cheg

After riding the same road bike for 25 years and completing RAMROD this year I have decided it's time to look for a new bike. One of the local bike shops has two Seven display bikes discounted to about $5K.
One is an Aerios with Chorus:



and the other is an Elium Race with Dura-Ace:



Both have Ksyrium SSC-SL wheels. The shop will switch out the component groups if I want I think I prefer the Campy.

I test rode them both last week and they both feel really good. The Elium felt a little smoother but the geometry of the Aerios was more like what I'm used to. The bike is for supported event rides like centuries & doubles, mountain rides like RAMROD, and club rides. I'm not a racer. Does anyone have experience with these bikes or other similar Ti and Carbon/Ti bikes? I'd like to know which you would prefer and why.

speedemon

I would choose to go with the Aerios since it's a full Ti!

the beef

Ah, very nice. Is that Greenlake or Bellevue? I work at the Alderwood location (soon to work at Greenlake), so if you're ever in be sure to say hi (name's Will)

I like that Aerios.

55/Rad

I have no experience with either but I have always loved the Elium.

ridethecliche

Aerios.
Keep the campy if you're so inclined. Swap the saddle, stem, and seatpost with the other bike.

Patriot

Elium is beautiful. My guess is it will be a slightly more flexy and smoother ride from the carbon. Just a guess.

Aerious is probably a little stiffer feeling, and will give you no worries of joint problems years from now. It's a lifetime frame.

I would go for the Elium personally, only because I already a full Ti frame.

RacerX

elium all the way
i like Dura-Ace over Chorus too. The carbon cranks will get scratched up and look like hell in short order and the rr derailleur as well. I also like the lighter touch and shape of the DA shifters over Campy's. All personal preference I suppose.

BengeBoy 

The background doesn't look like the Bellevue store to me...but I have seen a Seven in the Bellevue store all season (maybe since last Fall?) with a sales sticker.

No offense to Gregg's but since you live in Seattle why not have a Ti bike built locally?

www.davidsonbicycles.com

Nice people to work with; get exactly what you want built for you...no more expensive than Seven.

cheg

That is at the Greenlake store. I ride by the Alderwood store all the time commuting from North Seattle to Mukilteo. I'll stop in sometime.

cheg

I think the Davidson would cost more but I do plan to visit Elliot Bay before I buy.

BengeBoy 

Worth looking anyway. I realize that the Seven is "on sale" but I think you could get close w/custom build on a Davidson:


Davidson Ti price list (frames only):

Titanium Road 2199
Titanium Road with butted tubing 2599
Titanium with Carbon seat stay 2399
Titanium Carbon Boxxer 2599
Titanium Carbonara 3999
Titanium Touring or Cyclo-Cross 2299

thirtyminbreak

The Elium is quite a sharp looking bike in my opinion.

dnslater

Given that you rode your last bike for 25 years, will you do the same with this one? If so go for the full Ti.

cheg

Maybe, but that will make me 74 years old. I do tend to stick with what works though. I'd be close to ride number 1 on RAMROD at that point (they sort by age).

I'll have to ride it for 250 years to get the same return on investment I got on my current bike.

Surferbruce

full ti with campy!

MONGO!

Elium and Campy

bryceepoo

I never went in there, but I've seen a number of guys riding TiCycles that I understand are built right down in the U-district somewhere. They would be worth a look too if you're really wanting to shop around a little.

Otherwise, I think both of the Sevens are beautiful bikes.

StanSeven

I ended up buying the Aerios (used to be called Alta but Seven ran into some kind of Trademark challenge with the name) but planned on the Elium at first. I took the Elium for a long test ride and didn't like it. While it's Ti and CF and I hoped to have a ride combining the best features of both, the reverse was true. The CF tubes are just that, tubes, are are butted into the Ti. That make for a very comfortable, but "soft" ride.

I ended up going with the Aerios with stiffing tubing in the rear triangle to avoid flexing on sprints and steep climbs. I am very satified with it.

The Elium you are looking at the the "Race" model and not the regular. If you look at Seven's brochure, you'll see they rate it as a "10" for Race and Fast Club Rides, but a "3" on a Century. Since the Race model weighs 0.3 pounds more, that has got to be in building stiffness on the drivetrain. If you like the Elium, you may want to consider the non-race model.

drbianchi

TICycles frames are actually built in Portland (https://www.sandsmachine.com) and the University District shop closed this past winter re-opening as Counterbalance. Personally I'd go with a custom built, especially for a lifetime bike.

cuski

Definitely Campagnolo. That Ultra Torque crank is pure sex.