How to buy a new expensive frame

mclarent
mclarent Posts: 784
edited April 2009 in Road buying advice
First time buying an expensive frame, so not sure on the best way to go about it...

My current list is between a Colnago C-50, a Cervelo (prob an RS), or a Trek Madone 6.2, but don't know how to choose between them(!) I was thinking about getting a bike fit done first (prob Retül), which should help inform my decision, but any suggestions how to go about it after that? I'm guessing a bike shop isn't going to just build up 3 bikes for me to ride on the "off chance" that I'll buy one of the frames afterwards(!) And would a "test ride" be enough time to "really know" (important to me given how much cash I'll be spending!!)

Also, any ideas on other frames I should consider in the same price area?
"And the Lord said unto Cain, 'where is Abel thy brother?' And he said, 'I know not: I dropped him on the climb up to the motorway bridge'."
- eccolafilosofiadelpedale

Comments

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,666
    There are no bad bikes at that price point. My advice (genuinely) would be to buy the one you fancy the most.
    Do a search and see if any shops have any of those frames built up in your size, highly likely with Trek and Cervelo, less so with the Colnago.

    I would add Look to your list but I'm biased, I have one. Another one people seem to rate highly is the Orbea Orca.
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    Colnago C-50, a Cervelo (prob an RS), or a Trek Madone 6.2

    Surely there's only one choice there :shock:
    I like bikes...

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,666
    I didn't want to sway him, but yes...
  • storck
    storck Posts: 64
    without slagging off any of pre mentioned frames which im sure are very good have a look at Posh Bikes .com (Storck Bikes}these are without any doubt the best frames out there at a very competative price the Scenario model has won more awards than aii those other framesets together,well worth a look,good luck....
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,666
    Storck are reputedly very very good quality but to me there is no soul about them. The other thing is trying one out will be difficult.
  • 100%
    100% Posts: 236
    I'd strongly suggest you go try them all too. I demo'd a Cervelo RS, really liked it. I'm pretty sure that the C50 will work out more expensive...it'd be my number 1 too if I could afford it, but there's no way I'd buy one without trying it.
  • storck
    storck Posts: 64
    I You right you must try before you buy i was lucky one of staff at Bicycle Works (Edinburgh} had one,not sure what you mean by soul im not an expert but Storcks have the stiffness where it matters as the tests/reviews all confirm,not bad for a small company compared to the bike boys again happy hunting.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,666
    When I mean soul it's like a personal thing you can't put your finger on, like choosing a Lamborghini over a tricked out £100K Nissan Skyline. Both would be fast and immense fun, the Nissan probably faster but, well, you know, Lamborghini... :)
  • cookiemonster
    cookiemonster Posts: 668
    You just hold your breath and click "buy" (making sure you at least know whether its a 54, 56, 58, etc, that you need) :)

    I bought an RS last autumn without a test ride, then built it up with chorus (which I'd on used on demo bikes as I'd always had shimano so no real experience of it - juts fancied a change), some 3T kit, which again I'd never used, and finished it off with some handbuilt wheels (open pros on dt 240's) which, you've guessed it... I'd never tried.

    Telling it like the above it looks like total insanity, whereas each component was chosen after weeks of deliberating. The first time I took it out though I was absolutely terrified that I'd find that after all the cash and effort I'd have something that felt exactly like the Cayo it was replacing...

    Glad to say that it's turned out to be a phenomenal bit of kit - light, stiff as, and comfortable over 7-8 hour rides, which was the achilles heel of the focus.

    The moral of the story is that from your list, you cant really go wrong, check the frame geometries (the RS prob has a slightly longer head tube and chain stays to the madone for example) as that might sway the decision. If not, then go for the one that rocks your boat the most.

    And its not the worst problem that you could be facing in life :)
  • Brian B
    Brian B Posts: 2,071
    NapoleonD wrote:
    When I mean soul it's like a personal thing you can't put your finger on, like choosing a Lamborghini over a tricked out £100K Nissan Skyline. Both would be fast and immense fun, the Nissan probably faster but, well, you know, Lamborghini... :)

    I see what you mean, but at most events there are lots of Lamborghini's and the Nissan Skyline is then the one that stands out from the crowd.

    I'll come clean I have a Storck - who needs a soul when you frame is at least twice as stiff as a Cervelo. :twisted:

    Seriously I dont think there is much of a choice from the above frames. I'll know what I would go for.
    Brian B.
  • mclarent
    mclarent Posts: 784
    Thanks for the advice guys! Out of interest, which one are you talking about RedDragon?
    cookiemonster wrote:
    And its not the worst problem that you could be facing in life :)

    No, that would be getting my wife to agree to spending large sums of money on "unnecessary" items... "but I really need it, you don't understand..." :wink:
    "And the Lord said unto Cain, 'where is Abel thy brother?' And he said, 'I know not: I dropped him on the climb up to the motorway bridge'."
    - eccolafilosofiadelpedale
  • giant_man
    giant_man Posts: 6,878
    Depending on your budget of course, the C50 is the one I would go for in that line up. Rather have the Cervelo than the Trek anyday too. Actually there are about 20 frames I would rather have than the Trek but that's another story ....
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    For big money - you'd want to ride the bike first.

