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Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

Decisions!

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Old 05-21-04, 10:45 AM
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Decisions!

So this morning I went and took a ride on a leftover (03) Zurich double and man, was it nice. Of course, I've already test ridden a ton of bikes and now can't decide what I want.

Basically, it's down to the Zurich, a cro-mo Allez, a Specialized Roubaix (either alu/carbon or full carbon)

The Zurich is a double (I'm thinking triple)
The Allez and Roubaix come with 540 wheelsets (which I don't want)
The cost isn't as much a factor, as long as I don't go too nuts.

So, should I buy the Zurich and force myself to learn to climb or should I buy one of the others and spend more $$ to change the wheelset?

Does carbon appear ( I'm guessing there's not a lot of info yet) to have the same longevity as steel?
One more thing, anyone know ACTUAL weight on these rides?


Thanks,
PJ (The decision process is killing me) BAZ
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Old 05-21-04, 11:13 AM
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Buy the Zurich. Have them put a 12/27 cassette on it and you will climb fine with the double. Although I don't know the weight of the '03 Zurich, my Maillot Jaune with identical frame but different components is 18.5 lbs. with pedals and cages.

I have a carbon Trek 5500 as well. They too are wonderful if you want to spend that kind of money. It weighs in at 17.4 with pedals and cages.

I love them both but if I could only have one, I'd take the MJ. Why? Because I'm not opposed to taking it out in less-than-ideal conditions.

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Old 05-21-04, 11:15 AM
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Or change the Zurich to a triple.
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Old 05-21-04, 11:50 AM
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Buy the Zurich. Stay away from American Classic wheels.

Stay with the double. If you want later you can buy a compact crank loke the FSA Gossamer ISIS ($100-$140) and there you will hav a 34T inner ring. That with a 25 or 27T and you are good to go. Lighter and cleaner.
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Old 05-21-04, 12:41 PM
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I have a 03 Zurich and love it. The Bontrager wheel set is tops. I'm 175 and the wheels are still true at 4000 plus miles. I've added a few goodies for comfort not weight savings, as you can see, and the bike weighs in at 19lbs with pedals, two cages and a PI small bag with a spare tube and multi tool.
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Old 05-21-04, 01:29 PM
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I have an '01 Maillot Jaune-- Same frame... Get the Lemond... if it fits you right... you will not be disappointed... and if you worried about the double/triple thing... just get a 12/27 cassette, and learn to grind up hills... unless you are climbing Alpe d'Huez, there is no need for a Triple most places

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