kiddcline

Well after all my questions about Tarmacs, Madones, etc. I test rode them and wasn't falling in love with them. Then an ad came up about a local bike shop getting rid of their 2012 Fuji's at 55% off and it caught my attention. I liked what I read and the video's I saw so I went to check them out. I had my choice of the SST 2.0, Gran Fondo 1.0, and the Altamira 2.0 Di2. Each was $2200.00 so my dilemma was how they felt. The Gran Fondo is a comfy bike, no doubt about that. Rolls smooth and it really would be a great bike if I were doing a lot of centuries or 50 mile + rides but I usually ride to and from work which my longest route is 25 miles. I then rode the SST and that thing is made to go fast and that is about it. It beat the heck out of me in the short ride I was on. I also did not want the gearing it had. I was looking more for a compact set up. Last I tried the Altamira and instantly I felt it was the bike for me. It is a little smaller than I am used to but it just felt right. The Di2 was all new to me but it did not take long to figure it out, even with gloves on, (it was 25 degrees). I liked the Di2 system a lot, especially for cold weather riding I can see them being beneficial when my fingers are freezing or after a long ride and my arms and hands are tired.

This is the bike. The shope is throwing on black tape instead of the white, need to switch to a black seat, new wheels eventually, and the cages will be replaced asap,. I feel I got a killer deal. Thoughts and opinions? Good and bad feedback appreciated.

LowCel 

That is an absolutely amazing deal! Great job on a great bike. Enjoy!

dtrain

Geez - I'd say you got an awesome deal. Enjoy!


(Gotta see if my local Performance will 'price-match' that! )

Nachoman

That really does seem like a good deal.

dtrain

This page has it listed at $3k, and says that's 39% off $4,890!

https://www.performancebike.com/bikes...63019__1763019

By my math - yes, $2,200 would be 55% off $4,890. I don't know that I'd pay $4k for it...but man what an f'ing great deal at just over $2k. Many folks are happy to save 15%-20% on last year's models...

waterrockets 

Nice work! That will be a great bike. Love the Altamira.

FWIW: don't compare rough rides on bikes if you're not using the same wheels/tires. If you didn't personally pump the tires to the same pressure before the test ride, then there's huge variability there, aside from tire/tube differences. The difference between a Klein and an old steel noodle is about 10psi. I recommend that people go test ride bikes with their own normal wheelset, so they can compare more directly. Once the difference is somewhat known, you can throw on the OEM wheels and see how it goes.

My SST is the most supple ride of any bike I've owned in 22 years in this sport (vs. steel and CF bikes, including a Madone). It's also got the least frame flex powering through sweepers.

kiddcline

Thanks guys. That is refreshing that you also feel I got a good deal. Waterrockets, thanks for the advice. The SST has zero flex on its frame, just like you said. I am sure the wheels had a big part in the feel of the bike. I'll keep that in mind the next go around. I am 6'3" and 225 and I just wasn't comfortable enough on the SST to put that much money into it. I normally ride a 60cm plus but for some reason the 58cm altamira felt wonderful!

jwill87ta

Fuji is a very underrated manufacturer, and they produce some quality stuff for less than their comparable models. Great deal, and nice looking bike.

primov8

That is definitely a deal you can't pass on. Enjoy the new bike.

hamster

That's a good bike and a great deal. I got my own Di2 bike last fall and I'm up to 1300 miles, I love it. I thought I got a good deal on mine, but this one clearly has it beat.

Black tape is a good idea. Mine came with white tape, it was thoroughly unsightly by 500 miles, I tried to wash it twice (including soaking in Oxiclean overnight) but in the end I gave up, tossed it and bought a roll of black. And I think you need to get carbon bottle cages, aluminum cages don't look right on this bike.

gb2319

Looking at the geometry for the Altamira, the 58cm version is actually very big (it's the L/XL). The M/L size Altamira is only 53cm (and at just under 6'2" I usually ride M/L in Fuji), but has an effective size of 56cm.

IcySmooth52

I have an Altamira 2.0 as well, and I have not a single complaint about the frame. Stiff and soft where it counts, comfortable on a century but snappy on that town-line sprint, and just light! Two things I have to comment about what came with it is the seatpost clamp breaks easy, and the wheels aren't on the same performance level as the rest of the bike.

Ride the heck out of yours, because she'll serve you well!

IcySmooth52

The actual fit of the Altamiras aren't big, they just have a very small seat-tube. You're missing the regular Large in-between the M/L & L/XL. The 55cm Large is actually ~58cm. The M/L 53cm is ~56, and the L/XL is ~59cm.

gb2319

Right. Which is exactly what I was saying.

I used the M/L as a reference, because that is what I ride. The overall point being that the listed frame size is smaller than the effective size across the Altamira line (in response to the fact that the OP seemed to find it strange that he felt comfortable on "smaller" frame than he usually rides).

IcySmooth52

That's why they list S, S/M, M, M/L, L, L/XL first and the frame size in (parentheses).

gb2319

Right, and it makes things so much simpler when trying to pick out a bike between two different lines. If you are a M/L (for example) by Fuji's measurements, you'd need a 53cm in an Altamira, but a 56cm in a Gran Fondo. That'd get pretty confusing if they didn't list their sizes like they do.

Again, I'm not saying anything different than you are here. The listed size and the effective size are not one in the same with this frame (as with many of today's frames). This seemed to be lost on the OP when he was talking about usually needing a 60cm+ frame, but feeling great on this bike "even though it's a little smaller than [he's] used to." I was simply conveying the fact that the 58cm Altamira is actually quite large. It's the largest Altamira frame they make, and all Altamira frames are effectively larger than their listed size.

55/Rad

Where was this deal at? I need a new group and with flipping the frame, wheels + miscellany, that group becomes damn cheap.

Orangejuice

Nice work and awesome deal!




imo, keep the white tape and seat

MinnMan

That's a good deal. I looked at that bike in the fall. It was priced at nearly $5k and I thought it was kind of heavy and not competitive with other bikes in that price range (I ended up with a Felt F3). But at $2.2k, it's a steal. I can't think of any other DI2 bike going for that cheap. And the frame isn't bad. It had a weird crankset, as I recall.

IcySmooth52

It's a BB86 bottom bracket (Shimano's take on BB30), and the crankset is actually a re-labeled FSA Gossamer. It's a bit heavy compared to other cranks, but it does the job fine.

kiddcline

Bikewagon in north Salt Lake City. Not sure if they have other di2 models but for ultegra and dura ace it is still a heck of a deal. I just got lucky and jumbled on it. www.bikewagon.com

kiddcline

MinnMan, where in MN are you? I spent two good years all over that state.

MinnMan

Minneapolis. I ride pretty much all over the metro area, though, with favorites being around Lake Minnetonka and over the border in Wisconsin.

coolmingli

Why don't you buy the BMC SL01 full ultegra Di2 with Elite wheels for $2500 from CC.

JonnyV

Awesome deal! And a great bike. Had mine about a year now and love it. By far the most comfortable bike I've had and it's still on the original wheels. Some day it'll get something a little better but I'm happy the way it is.