I've gotta say that Fitzroy Cycles in Carnegie (i think it's Carnegie -- on Princes Highway....you know, near that gym) are having a HUGE SALE on frames.

Most frames are selling for half price. There's a LeMond there for $900!!
They have about half a dozen Bianchi Borons for about $1100.

What else? Some Bassos, a couple of Wiliers for about $1350, a LOOK AL384.

I stood there for ages trying to get one of the frames to "like" me, but I dunno.

What can you tell me about those Bianchi Borons?

ANY OTHER FRAME SALES IN MELBOURNE?

Thanks 531Aussie. We don't really know anyone who knows more about bikes than me (which is not much). And unfortunately, living out in the boonies here makes it a bit hard to get around to a lot of shops and see what people are selling things for and look for a bargain. And yeah, I know I should go second hand, but I'm just wary of it. I haven't looked at the trading post though, so I might give that a sqiz. Thanks. :)

Well just had a look at the trading post sorted into my price range Australia wide. There didn't seem like much and most was crap prices. Only about 2 that made me look furthur and they don't give enough info for you to draw any conclusions.

Nah, considering where I live it just seems going 2nd had could get expensive and time consuming fairly quick.

You're probably right.

I reckon the other idea of getting a group discount with you and your mates might be the way to go.

G'day badsac,

The TCR 2 @ $4.5 is overpriced. You can get the same frame & gruppo (ultegra) but with cheaper Shimano 540 wheels for well under $3K. (I suspect Giant has a new model on the way). These things are good value for money @ this price point, as long as you're not after high end. The 6-13 @ $5.5K is cheap, depending on what gruppo is on it, ( for that price it's not likely to be one of the 'better' ones). If I was you & just new to road biking, especially if you're not sure you want to race.....I would be looking to spend as little as possible at this stage. Shimano 105 is a perfectly reliable gruppo for a 'tourer'. The only real differences are the 'crispness' of the shift & the weight, between it & Ultegra.(......and the cost). I would recommend 105 for your purposes, don't be tempted to spend money on DA or Record, in your situation it's not worth it. You might be able to get a really good deal on 9 speed Ultegra though, as 10 sp is coming in Nov, they might be looKing to clear 9 sp......shop around. Carbon frames are nice, but is that what suits you?.....is weight an issue?, (yours or the frames?)....its no use spending mega bucks on the latest 'highend, you beaut, go faster lightweight, frame' if you are 110 kgs...the economics don't work. Shop around & test ride everything, try not to be tempted by the highend stuff (unless money is no object!)...choose what is right for you,

cheers,

Hitchy

Thanks Hitchy. Part of the reason for me posting was to hopefully get dragged back to reality. Yeah it's easy for me to get dazzled by the pretty things priced up in the stratosphere. I was initially looking at something with 105, and I guess I shouldn't get pulled away from that. That Six13 had Ultegra all round for what it's worth.

G'day,

the 6-13 with ultegra @ $5.5?...what wheels?....if it's anything reasonable (& you've got the bucks), it could be worth 'negotiating' further on the 'sticker price'....the 6-13 is an extremely light weight frameset,to which you can upgrade later if you wish. The Ultegra is 'race friendly' & as i said, you may be able to negotiate a deal on that price cos its about to be superceded by the 10sp, (but the 9sp at a good price is a very good gruppo!)....all in all, a very nice set up (depending on the wheels), that is probably to good for what you want to use it for, (better than the TCR ), but hey...if you've got the bucks...a very good set up that you won't need to upgrade for awhile, (lifetime warranty on Cannondale frames too!)

cheers,

Hitchy

Aww Hitchy. Don't say that. Now I'm tempted again. I can afford it but it's still a lot of money for a road noob.

Not sure on the wheels. Will find out.

Oops I was wrong. It's got Centaur not Ultegra. Wheels are Campag Zondas. Don't think it would be the bike for me though. Dude at the shop said he rode it, and while it's handling was super resonsive and accelerated hard, it's ride kicked his ass. I might want something that wouldnt' knock me around so much.

G'day,

OK, with centaur & Zonda's it's probably not such godd value. The frame is cerainly stiff, but you want them to be. I've ridden the 6-13 in my search for my own new bike, & liked it alot....it had a few drawbacks but being so light made up for many of them. I didn't notice it being any 'harsher' than others though. OK, back to the TCR, I really don't like them, (for me), but you can't fault the value for money. As I said before, you can get the TCR (whatever number) with Ultegra, reasonable build kit & Shimano 540's for $2700 in Sydney if you hunt around. With the TCR's the frame is exactly the same through all the models, so only the gruppo,build kit & wheels change throughout the models. This gives you a cheap buy at the start, & something you can build on if you choose later. Having said that, though, don't be sold on 'composite' frames just because they are the material 'de jour'. Other materials provide fantastic rides as well, (although the ride on my Look is so smooth it otta have handles!)......check out the carbon forked & seat stay models in ALU by Avanti, which should also be cheap....but most importantly, ride them all. A cheap bike is no good if you hate it,

cheers,

Hitchy

Yeah, 105 is kinda like the starting point for components if you're half way serious. Have a scout around for some deals on 105 equipped bikes. As we're coming into Summer now, shops will be looking into clearing out 04 stock in the upcoming months, so now is the best time.

BMX bandit steals gold

By LEO SCHLINKin Athens

August 25, 2004

RYAN Bayley – the man with the most controversial diet in international sport – today completed an amazing rags to riches story by snatching the sprint gold medal.


The former BMX star produced a pair of exhilarating rides to overwhelm the hot favourite and deliver Australia's 14th gold medal – the fourth by a cyclist at these Games.

But Bayley was more shocked to see girlfriend Katrina Pur- cell in the crowd than by winning gold.


