performance forte road bike

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by alex001
any opinions on the performance forte road bike that is about 800 us dollars? iam not sure on the model, but it has 105s ,alex rims, and carbon forks

If you're talking about the SL-1 (stunning silver bike w/ carbon fiber front fork), it is a FANTASTIC bike. I just purchased one a few days ago, and it is simply brilliant. I am a novice, but i ride with several "advanced" riders, and they are all jealous. :p

It's a great bike, and i highly recommend it. 😎

I bought one last year and returned it for full refund.

Positive: You shouldn't complain about 105 components at this price, very good per dollar. Bike was fast and stiff enough.
Frame is strong and not too heavy.
Alex rims seem fine. Handlebars were stiff and tape wrap excellent, headset was good.

Minus: cable housings, both shift and brake, were embarrasingly low quality. Did not include 105 calipers, used heavier Forte calipers (ok but not 105) Hubs did not seem anywhere NEAR 105 quality, poor black finish, don't plan on getting 5K miles on those. Though I think the Alex 390 rims were OK, factory wheel truing VERY POOR, the worst I've ever seen. I spent three, (3) hours on these wheels.

CAVEAT EMPTOR: bad cable housings, worst built road wheels ever.

Bottom Line: for $730 get a Jamis, Raleigh, Fuji, or other unsnobby road bike with better quality control. Don't go below Tiagra, and if you can, go Mirage at this price point.

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Tzad
I bought one last year and returned it for full refund.

Positive: You shouldn't complain about 105 components at this price, very good per dollar. Bike was fast and stiff enough.
Frame is strong and not too heavy.
Alex rims seem fine. Handlebars were stiff and tape wrap excellent, headset was good.

Minus: cable housings, both shift and brake, were embarrasingly low quality. Did not include 105 calipers, used heavier Forte calipers (ok but not 105) Hubs did not seem anywhere NEAR 105 quality, poor black finish, don't plan on getting 5K miles on those. Though I think the Alex 390 rims were OK, factory wheel truing VERY POOR, the worst I've ever seen. I spent three, (3) hours on these wheels.

CAVEAT EMPTOR: bad cable housings, worst built road wheels ever.

Bottom Line: for $730 get a Jamis, Raleigh, Fuji, or other unsnobby road bike with better quality control. Don't go below Tiagra, and if you can, go Mirage at this price point.

Excellent review--you are obviously much more knowledgable than myself, and i respect that.

The bike suits my purposes just fine--it is my first road bike, and most of the low points you mentioned are upgradable somewhere down the road. But, to be perfectly honest, i'm still ignorant enough at this point to not have even recognized them anyway. But thanks for the information, though, as i'll certainly be keeping that in mind.

Bottom line is that i got the bike brand new on clearance for $619 (MSRP was $1,050), which was just too good of a deal to pass up. I truly feel like i got more than my money's worth out of it. It certainly seemed like MUCH more bike--and certainly more bang for the buck--than the Fuji Club LE i had been considering (MSRP $749 on sale for $449).

P.S. The Performance mechanic where i bought the bike trued the wheels for me before they let it go out the door--i'm surprised they didn't do the same for you...

to follow up:

I'm glad the Performance mechanic trued the wheels, that's a big step in the right direction. I had the bike shipped to me.
I do think the bike is a good deal at $619, I paid $730. I can't remember if the hubs are cup and cone or cartridge, but if they are cup and cone have them checked for correct adjustment, that is, close enough for no play, but not tight enough for increased friction. Given that untrued wheels are a symptom of less personal attention, hub adjustment is often overlooked, and just too important for long-term reliability to be ignored.

Thanks for the kind word about the review. I call it as I see it, and I follow Sheldon Brown in not being an "expensive bike snob"
I really like the idea of a new road bike for $619. I forget to check which bottom bracket the SL-1 has, but that's another place where misadjustment due to quick assembly could cause trouble. Manufacturers often cut corners there too.

Enjoy!

Tzad

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by AcroAir
Excellent review--you are obviously much more knowledgable than myself, and i respect that.

The bike suits my purposes just fine--it is my first road bike, and most of the low points you mentioned are upgradable somewhere down the road. But, to be perfectly honest, i'm still ignorant enough at this point to not have even recognized them anyway. But thanks for the information, though, as i'll certainly be keeping that in mind.

Bottom line is that i got the bike brand new on clearance for $619 (MSRP was $1,050), which was just too good of a deal to pass up. I truly feel like i got more than my money's worth out of it. It certainly seemed like MUCH more bike--and certainly more bang for the buck--than the Fuji Club LE i had been considering (MSRP $749 on sale for $449).

P.S. The Performance mechanic where i bought the bike trued the wheels for me before they let it go out the door--i'm surprised they didn't do the same for you...

ya sounds like a solid bike, performance-wise the wheels sound like the only potential problem (housings are cheap and everyone underspecs brakes), and wheel upgrades would carry over directly to a second bike.

make sure you get a helmet and have fun

Just a clarification...

Unlike the rims that came on Tzad's bike, the rims that came on mine are Alexrimms F400's, which seem to be pretty decent rims to me. My much-more-knowledgeable-than-me buddy seemed pretty impressed by them, too.

I thought earlier that this was the case, but i wanted to get a chance to check & make sure that i wasn't mistaken. I've double-checked, and they are indeed F400s (w/ straight spokes--rather than the weaker "swept" design--on both sides on the front rim, and on one side on the back rim).

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by AcroAir
Just a clarification...

the rims that came on mine are Alexrimms F400's

Sorry...i meant R400's, not F400's.