Hey kids,
I'm de-lurking for a bit, before my annual winter hiatus, to get the feedback of the ST bike illuminati.
Going to finally break down and get a new roadie, to replace my beloved (and semi-retired) '99 Klein Quantum Pro, which has been sitting disassembled in the garage attic for the past 2+ years, and I think may be relegated to dedicated trainer mule moving forward.
I've mostly got my options narrowed down to 2, with 2 variants - so 4 total.
(but if there's something I'm glaringly missing, shout it out!)
1 - C'Dale SystemSix - either HiMod Ult Di2 $7.9k, or the 'budget' option w/ standard CF and DA mechanical $6.3k
2 - Specialized Venge Pro - either '19 Ult Di2 $8k, or the real "budget" deal - an '18 closeout w/ mechinical DA for $5.5k
So - part of me likes the idea of sticking w/ tried & true mechanical shifting, as I've personally witnessed at least 3x where people I've been with have had their electronic shifting crap out at the worst possible time.
Any my alien-blood acid sweat π that eats away at everything + electronics ='s higher odds of that possibly happening.
But - am I making too much out of that? Will I regret not having Di2?
It's also a minor aero penalty, since the mechanical shift cable routing isn't nearly as clean, since it is not fully internal.
My goals/wants/needs: aero bike, deep wheels w/ modern, wide rims that allow for at LEAST 28c tires.
And yes - I want disc brakes on a road bike, so I can more 'safely' gun for downhill KOM's on Strava. π¨
Needs to be tubeless-ready rims, which rules out the new Cervelo S3's, in case you were wondering why that wasn't on my list.
1 - C'Dale - Pros: checks ALL of the boxes. Bonus - HiMod comes w/ PM built in, so $499 turns it on, and Bob's your uncle. That's not available on lower spec model.
Cons: Don't love the Volt color on the mechanical version.
Electronic sold out currently - Not available until late March at earliest, maybe April even.
Not a dealbreaker, but - there's something to be said for immediate gratification.
2 - Spesh - Pros: dead sexy bike, checks almost all of the boxes, and currently available.
The '19 has 50mm wheels, the '18 comes with 64mm.
'18 is "cheap", so more $ for upgrades/PM/bribe Mrs ML. π
Will I even notice that the '18 model not the bleeding edge aero road bike tech?
It also has a tighter front fork, so maybe βonlyβ can fit a 26c up front, with 28 rear.
Cons: no PM on either so that's an extra expense/complexity.
For both, the electronic shifting is cleanest and most aero, naturally.
But mo' money, and (potentially) mo' problems?
What say ye, ST bike gurus?
float , hammer , and jog
I'm de-lurking for a bit, before my annual winter hiatus, to get the feedback of the ST bike illuminati.
Going to finally break down and get a new roadie, to replace my beloved (and semi-retired) '99 Klein Quantum Pro, which has been sitting disassembled in the garage attic for the past 2+ years, and I think may be relegated to dedicated trainer mule moving forward.
I've mostly got my options narrowed down to 2, with 2 variants - so 4 total.
(but if there's something I'm glaringly missing, shout it out!)
1 - C'Dale SystemSix - either HiMod Ult Di2 $7.9k, or the 'budget' option w/ standard CF and DA mechanical $6.3k
2 - Specialized Venge Pro - either '19 Ult Di2 $8k, or the real "budget" deal - an '18 closeout w/ mechinical DA for $5.5k
So - part of me likes the idea of sticking w/ tried & true mechanical shifting, as I've personally witnessed at least 3x where people I've been with have had their electronic shifting crap out at the worst possible time.
Any my alien-blood acid sweat π that eats away at everything + electronics ='s higher odds of that possibly happening.
But - am I making too much out of that? Will I regret not having Di2?
It's also a minor aero penalty, since the mechanical shift cable routing isn't nearly as clean, since it is not fully internal.
My goals/wants/needs: aero bike, deep wheels w/ modern, wide rims that allow for at LEAST 28c tires.
And yes - I want disc brakes on a road bike, so I can more 'safely' gun for downhill KOM's on Strava. π¨
Needs to be tubeless-ready rims, which rules out the new Cervelo S3's, in case you were wondering why that wasn't on my list.
1 - C'Dale - Pros: checks ALL of the boxes. Bonus - HiMod comes w/ PM built in, so $499 turns it on, and Bob's your uncle. That's not available on lower spec model.
Cons: Don't love the Volt color on the mechanical version.
Electronic sold out currently - Not available until late March at earliest, maybe April even.
Not a dealbreaker, but - there's something to be said for immediate gratification.
2 - Spesh - Pros: dead sexy bike, checks almost all of the boxes, and currently available.
The '19 has 50mm wheels, the '18 comes with 64mm.
'18 is "cheap", so more $ for upgrades/PM/bribe Mrs ML. π
Will I even notice that the '18 model not the bleeding edge aero road bike tech?
It also has a tighter front fork, so maybe βonlyβ can fit a 26c up front, with 28 rear.
Cons: no PM on either so that's an extra expense/complexity.
For both, the electronic shifting is cleanest and most aero, naturally.
But mo' money, and (potentially) mo' problems?
What say ye, ST bike gurus?
float , hammer , and jog
Last edited by:
Murphy'sLaw: Oct 26, 18 4:03