Originally Posted by my58vw

This is very hard because of all the reasons that you state above. We have to look then at the different frames that define a manufacturer. Here is my list...

1. Cervelo - Very distinctive TT and Road Bikes
2. Cannondale (their aluminum models not the synaps)
3. Trek - Higher end carbon bikes
4. Specalized - Higher End carbon bikes
5. Giant - Mass market bikes from out of the USA.

There are many beautiful bikes made but most of them are either too expensive, too custom or not mass marketed. Therefore I can not consider Time, Opera, Seven, Litespeed, etc on the list because you can not go to a shop and as readaly buy them...

(Now some people say that cervelo is that way...)