Good question.
It is close and if it would be an inch closer it would become troublesome ... but I believe I found the perfect "hybrid handlebar" with this setup.
The thing is: I don't "sprint".
This bike is meant to be used for Sunday tri club training rides and for doing tri races.
Contrary to most short tri aerobars, this one allows the tops of the handlebar to still remain usable for climbing, which I like.
Even out of the saddle it is still okay ... you don't want to be too much forward to not loose traction on the rear wheel anyway, right?
That picture is on top of "De Muur", a 20% cobblestone hill (you probably know it by name) and I managed to do that without any problem.
The aero position is pretty aggressive and my knees almost but not quite touch my elbows.
It'll definitely take a while to get completely used to but I like it already :)

Stereotype much?
Some of the guys in my tri club went to do the "Giro delle Dolomiti" this summer.
Those guys can probably destroy 99% of the posters here on any mountain.

Your insinuation that price is factoring in to my opinion leads me to believe that the problem is that price is clouding your opinion. Between you and Mr If-the-Bars-Aren't-Rotated-Within-+/-2°-of-My-Preference,-it's-Not-Hot, is there any wonder that HoN is a farce?

Life is a farce.
I took another look at the first weird-blue Colnago.
I made myself believe that it is a middle priced bike for normal people.
I thought about it ... and I decided that I believe it is a really ugly paint job.
May be people liked that sort of design in the eighties ... I don't know ... but I don't like it at all.

What say we calm down a bit in here.

Frankly, I'm a believer in that you don't have to go overboard in registering your dislike for someone's bike. Excessive is excessive.

Smokin' comback.

Correct, but others seem to think that it is justified by their refined tastes and high standards. Ha.

I agree, but he actually "dared" us to, though.
The only thing I did was express my opinion.
I did that using Thomas Gordon's "I Message".
I wouldn't even have bothered if he wouldn't have dared.
I'm just a sucker for dares ;)
Then Mr. WhyFi came in and stated that my opinion was in fact not my opinion :facepalm:

Whatever.

These threads ask for this behavior.
You ask to be judged, you better be prepared for a few "Simon Cowell/Gordon Ramsey" remarks.

We all have our own opinions, when people try to question our opinions(not you BillyD) we usually have to explain ourselves.

While I'm not usually too harsh, I do agree with some of the members that are harsh.
Honesty/telling you the way it is is not wrong IMO.
Again only my opinion...
It would be such a boring world if we all had the same opinions/views.
In happen to like the white Nago, I'd break up the white with a black seat post. Do want it to seem I'm riding a ghost bike.
The blue is gawdy, & the black one is chunky. I like good old "lugged goodness" but they did it wrong there.

How did Colnago do the lugs wrong?

Let's get back to the question at hand...someone post a nice "budget" build. Please?

Covered them up with 3lbs of paint...

If you insist...my race bike:

http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l1...ps98bfb3a2.jpg

This was originally posted in the thread on the 33, and I copied and pasted the following from there:

The basis of the bike is a 58cm 2012 Specialized Allez E5 frameset that I got off of eBay. It replaced the 61cm 2011 Allez E5 frameset that I bought when I thought I needed a lot of head tube. I transferred the majority of the parts off the 2011, with the exception of the crankset. The parts are:

DA 7800 shifters and RD
Force FD
FSA SL-K Light BB30 crankset (39/53)
Deda RHM01 bars
Specialized Multi-Comp stem
Selle Italia Turbomatic saddle
Ultegra 6600 brakes
Handbuilt wheels - DT Swiss RR465 rims, Ultegra 6700 hubs, 32 spokes laced 3X
Michelin Krylion 700x25 tires
King stainless cages

Weight, less the seat bag, is 19.06 lbs. Update: Switched wheelset out to Open Pros, 32 spokes laced 3x, Powertap Pro+ rear and Ultegra 6700 front hubs; switched saddle to San Marco Regale. Also peeled off funky SRAM frog sticker.

