Originally Posted by
Brian Ratliff
I was not commenting on the validity of your comment; your perspective is fine and you'd probably do better to just state your perspective straight up. I was commenting on your tone. Your lack of respect for differing opinions and preferences is shocking at times; especially your habit of using blanket statements to respond to people engaged in more detailed discussion all the while criticizing the use of blanket statements.
The H3 is quite high for a race bike, and high for a road bike as well. Comfort is what you are used to, and as you so stated, it depends on a lot of things making it impossible to make a blanket statement. The comment suggesting that "elites" are not comfortable on their bike and are not concerned with comfort is just blatantly false. In fact, it's not stretching too much to say that "elite" riders are more than a bit obsessed about comfort. I've gone through half a dozen saddles and more bike positions than I can count in getting to my current position over the last five years of racing. These "elite" riders simply have more miles on the bike and are more comfortable in a lower position because of it. My general beginner advice is: choose frame geometries which get you low if your intent is to go fast. If your intent is to tour the countryside and take it casual, get a frame geometry not intended for racing (such as the H2, H3 or Roubaix).
Also note that Trek is not really in the race bike game anymore. The H2 geometry is too high for a race bike (I had to put mine through a lot of contortions to make it fit right) and their H1 geometry is only offered on their top end frames. They are not even putting standard size cranksets on most their bikes anymore; everything below the 6.x series is compact. They are clearly aiming at the middle age baby boomer market with money to burn rather than the poor college racer.
Your comments couldn't be more flawed. My tone as you put it is proportional to the level of disinformation dispensed on this forum including yours. You are like many if not most that look through their personal prism. You are a racer. You better re-read the OP's opening post. He says nothing of racing. He is not seeking a race bike. He is looking for a road bike. A road bike can be raced but the vast majority are not. The average road biker will not seek a racer position. In fact, some racers, including one of the greatest of the modern era rides in a pedestrian position. See below. My position is in fact very close to his. A good model for the average non racer in fact. This is the divide that often gets crossed on the 41. Cyclists here come from all walks and as a racer you clearly don't understand the OP's needs and hence all your mis-statements.