Those Neil Pryde frames are awesome!

My comments on this thread:

1. Everyone is talking about super high end bikes when the OP is focused on entry level. Guys: at $2K max, he's not going to be getting a Neil Pryde or a Storck.

2. Carbon is really, really strong. People think you need to baby it which is a complete misconception. Carbon will not crack just from pedalling hard or from a jarring impact. It will crack if you over tighten a bolt or crash. When talking about normal riding around, no frame material is going to be tougher than carbon. Technically infinite fatigue life. They're building airliner fuselages out of the stuff now guys, it's plenty tough.

3. Lots of 240lbs+ guys on this forum. No value judgement, but every single thread seems to be about a guy who's 6'3", 250lbs. I'm in the land of giants. Also, this is not exactly typical cycling physique so it's probably fair to assume that most very high performance ultra light bikes bikes are not going to be engineered with Paul Bunyan in mind. I wouldn't worry about your frame at this size, I'd worry about wheels. You guys need 32 spokes, IMO.

There's a lot of people on this forum. The 240lb guys make the threads because they know normal bike equipment might not hold up for them the way it does for everyone else. The 175lb guys dont have to ask those questions, so when they post, their weight is never part of the conversation. BTW, I was 255 when I started riding. I'm a little over 220 now and still coming down. A lot of people started riding because of their weight and wanting to do something about it. That's not completely true for me, I used to ride a lot when I was younger and have finally gotten to a place in life where I can come back to it again.

I agree with you about wheels. Frames, even racing frames are so overdesigned, I wouldn't hesitate to buy anything on the market today even at my former weight. While pro racers gernerally arent heavy, they can crank out some serious torque and the frames (and wheels) have to be able to take it.

Yet another BF revelation.

Yes, there's no doubt that my 20-spoke wheels are the actual "weakest link" of my bike (in dealing with my 240 lbs). (In partial defense, I am 6'5"... )

That said, I've had no issues with my wheels in two years (Mavic Aksiums), despite only 20 spokes. They stay true, and the only slightly negative thing I've experienced has been a bit of occasional spoke "ping" when I am really mashing it in a low gear, going up a steep hill, which is only partly a weight issue. Granted, they're not the lightest wheels around.... But i can't complain about their ruggedness.

I take your point about guys at 175 not posting questions.

Also, I used to weigh 235 (at 5'9" with a 42" waist... sheesh) so I'm certainly not making any derogatory comments about that.

I do reserve the right to perceive the sight of a 5'10" 250lb guy in full Rapha lycra on a 15 pound Cervelo with Zipp 404s as potentially amusing. I have to be honest.

I nominate Slim Rider to conduct this test. He seems to be a man of unwavering consistency and objectivity.

Sorry Rat Fink,

I'll have to respectfully decline this most coveted assignment due to the fact that, I'VE GOT WARRANTS!

I was just wondering if someone could start another "should I get a carbon bike" thread before this one dies out or gets locked? Seriously I'd like to know more about the pros and cons of carbon without researching it myself.

well of course, cuz that's just funny.

Is it possible to selectively block posts from someone? As in, block [username] whenever they post about [word]?

Nope, if you ignore them you ignore them completely. Well, at least until someone quotes them.

I've told SlimRider many times about the "beat a Madone with a hammer test" that every Trek dealer will do when asked. He apparently still hasn't gone in there and asked.

Test the Allez, then the Tarmac.. same geometry, frame material is the only difference. Then test the F5, but realize that it has a longer top tube than the Spec'es, so don't test the same size (I am a 58 Felt F series, but a 58 Tarmac is too small). Test the CAAD last.

In the price range you are at, buy the F5. It is significantly stronger, as in less flexy and better power transfer, than the Tarmac SL2. I have this from some hours spent playing on both bikes on a Tacx Fortius trainer (in case anyone thinks that I am pulling it from my buttox). I would dare say that the Allez is stiffer than the SL2, but have not tested that specifically. I can say that my Nashbar frame gives better power transfer than the Tarmac SL2.

Or buy a Ridley Orion 105 from Glory Cycles. That is a smokin' bike, without looking all roundy round space age modern carbon designed by a third grader after watching a 24 hour Jetson's marathon, while alternating hits of hash and coke.

Quite possibly the most amusing post on BF early in this new year.

Yep! However, sometimes this is the price one pays to lower one's 'irritation levels.' My main regret is that a certain 'frequent poster' continues to prey on newbies (especially on another board in these forums), passing off ill-informed (and ill-expressed) opinion as if it were objective fact. But ... so it goes.

Let's be real men about it and address one another directly.

Thus far, all I'm hearing is gossip minus fact.

- Slim

I really don't think the op can go wrong with any of the major brands. Just pick a bike from what ever brands you are interested in your price range and simply google reviews for the bike. If you don't know what you want make it simple and pick a few by looks alone and then research. You will get a good idea of what you want from reading on your own. Sometimes reading opinions on a forum confuses the issue more that it helps. Once you go through all of the possible bikes look at the specs and any other points you consider important. If you don't know what's important just read others experiences and certain points will stand out. Look up a dealer near you for whatever bikes you think are interesting, go test ride a few and buy one. That's what I did and I had no clue what to really look for. The bike I bought was/is fantastic for the money and once I rode it for several thousand miles I determined what worked and didn't work and purchased a high end bike based on my new set of wants from riding. The bike I ride now is pretty much ideal for me and after riding it I will build on the experience and my next bike should be even better.

You mean like manly men doing manly things with other manly men?








...oh, wait...

Fify.

Bob Dopolina says:

Yes! Like boxing, wrestling, dueling, debating....

What were you thinking?

...oh, wait...I think we already know what you were thinking!

Alright BarracksSi,

Just give me a couple examples where I was "typing" without including facts?

Thus far, out of all of my post, I can only remember one. That was recent and is directly related to me not remembering one of Bob Dopolina posts. That's it!

I always try my best to post factual material. Otherwise, why even bother. I always try to be helpful and courteous to those who would extend the same. You of all people have personally witnessed this fact at length with a certain newbie (Zeerith) who was interested in purchasing a Triathlon road bike.

yeah but you do this in every single thread about frame material, new bike threads, and many others. and then you end up with pages of arguing that nobody ever "wins". i don't see how you can say that you're trying to be helpful when you have to know what's going to happen. if you are really trying to helpful maybe you just should drop the campaign, suppress every urge you have to "help" and just let the fools have their frame material debates.

This is why I wanted to "block [SlimRider] whenever he posts about [carbon]". Not every post of his is useless, but these material debates of his are exceptionally tiring.