Both the Ultegra and the Gossamer are good cranks. It's really a matter of preference. Equally stiff but the Gossamer is slightly lighter. Some (like me) prefer the black Gossamer for asthetic reasons. Others are stuck on shimano. If the '05 has ultegra 10 vs. 9 on the '04, I would go with the '05. Also, compare the clip-ons and the basebar. Some of the '05's are coming out with Vision Tech bb's. Much nicer than the standard bullhorns IMO. I went with the '04 in '04 and am ditching the gossamer for carbon (0 problems with the gossamer).

Resale on bikes suck. In this case it all depends on the price you set, how much the buyer is willing to pay, and the condition of the bike. RIght now there aren't a whole bunch of used duals for sale but that may change when the next big thing comes along at the price point. I don't know how much of a difference one year will make especially since there aren't any design differences between the 2. Components will help to set the price, 10 vs. 9, etc. I know that cervelo's are a hot commodity but if the '04 is identical in every way except the crank, it should be a bit discounted from the '05 IMO.

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"In the blocks you're a prisoner, the gun releases you."

is the 05 you're looking at the 10 speed ultegra? per cervelo's website, the 10 sp dual is spec'd with the gossamer cranks, while the 9 is spec'd with ultegra. plus the 10 has a blue and black color scheme. if that is the case, definitely go for the 05 at the same price. having the 10 will be nice...plus you would probably never notice the difference between the cranks.

I have the Dual '05 and love it. The visiontech base bar/clip on combo is also a lot nicer looking on the '05 than what comes on the '04 (for whatever that's worth). As for the crank issue, I have the ultegra 9 on my road bike and can't tell any difference in terms of stiffness except to say my Dual is definitely more responsive but I doubt if that's entirely attributable to the crank. (the black also looks nice) I would say the 10 gear cogset is a definite advantage over the 9 and an '05 should have inherently more value than an '04 when it comes to resale.

I have an 04 Dual. i wish I waited a bit and got the 05 Dual 10spd because I like the paint scheme so much better. Also, the handbar/aerobar combo on the 05 Dual 10spd is a lot cleaner looking than the 04 Dual.

Thanks.

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http://trainingoferic.blogspot.com/

Take a look at the sale from my LBS. Bought my 2004 Dual in August and am very happy... just wish I had waited till this winter... oh well.

http://speedyreedy.com/BikeBlowoutSale.htm

Maybe you can use this to beat some sense into your LBS!!!

Jay

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Jay

I got an 05 Dual. The differences are the Saddle, ultegra 10 vs ultegra 9, base-bar/clipon combo, wheelset (just different, I think they are fairly comparable) and cranks (and color). I actually could not get the aerobar pads wide enough with the vision-tech basebar and had to go back to a standard bull-horn to be comfortable, so if you have a wide perch, consider the 04 unless your shop will change it at no cost.

This forum is awesome! Thanks for all the responses. Both bikes are 9-speed. It sounds like a lot of you are partial to 10-speed though. I realize the 10-speed's components are upgraded, but is it really worth the extra $ for a newbie like myself? My thought was to get a good solid frame with good components and then slowly upgrade over the years. I keep thinking of all the other stuff I have to buy...pedals, shoes, wetsuit, etc!

Check out this sale:

http://www.joyridebikes.com/sale.htm

Its not a dual but an F45 for $1,100, just my size, keeps me up all night, and I thought I got such a smoking deal for $1,250 for my S25. DA9 and Ultegra STI, why did I get married again? I may only ride 50-75 miles a week but I need three bikes momma!! (last year I built up a new mountain bike and got the S25 so I can't even begin to tell her what a great deal this is)

Should we start another margin thread? I love the F90's for $375, you can get them used on Ebay for about $450.

You may want to check the components, especially the bottom bracket as my '04 Dual had some junk bottom bracket that was not as advertised. Other than that my only complaint is the crappy Rubino rubber that come stock, you'll want to lose those quickly.

probably don't need to spend the extra $ for the 10-speed. just asking if the 05 was 10 speed, that would have made it a no-brainer to go with the 05. even with both being 9 speed, i don't think the difference in cranks is worth going with the 04 over the 05.

As a fellow newbie, I took the plunge and bought a Dual last summer and took the aero-bars off the road bike. I have the '04 in black and red (the color makes you faster doesn't it?). It is a great bike, I've had zero problems with it and I am amazed at how much more stable the tri-geometry is than the road bike with aerobar set up was. Weight distribution and all that. If the dual fits, I say go for it.

BTW, I think 50% of my happiness with this bike is the fit I had at Bikesport in Michigan. To be honest, I am a runner, not a cyclist and having the bike tuned to me made a big difference in my opinion.