I have a Tetra-Custom, 2nd year now. I don't want to seem overly enthusiastic about it, as I've had several bikes that I thought were the "best I've ever ridden", but just last week I sent a note to Craig Calfee thanking him again for building me a bike that amazes me every time I'm on it. I wish I could just come out and tell you it "rides like a million" or it "my Litespeed can't touch it" or something like that but its not a fair and unbiased opinion - I'm not an unbiased customer - my Tetra is the greatest bike I've ever ridden. <wink>. That may be because it is the only one ever custom built to my specs and not bought off the shelf, or it may be simply that it IS the best bike I've ridden. Who knows.

For reference, I've had a Litespeed Blade, 2 Aegis Swifts, an a Softride Powerwing. Still have the Softride, somewhere.

Go on over to www.hydromedia.com and check out the Calfee owner's forum for some really unbiased (haha) feedback. There are frequently folks that drop by who give the calfee owners really good challenges about whether their bikes are so good or not - you may actually find some good things there.

I'm pretty sure Slowman has good things to say about Calfee bikes as well.

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Elivis needs boats.

"I'm pretty sure Slowman has good things to say about Calfee bikes as well."

way back when, like more than a decade ago, i was struck by what was at the time the most unequivocal endorsement of the ride characteristics of a bike that i'd ever seen. it was near the end of greg lemond's career, and he absolutely raved about his carbon frames / calfee, and this was a bike/rider relationship that had nothing to do with money.

after his retirement, lemond tried to turn that respect into a business relationship with calfee, but that didn't pan out for a variety of reasons that had nothing to do with the fitness of the bike.

i don't see any reason to think that the bikes craig calfee makes now are any less able than those he made back then, and of course calfee's own processes have improved as the industry in general has moved forward.

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

I too am a calfee owner (after much careful deliberation) though I have the luna tri model. I'm told the ride quality is the same on luna and tetra. The bike is a work of art both to look at and to ride. The ride is lively and comfortable and the bb is noticeably stiffer than my steel road bike. I climb at least 1mph faster on measured climbs on my luna than my steel road bike. My 60cm luna w/ ultegra weighs around 18lbs with race wheels and bottles on - that helps when you're going up -and the tetra frame is 1/4lb lighter. If you fit on the standard geometry, great, but if you don't and can afford the extra $$$ to go custom you will be very happy as well. These are great bikes built by a very knowledgeable builder who cares about customer service. I've been to the Calfee plant in Santa Cruz, and have had questions concerning the bikes answered directly by Craig Calfee over email. It's a quality operation. Check out his technical whitepaper on the calfee site: http://www.calfeedesign.com/Calfee_TWP.pdf

One more thing - when you order yours, don't hide the carbon weave with too much paint!