Which Frameset? Trek, Colnago, Cervelo
Looking to buy a new frameset. Cycling Weekly rated the Colnago Extreme Power road bike of the year and that got me thinking that i should go for one of those - anyone got a view on pro and cons of this one? Then just recently i started looking at the new Trek Madone and also the Cervelo Soloist Carbon - the tech speak on the websites, say they are the best thing since sliced bread, so hard to make a decision. Anyone riden any of these or got an idea of what i should be buying with a budget up to £2500?
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Well, I've just bought a Pinarello Prince and I couldn't be happier with it. Best bike I've ever ridden by a long, long way0
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Wish I had your budget.
Dennis Noward0 -
I wish i had that budget too. my last bike cost more, but now i can't afford a second one.
The stock (right) answer you'll get here is whichever fits best.
That aside, I wouldn't buy any of the three you mention, but if it had to be one of the three I'd probably go with Cervelo. Based on looks! Plus it's more aero. Second choice would be Colnago. Trek third as there is not much brand appeal and the new frame shape is not as nice as the predecessor.0 -
if Cervelo is on the menu, what about the R3 ?0
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I had a similar choice recently. Previous bike was a Trek 5500 which was actually very good but felt a bit........ordinary. I needed a bike for sportives and racing.
So it was either a new Madone or a Cervelo SLC (lots of other possible choices I know but these were my top two). The Trek looked good, some interesting new tech bits on the 08 bikes plus I knew what size fitted. The Cervelo looked fast standing still and much more like a race bike but some say its a bit harsh.
In the end I decided sod it get the one that looks best (I am that shallow) and get some good shorts. And I havn't regretted it at all. The SLC is a great ride, corners better than the Trek, feels subjectivly faster although I doubt it really is but because I enjoy riding it more I ride harder. It does feel a lot stiffer than the Trek - not to the point of causing pain but I notice I steer around potholes a bit more....
I discounted the R3 at the time because it didn't look that special to me but it gets some great reviews. Good luck with the decision.0 -
Read up on bike reviews if you can't get the chance of a test ride, particularly from riders of similar size. Feedback on the Trek is that it's pretty ordinary in comparison to the others and so that would strike it from my list - not withstanding the fact that they are ubiquitously boring. Both the Extreme Power and Soloist are no-nonsense race bikes - don't expect a 'magic carpet' ride on our rough UK roads - if you're a big rider, fine, but for a light rider like me, I'd get bounced around all over the road on one. OK for riding short road races and crits, but hard work after 3-4 hours. It really depends on what type and style of riding you plan on doing, rather than choose a frame and then find out it's not suited to your intended use.Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..0
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How about something more obscure and prettier? The Tomassini Velocista is quite stunning. It's a lugged carbon frame like Looks, but they carve the lugs like in days of yore...
Awesome..0 -
thx for the replies. MWESTY - thats interesting cos my current frame is a 5500 as well. I loved it when i bought it and used to sneak to the garage just to look at it... how sad...now it is relegated to being tossed into the shed after a muddy, wet, winter ride. My riding style is medium to fast sportive riding in the summer and long slowish rides through the winter. But the new ride will be reserved for the summer.
Interesting about the Trek - it's almost anti-cool, because people seem to hate them so much, but can;t help thinking that the new one sounds a bit gimmicky, but then the website talks about 90mm bb and defense standard carbon so i think maybe this is a techno advance, but as for looks the old one is better. The colnago seems to have an image problem - the Harley Davidson of cycles maybe. So the Cervelo looks good, but not sure about that weird wing-like downtube.
At my level it's all a bit of a vanity thing really, cos i'm not going to win any podium places. Think i will take a closer look at the Cervelo's maybe...decisions, decisions0 -
It does seem a shame in a a way to relegate the 5500, I think its underrated - comfortable, quite light and not as pricey in its day as other carbon frames - but a great winter bike! Having said that I rode mine the other day after a couple of weeks on the SLC - it reinforced how much more lively the SLC is and how much better it handles. And basically thats why I bought the SLC - I was worried that the new Madone would be pretty similar to the 5500 in feel and that would have been a wasted opportunity to experience something different.0
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[quote="MWesty"]It does seem a shame in a a way to relegate the 5500, I think its underrated - comfortable, quite light and not as pricey in its day as other carbon frames - but a great winter bike! Having said that I rode mine the other day after a couple of weeks on the SLC - it reinforced how much more lively the SLC is and how much better it handles. And basically thats why I bought the SLC - I was worried that the new Madone would be pretty similar to the 5500 in feel and that would have been a wasted opportunity to experience something different.[/quote]
I think any Trek is quite a boring buy nowadays, simply because there are far better buys around the same kind of money. Plus the ride isn't very good really, and yes I have tried the 5500 and the new Madone.0 -
Maybe you should try reading some of my postings sometimes rather than just assuming, NSSB.sexybird wrote:HarryB wrote:Well, I've just bought a Pinarello Prince and I couldn't be happier with it. Best bike I've ever ridden by a long, long way
Ah but you have wasted your money.
