Best Road Bike money can buy

[slian]

Hi forum,

I thought I was different, I thought I was strong enough to resist…but I was wrong! Upgradeitis has well and truly strucked. I bought my Giant OCR C1 pre-loved to do Around The Bay middle of this year. Basically I was starting road biking from scratch but I thought I wanted full CF and an adequate groupset so I wouldn't need to upgrade anytime soon. And she rides beautifully and has done everything I ask of her.

But now I find myself checking out other rides as they overtake me on Beach Rd, thinking it's not me, it's their bike!!! So my question is, what is the best bike out there at the moment? Which is the bike every pro wanna ride if they can? Which bike has the maximum wank factor (WF) out there at the moment?

Like all wannabes I've look at the TdF for guidance and through the scientific method of looking at their pictures + Googling to see if they can be found easily in Melbourne, have narrowed the choices to these:

Cannondale SuperSix HiMod 1
Felt F1 SL/AR2
Orbea Orca
Giant TCR Advanced SL
Pinarello Prince FP
Specialized Tarmac SL3
Trek 6 Series Madone
Scott Addict R2
Cervelo S3
Ridley Noah/Helium

So has anyone who has ridden any of them any feedback, especially in comparison with each other. Has anyone ever had to compare a few of them before making the decision to shell out 10K for one (give or take a few Ks). I know at this price range they are all insane bikes/reviews all say you cant go wrong/it's whichever make your bum sing etc.

And if anyone is asking for the budget…there is none! This is pure fantasy at the moment (though we all know in cycling, that can be turned into reality through weekly installment purchase plan, haha). But realistically it's probably a 1-2yr thing when I'm hoping to pick up one maybe 2nd hand or hopefully the frame has trickled down range to make it more affordable. But then it wouldn’t be maximum WF anymore sigh…

Anyway love to hear what the forum has to say!

[a]

my lust list

colnago c 40
wilier cento uno
baum corretto

Am riding a ridely damocles and quite like it

[Missy24]

What about Wilier, Colnago..

I can't believe Giant is on the list..

If money is no object why not the 2010 Cannondale SuperSix Hi-Mod Ultimate SRM

or the 2010 Colnago CF-7 Ferrari Limited Edition 1 of 199

[cpical]

Passoni
Litespeed
Paduano

[Missy24]

Passoni
Litespeed
Paduano

beautiful

[AlMac]

Moots

http://www.moots.com/#/product/bicycles ... moots_rsl/

[steambao]

Moots

http://www.moots.com/#/product/bicycles ... moots_rsl/

That is the sexiest bike i've seen

[JV911]

And if anyone is asking for the budget…there is none!

i think my next bike will be a de rosa king with SDV66 wheels but if money was no object i'd go a pinarello dogma 60.1 with lightweights

[cpical]

That http://www.passoni.com/popup_foto.asp?id=Mirror&tipo=c is sexy!!!

[im_no_pro]

That http://www.passoni.com/popup_foto.asp?id=Mirror&tipo=c is sexy!!!

Lightweights look completely wrong on that IMO. Might be better de-decalled (did I just make up a word ), but the colour scheme more suits a touring style bike I reckon.

[Missy24]

http://www.rideblue.com/ac1.php

[familyguy]

I just wish they'd come up with a better name and font for those lightweight wheels. And now they're MOST LIGHTWEIGHT!! Bike is stealth but wheels...damn they're fugly!

Money no object?



Fully custom, of course.

[cpical]

French touch:

http://www.fkc-concept.com/galerie.html

[lukas]

All that 'most' branded stuff spoils the Pinarello frames I reckon. IMO it's not the best looking kit. And now MOST lightweight wheels?! What's going on there? I love the understated look of the usual lightweights.

Back to the original post. If money were no object I'd probably have 10-15 top of the line steeds. It would be too hard to pick one.

I think for the 'wank factor', which seems to rate high on the OP's priority list, it's hard to go past the overtly European frames. Pinarello, Colnago, Wilier, Time etc. And it must be a frame that is actually made in Europe, of course! Team it up with Campy Super Record, a set of Bora's and you're good to go.

[provoked]

http://www.rideblue.com/ac1.php

Yum!

[slian]

my lust list

colnago c 40
wilier cento uno
baum corretto

Am riding a ridely damocles and quite like it

The Wilier Cento Uno was a borderline exclusion coz I couldnt find it by the 1m i spent Googling around Melbourne bike shops...but by the same measure, the Ridleys should be excluded too as I couldnt find those models as well but they were too hot to be left out, just as the Wilier probably is too, my mistake

Have come across a review of Damocles b4, very well reviewed too, do you know where it sits in the Ridley range, a?

[slian]

What about Wilier, Colnago..

I can't believe Giant is on the list..

If money is no object why not the 2010 Cannondale SuperSix Hi-Mod Ultimate SRM

or the 2010 Colnago CF-7 Ferrari Limited Edition 1 of 199

Being the newby that I am, my original list were from the rides of this year's TdF, so some venerable brands like Colnago, Bianchi were probably left out a bit arbitrarily...

As for Giant, I'll always have a soft spot for it, since my first roadie was (and still is!) a Giant . And I find the clean, Zen like look of the Rabobank's Giants quite appealing... Having said that, my inclination for the next ride would probably be something American or Continental, haha.

