Okay, it's not really for Christmas. I plan on buying something this spring. But I need to shop, right? And I need to compare and find what's right for me.
Of course I'm talking about a bike. And, despite some of the links below, I'm buying from an LBS.
anyway, here's my first choice. The Specialized Tri-Cross Sport. (The comp is more than I need.) It's sexy, fast, durable and just balls out cool. Here's the centerfold version. It will do everything I need. I can zip around on pavement like a demon and get my average speed higher. I'll be able to participate in longer rides and, not only that, I'll feel a hell of a lot cooler than I feel on my Giant MTB (Giant is the maker, not a descriptor). Don't get me wrong, I love my current bike. But my needs are changing rapidly.
Now, of course, I have to look at options. Yes the Tri-Cross feels the best, makes me happiest and what not. But what if there's something else out there that's better. So, my bottom must meet other saddles.
In no particular order:
The Bianchi Volpe. It'll do the job. And I'm changing my mind about steel. The Tri-Cross' aluminum frame is stiff and will feel great going at a good clip. But I'm a tad worried about how it'll perform on rougher surfaces. Steel feels pretty good going through muddy conditions . . . But it's also a little ugly. And it may not be what I want. But that may change by March. Besides, Gert's favorite road team is Liquigas (if you are European it's pronounced Leaky Gas), for obvious reasons. They're a Bianchi team. Not that it matters.
Trek XO-1. It's a nice bike. I like the wheel set. This would probably be number 2 on the list. What's it got going against it? Honestly? I don't want to seem like I'm out riding just because Lance was riding. And if I'm riding a Trek, even if it's not a road bike, well . . . you know. It doesn't have much going against it, except that it stretches the upper limit of my budget.
The LeMond Propad. Again, this is a nice bike. And another steel frame option. So, see the Bianchi for most considerations. This one's a slippery bastard. It's fast and it feels good. But, in the end, it rates down for some reason. It doesn't feel like it fits, I guess. Ito feels a bit utilitarian for the price. For that amount I wanted something lighter, I guess.
Finally, the strangest option. The custom build. My favorite bike shop has a guy who will do whatever I want to a Surly Cross Check. (Ignore the components on that list, it's just an example.) Steel again. And I could make it single speed (not that I would) or go all the way up to a triple. Components are limited to what he can get, my budget and my ideas. I can trick it out or keep it basic. They describe this frame as the Jeep of the cycling world. It's surprisingly light and pretty damn durable. Several racers in STL ride Surly frames and each bike is totally unique. There's something appealing about that. Plus, the only thing I worry about with the Specialized is the carbon forks. When carbon breaks, it breaks. Steel has a little more give. I'm well known for doing stupid things. Or, there was a case this summer where I was avoiding hitting another cyclist who skidded and fell that I had to go off the pavement and down a foot and a half lower at about 17 mph. I was airborne for a second and I hit the ground HARD. How I didn't go flying off the bike, I don't know. It certainly wasn't skill. With very no experience with carbon anything outside of dioxide, how would they have taken that impact? Plus, wouldn't it be perfect for me to ride something wit "Surly" emblazened on it?
Okay, so the forks are all I'm worried about with the Specialized. I dream about that damn bike. But, hey, no matter what I'll be dropping some good cash on a bike so I have to do my homework. Even if I'm pretty sure of the end result.
Oh, my other consideration is no matter what I get I have to get a second rear wheel and cassette so I can switch it out on the trainer.
Sorry. I'll wipe up the drool.
The only thing I'm always worried about with steel is rust...also known as frame cancer. On the other hand, I have a buddy who has a Cross Check and he really digs it. He uses it to commute to and from work and likes it for that but when he wants to ride on the weekends for his 100 mile jaunts, he breaks out his Trek 5200. Don't worry too much about the carbon fork. They're pretty darn strong now given that some MTB forks now have carbon bits. As long as you're not hucking you should be ok.
ReplyDeleteThe Physicist
I think I'm just getting swept up in touching bikes.
ReplyDeleteI think the Tri-Cross will be perfect. Like I said, I really do lust after that bike. Really, I do.
I'm just antsy to ride again. Too cold now and the winds suck. I have an indoor training program that I'm following and I'm actually enjoying it (to an extent). I have a cycling coach (well, I don't have one . . . I know one who is guiding me for free because he's one of my authors) and I'm starting to get addicted to progress and changes. Like making it through a particularly interval for the first time without dying. Or the weird new muscles I'm getting . . .
The weird new muscles stage...yeah. You're never going to back to being a non-rider. You'll just want to carve those muscles deeper and see you can get the cool v in your calf and work on getting whistles from ladies along your route....yeah. See...I never quite got to the 'new muscles' stage. If I had, I'd still be riding like a maniac.
ReplyDeleteMost people don't understand the suffering is addictive thing. Getting through the hard interval is such a great feeling. Wait until you take a trip down to the Ozarks to do some climbing. There's nothing a pure as the suffering one does on a long climg.
ReplyDeleteIf you haven't seen them, the Spinervals Vidoe are pretty good at that. The area base builder workouts would probably be great for winter training. I use the time trail workouts fairly frequently and I can attest tot he fact that they work pretty well.
The Physicist