Wilier Mortirolo or Specialized Tarmac Comp?

mikek55

I have £1500 to spend and have narrowed my choice down to the Wilier mortirolo veloce and specialized tarmac comp 2008 I'm swaying towards the Wilier but £1500 is still a bit of an investment for me and I'm being put off by the 2yr warranty Wilier offer, While my local specialized dealer has informed me they offer a lifetime warranty on their bikes and a crash replacement scheme is this as good as it sound?

Thanks for any advice Mike

HarryB

Mike, I'd also look at the Scott CR1. I bought the CRI pro last year and it's a fantastic bike. Someone is selling a brand new CR1 on ebay at the mo at an excellent price (I have no connection with the seller, jsut noticed it today.

mikek55

I did notice the scott earlier and they do get good reviews, its just I was all set to put my order in for Wilier but after reading all the carbon horror stories the the small warranty has just made me think a little bit and a lifetime warranty with a discounted crash replacement sounds like a good offer I just couldnt find anything about it on the specialized website

Monty Dog

Specialized do offer good quality warranty support in the UK, but that's not to say they don't go wrong, because most of my club mates - we're sponsored by Specialized - have had a replacement at some stage. Buying a bike purely on warranty is a bit of a misnomer - US comapanies make a big deal of it because of their litigenous society, whereas European manufacturers don't see it as a marketing issue - focusing on product design instead. IME European bike comapanies will honour warranties for genuine manufacturing defects, but just don't go shouting about it. It's also interesting that the comapanies that seem to make a big deal about their lifetime warranties have some of the worst reputations for bikes breaking.

georgee

Everyone has a specialized, I went to buy one from de vere, walked out with a willier and I love it! test ride them and choose it that way.

proper_job

I've got a tarmac comp and am very happy with it. Although they are very common here I was in Italy a couple of weekends ago and it was an object of interest as they are pretty rare there. Spec have been very good with warranty stuff IME but I've only ever broken mtbs. As another poster said, buying just for warranty seems to be the wrong reason. Try them and buy the one you like. Then come back on here and tell us which one you chose.

winkywonky

CTC shop had a few good deals. I am in the same situation but might spend a few hundred quid more. I've only ever had a Spech so I'm up for a change! I looked at the Wilier as well but am thinking of going for an Izoard. The Scott's get excellent write ups so I would go and try one of them. For me it's just getting to the dealers to try them out.

mikek55

Thanks for your feedback. I wasnt basing my decision purely on the fact of warranty. I like both bikes and although having only tested them on short rides feel they would be more than adequate for the club riding I am doing. I have currently only ever had Bianchi bikes myself and have been very happy with them, I just fancied a change and am not bias to any manufacturer these two just appealed to me for the reviews they have received. I just wondered if anyone had any experience of these lifetime warranties and discouted crash replacement schemes that some bike manufacturers offer and whether they really are as good as they sound as I feel this could just influence my decision as accidents do happen and I cant really justify spending another £1000 on a new frame to my wife if I crash it and destroy it after a couple of months.

Zero Sum

I own a Le Roi, so am biased but Wilier are one of the few carbon frame manufacturers to actually meet exacting standards and testing protocols. Off the top of my head I can not emember whatthe actual testing procedure is called, but as far as I know there are only three firms to meet the criteria to be awarded with accreditation Wilier, Storck and Cervelo.

My Le Roi is my training bike, and has about 4K miles on it and I have never had any trouble with it ever. I love it to bits, and I know it is frame specific, but in gereneal Wilier geometry makes for a lively ride. Of course it is horses for courses, but I would never hesitate in recomending Wilier. Having said that if you go for a Le Roi, make sure you can handle it!

digitaria

Zero Sum wrote:

My Le Roi is my training bike, and has about 4K miles on it and I have never had any trouble with it ever. I love it to bits, and I know it is frame specific, but in gereneal Wilier geometry makes for a lively ride. Of course it is horses for courses, but I would never hesitate in recomending Wilier. Having said that if you go for a Le Roi, make sure you can handle it!

Training bike? This makes me wonder what your racing bike is, since the Le Roi is Pro Tour standard

Would you care to expand on "make sure you can handle it"? Is the ride very stiff, unforgiving?

ChrisBowers

I have a Wilier Mortirolo. Really pleased with it.

Wilier's are excellent bikes really compliant and you don't see many around.

Philip S

I'm thinking about a Wilier Mortirolo at the moment - good to see a lot of good commments about them on here (although I've struggled to find any press reviews). However, I do get the impression that once you start spending £1500 on a bike, it's likely to be a decnt machine.

Anyone got anything bad to say about them?

Speck

I bought the Mortirolo with Veloce from Epic Cycles with Racing 5's upgrade for £1,440. They will upgrade components and only charge the difference.

I originally wanted a Bianchi C2C but all the dealers wanted to charge an earth for changing to compact gearing!

I am well pleased with it.

AcademicX

Had my Mortirolo (Chorus) since March. Great bike and an absolute pleasure to ride.

The Mortirolo was reviewed by C+ in the January 2007 issue (Stars of the Future, pg. 82). It was awarded 9/10 "[It] has the looks and ride refinement of a much more expensive bike".

The Centaur equipped version is available from Comobike for the equivalent of £1395 (the SRP in the UK is £1699).

mikek55

Looks like I may be buying the wilier tommorow, I will probably only keep the bike for two years anyway and I prefer the campag groupset anyway.

I was just surprised that considering both companies out source the manufacture of both these bike frames to the same part of the world that one was prepared to back up its product with a lengthy warranty.

As far as i'm concerned their is nothing to say that any one company spends any more than the other regarding design and they both are competing at the same level in the sport. I just feel that maybe european companies could maybe offer a bit more than they have to! because as far as i'm concerned american companies dont have to offer lifetime warranties with their products in europe and I've struggled to find any of them shouting about it, with only trek having any mention at all on their website.

I will enjoy my Wilier but now just understand why specialized are probably so common