OK folks, I have a dilemma. I want a full carbon road bike. I currently ride an aluminum w/carbon seatstays but really haven’t felt all that comfortable on it. As a result, I have been riding my Tiphoon on all the group “Roadie” rides. It hasn’t been a problem as I only ride my aerobars when I’m pulling out in the front of the paceline. However, I’d prefer to be riding a road set-up when doing our group training rides. I love the Kestrel Talon. Had a positive experience on a test ride. The dilemma is my friends own a LBS and want me to buy a new bike from them. The only brand they carry that offers full carbon is Orbea. The Orbea Orca frameset will run me $2200 and that is with a 10% discount. Add components and a bike build and we are well into the $3000 range. I can get the Talon for a little under $2000. I feel guilty buying elsewhere. Am I being paranoid or silly for feeling this way. I even inquired about just buying the Talon frame and buying the build kit from my LBS friends and letting them build up the bike but they still can’t even come close to the price that it would cost me buying the complete bike already built up. Any advice on what I should do? Any other carbon bikes I should consider?
Tell him you can’t afford it. If he doesn’t understand He’s not much of a friend…I mean that is a thousand ducks were talking about…You could get a disc…
If they don’t offer a full carbon bike in your budget, then don’t buy a bike for them - they should understand. If they are really that ticked off because you didn’t want to spend an extra $1000 to get a bike through them, then you need to ask yourself if you really want friends like that.
I tested the Talon, too. Liked it a lot.
You need to buy what you want. I have just been through the exact same situation. A friend had recently set up a bikeshop and mainly carried orbea and giant, however I had been a fan of litespeed for years and had my heart set on one. I bought the litespeed but do all ancilliary purchases through him.
Go with what you want otherwise you will regret it later and will not enjoy the ownership experience.
explain the the kestrel fit great is priced right and tell him you want to do business through him and is there anyway he can special order one for you. Don’t know if kestrel will do that but it’s worth a shot. I agree that he should understand that when dropping that much on a bike it needs to be right the first time