Is your name Allan Davis? You know you get a free bike when you rock up to the 1st training camp....lol.

:D

I told ya to go out on Satdee. It ended up being stinking hot when the sun came out.

You HAVE to go tonight!! :)

Oh okay. I didn't really. But after wasting my whole lunchtime at the local finding out that in my price range the ONLY bikes they could get me this year were the Giant TCR Composite Euro and some Cannondale back breakers. Then seeing an OCR1 sitting there in my size for $1899, I was a bees dick away from just buying the fooker there and then. I'm mean I'm just a stinkin noob anyway. I wouldn't be able to pick the difference between that and a 10k BMC while riding anyway. :(

ed: I heard a whooshing sound as that went straight over my head. ;)

And Hitchy, nicorette patches work well for that kind of craving don't they?

...there used to be a bloke on this forum, name similar to yours actually, was gunna defy the missus, spend $5K on a new Orbea...spent months looking at bikes, some of them pretty decent....standing up to the missus for a bike, now theres a bloke with balls!...dunno what happened to him.....i reckon she mighta cut 'em off.....:D

Hitchy

Yup. :(

I'm still on the couch to, though not really related.

Same 'ere. :)

Was that OCR or TCR? I wouldn't pay more than $1000 for an OCR. In my opinion OCR frames are junk.

I'm not the one to give "life" advice, but if the misses gets the claws in, you won't be
spending $5000 on a bike in three or four years time -- it'll be all over. :p

SO DO IT NOW :D

...I shoulda read the next post....i thought you'd actually done it...phew...I'm relieved. But if you're already sleeping on the couch & it's unrelated to the bike...what the hell...how much more trouble can you get into......they get over it.........(eventually)......you reckon my missus was pleased when a KG486 came to live at my place?......it took the wind out of her sails when we was 'blueing' & ahe accused me of loving the bike more than I loved her....& i agreed with her!......the couch woulda been Looxury....man i had to push the dog outta his kennel!

Hitchy

Quick, guys; we'll get him to buy TODAY!!!

The Specialized Roubaix for $4000, or the Orbea (Unica or Ventoux?) for $4800

Zabel's dream apprentice
An interview with Allan Davis

He may be only 24 years old and he may be from the other side of the world, but Aussie Allan Davis has just enjoyed his best season ever and has caught the eye and attention of one of the greatest modern day riders, who has a dream of taking him under his wing and becoming his lead-out man.

"One of my dreams is that [Walter] Godefroot, the manager of our team, takes Davis, Allan Davis under contract, and I will be his lead-out man for one or two years more to help him to be one of the best sprinters."

"You think he has got class?" replied our slightly bemused Cyclingnews correspondent Martin Hardie to Erik Zabel on the eve of the final time trial at this year's Vuelta a España, unwilling to let the German's bone-dry humour get the better of him so soon.

"When he comes [to Europe] in February, every year he is in good shape from the races in Australia, and then in Vuelta of Majorca he is nearly unbeatable," said the now quite clearly serious Zabel, after being beaten by Davis this year at the aforementioned Challenge Illes Balears races. Twice in four days, in fact. "I think with very good lead-out men and with a little more experience, he will be like Tom Boonen in the sprints," he predicted.

Assured he was no longer kidding, our correspondent went on to say: "I heard a few days ago from someone close to the Australian team that he actually thinks Allan Davis could win [the World Road Championships] in Verona... "

To which Zabel replied: "Why not?"

Nah, an OCR. I wouldn't normally get an OCR either, but that's how desperate I'm getting. Never fear. I wont cave that easily. ;)

And yeah, I'm working feverishly on not only getting off the couch, but making her feel guilty to boot. Then I'll STRIKE!!! :D

Hey Hitchy, did you say all the TCR frames are better this year or only the TCR Composite Zero?

Oh hey. Went for a quick spin on that Roubaix today. It was a 56 and it was to big for me. And to get the next size down they'll have to get one in and I'll have to pay around $4300 (with shoes and pedals).

As for the Orbea, they just call it the Onix C in the mag add.

Still feeling the turblence around my ears. :)

In the same vein I told the missus in a sillier moment that I was going to win the Tour De Frenchies and the Olympic roadrace in the same year in 2008 (at the age of 36). :p

What's your inseam?

Is the Roubaix too long? Wasn't just a too long stem, or the levers were too low on the bars?

I told my parents a similar thing when I was about 22, after they wondered why I wouldn't work.
So I got a job in gym, working about 12 hrs a week :rolleyes:

My inseam is about 33. I'm 5 ft 10 (ie short body).

Yeah it did have a long stem, but I really did feel like I was holding a superman pose on the thing. I'm not sure if a short stem would have fixed it.

lol. Nothing like a flash work ethic. I wonder what my excuse is at 32. ;)

So that's it then -- bolt down to Orange and buy the Orbea. :)

Done then. :D

Still think I might hold off spneding the 5k though. Probably can't justify it.

I'll get this for $3.7 (Mitis, not Lobular frame though)

2004?

Nah 2005. or at least I think it is. As per the catalogue in Ride.

....according to the giant guy at the show...all of em. He was saying that they had been getting a lot of negative feed back from 'serious' cyclists.....this coupled with some of the work they had to do to get 'in' with T mobile, meant a lot more thought went into the handling of the frame....the euro looks pretty good too I reckon.....I'm up for a ride on one shortly....my LBS is getting one in for floor stock & has promised to let me have it for a crit soon.....I might have to revise my opinion of these things....anyway, Giant admitting that they had some work to do to be taken seriously is a step in the right direction...sure like the look o' them Orbea's though.....

Hitchy

Yeah that's the thing. I don't know what they look like in real life, but I think the TCR carbons look shocking this year in the catalogue with those bloody flames. They'd be sweet if they just had a clean transition between the colour and the carbon.

So it's between Orange and Bathurst. Orbea Liege C ( Centaur - Alu/Carbon) or TCR Euro (Centaur - Carbon). Both at about $3.75k. Liege C is 8.8 kg. I'd imagine the TCR would be about 8. Will a bit over half a kg make a huge difference? Will I be able to live with the Giants crap looks?

Hey Scoz. Just talked to the local Orbea dude. He quoted $2800 for Orbea Lobular 100% carbon. Don't know if there's any difference between it and the 04 frame. But that's a lot of dough.

half kilo is just a tad over one metric dump. I don't think you'll notice a heck of difference, although your wallet might feel a bit lighter.

Will I be able to live with the Giants crap looks? Prolly not.

A metric dump. lol. I'll make sure I drop a grogan evertime before I ride. ;)

...one thing I do know about bikes, whatever your choice, you've gotta be happy with it. If you don't like how it looks, or handles, no amount of money spent or saved will stop you from regreting it. You might rationalise it to yourself on price, or reputation, or how it handles, but if you don't love it YOU'LL always know, regardless of what you tell other people. All other things being equal, go with how YOU feel about the bike

Hitchy