$5000

JAPANic

So you've got $5000US to spend on a new road bike what would you buy?

This is serious research, your answers are going to sway me to spend $5000....



My opinion is not important in this debate because I have no idea!!

All I'll say is, these brands have my attention....

Pinarello, TREK, DeRosa, Colnago,...

I will be ordering in March!!!

Daremo

You need to ask yourself what you are going to do with the bike, what are your future plans, do you intend to race at the elite level, or do you just want to pimp the bike to your friends and co-riders ...............

The only reason I had 7 bikes, with the average being close to $3000 was because I worked in a shop and got things at or below cost, and had a spending addiction and 5 credit cards(don't laugh, it's a real thing ....)

You could have a custom frame built for you by a renowned builder (Hollands, Waterford, etc.) and get a full Dura-Ace or Record kit and have a bike for just over $3000.

Or you could go to your LBS and get a Giant TCR Composit team with full Record that weighs 16 pounds.

OR, you could figure what you are really going to do with the bike, and buy accordingly, and invest the rest of it. That would be my suggestion. I'm not trying to bust your chops, just trying to make sure you are doing the right thing.

Now, if you are already independently wealthy, then ignore what I have already said .......

__________________
'05 Aussie version Giant TCR C Zero ...... finally went over to the dark side and riding a carbon bike. But you can't beat a 17 lb. ride!!

Eagleman 70.3 half ironman - 6/11/06 - here I come!!

JAPANic

My goal is to get a bike that will be fast for 20km to 100km races.
I'm 40 and not in great shape, but I plan on being competitive in my class next year.
I finished 11th in a 12km race last month 4 seconds off the winner and I was the 3rd oldest guy in the race...

I just want to be in the top 6 places next year in a few races and I'll be happy.


I don't want a bike to show off with, but I want fast & strong.

Is fast light?
Is fast a brand name?
Is fast a figment of our imaginations?
Would Lance win the Tour De France on a dinky?

Not something that will be obsolete in a year or so or falling apart...

Is there much difference between a great $2500 cycle & a $5000 one?

These are the things I want to learn from this thread....


Once again, don't worry about my plans or desires....

What would YOU buy with $5000.

__________________
Find your ideal riding partner. Anywhere in the world!!!

Daremo

Fast is not light until you are at that elite level .........

I used to race my 21 pound Colnago with Chorus stuff just for a change from my 19 pound GT with Dura Ace and all super light components.

I even broke out the 23 pound Fuji Team that I used for rainy days with down tube shifters and a Spin rear wheel and did well. And sometimes I'd even place better with the bike ......

Fast is miles and miles of training, good diet, and persistence. Fast is not a light/latest technology bike.

But for arguments sake, I'll give you some answers ........

You need to ask yourself what type of material you want in your frame. Your choices are steel, aluminum, carbon, and ti. Each has it's plusses and minusses. I'll try to give you a few here for each:

Plusses:

Steel - responsive, lively, stiff but not unyielding, fairly bulletproof, very adaptable to any sizing
Ti - light (if not designed to be stiff), fairly responsive, corrosion resistent, light
Aluminum - very light, very stiff, corrosion resistent
Carbon - excessively light, can be stiff if layered right, corrosion resistent

Minusses:

Steel - tends to be more on the heavy side (not always the case), will/can rust
Ti - tends to be very flexy, can be brittle if not made by a top manufacturer, expensive
Aluminum - tends to be WAY too stiff on longer rides, breaks and dings easy
Carbon - expensive to get a really well designed one, tend to be very flexy if not designed right (lighter tends to be more flexy), warranty length of time issues

The frame will make or break a nice bike .......... it is the heart of the bike. Components will make it nicer, but if the frame does not suit you, you will hate the bike even if it is topped with the best components.

__________________
'05 Aussie version Giant TCR C Zero ...... finally went over to the dark side and riding a carbon bike. But you can't beat a 17 lb. ride!!

Eagleman 70.3 half ironman - 6/11/06 - here I come!!

JAPANic

Thanks, for that...

To make MY choice I will have to test ride a few, but....

If I gave YOU $5000 to go out and buy a bike today for YOU, and not me,

What would YOU buy? No chance to test ride you must buy it now...

Off the top of your head, what would you get....???

Don't be shy or embarrassed... just buy one now!!!

__________________
Find your ideal riding partner. Anywhere in the world!!!

Daremo

That being said, you then need to think of what manufacturer you want.

