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Carbon road bikes are getting really affordable..

Living Proof

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A few days ago, I was watching the TDF and there was a Giant bike reviewed as comparable to a top-end bike technology from 10 years ago.

At $1700, it would be worth checking out, composite frame and 105 group.

https://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/bikes-tcr-advanced-2018

BTW, the limiting factor in my Al bike's performance is this old dude's aerobic system. The important part of biking is just getting the miles done on a regular basis. I'm not jealous of anyone riding a modern high tech bike, but, I do envy those who ride the classic steel frames.
 

Ron

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carbon is great for old battered body parts! :beercheer:

giant is the largest producer of carbon frames IIRC but note that all carbon is not equal.
 
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UGASkiDawg

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I'd pay for Dura ace over 105 or even ultegra over upgrading to carbon seatpost, stem or bar. Dura ace (and Red) are super smooth. I can't tell the difference between an aluminum bar and a carbon bar assuming the frame is carbon.
 
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scott43

scott43

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I'm not jealous of anyone riding a modern high tech bike, but, I do envy those who ride the classic steel frames.

Goff Custom Reynolds 853..
IMG_20160807_132832608.jpg
 

Ron

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I'd pay for Dura ace over 105 or even ultegra over upgrading to carbon seatpost, stem or bar. Dura ace (and Red) are super smooth. I can't tell the difference between an aluminum bar and a carbon bar assuming the frame is carbon.

Agree (for 90%) but i'll take my Bonti Aeolus 5 D3's over all else.
 

at_nyc

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random thought for today... 105 equipped carbon road bike, name brand, $2k. That's pretty darn good.
Where have you been? ogwink

My current bike I bought 12 years ago (2015) for $1999. "Name brand" -- Trek. Carbon OCLV frame, with carbon fork. components is a mixed of Ultegra and 105 (Ultegra shifter and derailleur, brake/hub 105. Forgot what hubs though)

Both Giant and (to a lessor degree) Trek had bought sub-2k carbon bike to the market for more than 10 years!
 

Primoz

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What kind of service issues are people having with Canyon?

And not trying to be difficult here..genuinely curious. I worked in the business and many mfgrs were very much against individuals buying bikes in boxes because their competency was suspect and they didn't want to handle a lot of dubious warranty claims. I'm curious if this is what's happening or if they genuinely have issues.
Considering my English, it's going to be a bit longer, so sorry for this now already :) First thing is, people tend to keep them mouth shut when all is well, so not many people brag around how good their bike is working. On the other hand, especially today with FB, Twitter and internet forums, everyone are complaining like crazy (mostly in anonymous way) about every single detail that is not as they wish. So you end up with something what I have found, when checking last year before I bought my Canyon Lux mtb. Lux (and Nerve, which have similar/same rear suspension) is suppose to be really crappy and bearing of rear suspension last some 100km and then you get play in them and need to be changed. There's some German mtb forum, where there's 50 pages of this problem. So considering there's 50 pages of these noise creaking, bearings failing problems, bike really needs to be bad. Well... until you start reading through and notice there were 3 members who produced those 50 pages. I'm not joking here, but there were really 3!! people having this problems, and those 50 pages were from these 3 guys. Then there's whole bunch of posts of cracked frames. I know they crack, but they crack with pretty much every company I know, from Specialized and Cannondale to Canyon. Now if there's more of them, I have no idea, but I guess forums are not best way to have proper statistics about that.
Another thing is speed of delivery. Personally I have only good experiences. When ordering bike (it wasn't on stock) it was 3-4 weeks stated on order. I had my bike in my hands in less then 2 weeks. Now Canyon had some sale, so I ordered new Shimano SLX brakes for my wife (her Formula RX goes on my nerves as contrary to my previous Formula R1 I'm not able to bleed them really good), and I added spare derailleur hanger for my Lux. I placed order on Monday, and yesterday evening (Wednesday) I got tracking number and confirmation order was shipped. On the other side, people are complaining they placed order for derailleur hanger in May and shipping date is suppose to be December. Could be, but personally I have just good experiences.
And then there's argument, which normally comes from LBS employees/owners, that you have zero service with Canyon. It might be different in USA, but over here when for example Specialized frame cracks and you need warranty, you do take it back to LBS, but they deal with importer and importer deals with Specialized, and only when Specialized HQ confirms exchange, you get new bike, which in my opinion is not much better then dealing directly with Canyon, as in either case you are not going to get your bike swapped in week.
So I would say some people really have issues, but I guess there's no company with no issues or problems, and majority is just over blown bubble. Again, only from my personal experience, I have good ones. But I just might have been lucky :)
 

surfandski

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It's interesting to see this post. I had been looking for a new road bike and test road a 2018 Trek Domane SL 5 with dual Isospeed decouplers and 105 groupo and I left the store shocked at how much bike that was for $1999. I ended up going with a Domane SLR with Disc brakes just because I wanted to treat myself but that SL was a sweet bike for the money. If you are looking for a rough road or gravel bike the Domanes are freaking amazing. With 32mm tires I've taken my new one on some fairly gnarly MTB trails and it just plain works.
 