As for those Ultimate/Limited Edition stuffs..probably because I've never heard of them, haha! But seriously, everything else being equal/upgradable, I'm looking more for feedback on brand/frame combo I guess.

[slian]

And if anyone is asking for the budget…there is none!

i think my next bike will be a de rosa king with SDV66 wheels but if money was no object i'd go a pinarello dogma 60.1 with lightweights

This is awesome! Tho initially I thought it was a photoshopped monster..on account of the Most Lightweight wheels and the fact it seems to be floating in the pic...didnt realised they were legit brand

[Missy24]

What about Wilier, Colnago..

I can't believe Giant is on the list..

If money is no object why not the 2010 Cannondale SuperSix Hi-Mod Ultimate SRM

or the 2010 Colnago CF-7 Ferrari Limited Edition 1 of 199

Being the newby that I am, my original list were from the rides of this year's TdF, so some venerable brands like Colnago, Bianchi were probably left out a bit arbitrarily...

As for Giant, I'll always have a soft spot for it, since my first roadie was (and still is!) a Giant . And I find the clean, Zen like look of the Rabobank's Giants quite appealing... Having said that, my inclination for the next ride would probably be something American or Continental, haha.

As for those Ultimate/Limited Edition stuffs..probably because I've never heard of them, haha! But seriously, everything else being equal/upgradable, I'm looking more for feedback on brand/frame combo I guess.

To begin with if your 'spending' that much money you really want to be going for something with the W factor... why else would you drop that sort of cash on something when you can buy something perfectly adequate for 5k.

So if your dropping that much money on a roadie then first point of call must be the W factor.

Brand/Frame combo... that comes down to the following

a). names that you like the sound of
b). names that look appealing to you
c). a design that is appealing to you

Trust me it does, that's how marketing works and that's how bikes works, it comes down to feel and how it makes you feel, there is no 1 best road bike that money can buy, there are probably 30 road bikes out there that hit the nail on the head in relation to being the best.

Once you get to that range of bikes... they are all equally as good as another, you need to define what your going to do with it to choose what your going to have.

Road bikes have different purposes, a sprinter will have a different opinion to someone whose a GC guy...

[JV911]

I love the understated look of the usual lightweights

i agree. i'd get the "most lightweight" decals in black to match the black-on-black frame/decals

French touch:

http://www.fkc-concept.com/galerie.html

strange looking geometry on those things...the citroen of the bike world?

[provoked]

strange looking geometry on those things...the citroen of the bike world?

I noticed the same - thought it was just me though.

[provoked]

Christophe - translate please: http://www.fkc-concept.com/positionnement.html

I assume thats talking about teh geometry?

[provoked]

Ahh - nvm, google translator:

French to English translationShow romanization
.. The idea is to install the morphological parameters of cycling without coercion of any instrument excess in space and determine the best points of support to the lengths of segments osseux.On can thus visualize the scale of work the angles, points of support for the effort, the mass transfer in different positionsnécessaires the pedal. The back and seat height are calculated according to length of femur, and the inseam lengths of cranks.

This unique positioning enables maximize physical abilities of the rider on all modes of work and in comfort. It can also work on the diagram by moving the pedal dead up and down on a pedal cycle. (time pressure and time of lying low back). Thus, it no longer works on couples, but how about a cycle. After obtaining the best compromise, the frame can be drawn from the points of support ended. The dynamic study can bring the bike's performance depending on the size of the cyclist. Caster angle,
impasto front and rear ground clearance, are defined for stability and nervousness. Finally, we must be able to see this construction all measures with the same precision.

... For this, an unprecedented system of transcription, not angles but by measurements on a square ordered, has been developed. The accuracy is such that the frame drawn on the work table is identical to the one built in the 10th mm. All the techniques of field measurements of cuts, fitting and assembly are unique because inventées.Le marble fixture allows a precision rotary hundredth of a millimeter in fit and make executives whose alignment is below 4 / 10e tolerance. All this in one operation. The assembly BSB can retain all the mechanical and steel. This clarification is necessary for us to develop all new technologies our bikes (under asymmetric bases and shrouds differentiated realignment lines chain, umbrella symmetrical booster seat post, calculation of new geometries and dynamic directional specific RZw , etc..). The choice of steel manufactured with the latest techniques developed allows us to finalize our ideas on
dynamic and morphological studies. Their potential mechanical durability allow us to develop frameworks able to combine all the mechanical and technological RZw.

All mechanical components necessary for the development of RZw are manufactured by
highly qualified companies with manufacturing standards and the European environment.

Still doesn't make sense in some parts though.

[familyguy]

To begin with if your 'spending' that much money you really want to be going for something with the W factor...

You do mean wow factor, right, and not w*nk factor?

French touch:

http://www.fkc-concept.com/galerie.html

strange looking geometry on those things...the citroen of the bike world?

Given limitless budget and choice, I can honestly say there's nothing on that page I'd choose to ride...

[Missy24]

To begin with if your 'spending' that much money you really want to be going for something with the W factor...

You do mean wow factor, right, and not w*nk factor?

I mean w*nk factor