--PLEASE HELP--Which Frame: the Somec or the Argon 18

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by puma
Hello all, hope you're enjoying your holidays. I've got a problem in not knowing which frame to purchase. My choices are between the Somec Starlight or the Argon 18 Helium (links given on frame names). The thing is the Somec will cost me $1600, and the Argon 18 will cost me $1000. Of course, the dilemma I'm faced with is whether the Somec is worth the $600 more, Which is an issue since that's 160% (or 60%, for more comparative purposes) than the cost of the Argon. However, the Somec includes the better Columbus muscle fork, the XLR8R tubing w/ the Multishape Damping Effect ) (link given), an MSRP of near $3000 dollars (the Argon lists at only about $1300), and more. So while the Somec is a better frame (though the Argon is by no means bad), and seemingly worth the cost looking at the MSRPs alone, is it "worth" the cost to me as I'm still in college so $600 is a nice chunk of change? Thanks for any and all feedback.

Hey there, fellow bike dude,
I feel your pain being in school and all and aspiring for greatness and having a limited cashflow for things such as bicycles. I'm assuming you race, since your looking at frames over $1000. What kind of racing do you do? Road races or crits? I heard an old pro racer say that for racing the best material for it was aluminum. That said, your al frame also costs 6 big ones more. What are you buiding it up with? If it's above Chorus or Ultegra with a good, light set of wheels, the weight won't be too much different (nothing that you or I would notice anyway). If I were giving the advice (and I am, really), I'd go with the more affordable of the two and save your money for books to get you through college to get you a job to get you some cash to get you the bike of your dreams one day! Get me? Hope my opinion helps. Bundle up and ride on.