Tom K.

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It's interesting to see this post. I had been looking for a new road bike and test road a 2018 Trek Domane SL 5 with dual Isospeed decouplers and 105 groupo and I left the store shocked at how much bike that was for $1999. I ended up going with a Domane SLR with Disc brakes just because I wanted to treat myself but that SL was a sweet bike for the money. If you are looking for a rough road or gravel bike the Domanes are freaking amazing. With 32mm tires I've taken my new one on some fairly gnarly MTB trails and it just plain works.

Same. I've got the original Domane Disk, and the rear end is amazing. Sadly, I rode the new version with front compliance added, and, wow! Bike shopping again (still?).
 

RachelV

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REI is doing some pretty nice things with their bike lines, both road and mountain. (Full disclosure: I work for REI.)

Top 2 options are carbon (ARD 1.3 and 1.4), and the top option (1.4) has 105s:
https://www.rei.com/b/co-op-cycles/c/road-bikes?r=c;b&origin=web&ir=category:road-bikes&page=1

I absolutely do not need a new road bike, and I have to stop myself from buying that 1.4 like once a week.

Update: lost this battle with myself. Bought the ARD 1.4 and will be putting 35mm knobby tires on it and doing the groad bike thing. Pretty pumped actually! I've hardly road biked the last few years because I'm afraid of distracted drivers, so this should be a nice way to scratch that itch.
 

Living Proof

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Update: lost this battle with myself. Bought the ARD 1.4 and will be putting 35mm knobby tires on it and doing the groad bike thing. Pretty pumped actually! I've hardly road biked the last few years because I'm afraid of distracted drivers, so this should be a nice way to scratch that itch.

There is an old song line.."I owe my soul to the company store". If I worked for REI, not sure I'd have much take home pay. My first high end bike was a cross-trainer 700 cc wheels with knobby 35mm tires, steel and 3x8. I still own it a ride it on bike trails in the Philly area. Like you, I avoid the roadways. Enjoy the new bike!
 

Fuller

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I absolutely love my Domane H1 fit. It doesn't have the front isolation gizmo but I ride about 500-600 miles a month and my legs wear out a long time before my butt gets sore. I've got an older set of Zipp 303 wheels on it with a Powertap hub which gives me more data to geek out with. A really nice set of Enve wheels might be in the future. Bicycles are worth whatever you want to pay for them if you ride like I do.
 

Fuller

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I'm in the "B -" group now which would probably be the C or D group in Colorado or California. But hey, I'm moving up and there's a lot of guys 20 years younger riding next to me!

I also like drinking coffee with the crew after the rides, keeps my social skills intact...
 

cantunamunch

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The funny thing is how I keep suggesting the Domane as a long-ride bike to current hybrid owners and they listen to me very carefully then proceed to the Madone, go goo goo ga ga, and plonk down their moneys :huh::doh:


To date ...one person has actually listened...but they bought a closeout Felt instead :roflmao:
 

martyg

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I get what you are saying and its likely a "good deal" but I think $2K seems a "good deal" not because it is indeed a "good deal", but rather because bikes have been (are) so expensive.

You can spend over $10,000 on a bike these days without too much effort.

That is more than Honda's best off-road motorcycle - as much as a decent used car.

I don't know motorcycles on the elite level... But is that the same bike that people winning world championships are riding? Does that sport have NGB imposed limitations that dictate build being close to stock?
 

martyg

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When you are ready to buy, you ought to at least get on one. Weight is irrelevant to me. But the quality of the ride is shocking in comparison to aluminum. I personally go back and forth as to whether I prefer a good steel bike (which I have two of) or carbon. But especially for a road bike, some days I would choose carbon over steel. I'll be happy if I never ride another aluminum bike again . . .

Interesting story.... I found the exact sponsor bike that I used to race on in the 80's when I went home for a friend's funeral. The bike was rotting in his adult son's garage. The frame was rusted, painted with purple spray can, with overspray on the Campy Super Record components.

He bequeathed the bike back to me and I spend literally thousands restoring it. The frame was professionally painted. The brand was a house brand built in the Viner factory. I cruised the internet, found a 1980's catalogue of that brand that someone posted on-line and recreated the decals in AI. For components that couldn't be salvaged I bought NIB Campy Super Record parts off of vintage sites.... I thought, "Man, it will be amazing to finally ride this. The memories. the races. The friendships."

I took one ride on it and said, "I really like my 15 pound carbon bikes much more." I haven't ridden it since then.
 

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