Help me pick a RR bike for next season, the '05 S-Works will be demoted to my crit bike as it it a bit harsh for long days in the saddle, so I want a Ti or CF bike for road racing/training. Main job of this rig will be to get me to the finish line, provide some comfort, hold up to daily abuse, and be very reliable. Not planning on being some super flyweight climber, I am playing the role of domestique for my club. I will be using a Javelin Barolo for TTs.
Finalists in both materials:
CF: Trek Madone SL 5.9 w/project 1 paint
Ti: Litespeed Vortex
Build kit: Dura Ace 10, Rotor Q Rings, misc stem/bar/post, SBC Alias saddle, Wheels: Powertap SL Hub-CK front hub 14/15 (28h) spokes and Mavic Open pro black rims, Vredstien Fortezza tires.
I am 50/50 in this decision, each bike has it’s benefits.
Your 2 cents are appreciated.
Customizing with PowerTap SL/Mavic open pro 28h wheels for racing/training.
isn’t the Vortex more of a crit/stiff bike versus the Ultimate being the stage race bike, more comfy which is what you are looking for? I always drool over the Ultimates. You could go with a Specialized Tarmac as well.
How will you keep the bike for ? I think you pay a bit extra for the durability of the titanium, but if you are the type of guy that only keeps a bike for a 3-4 years then that is not really important. I am impressed with the Madone, they are very nice, but I have a Merlin Extralight myself as my carbon/aluminium bikes have always scratched so easily, you should see my one year old aluminium mountain bike ! And my 4 year old Tiphoon still looks brand new.
Both are great rides. Go with whichever one makes you WANT to ride it when you look at it. Its the want that will get you to put in the extra miles. Maybe the Project one paint does it for your or maybe it is the first class welds on the LS. All the great cyclists that I know want to ride more than anything else.
I guess it is like women… some beautiful women just make you want to go for a ride and some beautiful women just don’t do it for ya. (sorry)
I just got myself a Cervelo 2.5 Team frame, put on some Mavic Ksyruium SL wheels, Dura-Ace Groupset ITM Bar and Stem and Easton EA90 Forks.
I wouldnt worry about the paint job you get for your trek, the trek paint is rubbish and cracks all the time. Ask Trek how many resprays they’ve had to do for unhappy owners seeing their beloved paint crack. Especially after they paid all that money for the custom paint job. Notice how the paint doesnt come under warranty either.
Go with the LS, or go and get yourself a Cervelo 2.5. Now there’s a really nice frame.
As an aside, my LBS hhas a P3C in a 56cm. Nice lookig bike, fells a bit on the heavy side. But as I already mentioned, looks incredible.
“So, as a happy Rotor user (road and track), I have to ask, what are Q rings?”
Something we are testing, to bring non-Rotor riders some of the benefits that Rotors provide at a much lower cost and reduced adaptation time. Fully adjustable to each rider, slightly ovalized chainrings to maximize the time spent in the power phase and minimize the time spent in the dead spot. These are not production at this time, just a little idea we are playing with. More details in September.
I have a Moots that is pretty sweet and rides great. Several of my teammates have Sevens. The climbers like the superlight Alta’s and the bigger riders are on the Axioms. Sevens are all custom so you can make it anyway you like. I am still not a big fan of the integrated HS so the Moots and Sevens are my top choices. Tom Kellogg reworks Merlins into some pretty sweet bikes.
As far as the Litespeeds you can get them with regular old HS if you order them. I think Ti has the best resale as they look so good after a few years. G
Help me pick a RR bike for next season, the '05 S-Works will be demoted to my crit bike as it it a bit harsh for long days in the saddle, so I want a Ti or CF bike for road racing/training. Main job of this rig will be to get me to the finish line, provide some comfort, hold up to daily abuse, and be very reliable. Not planning on being some super flyweight climber, I am playing the role of domestique for my club. I will be using a Javelin Barolo for TTs.
Finalists in both materials:
CF: Trek Madone SL 5.9 w/project 1 paint
Ti: Litespeed Vortex
Build kit: Dura Ace 10, Rotor Q Rings, misc stem/bar/post, SBC Alias saddle, Wheels: Powertap SL Hub-CK front hub 14/15 (28h) spokes and Mavic Open pro black rims, Vredstien Fortezza tires.
Customizing with PowerTap SL/Mavic open pro 28h wheels for racing/training.
I mailed the seller some questions and he sent me some pictures. If this deal is real I might buy it. Of course I’d drive there to receive the bike and pay directly to the seller.