trailmonkey72

I have owned / ridden an extended amount of time a variety of these bikes. While I understand the benefits of both endurance and race geometry, I have also begun to understand the drawbacks. Any one who has ridden both understands as well, I imagine. The only way I resolved my questions was to study the geometry....and test ride some bikes. That being said, some companies nail the "racier-endurance" better than others, IMO.

Trek does for this...for me anyways. Having owned an earlier-generation Madone, I was shocked when I felt and measured (at least on Strava) faster on a '12 Domane. My biggest complaint with that bike was it accelerated like a slug when seated. I understand they have cured some of those woes...

I find Specialized bikes to either get it...or not. The Tarmac and Venge are killer-fast...and ya pay for it. The Venge is more compliant, kind of a perfect go-fast-for-long-days...until it points uphill. Their Roubaix, though...I still haven't ridden one that didn't feel as sluggish as my Domane.

My current bike, a '15 Cervelo R3, does a pretty good job of splitting the difference between race and endurance. It climbs well, rides quite smooth...but handles predictably at most all speeds. I just wish it had a bit more "feedback" when descending twisty stuff.

My two cents...

In2daBlue

This is the reality I'm fighting. I too have owned bikes on both ends of the spectrum and have felt the benefits and the drawbacks. The more I've thought about this and read people's comments and suggestions, the more I think the answer is both 1) I'm trying too hard to find a unicorn bike that does everything great but not perfect and that's an unreasonable premise to begin with; and 2) I should probably rank the aspects I want in this bike in order of importance and then go from there. If I do, the places the frame compromises will likely be the places where I'm putting the least priority and vice versa.

Cool to get so many thoughts on BF though. A great resource.

brianmcg123

Just buy two bikes.

Jno

I am no expert so take my entry with the proverbial grain of salt but I was in shoes similar to yours: had a cross bike, road lots, it fit well, but I wanted to extend myself by achieving higher speeds without compromising my inclination/comfort for long rides. I bought a Bianchi Infinito because it ticked the boxes. I realized speed gains immediately, I can ride for many hours, and I think that if I want to keep extending myself, the bike will let me (upgrade wheelset). I have no regrets and endorse the bike for its supposedly race/endurance frame geo and its carbon CV composition.

lalibertef

Maybe too analytical, but what about comparing the specifications (dimensions) of your two bikes and understand how the dimensions impact your riding feel?

With these learnings you would have something tangible to refer to, even though we know specs arent’everything. For example basic geometry, lenght of chainstays etc. Since for you the bikes are at each extremes it should be easy to see/ quantify the differences. Unfortunately I am quite rusty on this.

providencebikes

The first difference would be tire size second would be a tech the acts as suspension third would be utility accessories . thats the biggest difference i can think of that impacts real world...

In2daBlue

Haha. This is the right answer. Unfortunately, I like expensive bikes and can only buy one. I think the comment about tire size is valid. I recently put a friend's 28s on the Madone (tight fit) for a ride and dropped PSI to 85 and it was a remarkable the difference from the 25s. Nothing you notice right away, but after 3 hours of pedaling, the difference is there. It's making me rethink the climbing/touring frame I'm looking for and whether geo or things like allowing for a bigger tire matters more. Hard to say this with credibility considering the Madone uses the seat decoupler, but I'm trying to avoid suspension systems. I think it's hard for the makers to hit that right on road bikes (eventually will) and bikes like the K8 run the risk of being out-of-date in a few years.

jpescatore

Last year I tried comparing dimensions and the differences were just too small for me to grok what was better for me, but riding the bikes from the bike shops for 20 minutes was enough to tell the difference. Though, for the rides only did the "set the seat height by eye" kind of fitting - I really don't know if one seat height was off and the setup for the Domane I ultimately went with was randomly at a better height and forward/back position!

Maelochs

If you got a bike you like, ride it. Over time you will learn what does and doesn't work and the next time you want a bike (and can afford one, and your significant other won't hate you for more than a few weeks) you will find it much easier to set up the bike pre-test-ride and will be more certain that you are getting the right bike.