Another what bike thread .. :)

short circuit

Hi,

As many of you probably know, I am still one of the few here with only 1 bike .. .. I don't have the space or resources to maintain more than 1 in the short term.

Now I have the opportunity to get another bike .. this will be a replacement rather than in addition to my current bike (Focus Variado Expert). I will be commuting (48k round trip), doing longer weekend spins, some credit card/light touring and I am toying with the idea of joining a club this winter once I am a bit stronger and probably doing a few races next year.

I always say this, but assuming I stick with the bike for 5 years, what are my options :-
1. What frame material - steel, alu, carbon, titanium?
2. Atleast 105 level components
3. I have the option of buying online in the US (a friend coming over has agreed to bring it over). Are bikes that much cheaper in the US? Can anyone suggest any good online retailers in US?
4. What manufacturers - there seem to be loads of US only independent manufacturers ... any of them any good?

I am hoping to get the bike for under 2000euro.

Thanks in advance.

ROK ON

Can only speak about experience here as opposed to buying US.

But check out
Orbea (Onix and Aqua brands will get you well under 2k for 105 or Ultegra group.

I really like the Wilier look, but havent riden one (Tonto has one - he will surely advise whats it like).

I also have a Dolan Hercules. Very nice, like it a lot. Full Ultegra SL - you should be able to pick one up for less than 2k.

CheGuedara

US online site R&A cycles - sale center - 2003 Giant TCR composite O - Dura Ace grouppo - Ksyrium SSC SL wheels - http://www.racycles.com/sales-center/road-bikes/complete-bikes/giant/giant-tcr-composite-0-2003-bike.aspx
E1,706.91!!


According to XE.com exchage rates

short circuit

Do any of your commute on the carbon frame or titanium bikes ... just wondering ...

ROK_ON, CheGuedara .... never seem anyone on a carbon frame on my commute ... hence the questions ... maybe I am just going through the poorer parts of the town ...

Anyone has any experience of R&A Cycles ...

ROK ON

short circuit wrote: »

Do any of your commute on the carbon frame or titanium bikes ... just wondering ...

ROK_ON, CheGuedara .... never seem anyone on a carbon frame on my commute ... hence the questions ... maybe I am just going through the poorer parts of the town ...

Anyone has any experience of R&A Cycles ...

I have seen a lot of carbon on my commute (not me btw).
A few weeks back I was heading home along the canal, there was a guy in front of my on full TT bike with tri bars, and a big old rucksack on his back. I made full use of his slipstream into a horrible westerly wind.

TinyExplosions

short circuit wrote: »

Do any of your commute on the carbon frame or titanium bikes ... just wondering ...

ROK_ON, CheGuedara .... never seem anyone on a carbon frame on my commute ... hence the questions ... maybe I am just going through the poorer parts of the town ...

Anyone has any experience of R&A Cycles ...

RA are excellent -quite a few people get bikes there, indeed the COO from where I work just got a Cervelo from them. I'd get a bike stateside if possible, you'll save a packet if you don't get stung by customs

Caroline_ie

short circuit wrote: »

Anyone has any experience of R&A Cycles ...

My Specialized ruby pro was bought from them. And all was smooth.
I think if your friend buys it from there though, you might get taxed the local taxes over there on top of their website prices. Maybe the best thing to do is to order it from here w/ your irish credit card and get your friend to pick it up from the warehouse, or even just call them, and see what they recommend.

rottenhat

Caroline_ie wrote: »

I think if your friend buys it from there though, you might get taxed the local taxes over there on top of their website prices.

You won't have to pay US sales tax if the bike is shipped to a state other than the state the company is in. On the other hand you might have to pay shipping but if they're using UPS Ground or similar, that can be quite reasonable.

I was going to recommend an IF but I see their prices have gone up a bit...unless you wanted to buy a frame and move your current components over. You will get better value buying something from one of the big companies like Giant or Specialized than from one of the smaller US firms because they have the muscle to get good pricing out of Shimano but if you want something a little more unusual, then there are a lot of good options in the US.

short circuit

rottenhat wrote: »

You won't have to pay US sales tax if the bike is shipped to a state other than the state the company is in. On the other hand you might have to pay shipping but if they're using UPS Ground or similar, that can be quite reasonable.

I was going to recommend an IF but I see their prices have gone up a bit...unless you wanted to buy a frame and move your current components over. You will get better value buying something from one of the big companies like Giant or Specialized than from one of the smaller US firms because they have the muscle to get good pricing out of Shimano but if you want something a little more unusual, then there are a lot of good options in the US.

IF bikes are awfully expensive for frame only ... aren't they ... but look tasty.

short circuit

Looks like carbon is getting the vote here .... No fans of steel/alu/titanium ...

Any chance of Titanium stateside in that price range ..

I will call R&A Cycles and see how the tax/payment works ..

short circuit

TinyExplosions wrote: »

RA are excellent -quite a few people get bikes there, indeed the COO from where I work just got a Cervelo from them. I'd get a bike stateside if possible, you'll save a packet if you don't get stung by customs

So are we going to see a flatbar Cervelo with rearview mirrors, zipps and panniers in DNS

rottenhat

short circuit wrote: »

IF bikes are awfully expensive for frame only ... aren't they ... but look tasty.

Ah, at that point you are only scratching the surface of ludicrously expensive US framebuilders...believe me, after a look at the likes of Vanilla, Richard Sachs, Rivendell, Kirk etc, $1900 for frame and fork starts to look like a bargain.

