Get a c'dale or any other with good service and lifetime warranty. Don't worry about your frame and don't look behind.

Endless reading fun:

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...r-doesn-t-suck....

??? You've recommend BD bikes before. Now, you aren't. Consistently inconsistent.

Such a purchase would be, clearly, a harbinger of the apocalypse.

According to you, current carbon is not ready but you are considering a carbon Trek. Consistently inconsistent.

Hey, thanks so far for the tips..!

Anyone have a link for a "bike test ride" checklist...like what to ask the LBS and such? I know what to bring just need to know what other questions to ask regarding their frames ie: frame warranty.

Good link, thanks!

NJKayaker says:

Sometimes bikesdirect is the equitable choice and sometimes it's not. That was easy!

Currently carbon fiber excels in both road bike racing and DH MTN biking. It therefore, has proven itself on those fronts. However, I don't believe that I would want to tour with CF or commute in a large urban area with CF. Actually, I do believe quite seriously, that one day soon, CF will completely replace all other bicycle frame materials. It's just got to improve upon impact-resistance and its surface scratching, or gouging vulnerabilities, first.

Therefore, nothing particularly apocalyptic here. Just an opinion shaped by scientific results. ;)

- Slim :)

yes, but if someone suggests Cervelo (lifetime warranty), haters will say that the frames are made so cheaply that they can afford to keep replacing them.

If $2k is your price range, and you are looking at Cannondales I would check out the Cannondale CAAD 10 5 (or 4), the Cannondale Synapse carbon 6, and the Supersix 6. They will all feel and behave differently.

Quite frankly, if I was the op I would travel around to two or three local bike shops, test ride a bunch of bikes, talk with the salesguys about warranty, brands they sell, what services they offer beyond the sell and then pick the best bike shop with a bike I fit and enjoyed. I certainly wouldn't waste my time thinking about frame material beyond that.

For example, my local shop that I have a good relationship sells Trek, Raleigh and Cannondale. I can guarantee I can find a great roadbike from those three brands but the main reason I would buy from that shop is because of the test rides and service I find there and not what frame material it just happens to be made of.

+1

Agreed! Comfort and ride quality will always trump frame material!

100 years > lifetime

So, you think taking a bike on a tour or riding around the city will be harder on a bike frame than road racing and DH Mountain Biking?

OP, I got back into road cycling last year after 14 years on a Cannondale CAAD H300 hybrid. (awesome bike btw!). I rode many different models and decided on a 2010 Specialized Secteur Elite with SRAM Apex gruppo. Aluminum frame with CF fork. I've put 2000 miles on it and LOVE IT!!! I've upgraded the saddle and tires (not wheels, tires) and that's it. Sure, I'd like a full CF bike just for the kewl factor and the easy acceleration everyone tells me about (Pinarello Rohk on my wishlist). But for $1150 I got a really good bike that can hang with the CF'ers for 20 miles at 22-24mph pace. I'm regularly doing 45-50 mile rides with comfort. I'm planning to do my first century ever on this bike. Someday I'll upgrade to the Pinarello but until then I'll continue to be very happy with my Specialized.

DH MTN racing bikes are designed, constructed, and built, much differently than road bikes. I personally, would not deem it prudent to tour with a DH racing bike. Also, I would dread commuting with any type of dual suspension MTB, whether its frame is made of aluminum, chromoly steel, or carbon fiber. However, I would fear road irregularities with a CF road bike while touring.

Respectfully,

- Slim :)

^^^ This.

Wonder if you could do that on a daily basis without the eventual need of a warranty...

slim, you might want to look at some of the spring classics, like the ronde van vlaanderen, or paris-roubaix. some of the toughest roads raced on cf bikes by inhumans generating gobs of power.

According to Carbon Fiber fatigue life: Yes.

Unless of course you are talking about someone messing up a bunny hop, oh wait he did that in the blooper section right?

I have never done a tour with road irregularities worse than this

My dream bike. When I win the lottery, I am going to give Craig a call and have him build the bike of my dreams! Pricey, but they do come with a great 25 year warranty that IIRC is transferable.

Trek + Cannondale also have a good non-transferable lifetime frame warranty.

gorgeous

This doesn't explain anything.

How do you tell? By rolling dice? Have you rode any of the BD bikes you recommend?

Cannondale SuperSix EVO.
Supposedly "as" strong as aluminum in 3rd party impact tests.


^^^ That too. :D