    I'd rather have a cheaper bike that I've testridden than a pricey one that I havent, and it could be that I just dont like the way it feels.
  • dombo6
    dombo6 Posts: 582
    Try Cyclefit in Covent Garden.
    Get professionally fitted by them and maybe even have a frame built for you. They tweaked my stock Lemond and gave a few pointers that have been very useful.
  • nickwill
    nickwill Posts: 2,735
    Or go to Paul Hewitt in Leyland, who has Colnagos Cervelos, De Rosas, etc, etc, and is also one of the best bike fitters around.
    Whichever brand you go for, you will be disappointed if it doesn't fit properly!
    http://lakescyclist.wordpress.com/
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    storck wrote:
    without slagging off any of pre mentioned frames which im sure are very good have a look at Posh Bikes .com (Storck Bikes}these are without any doubt the best frames out there at a very competative price the Scenario model has won more awards than aii those other framesets together,well worth a look,good luck....

    May sound like I'm giving you a hard time but, serious questions. What kind of "awards"
    can a cycling frame win? Who gives out these "awards"? How many different "awards"
    are there? Is this anything like the millions of "awards" that movie stars give themselves?
    O.K. that last one wasn't very serious, sorry, but couldn't resist. :wink::wink:

    Dennis Noward
  • Brian B
    Brian B Posts: 2,071
    dennisn wrote:
    storck wrote:
    without slagging off any of pre mentioned frames which im sure are very good have a look at Posh Bikes .com (Storck Bikes}these are without any doubt the best frames out there at a very competative price the Scenario model has won more awards than aii those other framesets together,well worth a look,good luck....

    May sound like I'm giving you a hard time but, serious questions. What kind of "awards"
    can a cycling frame win? Who gives out these "awards"? How many different "awards"
    are there? Is this anything like the millions of "awards" that movie stars give themselves?
    O.K. that last one wasn't very serious, sorry, but couldn't resist. :wink::wink:

    Dennis Noward

    Here - Its an award fest. :)

    http://www.storck-bicycle.de/en/web0.as ... ekt=Awards
    Brian B.
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    Brian B wrote:
    dennisn wrote:
    storck wrote:
    without slagging off any of pre mentioned frames which im sure are very good have a look at Posh Bikes .com (Storck Bikes}these are without any doubt the best frames out there at a very competative price the Scenario model has won more awards than aii those other framesets together,well worth a look,good luck....

    May sound like I'm giving you a hard time but, serious questions. What kind of "awards"
    can a cycling frame win? Who gives out these "awards"? How many different "awards"
    are there? Is this anything like the millions of "awards" that movie stars give themselves?
    O.K. that last one wasn't very serious, sorry, but couldn't resist. :wink::wink:

    Dennis Noward

    Here - Its an award fest. :)

    http://www.storck-bicycle.de/en/web0.as ... ekt=Awards

    Sorry if my sarcasm showed through, but I am always amazed at the amount of awards
    that are given out for just about anything i.e. movie stars, beer, cars, and I guess bicycles and more seem to come along each year. Sort of reminds me of people setting
    "world records" for just about anything. At what point do you say it all doesn't mean a thing.


    Dennis Noward
  • giant_man
    giant_man Posts: 6,878
    Nickwill wrote:
    Or go to Paul Hewitt in Leyland, who has Colnagos Cervelos, De Rosas, etc, etc, and is also one of the best bike fitters around.
    Whichever brand you go for, you will be disappointed if it doesn't fit properly!

    Absolutely - I totally agree!
  • mclarent
    mclarent Posts: 784
    giant mancp wrote:
    Nickwill wrote:
    Or go to Paul Hewitt in Leyland, who has Colnagos Cervelos, De Rosas, etc, etc, and is also one of the best bike fitters around.
    Whichever brand you go for, you will be disappointed if it doesn't fit properly!

    Absolutely - I totally agree!

    Wow! What a range! Good Shout!!
    "And the Lord said unto Cain, 'where is Abel thy brother?' And he said, 'I know not: I dropped him on the climb up to the motorway bridge'."
    - eccolafilosofiadelpedale
  • Captain Fagor
    Captain Fagor Posts: 739
    Brian B wrote:
    Here - Its an award fest. :)

    http://www.storck-bicycle.de/en/web0.as ... ekt=Awards

    The awarding organisations are hardly varied or impartial are they?
  • Brian B
    Brian B Posts: 2,071
    Captain Fagor wrote:
    Brian B wrote:
    Here - Its an award fest. :)

    http://www.storck-bicycle.de/en/web0.as ... ekt=Awards

    The awarding organisations are hardly varied or impartial are they?

    Not really no :) . Its was just a bit of banter to Dennis.
    Brian B.

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