For titanium, there should be a couple of companies out there doing quite reasonable Ti frames (Habanero sticks in my mind) but I don't know much about them...I don't think you'd get a Seven or a Merlin for that money.

I'm very pro steel but I've never ridden a modern carbon bike, or a Ti bike for that matter so I'm not the most educated opinion.

short circuit

rottenhat wrote: »

I'm very pro steel but I've never ridden a modern carbon bike, or a Ti bike for that matter so I'm not the most educated opinion.

What makes a good steel bike ... I seem to see 520, 653, 753, 853 .. and the latest seems to be 953 .. supposedly better than Ti ... anywhere I can read up on how to choose between these.

CheGuedara

Sorry for late reply - work, has to be done sometimes...

Have a clubmate that bought from R&A, very easy to deal with and I think he said the delivery was in the region of 4 days!

As for carbon on a commute - I've done it, total overkill but meh, you get to work fast and with more Euro-ness

I wouldn't be locking it outside mind you...

scottreynolds

Ordering a bike from the US SHOULD result in 10-15% import tax vat when the item is imported into the E.U. Tut Tut for those suggesting ways around this . I'd not boether going to the U.S. 2000 euro will get you alot of bike in UK or Ireland.

Just get a full dura ace planet x delivered to your door for E1500. If its going to be your only bike then you can either get a carbon or Ti there's little difference although TI is goig to be more expensive.

Carbon
http://www.planet-x-warehouse.co.uk/acatalog/SL_Pro_Carbon_FULL_DURA_ACE_OFFER_-_C18_IS_BACK_.html

Ti
http://www.planet-x-warehouse.co.uk/acatalog/Ti_Sportive.html

You can get a bike built in the UK steal , or ALU can't tell, for a reasonable price with 11-speed campag.

http://davehinde.veriovps.co.uk/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=DH&Product_Code=raceserieschorusgroup&Category_Code=hinderaceseriesbikes&Session_ID=6b7a4febdf5de75060fb0d0a44c79b9f


Focus Cayo -- Awesome bike meets the spec...

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Focus_Cayo_Team_Replica_2009/5360037589/

Finally Specialised have recently had there UK pound prices matched in Ireland so go to a local bike store for one of those... try wheelworx if you are in dubo.

or finally... you could get a bike like mine -- I love it.... cheaper without the integrated seat post...

http://www.slanecycles.com/productdetail.aspx?id=799&subid=273&catid=66

CheGuedara

Sure you could get the planet x carbon for e1500 or so - but you're not comparing exactly like with like - significant differences in finishing kit and wheels. Would find out what the net cost of the US option is before discounting it

short circuit

Thanks guys .. I reckon that with any bike I buy .. I will have to put move my current wheels (Open Pros on Ultegra hubs) on to it for commuting duties ... fancy wheels might not last ..

Anyone ever hear about www.bikesdirect.com ... ever heard of the brands they mention there .. seem awfully cheap .. I know Motobecane were French a long time back ... but don't think have any link to the current US version of the company ...

By the way, I am taking the 2000 euro as max ... and not a target which has to be hit ...

Also, lots of options here ... I do really like the looks of the Orbreas and the Scott .. trying to stay away from Carbon purely on people's experience with cracks in the last 10 days on boards ... not sure if I would keep out of trouble all the time on my commute.

ROK_ON ... any chance you could give me an idea of what price you are paying for the Orbea ..

scottreynolds

short circuit wrote: »

By the way, I am taking the 2000 euro as max ... and not a target which has to be hit ...

Funny enough posting a target for all of us represents a challenge to who can convince you to go higher....

rottenhat

short circuit wrote: »

What makes a good steel bike ... I seem to see 520, 653, 753, 853 .. and the latest seems to be 953 .. supposedly better than Ti ... anywhere I can read up on how to choose between these.

Those are various iterations of Reynolds steel alloys - 853 was the state of the art when I started riding road bikes, gets stronger when it's welded, very light etc, I'm guessing 953 is lighter yet but I doubt it makes a huge difference. You'd need to be some class of materials engineer to fully grasp the difference between the various varieties of steel tubing from Reynolds, Columbus, True Temper, Dedacciai et al.

What makes a good steel frame is the same as any other metal tube bike - well thought out geometry, appropriate choice of tubing for the weight and power of the rider etc. Each of the common frame materials has subtly different characteristics (that will in any case often be outweighed by other factors like the width of your tires and whether you have enough air in them) and you could build a good frame out of any of them, or you could make a pig's ear of it. Generally I would go by the reputation of the framebuilder rather than just looking at what the frame is made of - after all, very few us will enjoy the privilege of comparing and contrasting multiple frames built up with identical components in identical conditions. We're all generalising from a handful of unique data points. At some point you have to put your trust in reputation, and fortunately the internet gives you more opportunity to delve into reputation than anyone had in the past.

All that said, I had an IF Crown Jewel built with Reynolds 853 and it was pretty damn saucy. Before that I had an entry-level Bianchi built with 631 and I thought it was the greatest bike I'd ever ridden. As it was at the time. I still wouldn't bet on being able to tell the two of them apart in the dark. Or the Mondonico that had Columbus Brain tubing...or the Rivendell I have now which is a mix of Dedacciai and True Temper OX, or the Soma Rush which I think is 631....

Sorry I appear to have wandered off topic here. Anyway, point being, frame material is only one factor in the equation of what a bike will feel like to ride so I wouldn't get overly worked up about the finer points of steel tubing.