I need some input about the best bike for $2000. I ride an old trek 760 that has done great, I want to move up to the new stuff. Is DB's Kestrel sale with Ultegra a great bike for a great price. I plan on 80 miles a week with looking at doing tris again.

IMO, some better choices. The Spec may be the best choice for tri's.

http://www.feltracing.com/08/product.asp?catid=1504,1515&pid=8674
http://www.jamisbikes.com/usa/bikes/08_bikes/08xenithcomp.html#
http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=34010
http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/2008/road/madone/madone45/

Check out an Orbea Onix. If you look around you may be able to find a 2007 Rival-equipped Onix. Also, check out Bothell Ski & Bike at bikesale.com and the deals on their Scotts. I think they're Washington (state) based, so if you're not they may do free ground shipping and there'd be no taxes. If you've got to pay taxes where you live, having free shipping and no taxes may give you a little more to spend overall.

on ebay a set of deltas $1775.00

and I post this with all the best intentions of answering your question honestly. Here is the Mongoose Bosberg which Perfomancebike.com is selling for $2199. I got it on sale for $1899 minus 10% and $190 in credit for joining the club. I added some upgrades but the bike in its original configuration is 15.8 pounds without pedals.
I have 2 titanium bikes, 2 aluminum and 2 carbon bikes and have owned many others in the past and this bike equals and betters them all. Get it while you can IMO


I need some input about the best bike for $2000. I ride an old trek 760 that has done great, I want to move up to the new stuff. Is DB's Kestrel sale with Ultegra a great bike for a great price. I plan on 80 miles a week with looking at doing tris again.

Man I'd love to have those Easton wheels. Cool bike

they are smooth and quiet and spin forever. I picked these Ea90 Sl on Ebay new in the box for $475. They retail for $750 so you can steal them if you are patient. They are light but not to the point of being less durable. I picked up a pair of Easton Circuits for my Trek 5500 from Sun and Ski a while back for $250. They are a little heavier but spin just as nicely.


Man I'd love to have those Easton wheels. Cool bike

GVH http://www.gvhbikes.com/:
Torelli Toccata CF frame with Rival and Fulcrum Racing 7 for $1700
Gary V titanium frame with Rival and Fulcrum Racing 7 for $1500 from GVH (limited sizes)

Pedal Force:
http://pedalforce.com/online/your_computer.php?cPath=101177
Pedal Force RS with full Ultegra in default configuration comes to $2005 but you may change configuration in any way.
or http://pedalforce.com/online/your_computer.php?cPath=101203
Pedal Force RS with Rival and Fulcrum 7 is $1920,
RS with Rival, Easton SL fork and Reynolds Solitude wheels is $2054 for 15.5 lbs bike, and so on.
Pedal Force has $100 credit for the professional build (see fine print).

Colorado Cyclist:
http://www.coloradocyclist.com/product/display/90007/
Douglas Matrix CF with Ultegra for $1600 or $1800

If you are looking for a tri bike, insideoutsports has some pretty good closeouts right now, especially if you need a larger frame:
http://store.insideoutsports.com/browse.cfm?viewfrom=7&catid=33&step=2

For real cheap you could look at Leader bikes... I actually like the 735TT a lot.

Chris

Nice bike. I know carbon tubing is easily manipulated, but I keep looking at the frame (particularly the rear triangle) and am seeing a lot of similarities with Trek's TCT frames.

Made in Russia.

[QUOTE=sokudo]GVH http://www.gvhbikes.com/:
Gary V titanium frame with Rival and Fulcrum Racing 7 for $1500 from GVH (limited sizes)

I need some input about the best bike for $2000. I ride an old trek 760 that has done great, I want to move up to the new stuff. Is DB's Kestrel sale with Ultegra a great bike for a great price. I plan on 80 miles a week with looking at doing tris again.


I think it is an excellent deal. looking at the other links, I would go with the Kestrel, especially since you are thinking about doing tris. The set up is not too bad on the K to do an easy Tri conversion. Although, that Douglas bike from CC is also a great deal.

[Note: The pedal force bikes come unbuilt. If you can't build it then that means that you got find a mechanic you trust to do a good job, and I don't think a $100 credit will get you very far in my area. (more like $250 or $300)]

[Note: The pedal force bikes come unbuilt. If you can't build it then that means that you got find a mechanic you trust to do a good job, and I don't think a $100 credit will get you very far in my area. (more like $250 or $300)]

Thats a good point. Doesn't it cost about $150 just for an extensive tune up?

Keep in mind one thing about these no name bikes:

NO Resale value. You'll be GIVING the thing away when it comes time to step into a new ride. You'll get a good deal on these bikes on the front end, but it will wash out in the end.

I sold my Specialized for nearly what I paid for it.

With this in mind, you mightwant to find a used Madone or Tarmac that already has depreciated instead of some oddball bike that no one has heard of.

[Note: The pedal force bikes come unbuilt. If you can't build it then that means that you got find a mechanic you trust to do a good job, and I don't think a $100 credit will get you very far in my area. (more like $250 or $300)]

Whoa! I'd glady build a bike up for $100. And the shops I've worked in would probably charge a LOT closer to $100 rather than $250 or $300! Where do you live?

Thats a good point. Doesn't it cost about $150 just for an extensive tune up?



