Which would you buy?

[Matthew]

I am going to buy a new frame this year and have narrowed my search down to these frames at this point: Look 585: Light, stiff and supposed to be comfy too. Love the clear carbon model. 5 year warranty, $3000 for frame,fork, headset. Moots Vamoots SL. Great reviews from some posters on this forum. Excellent build quality, lifetime warranty, plain looks at best, $3200 for frame only. Biggest concern is the seat binder bolt threads directly into the frame. If stripped is the frame toast? Cannondale Six13: Have heard very good reviews of this frame, $2800 gets you frame, fork, headset, BB, and aluminum cranks. Lifetime warranty, but it is aluminum/carbon. Lemond Tete de Course: $3000 frame and fork, ti/carbon mix, Saturn used to whip butt on them, good reviews on it's ride quality, finish quality is a bit of concern according to reviews on roadbike review.com (broken der. hangers).Lifetime warranty. I own a Concours and love it, just looking for something different. Will use this bike for a bit of racing and fast training rides. Would love your thoughts and maybe some others you think are great bikes in the $3000 range for frame/fork. Thanks, Matthew.

[Climb01742]

if you're thinking carbon, two others to consider: a hampsten Tour de Suisse and a cervelo r3. hard to compare all ti vs all carbon. apples to oranges. totally personal choice. and just to confuse you more: for all alu, consider a peg love #3. too many great choices.

[bostondrunk]

You might need to consider which will fit. The Cannondale geometry (like the top tube length) is a lot different than the LeMond....

[Jeff N.]

The Moots Vamoots SL is one of the very finest Ti frames available. Period. No worries about the integrated seatpost binder. It's a thing of beauty that you'll likely never encounter a problem with. This is a simple choice, IMHO. Jeff N.

[Catulle]

I´d buy a bike from Steve Hampsten if carbon I must. Look under Hampsten or Cinghiale Bicycles. The Hampstens got experience, good will, and good heart. :beer:

[Fixed]

bro a serotta it's their nickel i.m.h.o. cheers
but I have a cannondale its great just no soul that's why I have a steel bike also ..........

[Argos]

Fixed,

I think a little later in the season you'll find the soul of that bike. It's a really nice bike that really likes to run hard, as do you. Think of it as a Greyhhound. Pretty useless around the house, can't fetch (not that their is naything wrong with that my Lab can't fetch either.... Or doesn't want to. I think he's plotting something....) but gettem out there with a bunny to chase and you've got the litte champion genes showing themselves.

If you love your 'dale, she'll love you back.

She's just workin' stock, is all.*

Jason

*obligatory "Cowboy" sentence.

[jerk]

carbon?

how about this:

[Argos]

http://www.paleocurrents.com/img/homer_drool.JPG

Mmmmm.... Carbon!!!!

I wish we carried Pinarello for that exact reason, though I like the Dogma, myself.

[Dr. Doofus]

race want you bike?

here

around play don't

[Grant McLean]

I think Illes Balears gets the "most improved pro bike" award,
their Opera FP from last year were Fugly. Capital "F"...

http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2005/tour05/tech/?id=/tech/2005/features/tour05/valverde_opera

-g

[loctite]

The look is Junk IMHO, seen a couple break pretty easily. The Lemond, mot much better. C'dale is great for a budget race bike. The Moots is the best of the 4, but i would keep looking, there are WAY better options out there. GL

[Grant McLean]

I am going to buy a new frame this year and have narrowed my search down to these frames at this point: ...Cannondale Six13: Have heard very good reviews of this frame, $2800 gets you frame, fork, headset, BB, and aluminum cranks. Lifetime warranty, but it is aluminum/carbon.

Matthew,
What do you mean by saying "but it is aluminum/carbon"?
It's a caad8 frame that's had the TT and DT replaced with carbon tubes,
so it is what it is, and it rides great... no "buts" about it.

-g

[jerk]

The look is Junk IMHO, seen a couple break pretty easily. The Lemond, mot much better. C'dale is great for a budget race bike. The Moots is the best of the 4, but i would keep looking, there are WAY better options out there. GL


junk? they're actually really nice bikes which have a nice feel, great geometry and are really light. how did they break? anything can break...details? can you qualify your "junk" appraisal. the jerk asks seriously because he has only heard great things about this bike from his pals.

a lemond isn't much better? ok. it's not the stiffest thing in th world and it's not an ideal race bike for a bigger more powerful rider, but the quality is excellent.

$2800 makes for a budget race frame? ok....

moots are great bikes.

WAY better options? some different options but all the bicycles he mentioned are really nice and well built bikes....different types of bike imho, but all nice choices.

the jerk'd tell him to just buy a meivici, but he already has a serotta so mybe he'd like something different.

jerk

[Matthew]

Yeah I would love a full carbon Serotta but I had a hard enough time convincing the wife I needed a new bike that will cost much less. In regards to the Look, what is the threaded section of the BB made of? A reviewer on roadbike review mentioned a slight oertighten of the BB would ruin the frame. Are they aluminum, Ti, or actually carbon. My Excel sports catalog shows a hint of metal in the lug so I assume it is either the usual aluminum or ti. He also mentioned the fork came without races. The catalog states they are Look replaceable races. Is this different than any other integrated system? Thanks for the help. Thanks for the reply Grant. I mentioned aluminum because I feel most folks think it is a "ride a few seasons and throw it away material." I want (or really my wife wants this rig to last many years) a bike that I can feel pretty confident in it lasting a long time. But like the Jerk says, anything can break. Thanks for the replys. Matthew

[PanTerra]

I can only speak on the LeMond. Check the geometry to see how close it is to your Serotta. i used to have a LeMond, I remember getting on it for the first time after riding a Peugeot for 12 years. The geometry was so laid back, in comparison. It put me so far behind the cranks that I remember thinking to myself, so this is how a recumbent feels. If you are going to be switching back and forth between bikes, you might want to make sure the fit is similar.

