, but I would be looking for a bike that is close to the gearing you want and won't require a lot of parts replacement. Have LBS weigh the bikes. The wheels on bikes, even high end ones, usually are not the best. You should ask your LBS about getting credit for the stock wheels and upgrading. Depending on your budget, a cheaper bike with wheel upgrade might help with your weight requirement.

rc51crazy

i can tell u about the Pinarello and the Colnago..the Colnago rides better that then Pina..not a huge difference, but enough for me to chose The Colnago CLX 3.0. The Bianchi looks nice, but did not get a chance to ride one, the same with the Willier

Commodus

That has to be in the top 10 of the ugliest bikes ever made.

questionthis

i think hes joking, my goodness how ugly, i wouldnt want one for free.

snowsubi

Put an Italian flag on the frame, its faster.

Jokes aside, at that price point I'd spend a few weekends at various shops testing things out. Took me three days of demos to land on a sub $2k bike. Sounds like you have a lot of options available to check out nearby and have a laundry list of brands to look into. Go get 'em.

blacksquid

A full Ultegra build with the Rossetti Black Label CF wheels for $3K. Hard to beat.

Decals are much more reasonable on the Black Label wheels

Your opinion. OP may like the color scheme

questionthis

Your opinion. OP may like the color scheme[/QUOTE]

oh, oh hell naw

STP

The difference in the Specialized are relaxed geometry versus race geometry. The Tarmac is built as a lightweight race machine and will have quicker handling. If you're looking to tackle the front range for long periods of time but not do any criteriums, then I'd steer you toward the Roubaix for comfort. The Tarmac is great. It will climb fast and is lightweight, but not designed for all day comfort.

The Roubaix, on the other hand, is designed for all day, in the saddle comfort with a balance between riding and racing. It is lightweight, too, but is longer with relaxed angles. You would want to get lighter wheels, but that's an option with almost any bike. The only caution I have for you is the issue some folks are having with the Roubaix's internal cable routing. Specialized got enough complaints that they issues a Technical Service Bulletin on how to "fix" it, but it's still iffy in my opinion. It has something to do with the tightness of the bend from the shifter to the first internal ports. It needs a more relaxed bend to shift consistently. 2010 is the last of the external routed cables for the Roubaix, as far as I know.

That's all I've got. Good luck with the search.

rc51crazy

True statemant

Sgt_Lobo

Thanks for all the replies!

@10 Wheels: Interesting, inexpensive bikes. Not sure if I trust a "non-branded" frame though. It may be a perfectly good bike, but in my mind I would probably always question if it was as good as the known names and customs.

@fa63: The Giant is pretty high on my list because of the Di2. The only issue I have with it right now is I don't think the cables (or wires) are internally routed (something I was really hoping for). But that is not really a deal breaker, so I will for sure be looking at that one. The other issue with that bike is that they gave the Advanced 0 the worse paint scheme!

@and1Homer: I was also considering the Pinarello FP Quattro and the Colnago CX 3.0 but I don't know where to get them from. That's why they didn't make the list...

@STP: I was surely leaning towards the Roubaix. I just figured I'd give the Tarmac a go for the heck of it. :-) This does bring up another question though... If I decide to go the Trek route, which frame geometry would be more suitable/comparable to say the Roubaix? I know H1 is their racing geometry, so would I be looking at the H2 or the H3?

Again, thanks everyone for chipping in. Keep the discussion flowing, I'm liking what I am reading.

fstshrk

You can still get a 2012 Roubaix SL2 with external cable routing. The only downside is that you end up with SRAM Apex or the new 10 Speed Tiagra and a bike that weighs about 19lbs. However, most of that weight is in the crankset and the wheels which are very easy to change. That's the route I went.

Rob13

Get a Ritte Bosberg!
https://www.ritteracing.com/store/rit...iewspecs/id/53

Commodus

If you like to climb, consider riding the Willier. Though it's marketed as a 'gran fondo' bike, it's pretty racy. If the position suits you, and you like Campy, it is probably one of the lightest bike here simply because the Chorus group is significantly lighter than Ultegra. Not sure what groups are on the bikes where it's not listed, but of course if they're Force it'll be close. Also I'm guessing the Willier comes with Fulcrum wheels which are excellent.

Sgt_Lobo

@Commodus: I really, really like the looks of the Willier and just about everything I've read about them has been positive. The problem I have with this one is that I can't find any local shops that carry them and would have to purchase blind (no test ride) off the internet. I haven't eliminated it from the list yet, but if I'm sinking this much into a bike, I'd sure like to ride one first!