Which Bike/frame

[Alan M]

Well, I am thinking of getting next summer's bike so that I can leave my mudguards on this one! And I want a high end bike that could race but will be comfortable for an all day ride and strong enough for my not so light frame. I think that I want to go for carbon and have it down to 3 possibilities at the moment - so please help me choose by voting and commenting

[Jon H]

If I had to choose between those three, I'd go for the Orbea for the following reasons:

The C50 is very nice if you're into classic looking italian frames, and it would have to be equipped with Campag (it's sacrilage not to), but as I'm a Shimano user through and through that rules it out.

There's something about the Roubaix that just doesn't look right, I think it's the curved top tube.

So that leaves the Orca.

But, I voted for "Other", as if I was in the market for a top end road bike I'd go for a Look 585 or 595, a titanium jobby from Merlin, Moots or Litespeed, or possibly a slightly retro choice of a top notch steel custom build in Reynolds 953.

[Marek]

http://www.londoncyclesport.com/news/ar ... 62&SP=&v=5

This is a write up of the Orca, does not sound that great.

The C50 is meant to be fantastic, but I don't think it has that wow factor in terms of aesthetics of some of the new bikes. The C50 is a very classic look, if you want something a bit more flash then I really like the Look frames that Ajay, Tim and young Rob Fallon used to ride, and I have to admit that I think the Specialised bikes do look pretty cool with that funny squared top tube. But I think I read that the Specialised was not the best handling bike, but I think that was relative to some real high end stuff, so the likes of me and you are unlikely to notice much difference I reckon.

According to cycling weekly the Parlee is the top end bike to get. If you look on Mosquito Bikes website they have a lot to say about it on there.

If you are thinking about something all Carbon, have you thought about the Pearsons all carbon frame. I think Paul Tunnell and a few others have these as there race bikes. They are exceedingly light and by all accounts very good to ride, hasn't got the fancy hat name of the bikes you were talking about, but I reckon you would get a lot more bike for your money.

Have fun you lucky b*?st>{d, I will have to wait for next years bonus and see if I can keep some of it hidden away from the misses.

Cheers

Marek....

[Alan M]

All good advice - thanks guys - Marek I looked at the parlee and thought that it looked very bland although I'll look again. I know what you mean about the roubaix John - I'm not quite sold on the style - GB is a Colnago agent and does do 10% discount and is v close if anything goes wrong. I hear what you say about campak / colnago but the company spec all 3 main brands and I tried the SRAM at the bike show nad liked them - the mech is super light and the use of the gears is very intuitive with some claims about less loss of power when chnging particulalrly when sprinting (my worst discipline - aside from hill climbing? Interestingly I went into Pearsons and they tried to sell me a Time.

Keep em coming

[Marek]

Blimey, that is amazing Jon, I did not see your post before putting mine up and we both went for the Look. I think that is the answer Alan, look no further than Look. Of course you could always go and buy yourself a bike named after yourself:

http://www.alanaustralia.com/index2.htm

Cheers

Marek...

[Alan M]

Perhap I'll add the Look to my interest list and do some more research - I think the Alan may come over as a tad egocentric but I'll let you know if I come acros a Marek!

[Ian A4size]

I think the closest he will get will be my merak.

[Alan M]

Ian, you have to vote to contribute on this thread........ is that really a bike.

[Grahame]

I'd look at the captain's bike - Trek have been doing Carbon fibre frames just about as long as anybody.

Then I'd try to test ride them all and buy the one that fits me best. To hell with brand loyalty - go with what works for you.

Marek really is a bike brand. I think they are a (former) east european defence contractor, who started building bikes out of left over soviet aerospace titanium tubing. I believe they are a Czech company.

[Elliot M]

if it's got to be high end carbon don't forget...

- scott addict (new top end replacement for the cr1) - just about the lightest out there.

- cervelo soloist or even slc-sl

- cannondale system 6 - 07 liquigas team bike (alu stays)

- the giant that t-mobile ride (tcr advanced?)

- seven's custom carbon ($$$$$)

i haven't ridden any of them of course!

[Ian A4size]

Alan, i think i was the first to vote, i just never put a comment. My de rosa is a merak!

[Ian A4size]

BTW i went for the Orca, loadsa C50's about and Ruby's too- not that its a problem - just go for something different.IMHO.
Conner upgrading , my life he will have to learn to steer the bl@@dy thing as well, last year he tried my Ti bike back home from the cafe and i rode his..well talk about fixed....steering , when i got back on my bike i was wobbling all over the shop. Tamar said she has the same problem when she gets off the tandem.

[Alan M]

Loads of interesting feedback and ideas - many thanks - keep em coming!

[kieran]

Alan I have also been thinking of getting a proper racing bike now that I dipped my hand in. I have firstly tried to sort out the frame material choice but well CF seems very good with a limitless lifetime if no crashes/bumps and well thats the problem for me. I've seen enough crashes in races and on the club run to worry about this as damage to frame can be invisible and may cause frame to suddenly break sometime down the road. If you're going for CF then Planet-X get very good reviews, have a good 3 year crash replacement policy and are a good bit cheaper than look (mosquito bikes have some look frames reduced in price).

Steel, as Jon indicates Reynolds 953 tubes (Independent Fabrications do a 953 bike and Mosquito's stock IF bikes) are now out but checking the internet it is still early days for this tubing and seems some confusion over working with it also may turn out as dear as Ti or carbon anyway. Otherwise top end colombus (spelling?) tubing seems to be the best.

I am drifting towards Ti myself but there the cost are the main drawback so not sure about it.
Once I settle on a frame material I'll then pick the brand/model!

In the meantime I'll haunt the classifieds.

[Dr Frigo]

Oh nooo Kieran is going to be on a proper bike in 2007! If George and Aodan do the same, we're all be left struggling to keep up!