The 22-year-old had snuck in the front row, having come to Athens without telling him.


After the race, the couple embraced in front of a packed crowd at the Athens velodrome.


"He didn't know I was coming here and that's the first time he's seen me," Ms Purcell said.


"It was just amazing to see him win. He deserves this – he's been training really, really hard."


Ms Purcell had been in the crowd every night but had not wanted to disturb Bayley.


"I've been text messaging him the whole time but we haven't spoken . . . since Sunday. I wanted him to concentrate on the race," she said.


And concentrate he did to just beat world champion Theo Bos.


"This is unbelievable," Bayley said after being handed a packet of Tim Tams from Ms Purcell, a nutritionist.


"I don't have the words to describe it.


"It is absolutely unbelievable."


Addicted to fast food and sugary drinks – he is known as the KFC Kid.


"If he eats breakfast at all it is a whole packet of Tim Tams," said Ms Purcell.


"If anybody asks what I do he says, 'She's at uni, doing some science degree'. He never admits I'm a nutritionist."


Bayley posted one of the greatest, most dramatic wins ever seen in Olympic sprint competition.


Bos nailed Bayley by 2cm in the first round of the final after the Australian skipped away heading into the back straight.


But the Perth flyer avenged the narrow loss with a phenomenal surge to the line in the second ride, lifting his front wheel into the air in a signature throw to the line to triumph by 5cm.


And, bristling with anger, he saved the best for last with a devastating surge to eclipse Bos with a wondrous drive to the line, reaching speeds of almost 70km/h.


Bayley is the first Australian to win the track cycling sprint gold.


He overwhelmed Frenchman Laurent Gane in straight races in the semi-final to earn a rematch with his world championship nemesis Bos.


And once there, he was savagely ambitious.


"I remembered what happened with Theo at the world championships and I didn't want it to happen again," he said.


"I just went out there and went after it – and it happened."


German Rene Wolff won the bronze medal over Gane, who will now retire to his native New Caledonia.



A former motorcross and BMX state title-holder, Bayley was persuaded to switch to track competition after watching the 1996 Atlanta Olympics with his father Wayne.



He also claims to have the lowest body fat "of anybody in the AIS, so I can't see why I should have to change it".


Ms Purcell said she would probably let Bayley keep indulging in junk food as a reward for winning the gold medal but after that it would be back to salads.

http://dailytelegraph.news.com.au/st...toryid=1834474

g'day,

I read somewhere that as part of it's olympic sponsorship, 'coke' have made available 500 cans of coke to each competitor. these are aceesed from machines in the athletes village. Apparently they were all issued with a 'swipe' card or something, that allows them to get free coke from the machine. I heard that 'Flyin' ryan' had vowed to use up his whole allotment....hmmmm 500 cans in 20 days.........

I also read today that one of the Oz swimmers had set an unofficial world record in the athletes village....94 chicken Mcnuggets......the challenge is on!.....stories like these make ya proud to be an Aussie!......stand up, stand up australia for these athletes have done you proud!,

cheers,

Hitchy

Ah another cyclist with petrol running through his veins! Conrod yes, ten-tenths no.

Classic!!

They were saying on SEN this morning that the Big Man spotted Bayley's girlfriend in the crowd and told him, ruining her surprise.

Ross Stevenson said it was Grant Hackett :)

I once had 37 Weet-Bix!!!!! RAAAAAH....beat that :D

14 stubbies of Tooheys Extra Dry?

BLAH......Tooheys???!!!??? :p

g'day,

when I was at Uni, back when dinosaurs ruled the earth, (so my daughter reckons!), the 'beer appreciation Club', of which I was a member, used to have an organised competition for a pub crawl. They issued each competitor with a map of all the drinking establishements in the CBD (something like 60 at that time). you had to have 1 pot in as many pubs as possible between 10am & 10pm (opening & closing hours back then)...you had to get a form signed by the barman in each pub & had a 'sober' adjudicator with you for verification. Heaps of rules, like go back a pub if you had a piss, you could spew, but disqualified unless you ate it! (all highbrow stuff, but hey it was uni!)...anyway......I have absolutely no idea how far I got!.......but boy was I crook the next day...does that qualify?

cheers,

Hitchy

thats the one. i knew i saw u on one or the other. Im more of a Ten tenths person myself. yer i am a self admitted rev head, and got into cycling when my go karting to too expensive, silly sily boy !! Although gotta say im having the time of my life....

Damn now i dont feel so bad about my junk food Obsession either. China 2008 here i come :D

I knew I was gonna cop it for that......

g'day,

get yee behind me...god less heathen.....may the god of lightweight titanium bits smite thy evil fume spewing beast!............who told you cycling was cheaper than go karts?.....put that bit of advice in the "really, really bad bits of advice I have received' chapter of your autobiography....lol

hitchy

Well it was cheaper back when i used to ride the self restored roadie that i found cold, abandoned and abused out the front of my next door neighbours apartment..... however my love for shiny new things got the better of me as usual hehe....

Its still cheaper than Go Karts, trust me!! i can by 2 good bikes for the cost of 1 good go kart, so i figure im well in front ;)

evil fume smelling beast? i guess 2 stroke exaust with caster oil is an aquired appreciation hehe

Man oh man!!! Another gold medal and 22 degrees in Melbourne; there'll be 50 zabillion dudes on Beach Road tonight. Where were they in July? :D

(hope that doesn't sound too smug)

waddid we win?, waddid we win?.......or we still talking about 'flyin' Ryan'?...i've got no idea whether its day or night in Athens....what ******* put the Olympics on when there's only 61/2 weeks till 'warnie' & i'm supposed to be sleeping at nite......No f*****g courtesy for others!