Which one of these bikes should I get

[REDwolf22]

I am a beginner and I am looking at these 4 bikes to start with. I want to be able to ride up to 40 miles and several times a week. My main concern right now is reliability and cost. I have narrowed it down to 5 so far which one is the best deal?
1. IBEX Classic 3300, 23 lbs, $429, Sora components
2. Fuji Finest AL, 20.8 lbs, $494, Sora components
3. Ibex Vantage 4400, 22.8 lbs, $569, Tiagra STI
4. Mercier Aquila AL, 18.9 lbs, $590
Frame: Road Tuned T7 Double-Butted 7005 Aluminum
Fork: Kinesis Carbon Fiber 700c
Derailleurss: Shimano Ultegra Triple rear, Shimano 3300 Triple front
Shifters: Shimano Tiagra STI
Brakes: Tektro Forged Dual Pull Special Black Polished
Hubs: Comp Sealed Bearing
Rims: Black Anodized AERO Profile Technology,DoubleWall, Machined Sidewalls for enhanced braking
Crank: RPM (By FSA) Forged Aluminum Triple 52/42/30 T
Shimano 9 Speed 12-25 T
Saddle: FDL CompRace XP
Seatpost: Fleur-de-Lys Carbon Fiber Race 300mm
Handlebars: Ergo Butted Aluminum
Pedals: VP Ultralight Road Clipless(cleats included)
Tires: Kenda Koncept 700X23c

5. Scattante R.550, 18.9 lbs, $699, Shimano 105

I posted all the info on the Aquila because it is the hardest to find info on. I am really not sure how much emphasis to put on weight. The R550 is probably a little out of my price range, after shipping, but I had heard it is a good deal. BTW, I can get a Tiagra Front derailluer for about 30 bucks, so I could upgrade the Aquila from the Sora pretty cheaply.

Thanks for any info you can give me.

 

[capwater]

5. Scattante R.550, 18.9 lbs, $699, Shimano 105

Best bang for the buck, grouppo wise.

 

[mingcat9]

Originally posted by capwater
5. Scattante R.550, 18.9 lbs, $699, Shimano 105

Best bang for the buck, grouppo wise.

yeah, if you want to do a century or just ride alot 105 is way better than tiagra and sora. I have sora on my current bike. to be honest, I hate it. the shifters are impossible...
in the long run it may be better to spend a little more on something that will last longer and that is a of a better quality. so, I would pick either the scattante or mercier's aquila.

make sure you check and double check the geometry of the bike before you order. a couple months ago I found a custon fitting tool on the internet, where you plug in your measurements and it gives what measurements your ideal bike should have. I can't remember tha name of it, I bet a similar one can be found using a yahoo or google search. Good Luck!

 

[oneradtec]

get the bike with 105's. You won't regret it. That Scattante frame is ok...it's nothing exotic about it...but it's a good frame..and the 105's are capable for training, centuries, club rides, and even hard core racing. Very durable and dependable stuff. You'll love the 105's as long as you never try Dura Ace....then you'll be irreversibly spoiled!