Klein 2003 Q Carbon Team versus ....

[dougal]

Am thinking of buying a new Road Bike (I live in Sydney Aust)

(Current Bike is mid 1990s Trek 2100 with 105)

Choices are:

2003 Klein Q Carbon Team (is this bike full ultegra or a mix?)
2004 Trek 5200
2003 Pinarello Galielo
2003 Wilier Alp de Huez

All Ultergra Groupsets

All around the 5000 AUD (USD 3500) mark

Any thoughts on the merits of each?

I am currently leaning towards the Klein (good deal as closeout)

Any others worth considering

 

[capwater]

I ride an '03 Q Pro Carbon Team and love it. It is fast, nimble and can hold up to anything I throw at it. I believe the Q Carbon is more of a compact geometry, but the quality of Klein is top notch on all cycles. Based on some searches the Q Carbon should come with a full Ultegra setup and Bontrager RaceLites. Good luck!

 

[dougal]

I am 6'2 (187cm) tall with long reach - will the compact geometry frame suit me or should I stay with the more traditional geometry?

 

[lokstah]

Originally posted by dougal
I am 6'2 (187cm) tall with long reach - will the compact geometry frame suit me or should I stay with the more traditional geometry?

I have a Klein '04 Q-Pro on the way, but I'm currently on an '03 Giant TCR with compact geometry. I'm about 6' 2 1/2" and it's a good fit for me. Of course, you and I are different folks -- but if you're looking for a generalization, I'd point out that compacts can fit tall folks as well as short folks.

Most makers that offer compacts build them with the same ranges of wheelbase, head tube angle, seat tube angle, BB position, and so on, as traditional frames. The compact/standard difference is a matter of construction more than fit.

 

[capwater]

Y'all are giants compared to me at 5'10". Prior to the Klein I was riding a compact geometry Raleigh which I though fit fine (size Medium). I picked up the Klein (traditional geometry) as an ex-pro race bike which had a slightly longer top tube (57cm vs 55cm) than on a traditional 54cm sized bike. It was an amazing difference because I wasn't as hunched or "compacted". Longer rides were painless. That's not a rip on compact frames, more an issue of proper fit. There has been much debate on traditional vs. compact frames. Find one that fits and it will make all the difference. Size does matter and it varies slightly by frame manufacturer. If possible try to ride the model you are interested and I'm not talking just around the LBS parking lot for 5 minutes.