Started cycling 3 months ago. On the advice of a friend trying to save me money he suggested I measure myself and buy a used bike on ebay - I did and ended up with a 2008 Specialized Tarmac with a cracked frame (did not realize this for a week after I received it and the crack started growing). I took it to my LBS and he arranged to get me a Crash Warranty (discount on a new frame) and ordered me a 2012 Specialized Tarmac Pro SL4 - great bike, but it never seemed to fit correctly. I tried 2 different LBS for fittings - neither actually measured anything and the bike still did not seem to fit. Did some research and found a LBS that had great reviews for fitting a bike. Went to him, he measured me (8 different body measurements) and the started fitting me to the bike. He told me his job was to fit me to the bike, but if he was selling me a bike he would not have gone with the Tarmac. He says my legs are long, my torso is short. The Tarmac has the handlebar height too low (I need to ride more upright with lack my flexibility) and the top tube is too long for my short torso - causing me to slide forward on the seat (6'4" but all legs I guess). He changed handlebars, lowered my seat made several adjustments that have the bike feeling much better - but still not where I need to be. I am comfortable until I start pushing myself and then I tend to slide forward on the seat because the bike is too long for me on the top tube.
He suggested I sell the frame set and instead get a custom frame to fit my out of proportion body (I'm outside of normal on 6 of the 8 measurements). He suggested a Guru custom titanium frame. My question - having never heard of Guru and having never ridden a titanium frame (or for that matter anything but Carbon Fiber) will I notice a major difference going from Carbon Fiber to Titanium (I can get a custom Carbon Frame from Guru as well) but he strongly suggests the Titanium - everything else he has done has been a huge help but I don't want to buy yet a 3rd bike in 3 months unless the advice I have received is solid. I'll buy the new frame in a moment's notice if it will help, but after making the wrong choice twice I wanted a sounding board for the advice I was given.
He suggested I sell the frame set and instead get a custom frame to fit my out of proportion body (I'm outside of normal on 6 of the 8 measurements). He suggested a Guru custom titanium frame. My question - having never heard of Guru and having never ridden a titanium frame (or for that matter anything but Carbon Fiber) will I notice a major difference going from Carbon Fiber to Titanium (I can get a custom Carbon Frame from Guru as well) but he strongly suggests the Titanium - everything else he has done has been a huge help but I don't want to buy yet a 3rd bike in 3 months unless the advice I have received is solid. I'll buy the new frame in a moment's notice if it will help, but after making the wrong choice twice I wanted a sounding board for the advice I was given.