For Steel, if you buy an off the shelf frame, Colnago is one of the best, as well as many other Italian builders (Masi, Ciocc, Mondonico/Torrelli, Pinnarello). A really good steel frame will still cost in the $1200-$2000 range. My Colnago Technos retailed for a bit over $1300 retail when I had it, and the Colnago Master Krono (TT frame) cost close to $1800 retail. But if you really want the best fit, find a custom builder to make you a frame. Expect to wait close to a year to get it, and plan on spending in that same range.

For Aluminum ......... well, I'd stay away from aluminum myself ....... but Cannondale is the most well known. Fondriest also makes some nice ones. But Klein is probably the best out there IMO.

Ti, Litespeed is the best, hands down. You can get a stiff frame, or a very light frame, all depending on your wants. Merlin was always pretty good as well, but tends to be whippy.

Carbon is a tough one. The three biggest are Trk, Giant and Look. There are tons of threads out about the Giant vs. Trek issue. My choice is Giant because Trek is overrated, and tend to be everywhere ..........

__________________
'05 Aussie version Giant TCR C Zero ...... finally went over to the dark side and riding a carbon bike. But you can't beat a 17 lb. ride!!

Eagleman 70.3 half ironman - 6/11/06 - here I come!!

Daremo

I was still typing replies before you sent yours out .....

__________________
'05 Aussie version Giant TCR C Zero ...... finally went over to the dark side and riding a carbon bike. But you can't beat a 17 lb. ride!!

Eagleman 70.3 half ironman - 6/11/06 - here I come!!

JAPANic

My current (1st) cycle is a Fondriest Aluminium and so far I love it.... ( I actually got it as a present)

__________________
Find your ideal riding partner. Anywhere in the world!!!

Daremo

Me, I love steel, as my sig. says ............

But I also miss a light frame, and have a shop hook-up so I will probably be getting a Giant TCR Composite 0 (Dura-Ace stuff - about 17 pounds). The only reason I'll do that is because of the shop hook-up (get it at employee purchase price since I was an employee there for years).

For $5000, personally, I'd get another steel Colnago, and build it up with all Record stuff. I'd never race it because I'd hate to crash it, but would ride the hell out of it. For a race bike, I'd buy an off-the-shelf product like the Giant TCR Composite Team.

That's in an ideal world with mad cash in my pocket.

__________________
'05 Aussie version Giant TCR C Zero ...... finally went over to the dark side and riding a carbon bike. But you can't beat a 17 lb. ride!!

Eagleman 70.3 half ironman - 6/11/06 - here I come!!

JAPANic

A twist in the tale!!!

Would you buy 2 bikes if you had 5000 to spend?

One for 3000, one for 2000? One for racing one for riding?
Same components?
Share a set of racing/training wheels?

__________________
Find your ideal riding partner. Anywhere in the world!!!

Daremo

Because I could still get cost or below pricing for a bike, then I proabably would buy two ........... but not everyone has that possibility.

But the TCR Team is around $4000 retail, and a fully built Colnago steel frame with all the Campy Record Ti stuff is also close to that. The rest would go to accessories and a set of training wheels ..........

__________________
'05 Aussie version Giant TCR C Zero ...... finally went over to the dark side and riding a carbon bike. But you can't beat a 17 lb. ride!!

Eagleman 70.3 half ironman - 6/11/06 - here I come!!

Gio

SCOTT C1 Team Issue, Dura Ace 10speed, Dura Ace 7800 wheels.... $5k will not be enough!

patch70

All good choices. Hard to go wrong with any of them. Go for some decent test rides on them and see what feels best for you.
Consider also getting a professional bike fit first so that you can work out the best sizing of frame/stem/handlebars/cranks etc before you buy.
I would recommend against a super light bike (in general) if you want it to last a long time and you are not racing at a high level.

For me, I'd get a Colnago with Campy gear. I'd try to get a C50 with Record but $5000 may not be quite enough.

ccorrick

Could you give me just a bit more???
I built a Lemond (you can go online and put whatever you want on it/your own colore scheme and all!!) It was a blast, but mine came out to $7200. Awwwwww.

If someone handed me 5k I'd go buy a Cannondale R3000 (light, responsive, and I'm a die hard Cdale man)and use whatever was left over on new stuff...Helmet, Shoes, etc.

Folks...he wants to know you would do if someone handed you 5k to blow!! come on this is fun!!