Need New Training Bike Recommendation

[Pendejo]

Hi all. My ten-year-old Cannondale training (road) bike has finally accumulated enough minor annoyances that I need to put it out to pasture. I race TTs only, and all my training and racing is on the flat ground of Florida. I'd like to spend somewhere in the vicinity of $1500, give or take (probably give). My bike shop carries Giant, Specialized, Cannondale, maybe a few LiteSpeed, and Cervelo (but I already have one of those for racing).

Any recommendations?

 

[Powerful Pete]

The normal response is, of course, the bike that fits you better. Go to your shop and see whether you can test ride any of the frames in your price range. Are there any special requirements for you that one or more of the models may offer? All of the makers you have mentioned offer very nice roadbikes which would be somewhat similar in a specific price range.

Given your focus on TTs, my first response would be to go for a cervelo soloist (alu). Good bang for the buck, I suppose.

FWIW, at least here in Italy mid-range Specialized bikes seem to push their own house brand of wheels, which I do not find particularly appealing.

Are you attracted to titanium (Litespeed)? That will give you a frame which should last a very long time, but as you have already shown, it is not that an all alu frame lasts less...

Don't know if I have been helpful...

 

[Pendejo]

The normal response is, of course, the bike that fits you better. Go to your shop and see whether you can test ride any of the frames in your price range. Are there any special requirements for you that one or more of the models may offer? All of the makers you have mentioned offer very nice roadbikes which would be somewhat similar in a specific price range.

Given your focus on TTs, my first response would be to go for a cervelo soloist (alu). Good bang for the buck, I suppose.

FWIW, at least here in Italy mid-range Specialized bikes seem to push their own house brand of wheels, which I do not find particularly appealing.

Are you attracted to titanium (Litespeed)? That will give you a frame which should last a very long time, but as you have already shown, it is not that an all alu frame lasts less...

Don't know if I have been helpful...

Thanks for the response, Pete. I ended up getting a Specialized Elite. I did test ride it at the shop, but today was my first real ride on it. It's nice. It's smoother, faster, quieter, and more agile than my ten-year-old Cannondale, but probably almost any new bike would be! I'm not sure what kind of wheels are on it - I'll have to go out to the garage and check, and right now it's too hot. I do have a Cervelo P3-SL that I use for racing (TTs), and I could have gotten a Cervelo for not much more than the Specialized, but the Cervelos are very stiff and unforgiving and I wanted a little more comfort for the training bike.

 

[Powerful Pete]

Congratulations. A new bike is always exciting and a good way to spend some of your hard-earned dosh... enjoy it.