[loctite]

junk? they're actually really nice bikes which have a nice feel, great geometry and are really light. how did they break? anything can break...details? can you qualify your "junk" appraisal. the jerk asks seriously because he has only heard great things about this bike from his pals.

a lemond isn't much better? ok. it's not the stiffest thing in th world and it's not an ideal race bike for a bigger more powerful rider, but the quality is excellent.

$2800 makes for a budget race frame? ok....

moots are great bikes.

WAY better options? some different options but all the bicycles he mentioned are really nice and well built bikes....different types of bike imho, but all nice choices.

the jerk'd tell him to just buy a meivici, but he already has a serotta so mybe he'd like something different.

jerk

I have had 2 break on customers with a small impact. One guy just hit a hole in the rode and the frame destructed at the TT and DT just behind the HT. I was able to look inside the frame and the carbon lay up was inconsistent, thick in some areas, paper thin in others. Also as Mathew mentioned, the BB shell can be riped out of the frame if you over tigten the BB because the bond is not strong enough. Finally, call Veltec and ask them how many Look frames they warranty. when we sent back this last one the warranty dude told me the had TONS of them back for warranty.

Lemond quality is "excellent", IMO, not, Lemond is average for the industry and no better than Trek, Giant or Special Ed.

:argue:

[davids]

I'd get the Moots, or (since you asked for other suggestions) the Fierte IT:

[Dr. Doofus]

chocolate


-- no


pistachio

[cpg]

Given the list, I'm partial to Moots. Don't worry about the binder. It's a beautiful design that holds up. Those slip on collars are ugly and should only be used on the cheapest BMX bikes. If you're looking for something you can't get at the mall, call Carl Strong or Mike DeSalvo. Similar prices, better bikes. What's not to like about that?

Curt

[Fixed]

Fixed,

I think a little later in the season you'll find the soul of that bike. It's a really nice bike that really likes to run hard, as do you. Think of it as a Greyhhound. Pretty useless around the house, can't fetch (not that their is naything wrong with that my Lab can't fetch either.... Or doesn't want to. I think he's plotting something....) but gettem out there with a bunny to chase and you've got the litte champion genes showing themselves.

If you love your 'dale, she'll love you back.

She's just workin' stock, is all.*

Jason

*obligatory "Cowboy" sentence.
I agree it's the best race bike I've ever had but you know me purple and pink the colors my mom used to wear to church. sunday afternoon and soul food bro cheers :beer:

[manet]

Given the list, I'm partial to Moots. Don't worry about the binder. It's a beautiful design that holds up. Those slip on collars are ugly and should only be used on the cheapest BMX bikes. If you're looking for something you can't get at the mall, call Carl Strong or Mike DeSalvo. Similar prices, better bikes. What's not to like about that?

Curt

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e61/easterncaster/IMG_0337.jpg

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e61/easterncaster/IMG_0336.jpg

[saab2000]

I am watching this. Looking for a new race bike myself. That picture in Food's post looks aweful nice.

[Fixed]

bro look at david's post ,how come the first bike looks so much better than the second bike? cheers :beer:

[BBB]

There's a review of the 585 in the latest issue of Ride magazine (came out on the 24th).

[Dr. Doofus]

food is reluctant to really join this conversation, because he thinks that 99% of these are bullcrap...what wheels/frame/saddle/bar tape/bar plugs are the best for anyone posting on this board...its stupid, really....

ok

you want a race bike? don't buy any of them. buy a ridley aeron for 1600.00. they're not importing the frames because they didn't sell well in 2005 -- the frames kick azz, but at that 1800.00 price point, the average bike dork wanted carbon....

you can get a sweet deal on one of these. they are race bikes. doof loves his because it does what a race bike should if you set it up like a race bike.

you just want a high zoot purchase? you know what you want. don't ask us.

[jerk]

food is reluctant to really join this conversation, because he thinks that 99% of these are bullcrap...what wheels/frame/saddle/bar tape/bar plugs are the best for anyone posting on this board...its stupid, really....

ok

you want a race bike? don't buy any of them. buy a ridley aeron for 1600.00. they're not importing the frames because they didn't sell well in 2005 -- the frames kick azz, but at that 1800.00 price point, the average bike dork wanted carbon....

you can get a sweet deal on one of these. they are race bikes. doof loves his because it does what a race bike should if you set it up like a race bike.

you just want a high zoot purchase? you know what you want. don't ask us.



you like your bike? good. the jerk likes the fact that he finally found a pair of deda campione handlebars....the jerk wins.

[Dr. Doofus]

you like your bike? good. the jerk likes the fact that he finally found a pair of deda campione handlebars....the jerk wins.


doof and some 803 green street homies are comin to jack you up for those

[Grant McLean]

you like your bike? good. the jerk likes the fact that he finally found a pair of deda campione handlebars....the jerk wins.

google found them in 0.0000001 seconds
what do i win?

http://www.cbike.com/Deda_Elementi.htm

-g

[lnomalley]

you like your bike? good. the jerk likes the fact that he finally found a pair of deda campione handlebars....the jerk wins.


that is what handlebar is supposed to look like.

[OldDog]

At the price point your at take a look at a Spectrum Ti.