I know you probably hate these types of questions but I've been looking through forums and most are out dated.
Been ridding for a year now and want to upgrade from my trek composite 2300, my price is around $2000 but would go for something as long as its not over 2500.
Ive been looking at two bikes for a while now and can't make up my mind. They are the Specialized tarmac elite apex and the Giant Tcr composite. Which will perform better for sprinting and overall riding. Also open to other suggestions..felt ar5???
HELP PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!![IMG]/img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif[/IMG]
I haven't ridden either, but if I had to pick, I'd probably go with the specialized, because I generally like the frames better than the giant frames. But components might tip the balance in the other direction. What component groups do these come with? In your price-range, don't settle for less than shimano 105 (and you can probably do even better than that). My Look 585 with full DA was $2500 . . . .
my son just purchased a 2010 Felt F4 (with full ultegra ) such a sweet bike , stiff , fast , beautiful . besides that it's a Felt , known for it's performance and quality . he paid 2200.00 plus tax. this bike is worthy of upgrades for the future such as wheelset , saddle , handlebars ,etc . would take this bike over an equivalent specialized , trek ,giant or cannondale any day of the week .
I will be doing racing if that makes a difference...
Have you considered simply changing your wheels-and-tires and/or your shifters?
Often times, non-sponsored riders do not ride their best bike(s) in races.
I agree specially if you are racing crits. You will have to start in the cat 5's or should we say crash 5's. Spend you money on a nice pair of light wheels and just race what you have. If you like racing when you bump up to the 4's or 3's then buy a sweet bike as a reward.
Alfeng and MMMhills have a valid point. Your gonna spend the first season or two learning the rules, what your strengths and weaknesses are, and learning how to exploit your strengths to your greatest advantage. Oh, and you'll probably be laying on the ground a little bit too, which tends to scratch both you and the bike up. Spend a little to upgrade your current ride an get your feet wet with that, and then spring for a better bike when you move up. You never know, you might end up not even liking racing and then there's a good chunk of money down the drain.
If you don't own a powertap, you might consider spending your money on one instead of a new bike. If your goal is to do well in races, the powertap will have much more of an effect than a slightly better bike. You can get a nice wireless one and a wheel or two for under $2K for sure.
