Best Budget Frame
 

I need to replace my current Allez Cromo Frame due to rust. What budget aluminum frame is the best. I am looking at the

Leader LD 717R
Scattante XLR Comp or Team
Nashbar AluC

Which one is the best overall. I will be doing overall riding (1-5 hour rides) with a couple of races thrown in.

Thanks

You might also consider this one. It has Columbus Zonal shaped tubing. I have one and like it a lot -stiff and solid feeling, pretty light, and good shock absorption with a carbon fork. I'd skip the carbon stays because of long-term reliability of the bonding.
http://bikeisland.com/cgi-bin/BKTK_S...ils&ProdID=622

Performance Scattante XRL

Budgets are like Rules, they are both meant to be broken.

fixed

Caad9 is over the budget unless anyone has found one for under about 350. Also, FWIW I ride about a 54.

Pedal Force RS carbon $595.00
Bottecchia carbon (search ebay for this one)

Planet-X SL Team Aluminium?
http://www.planet-x-warehouse.co.uk/...nium_Road.html

XRL Comp...just bought one and built it up last month...

The sum of the parts cost is below the asking price IMHO

Carbon fork
Nice 7005 Al frame ( "s" chain and seat stays, "egg shaped" (aero?) top and down tube)
FSA headset
Aluminum seat clamp
Spare rd mount
Nice finish... includes touch up paint

We paid $189...I'd buy another one if I had a use for it

How is the ride on it (harsh, smooth) and how stiff is it laterally. Also, where did you find that price?

Thanks

P.S. If anyone else has ridden the bikes they are recommending, let me know what they ride like.

motobecane le champ sl

$275

http://bikeisland.com/cgi-bin/BKTK_S...ls&ProdID=1041

bump

Since its wintery weather here, we have not been out and the bike is on a CycleOps trainer.

I would expect it will be stiff when riding.

There are others here who really like their XRL Comps who have more road experience than me.

Price was on-line; late last year

+1 It really is a nice frame...same one is used on this Bottecchia I own.

http://mysite.verizon.net/vzeej440/s...s/DSCN0169.JPG

According to TestRider.com it is the Van Dessel Hellafaster. According to the Van Dessel website the frame costs <$900.

For that price I would probably go for a Caad9.

Have you consider hunting down a used Ti Frame?

I have yet to find one in my budget...

Whoa there cowboy...first things first...what caused the rust? Sweat? Where the bike was stored? Saltwater? Rain? Why purchase a new bike that will end up rusted like the old one? Oh, and although aluminum wont rust, you will become intimately familiar with galling.

Soma Smoothie -> $336 from bikemaniz.biz + $10 for JP Weigle frame saver. It's a stiff, comfortable ride. I have found it to be much more pleasurable than my Alum/Carb bike, and it fits 28c with ease (should I need them). There are three nice color choices, but the green is no longer manufactured. Reviews on roadbikereview.com are excellent.

Good luck. I scowered CL, Ebay and other online classifieds last year and couldn't come up with one. Seriously, several times I called people about a frame and it was gone or I would bid and the auction would end early. I gave up eventually. The best resource I found was the Serotta forum classifieds.

OP, I know you can new Rocky Mountain framesest pretty cheap from a shop in Longmont, Colorado. They have an Ebay shop. Killer frames and superb customer service.

Why are CAAD9 frames so expensive, they generally retail about $100 less than the Sora-equipped complete bike

is that still going on?