An extensive tune up can be a lot more work than building a new bike up...remember in the tune up you have to disassemble, clean, assess, replace, adjust, reassemble, etc, etc....

Whoa! I'd glady build a bike up for $100. And the shops I've worked in would probably charge a LOT closer to $100 rather than $250 or $300! Where do you live?

Washington, DC. There is only a handfull of shops that I would trust to put an entire bike together. Tell you what, I will throw out names even -- If you call any of these shops: Conte's, Spokes, Georgetown Pro Shop, Revolution cycles (maybe I trust'em), and I bet that they will quote you over $300 and tell you it will be a week to two weeks before they can get to it, and another two weeks to get it done.

Brenster's right. To get new cables cost about $75 installed, and a tune-up cost you about $100 to $150 with no parts. I do my work myself, but am not slamming the shops. They are nice folks, do good work, and if they can get those prices then good for them.

Edit: These tune-ups are not dissembling the bike parts. It is degreasing the chain, cleaning the bike, and checking the brakes and shifting.

Washington, DC. There is only a handfull of shops that I would trust to put an entire bike together. Tell you what, I will throw out names even -- If you call any of these shops: Conte's, Spokes, Georgetown Pro Shop, Revolution cycles (maybe I trust'em), and I bet that they will quote you over $300 and tell you it will be a week to two weeks before they can get to it, and another two weeks to get it done.

Brenster's right. To get new cables cost about $75 installed, and a tune-up cost you about $100 to $150 with no parts. I do my work myself, but am not slamming the shops. They are nice folks, do good work, and if they can get those prices then good for them.

Edit: These tune-ups are not dissembling the bike parts. It is degreasing the chain, cleaning the bike, and checking the brakes and shifting.

Glad I don't live in the DC area. Those prices are, in my opinion, outrageous. I sure hope they are paying their mechanics $17 - $25 an hour if they are charging those rates. And I would sure hope the mechanics are well qualified. (Believe me, most aren't) I'd at least hope that when you look back in the shop area you don't see a bunch of punk "dude" spewing kids! (LOL) :)

Honestly, assembling a new bike out of complete parts is not that hard nor THAT time consuming. And $75 for a cable install sounds about right if you're talking about new CAMPY cables and housing all around. A basic tune-up in the area I worked cost about $50 - $60. Seems like your prices in the DC area are about double what the shops I worked in charged.

Seems like your prices in the DC area are about double what the shops I worked in charged.

That has been my experience too- but IMO everything in DC is overpriced. The 1400 sq. foot, 3 (small) bedroom row house right beside mine just sold for $989,000. That is re-donk-u-lous.

1. Talk about NO resale value is a red herring. You will always be able to sell a bike for the price of its components. And depreciation on the name brand frame like Specialized ot Trek is more than what you pay for the whole Pedal Force frame.

Besides, you will be selling it as a carbon fiber bike, and that at present confers an immediate respect and monetary value on any bike for any newbie. And those who know, know what is Pedal Force and why is it desirable.

Finally, parting the bike and selling components on ebay will fetch more than a complete bike .

2. Build price.
GVH has a service where they will build up any frame for $75 if you buy other components from them. With $25-55 shipping it comes to $100-130 build, their prices for parts are very competitive, and, well, tax does not exist, either for parts or for build.

Or you may call around. E.g., in the San Francisco Bay Area where the shops in the center of Palo Alto quoted $300+ for the build, a bit of search with the help of mtbr.com and yelp.com shop reviews plus phone found quite a few reputable shops within 30 minutes drive with quotes $100-150 for the complete build. I'm pretty sure that a similar search will succeed in Northern Virgina or Maryland.

And? So are MIGs and Sukhoi.

Made in Russia.

GVH http://www.gvhbikes.com/:
Gary V titanium frame with Rival and Fulcrum Racing 7 for $1500 from GVH (limited sizes)

Glad I don't live in the DC area. Those prices are, in my opinion, outrageous.


Here is an interesting fact about Washington, DC (thanks to This American Life):

Washington, DC, has the highest per capita concentration of gastroenterologists in the USA. It also has the highest doctor's fees. Coincidence?

the Mongoose Bosberg has several sizes available on eBay.

Let me preface this with telling you that I live SW of Buffalo.

I recently took my current bike to get a tune-up. I was charged $150. What did that include.

New cables
New deraileur hanger
2 new shimano 105 chainrings
new ultegra chain
complete re weld of braze on
tire truing
new bar wrap

Then you can add in the actual tune up cost.

I have a great LBS, I had deceided on purchasing a 2007 Felt f4 from him for $1700 till I stumbled across the RS2 deal.

ADL, I'd say to give Pedal Force a good staring at- nice bikes at a great price.

Let me preface this with telling you that I live SW of Buffalo.

I recently took my current bike to get a tune-up. I was charged $150. What did that include.

New cables
New deraileur hanger
2 new shimano 105 chainrings
new ultegra chain
complete re weld of braze on
tire truing
new bar wrap

Then you can add in the actual tune up cost.

I have a great LBS, I had deceided on purchasing a 2007 Felt f4 from him for $1700 till I stumbled across the RS2 deal.

I doubt you were charged anywhere near the standard prices.

$150 for a complete build is about right for a nice shop. My buddies have figured out that I will do it for a sixer of good beer though.:thumbsup: