am in a dilemma. I have been looking for a new bike around the 2000$ price range and after looking a lot I have found quite a few bikes that I like yet it is hard to find one bike that has everything I want. This leads me to the question of what is/are the most important components? I have been shopping and riding non-stop for the past month and really have not made much headway. There are a number of components to be considered and it seems like in this price range you cannot find one bike that has all of everything. The main components I am speaking of are wheels, main componentry (shifters, dereilleurs, etc), and frame. Is it better to buy a bike with say a nice CF frame that fits well (obviously) and is very light weight and have it be equipped with say 105 10-spd as opposed to ultegra and have shimano 550 wheelset as opposed to Kyseriums or other wheel of similar calibar? On the other hand, bikes like the Bianch Virata and Vigorelli weigh more but are equipped with these components. All of the bikes I am considering I have ridden and all fit me well with the proper adjustment:
Specialized Tarmac Comp
Bianchi Vigorelli and Virata
Felt F4c
Felt F55
Orbea Vuelta
Cannondale Six13 Pro2
For me specifically, I am just getting into racing for my college team and I will ride for a team this summer. Is it best to find a bike with the best frame and get what I can get with respect to wheels and components and plan on upgrading later? On the other hand, I can get a heavier frame with some CF mixed in and get awesome components, as is the case of the F55, and Vigorelli. I don't want to be a weight weenie but especially since my strength is in the hills, I think every bit helps. I prefer to have as stiff a frame as possible so that I dont get a lot of flex when climbing or sprinting. I am still new to a lot of this so if any of you can give me advice as to what is most important, please tell me. I am not looking for advice of which bike to pick or what experiences are w/ each, although they are welcome. Thanks!
~Nick
Specialized Tarmac Comp
Bianchi Vigorelli and Virata
Felt F4c
Felt F55
Orbea Vuelta
Cannondale Six13 Pro2
For me specifically, I am just getting into racing for my college team and I will ride for a team this summer. Is it best to find a bike with the best frame and get what I can get with respect to wheels and components and plan on upgrading later? On the other hand, I can get a heavier frame with some CF mixed in and get awesome components, as is the case of the F55, and Vigorelli. I don't want to be a weight weenie but especially since my strength is in the hills, I think every bit helps. I prefer to have as stiff a frame as possible so that I dont get a lot of flex when climbing or sprinting. I am still new to a lot of this so if any of you can give me advice as to what is most important, please tell me. I am not looking for advice of which bike to pick or what experiences are w/ each, although they are welcome. Thanks!
~Nick