New to the forum and road biking, so budget is my thing. Diamondback Podium 3 (2013) 60cm. I'm a sucker for upgrades: Ultegra compact crankset to replace the FSA Omega, and BWW 'pure aero' wheels to replace the DB house wheels. Had a professional fitting, which included new stem and wider drop bars (I'm 6'3/225 with wide shoulders and long arms, so the bike is a bit small for me). Also got some Conti Gator Hardshell 25cm tires. Total for the bike, fitting (including bars, stem, bar tape), wheels, tubes, tires, crankset (including new bottom bracket and associated tools), Specialized saddle, iphone carrier, seat bag w/ tool, flat kit, tube, CO2 cartridges, pedals, etc.... is about $1,900. Sadly, the bike itself was well under half that, but everything else added up quickly.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y46...psde5e163b.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y46...ps3e72e28f.jpg

Not!!! Is that an iPad on your stem!!??

Maybe it's just me but I think bikes with larger frames have a disadvantage in the "hot or not" category.

Harsh crowd. It's an iphone case. Shockproof and waterproof.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y46...ps8b5af804.jpg
Bianchi10, I'm in OC too, so be kind ;)

thats a lot of phone to ride with! Where in OC?

It's a bit bulkier than I thought it was, but I like the protection it offers. I'm near McLoughlin Elementary School on South End Rd. I did a quick shakedown ride to Haggen and back since getting fitted and installing the new wheels and crankset. Frankly, I'm not a fan of the blue color, but it was the right price and has good components.

ok, I'm up off of holcomb

Unless we think it's excessive. Then . . . .

This is an excellent example of just how well "sorted" a bike can be and still not quite hit the "hot" button (at least for me). There's absolutely nothing wrong with this bike. I like it. It's very similiar to my own build. Everything about it is "well considered" and functional for the job of racing/training.

The DT Swiss 465s are excellent wheels, but, somehow don't have even alloy "bling". The Turbomatic saddle is a nuevo classic. The parts are all of reasonable quality and perfectly functional. It doesn't have any glaring flaws or faults.

The only things I could imagine recommending to improve it's "hot or not" curb appeal would be to lose the saddle bag, remove the stem spacers and move the levers down until they present a level platform with the bars.

Oh so close, but, Not.

From one big dude (6'5" 250lb) to another: Sorry, but, NOT.

Big frames always start with a disadvantage. No matter how we dress them up, they're still like a 6'5" female volleyball player. Every now or then you might get a Gabrielle Reece, but, compared to the generally held asthetic most just end up looking a bit too tall and disproportioned .

Then, there's the Cray supercomputer strapped to the bars. You'd have to lose that to even stand a chance at hot. As well as the seat bag.

Basic staging error: To have a fighting chance, you need to have it on the Big Ring / Little Cog, not the other way around. Unless you live at the top of Mt. Ventoux or Doom.

While the positive angels stem may be necessary for your fit. For hotnesses sake it would need to be flipped. (Which is an easy 5 bolt manuever.)

Given my input, it's probably only fair that I submit my ride latest ride for consideration:

[IMG]http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/...ps2404d71c.jpg[/IMG]

It's what I would consider "well considered" and "reasonably sorted". I know what I would change if I were going for "hotness" at the expense of other considerations. But, will wait to hear what the rest of you have to offer before divulging my thoughts.

Frame: 2nd hand custom designed by Ryan Jezek and welded by Ventana
Fork: Easton EC90SL (new)
Cranks: Andel 200mm (new)
Stem: 0deg Thomson
Bars: 46cm Ritchey Logic Curve (new)
Post: Easton EC90Sl
Saddle: Selle Italia SLR T1
Levers: Dura Ace 7900
Fr Der.: 6600 Ultegra
Rr Der.: 6600
Brakes: 6600
Cables: Yokozuma (new)
Pedals: 105
Hubs: 6700 Ultegra
Rims: DT Swiss 585
Spokes: DT Swiss Comp. (2.0/1.8)
Nipples: Brass
Tires: Conti GP4Season 25f/28r (new)
Cages: Matching pair of 15 y.o. Specialized of an old mtb

Totatl build cost <$1500usd

Without MS paint ... but, with lots-o-stickers.
https://sphotos-a-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/h...93834541_n.jpg

https://sphotos-b-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/h...03350079_n.jpg