How high end is "high end?"

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Slowguy

(insert pithy phrase here...)

Are you stuck on one type of material or open to all? Compact or regular frame or either?

Lots and lots of choices. It's a competitive market.

For opinions on different bikes go on roadbikereview.com and hit the "reviews" button.

I used to ride a Klein Quantum Pro a few years ago and thought it was a great bike. I think it would work well for the ITU races you do. I have talked to others who feel that it is a good bike for big riders too.

Mandaric Davo

Highest of the high end.

Sorry, high-end, as in a really good bike, but not $10K.

I guess retail price in the $3500-5500 range???? But if someone suggested a great bike at 1500, I'd be all for it.

As for material, all I've ever ridden is aluminum with carbon fork, so Im not that picky.

Bump for the evening crowd.

For those who don't know the poster races draft legal at the highest levels and deserves more bike advice than the few that came this morning.

I have had a Moots Vamoots for about a year now and it is the best bike I've ever ridden. The more I ride it the better I like it. If you are racing draft-legal as "kona by '08" indicates, you'd be hard pressed to do better. Light, silky and meticulously constructed. Available in standard & compact geometry in straight gauge & butted titanium. They are not widely known but I've never heard a bad word about one.

www.moots.com

I hate to say this on this board, but ...

New Cervelo Soloist Carbon (no, I don't ride a Cervelo) or possibly their new P3 due out real soon

Personally, I really like my Litespeed Vortex. Check out the new one although it will stretch your upper budget a bit north of 5k.

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Fatigue is biochemical, not biomechanical.
- Andrew Coggan, PhD

What new P3? Cervelo has a new P3 coming? Is it carbon?

Oops, meant R3 sorry ;)

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____________________________________
Fatigue is biochemical, not biomechanical.
- Andrew Coggan, PhD

If my bike was on life support from travel I would think of getting an S&S coupled Ti frame. that way it travels free on the plane, and won't get scratched up from being in the box. I have a Moots as well and love it, but Seven, Litespeed, Spectrum, and othersmake a coupled bike as well.
I am amazed how you don't do anthing to the bike until it is time to travel free. My S&S coupled bike is a Ramblumtick.com bike. The owner is building about half of his bikes with the couples. He does great tig steel work and costs about $1200 with the couples. His prices will go up as he is only in his second year of custom framebuilding. I am thinking of getting a cross bike with couples and a track bike as well.

Trek Madone 5.2 SL. Domestically made, lifetime frame warranty and great ride. Do a Project One to make it yours.

Good luck

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"....No longer easy on the eyes but these wrinkles masterfully dusguise the youthful boy below."~Death Cab for Cutie

http://www.a1cyclery.com

My coach rides and likes his Cyfac. He's an ex-pro cyclist who normally wouldn't give a shit about what he's riding, but he seems to really like the Cyfac.

I think he once raced on a Cervelo (before anyone else really did) but it said 'Lemond' on the side.

The Kuota Kredo is pretty sweet, but if you prefer aluminum, i'd say go with a Cyfac.

Litespeed Vortex compact

Screw all of that. Get a Waterford. Light weight steel. About 1 lb heavier than the lightest ti and carbon frames. Frame is about 2g if I recall. A female olympian was in the LBS in Burbank getting her comp bike, a waterford, built up recently. Everyone was drooling.

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Dick

Take everything I say with a grain of salt. I know nothing.

"the poster races draft legal at the highest levels "

Well why didn't you say so!!

Cervelo Soloist/R2.5 is obvious but don't overlook Trek, Lightspeed or Giant TCR.

Another bike that is quite interesting is the Lemond Tete de Course. Team Saturn was racing them.

http://www.lemondbikes.com/...tete_de_course.shtml

Hmm... question from a really poor collegiate cyclist: What's going to happen to your dying S-Works?

Just built up a Scott CR1 Team Issue. Only have 100 miles on it but the bike fits well and I liked the geometry. Haven't wieghed it but probably under 15 lbs for 56cm. Real good ride, quick but not overly twitchy. One of the lightest frames made. Go to www.cyclingnews.com they have a review on the model and some good reviews on other bikes. A lot more info than you will gain on this forum or the roadbike review website. Good luck shopping.