Originally Posted by
Heatherbikes
I am looking at a Moser with aelle tubing and shimano 600, good condition, but over $700 plus shipping. in my quest to have better bikes in my life I am trying to find better quality bikes. Since I am small, I hardly ever see higher end bikes my size and can only imagine what SL is like. I have a reynolds 531 superset bike and it is nice... To me Columbus is exciting, surely all columbus is excellent right? In my searches some people consider it bottom of the barrel and cheap, while others find it perfectly fine. Is the bike too expensive? Would the ride quality be lacking with a tiny rider like myself?
Depends on what ride qualities you'll emphasize while riding the bike.
Aelle is a heavier-walled tube set, and that definitely means stiffer, for better and for worse.
The steering will be more precise and confident when you're descending a tricky back road at speed, but there might also be a slightly noticeable loss of comfort on bumpy roads.
I'm only 150lbs and have to say that I like the ride of heavier, stiffer frames, but geometry plays a bigger role and many of the cheaper frames have more-stable geometry.
Your fit on this Aelle-tubing bike is most important, for doing longer rides comfortably, but your fitness level and anticipated riding intensity weighs hugely on how you'll want to be fitted to the bike, and whether that bike is for you.
And tire pressure is a bigger comfort variable, so for non-competitive riding a wider set of rims and tires, run at modest pressure, will be safer and more comfortable, and the tread will last longer at the lower pressure.