:idea: Ask my friend aracer,he'll put you to rights.
http://www.bikeradar.com/road/forums/vi ... =#14634087
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What about this http://www.cyclesense.co.uk/products.ph ... 208s6p3562 no one else will have one, you can say it cost what you want and have a grand left over, happy days!0
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If it was my money a Look 595 would be top of the list, but if you really have your heart set on one of those three then I'd go wth the Cervelo with the Colnago a close second. With a £2,500 I would be wanting a bike I could fall in love with and even if it was the best bike in the world I just couldn't fall in love with a Trek. The Subaru Impreza of the bicycle world.0
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How about a Litespeed Vortex?
very bling[/img]0 -
Cervelo Made in CHINA by an anonamous company not Cervelo.
Review in C+ on Madone is a shocker and the reviewer likes bikes to 'feel' stiff Madone seems to do all right with the pro riders and is made in house by Trek. (Yes I have one and I get to choose many brands before deciding)
A bike should be comfortable to ride first then fast second Trek may not have the long term heritage of some other brands but it IS the most successful Tour bike in the last decade with 8 wins in the last 10 years.
Maybe it is that good and we need to get past the snobbery of it.
Ps owned Times Looks Principias and others and have now owned 3 madojnes.Racing is life - everything else is just waiting0 -
Down the Road wrote:Cervelo Made in CHINA by an anonamous company not Cervelo.
Review in C+ on Madone is a shocker and the reviewer likes bikes to 'feel' stiff Madone seems to do all right with the pro riders and is made in house by Trek. (Yes I have one and I get to choose many brands before deciding)
A bike should be comfortable to ride first then fast second Trek may not have the long term heritage of some other brands but it IS the most successful Tour bike in the last decade with 8 wins in the last 10 years.
Maybe it is that good and we need to get past the snobbery of it.
Ps owned Times Looks Principias and others and have now owned 3 madojnes.
Needless to say this would not have been acheived by the same rider/ plus 1other on any other bike. 0 -
Down the Road wrote:Cervelo Made in CHINA by an anonamous company not Cervelo.
Review in C+ on Madone is a shocker and the reviewer likes bikes to 'feel' stiff Madone seems to do all right with the pro riders and is made in house by Trek. (Yes I have one and I get to choose many brands before deciding)
A bike should be comfortable to ride first then fast second Trek may not have the long term heritage of some other brands but it IS the most successful Tour bike in the last decade with 8 wins in the last 10 years.
Maybe it is that good and we need to get past the snobbery of it.
Ps owned Times Looks Principias and others and have now owned 3 madojnes.
how come you've own 3 madones? How does the new style compare to the previous one/
low brand appeal has always put me off, but i loved the shape of the old downward sloping top tube frame and some of the vintage USPS colour schemes.0 -
aracer wrote:
Maybe you should try reading some of my postings sometimes rather than just assuming, NSSB.sexybird wrote:HarryB wrote:Well, I've just bought a Pinarello Prince and I couldn't be happier with it. Best bike I've ever ridden by a long, long way
Ah but you have wasted your money.
:idea: Ask my friend aracer,he'll put you to rights.
http://www.bikeradar.com/road/forums/vi ... =#14634087
I did honeybun complete with laughing smiley.
Or do you always laugh when being serious?0 -
wildmoustache wrote:Down the Road wrote:Cervelo Made in CHINA by an anonamous company not Cervelo.
Review in C+ on Madone is a shocker and the reviewer likes bikes to 'feel' stiff Madone seems to do all right with the pro riders and is made in house by Trek. (Yes I have one and I get to choose many brands before deciding)
A bike should be comfortable to ride first then fast second Trek may not have the long term heritage of some other brands but it IS the most successful Tour bike in the last decade with 8 wins in the last 10 years.
Maybe it is that good and we need to get past the snobbery of it.
Ps owned Times Looks Principias and others and have now owned 3 madojnes.
how come you've own 3 madones? How does the new style compare to the previous one/
low brand appeal has always put me off, but i loved the shape of the old downward sloping top tube frame and some of the vintage USPS colour schemes.
Luck of the draw been able to sell them on at the right time to upgrade or try something different. Funny I keep going back to Madones.
