Looking to Upgrade from Domane
 

Good Morning Cyclists!

I want to upgrade from my Trek Domane Carbon 5 Series. I am looking for a more sporty endurance bike with compliance yet still be stiff and sprightly. I am a heavy rider (220) looking to get back to 180. Most of my riding is solo in relatively flat places in the North Shore MA. I sometime ride in Maine where it is more hilly. Eighteen years ago I was a CAT 5 rider and did a few crits and road races. I was never very good at it because I was not aggressive enough and usually got dropped. But I had fun. I rode but I was a better volunteer than racer. I used to commute to Boston a couple of times a week and do the Wednesday Hill Climb with a local shop. I averaged around 100 miles per week.


I try to ride when I can, but work and kids seem to take up my time. I am trying to get out there more to lose weight and get fit.


So currently I have been riding 2-3 times a week 10-25 miles. Average speed around 16 MPH. I am riding a Century in June if they still have the event.


My current bikes are the Trek Domane and a Lauf Anywhere.


I like the Trek but I don't like the IsoSpeed decoupler. It sometimes feels bouncy but that is usually when I am in the wrong gear. Other than that I like the feel and fit of the Trek though I want disc brakes on my next bike. I want a more racy feel but still retaining the relaxed position with some compliance to absorb road vibration and some of the bumps from uneven pavement. Riding cobbles sucks and I have the Lauf for more adventurous riding.


I bought the Lauf to ride in the winter after the ski areas closed. I was riding in the dark with headlights a couple of times a week and on weekends. The wider tires helped give me confidence riding in the dark and hitting winter crud and potholes. It is also the bike I take when I ride with my family (wife and 7 YO Son). I have mountain pedals on it so I can ride in sneakers or clip in with MTB shoes when its just me on a ride. We ride on bike paths and some gravel or dirt bikeways. The Trek didn't cut it for that.


I rode the Tour De Cure Century in Kennebunk two years ago but was not able to get out on the road to train due to it snowing all through march/April and the event being in May. I hung with the lead group for the first 40 miles on the flats along the coast but once we turned inland I was dropped on the first hill. I finished but was the last one besides those who DNF.


My goals are to get fit. Ride longer and faster. Pretty much my riding will be solo but if I get back in shape I may try some moderate group rides. I want to up my average speed to 18-20 mph and be able to ride 50-60 miles. I'd like to try riding through the White Mountains and the gravel trail from NH to Bethel Maine.


So yeah I'm looking for a nice bike to help me get there and make my riding enjoyable and fast as possible given all my limitations.


My short list is:

BMC Roadmachine One (Two or Four)

Cervelo S3 - was recommended by a local bike shop as having a good fit for me and being a compliant aero bike

Eddy Merckx New 525 but I am not sure on fit or comfort. It is so sweet looking. (anyone own one?)

Canyon Endurace

Parlee Altum


Any insight on these and suggestions will be greatly appreciated!

Have you considered 2020 Domane SLR with the Pro Endurance fit? Lower and sleeker with all the comfort of the standard Domane. It has a well-damped adjustable decoupler. It managed any of the oscillations that you've mentioned. I'm enjoying mine considerably more than my 2017 Domane SLR.

I have not because I felt the decoupler was so bouncy. I should try to test ride one before I cross it off.

Might want to check out the Giant Defy as well, love mine, very comfortable, but still stiff enough for when you want to hammer it.

I recently switched from a 2018 Domane SL5 to a Cervelo R3 Disc. I don't know how the R3 and S3 compare in terms of compliance, but the R3 does a pretty good job in that regard. The R3 doesn't soak up road cracks and seams like the Domane does, but it's a more lively, responsive ride and I'm at the point where I find that an acceptable trade-off, even for longer rides (caveat - I've only done a few 60+ mile rides on the R3 in the month and a half that I've had it on the road - based on those, I think that it'll be just fine for 100+, but I haven't done that yet).

If you're looking for a more enjoyable ride, and the S3 has similar DNA to the R3, I'd give an enthusiastic endorsement.