Presently on the NEW 5.5 PRO. Love it it is a better accelerating bike than the old one, more comfortable over the rough stuff and corners better than the Principia. Colour of this one is not for all but as a bike it is sensational
What low brand appeal ALL of mine have turned heads.Racing is life - everything else is just waiting0 -
One thing i have learned prompted by the China/Cervelo comment is that the Cervelo carbon frames appear to be made in Taiwan... not sure if that is a good thing or not, but at £2K+ the profit margin must be huge. Also there was a recall a while back for the 2005 Taiwanese made R2.5 frame because the downtube might disconnect from the headset... mmm0
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not very helpful, since these bikes are not on your wish list but what about a Look (i am biased as i have one), TIME or BMC ....??0
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juggler wrote:One thing i have learned prompted by the China/Cervelo comment is that the Cervelo carbon frames appear to be made in Taiwan... not sure if that is a good thing or not, but at £2K+ the profit margin must be huge. Also there was a recall a while back for the 2005 Taiwanese made R2.5 frame because the downtube might disconnect from the headset... mmm
Loads of "top end" frames made in Taiwan.
That said, if the down tube was ever connected to the headset I'd be more than a little wary. :?0 -
No, but sometimes I smile - you're really not very good at this internet forum lark are you?sexybird wrote:aracer wrote:Maybe you should try reading some of my postings sometimes rather than just assuming, NSSB.
http://www.bikeradar.com/road/forums/vi ... =#14634087
I did honeybun complete with laughing smiley.
Or do you always laugh when being serious?0 -
BTW it wasn't just the C+ article that didn't rate the Madone, but the CW one as well - and I expect countless others too - the old Madone was oft criticised for a poor fork / front end stiffness too. People might criticise Colnago as being an 'old man's' bike - but they've often set the standard that others still follow - apart from Look, there's few others with a similar pedigree in carbon. I know lot's of old guys who ride them too, me included, if I'm old at 42 - but hey, only racing bikes for 25 years makes me a poor judge of what's good because adverts in magazines are more informative?Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..0
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aracer wrote:
No, but sometimes I smile - you're really not very good at this internet forum lark are you?sexybird wrote:aracer wrote:Maybe you should try reading some of my postings sometimes rather than just assuming, NSSB.
http://www.bikeradar.com/road/forums/vi ... =#14634087
I did honeybun complete with laughing smiley.
Or do you always laugh when being serious?
I'm the only person that can be bothered speaking to you darling..
Be grateful for small mercies.
If it were'nt for me you'd vanish up the vacuum of your own inadequacy
Toodle pip.0 -
Indeed - I'd consider it a recommendation, not a criticism.whitley wrote:juggler wrote:One thing i have learned prompted by the China/Cervelo comment is that the Cervelo carbon frames appear to be made in Taiwan... not sure if that is a good thing or not, but at £2K+ the profit margin must be huge. Also there was a recall a while back for the 2005 Taiwanese made R2.5 frame because the downtube might disconnect from the headset... mmm
Loads of "top end" frames made in Taiwan.
Have to agree with juggler about profit margins, given you can get a <1kg Taiwanese carbon frame for <£400. Though of course these companies have to fund their marketing departments somehow 0 -
How about De Rosa; not as 'bling' as Colnago but still beautiful and wonderful to ride.0
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Down the Road wrote:wildmoustache wrote:Down the Road wrote:Cervelo Made in CHINA by an anonamous company not Cervelo.
Review in C+ on Madone is a shocker and the reviewer likes bikes to 'feel' stiff Madone seems to do all right with the pro riders and is made in house by Trek. (Yes I have one and I get to choose many brands before deciding)
A bike should be comfortable to ride first then fast second Trek may not have the long term heritage of some other brands but it IS the most successful Tour bike in the last decade with 8 wins in the last 10 years.
Maybe it is that good and we need to get past the snobbery of it.
Ps owned Times Looks Principias and others and have now owned 3 madojnes.
how come you've own 3 madones? How does the new style compare to the previous one/
low brand appeal has always put me off, but i loved the shape of the old downward sloping top tube frame and some of the vintage USPS colour schemes.
Luck of the draw been able to sell them on at the right time to upgrade or try something different. Funny I keep going back to Madones.
Presently on the NEW 5.5 PRO. Love it it is a better accelerating bike than the old one, more comfortable over the rough stuff and corners better than the Principia. Colour of this one is not for all but as a bike it is sensational
What low brand appeal ALL of mine have turned heads.
Fair enough.
Like lots of people on this board I just don't think Trek have much brand appeal (I have a Trek in my stable and don't have an axe to grind on this). The last generation was tainted by the lance-a-lot thing, and I guess that lives on a bit. The new generation just aren't attractive looking bikes IMO ... kind of like poor facsimilies of Specializeds.
But I'm not doubting they are good bikes in other respects. There are some great deals around on the old style madones right now.0