....but if you're expecting consistently and significantly faster times from just the bike change, I'd say that you might want to temper your expectations. Unless you're moving to a bike with a more aggressive geometry, and you're able to take advantage of that more aggressive fit, you're not likely to see a huge difference. Also, I'd say that as the rides get longer (6, 7, 8+ hours), the more it's in the Domane's wheelhouse - the cumulative effect of all of those bumps can add up, and that can significantly hamper the human body part of the performance equation. In an ideal world, you'd keep a bike like the Domane around for really long rides and have a more fun, lively bike around for the shorter stuff.

I forgot to touch on this. I'm not that far off of your size - I'm currently about 185-190 lbs, but I've ridden my Domane in the 210-215 lbs region - and I have never experienced any bounce that was the decoupler's fault. If you've got a choppy stroke, it can certainly amplify that, but it's never been the source of the problem, in my experience.

Thank you. Good to hear about the R3 hopefully that carries over to the S3. With kids there is no way I'll be riding longer than three hours max at a time unless its a charity ride (my wife wouldn't believe me if I said I was going on an 8 hour bike ride LOL). I am hoping to work my way up to 60+ miles over the season. I have gone 25 so far.

I know a new bike doesn't magically make me better stronger faster. I am just looking for a more lively ride but still retain the comfort if I can.

I 100% agree. It is usually when I am shifting and I am in the wrong gear. I still don't like it though.

I was looking at carbon endurance bikes a few seasons ago and liked the Bianchi Infinito CV the best. I ended up getting a ti Seven with SR which I like even better.

Honestly if you don't like the iso speed I'd go with the emonda, lighter and still very comfortable.

The Bianchi Infinito is supposed to be quite good for what you are looking for.

Or maybe try something in modern steel, like this Daccordi: https://www.daccordicycles.com/road-bikes/profidea/

Thanks! Is the geometry similar?

Yes it is if you get the H2 geometry. The Emonda would be a good choice.
Giant Defy is also a good option.

It's similar if you get the H2 fit but emonda is lighter, has a slightly shorter head tube and slightly longer reach.

OP - looking at your requirements, another vote for the Cervelo R-series. I have a nice, stiff, most-road-like aero bike in the Venge, and I have an R5, and I think the R5 is a better all-around bike

Dont get me wrong - the Venge and the S5 do provide a small aero advantage which is nice in road races or if you are trying to win a sprint finish and need that last little bit of help. But the overall ride quality of the R5 is flat-out amazing. It is super-stiff and responsive, quick to accelerate and yet doesnt beat you up. I have always found "smooth rides" to be boring AF - this is the first bike i have ridden that is super-responsive and quick to accelerate, without being jarring. I cannot recommend it highly enough. Cervelo designed this bike to a grand tour bike as well as a cobbles racer, and they nailed it.

My first thought was the RoadMachine. However it may be too aggressive at the front end.

I'll throw the Cervelo C series in there.

The Bianchi looks very nice but I can't get past the color. Those Seven's are so sweet! Firefly is another Ti builder in MA that make very nice bikes.

This one may be better. You said you wanted disk brakes anyway. If you are considering Ti at all, it's worth looking into. I love mine and figure I'll like it for a long time since Ti frames don't really change that much.

I think worth mentioning, is I believe the newest SLR models have a tunable ISO decoupler for the top tube, allowing a setting from firm to soft, while I think the SL has just a fixed setting that's somewhere in the middle of the softness range.

Yes, that one is sweet! Do you know what model year that is? It's not on the regular website.
Found it that is a 2016 model. Which is a bummer because I really liked it.

Thanks!

I have a Bianchi Infinito CV and love it. It's an endurance bike and I would put it into the category with the Domane and the other bikes you named. It's a great bike, I have put over 1,000 miles on it since last November, with the bulk of those miles in the past two months.

Sorry about that. I didn't realize I was recommending old models.

Ha Ha no worries...it's a bummer because it was pretty sweet!

Pretty Awesome Project One Dream Bike!
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...a9a6d81c0b.png

I'm still an advocate for the 2020 Project One Domane SLR...can't imagine a better quiver killer...

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...e9cf56ae_k.jpg